A dog 🐕is among the 100 candidates running for mayor in Toronto!

More than 100 candidates, including a former police chief, a comedian and a dog, are all vying for the chance to be mayor of Canada’s largest city.

One hundred and two prospective mayors formally registered before Friday’s deadline as candidates in the mayoral byelection at the end of June.

The current three-term mayor, John Tory, abruptly resigned in February, after admitting to an extramarital affair with a former staff member. Tory had won re-election only four months before.

Leading candidates are campaigning on fixing Toronto’s transit system, addressing a cost of living crisis in the city and overhauling controversial infrastructure, like the Gardiner expressway. But the record number of entrants has also lured in a cast of long-shot hopefuls.

One of the last candidates to register was Molly, a seven-year-old Russian rescue dog. Owner Toby Heaps, who arrived at city hall on rollerblades, said he was a stand-in for the dog.

He told reporters Molly’s biggest concerns were the city’s use of winter road salt, which hurts her paws. He also said a victory for Molly would lead to more “civilized discourse” during council meetings. “You’ve probably noticed when you have an animal in the room, people are more human.”

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Source News the guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/may/15/toronto-mayor-election-candidates-dog Published on May,15,2023