John Tory ended rampant speculation on his political future Monday night by saying he has not reconsidered his decision to stay out of the mayoral race.

After moderating a debate, at which two of the front-running candidates clashed over whether the new amalgamated city was working, Tory said he hadn’t even “thought about reconsidering or revisiting a decision I made in January.”

He said it did it feel “a little bit” weird moderating a mayor’s debate with speculation swirling that he may enter the race himself.

But Tory, who was warmly introduced to the crowd of about 150 people in the basement of an East York church Monday, kept his attention on the contenders and the business at hand.

The debate turned emotional when the six main candidates — Rob Ford, Giorgio Mammoliti, Joe Pantalone, Rocco Rossi, George Smitherman and Sarah Thomson — talked about the problems created by amalgamating six local cities into one Toronto in 1998.

Ford objected when Smitherman noted that Ford’s dad, Doug, was part of the Mike Harris provincial government that imposed amalgamation.

“It’s very unfortunate that Mr. Smitherman would go after my father who passed away three years ago,” Ford said.

Ford used up his extra time in order to respond to Smitherman.

“It’s a little bit emotional. I’m very proud of my father,” he said.

Smitherman said that he, too, had lost his father.

“Obviously all of us have emotion associated with the loss of loved ones. But you talk about that time, 1995 to 99, as part of your credentials for being a candidate for mayor.

“The reality is that was a time when we had a government at the province of Ontario that inflicted upon us this amalgamation and much of the diminution of autonomy that people have felt.”

Former East York mayor Michael Prue, who attended the debate as a spectator, said that citizens of East York now feel disconnected from City Hall because of amalgamation.

“All six main candidates have admitted it doesn’t work,” Prue said. “They all missed the key point that people have been frozen out.”

“We used to have 300 people who volunteered for our boards and committees in East York.

“That saved us a lot of money. Today I’m only aware of two East Yorkers who volunteer on the boards of the new City of Toronto,” Prue said.

After the debate, Tory said he thinks the public may be disappointed in the debates that have been held so far because of the narrow range of issues that have been discussed.

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He said he would like to see more discussion on affordable housing, crime and how to help low-income neighbourhoods.

“There’s been a lack of discussion on a broader range of issues and that part disappoints me,” he said.

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