Mayoral candidates Rob Ford and George Smitherman traded angry barbs at Tuesday night’s televised debate, with immigration, the fair wage policy and the Woodbine Live racetrack development the main topics of contention.

Smitherman got the debate on refugees going when he referenced the Tamil migrants that recently landed in British Columbia.

“I heard Rob Ford say that Toronto should be a refugee-free zone,” Smitherman said.

Ford didn’t disagree. “We can’t even take care of our own 2.5 million,” he said. “We should take care of the people we have now before bringing in more.” Several audience members applauded.

Joe Pantalone asked Ford to withdraw his statement. “Frankly, I don’t think he meant it,” he said.

Smitherman said if Canada had turned down refugees in the past, it would never have absorbed the Irish during the potato famine or Jews during the Holocaust.

Ford said that if Smitherman cared about Jewish Torontonians, he wouldn’t have supported new public housing in Lawrence Heights. Ford said some 5,000 Jewish residents from that neighbourhood had written him letters opposing the development.

Later in the debate, each candidate was asked for specific policy promises.

Smitherman promised a “results-based platform” after Labour Day, but Ford had his points ready.

He promised to abolish the Land Transfer Tax; eliminate the Licence Registration Fee; reduce city council by half; and put police in all Toronto high schools. He also said he would abolish the Fair Wage Policy, which requires the city to pay contract workers comparable rates to permanent employees.

Sarah Thomson also said she would eliminate the Land Transfer Tax and Licence Registration Fee. Smitherman pointed out they bring in $1 billion a year.

Near the end of the debate, Rocco Rossi asked Ford to comment on a recent Toronto Sun article that said

Ford was taking too much credit for the Woodbine Live entertainment complex to be built in Rexdale.

Citing the Sun, Rossi said Ward 1 Councillor Suzan Hall was just as influential in closing the deal.

“She had nothing to do with it,” said Ford. “I was the one doing all the leg work.”

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Reached as she left a community council meeting Tuesday night, Hall shot back at Ford for taking credit for the $1 billion project.

“I have been very involved,” Hall said. “I kind of resent the fact that it is being portrayed that I did nothing.”