Even after 30 years in politics, John Tory says he’s the alternative candidate for Torontonians looking to replace Rob Ford as the city’s mayor on Oct. 27.

“Ours is the only campaign, and I am the only candidate, that will take Toronto not left, not right, but forward,” Tory said Wednesday night in his first major campaign speech since entering the race last month.

Supporters packed the Polish Combatants Hall in downtown Toronto — blocks from where one of his main rivals, Olivia Chow, lives — cheered and chanted “Tory, Tory, Tory,” as he worked his way through the crowd that included his wife, Barb, and three of their four children.

“I think he looks like he’s really ready,” one long-time Tory fan said as he passed by.

Tory, 59, was not there to make any major policy announcements.

Instead, the speech was an opportunity for Tory, with a horde of reporters and cameras present, to try and capture some of Chow’s thunder a week ago during her highly publicized launch. Chow is the only major left-wing candidate in the race.

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The release of court documents Wednesday that put the mayor’s crack scandal back into the headlines, gave Tory ammunition to attack his main challenger on the right of the political spectrum.

It played well with the overwhelmingly male crowd. “Rob Ford has disappointed almost everyone with his behaviour, including in particular his almost complete unwillingness or inability to work with others,” Tory said before shifting focus to his rival on the left.

“Olivia Chow is hoping the natural outcome from four years of Rob Ford will be a pendulum swing that takes the city back to its free-spending ways and days.”

As an experienced businessman — he is a former CEO of Rogers Cable — Tory said he is well positioned to run city government, identify waste and ensure Toronto operates efficiently.

He suggested that consolidating the real estate departments at the TTC, Toronto Community Housing, Build Toronto, the Toronto Parking Authority and the city itself could save significant money.

“Wouldn’t it make more sense and save millions of dollars to take the best people from each area and have them working towards one plan?”

And Tory suggested reducing the amount of office space allocated to city workers, which costs much more than what other organizations pay, could save millions of dollars.

“My friends, it’s not just about waste. It’s about lost opportunity,” he said.

“Every dollar going to waste in the city budget is a dollar that cannot be used to build transit or help those struggling in our marginalized neighbourhoods.”

He reiterated his campaign slogan that he wants to make Toronto more “livable, affordable and functional,” as well as his plan to stick with council’s already approved subway in Scarborough.

That will be paired with a jobs and growth plan “that takes full advantage of that sparkling new subway line and offers new hope and opportunity in that important part of Toronto.” Details of that plan will be spelled out in the months ahead, he said.

Chow and mayoralty candidate David Soknacki would cancel the three-stop Scarborough subway in favour of the cheaper seven-stop LRT originally planned. Councillor Karen Stintz, who is also running for mayor, and Tory say they will build the funded subway.

Tory also said he backs the downtown relief subway line, estimated to cost more than $7 billion.

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Tory said the Scarborough subway is one of the “clear differences” between his candidacy and that of Chow’s. He referred to her “long record of polarization” and said his approach “will get things done.”

“What our great city needs, like any vessel in rough waters, is not a hard turn of the rudder to the left or right, but a course correction, brought about by a new captain.”

Tory also acknowledged his less-than-stellar track record at the ballot box. He was leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservatives when they went down to a humiliating loss in 2007.

“I’ve experienced defeat. I’ve been knocked down and gotten back up. I’m not perfect but, unlike some others, I will never be content with that fact,” he said in an obvious reference to Ford.

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