Anthony Furey: Olivia Chow embraces a lawless Toronto

Advertisement 1 This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Breadcrumb Trail Links HomeNP Comment Anthony Furey: Olivia Chow embraces a lawless Toronto The mayor dismisses the importance of the police, even as crime and disorder are getting worse Author of the article: By Anthony Furey Published Sep 23, 2026 4 minute read Join the conversation Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow acknowledges "the workers" during an event on the ground floor of the still-under-construction One Bloor West in June. PHOTO BY PETER POWER /Peter Power/Postmedia Network Article content Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow has done a decent job sticking to a tight script during her bid for re-election. It’s a script that casts her as a centrist concerned about public safety and affordability — two of the electorate’s main concerns. Article content But at a recent debate she let the mask slip and reminded Toronto voters of her true colours — that she has never been an ally of the police. That’s not something you want to do, especially when we need law and order more than ever. Article content RECOMMENDED VIDEOS Article content Article content Chow’s re-election slogan is that she’s working for “a more affordable, safe and caring city.” The use of “safe” certainly gives the impression that Chow recognizes the city’s troubling state and intends to get tough on crime. But before accepting that conclusion, voters should unpack what she’s really saying. Article content Channel Israel Columnist Jesse Kline keeps you up to date with what’s happening in Israel and the effects of antisemitism on life here in Canada. Friday mornings. Sign Up By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Article content As one of her lead safety talking points, Chow has touted how the city hired dozens of additional 911 operators under her watch, which cut 911 response times in half. Article content This is good news and wise policy and it’s a scandal that we had that brief period where callers were put on hold for a service most people have long assumed answers immediately. Article content I unfortunately learned the other year what it was like to be put on hold by 911 for almost a minute, when I called to deal with another person’s medical emergency. The 45 seconds or so on hold felt like an eternity. Article content Answering the phone is only one part of the solution though. Are there…