Pitfield joined about a dozen candidates who'd signed her pledge for a noon-hour press conference Friday to unveil the list. Friday's news conference was the second try for Pitfield, who'd left the candidates to their own devices earlier in the week because of a scheduling mix-up at her campaign office.
On Friday, however, Pitfield arrived only a few minutes late in a buoyant mood. That morning, an Ipsos-Reid poll showed that Pitfield had 46 per cent support among voters who were sure to cast a ballot, to incumbent Mayor David Miller's 51 per cent.
"It's closer than some people thought but it actually confirms what I've known all along," said Pitfield. "Since January I have been all over the city, I've been speaking to people on the street and I haven't met one person in the city who feels the city is working well. It's encouraging - in May I was at 20 per cent, and I've gone up to 46 per cent."
Pitfield was likewise pleased to unveil her list of supporters among council candidates. While 46 people signed, only a handful of incumbents put their names down: Ward 39 Councillor Mike Del Grande, Ward 2 Councillor Rob Ford, Ward 25 Councillor Cliff Jenkins, Ward 11 Councillor Frances Nunziata, Ward 17 Councillor Cesar Palacio, and Ward 22 Councillor Michael Walker.
None of those councillors were on hand with Pitfield to show their support.
"I'm here mostly supporting the pledge," said Dan Sandor, a candidate in Ward 38 (Scarborough Centre). "It's ridiculous - it's not only an insult to the people in council but also an insult to the people of Toronto. Council is complaining we don't have the money for this, we don't have the money for that but oh by the way I found an extra 8.9 per cent to pay us."
Sonali Verma, a candidate in Ward 1 (Etobicoke North) said it was all a matter of process.
"I think what's most important is that we consider the process by which pay raises are given; it must not only be fair it must appear to be fair," she said. "Whether we deserve it or not is beside the point. When city staff have to go on strike for weeks and weeks and weeks to get a measly three per cent increase for something then it looks like you have these fat cats handing themselves (raises) on a platter."
Pitfield is promising if elected to lead Toronto Council to roll back the pay hike.
"I think this is an important election issue and these people do as well," she said. "Many of them came into the election as a result of this issue. It was the final straw that proves this council has been out of touch with how the people in this city feel. It's wrong and it sets a very bad example for employees in particular. We have poor employee morale, and you can be sure that they'll expect the same pay increase."
Pitfield hurried off from the news conference after fielding reporters' questions, to attend a rally in support of Canadian troops in Afghanistan a few blocks north, that had been scheduled at the same time as her rescheduled news conference.