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Former Toronto mayoral candidate and NDP icon Olivia Chow is backing Jennifer Keesmaat in her bid to dethrone Mayor John Tory.

Chow lost to Tory in the 2014 mayoral race.

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“Toronto has changed since I ran for mayor,” Chow, the widow of former federal NDP leader Jack Layton, said in a statement. “Our commutes are longer, our streets are less safe, life is not always affordable and housing is out of reach for too many families.”

Keesmaat has a plan to improve transit and make Toronto more affordable, she said.

The Keesmaat team confirmed Saturday that Chow sent out a fundraising email for the mayoral candidate Friday.

“More to come on endorsements shortly,” the team said.

The statement says Tory also failed to take immediate and effective action against Premier Doug Ford when he said he would cut council in half.

“Most important of all, (Keesmaat) is bold and willing to put everything she has to bring all of us together to resist Doug Ford’s dictatorial ways,” Chow said.

Keesmaat has organized a “Rally for Toronto” Monday because local democracy in Toronto is “under attack.”

The Ford government was in the Ontario Legislature Saturday to expedite the passing of Bill 31, legislation that would not only cut the number of council seats from 47 to 44, but also invoke the Charter’s notwithstanding clause to override any court ruling that would halt the move.

Meanwhile, Tory has released a long list of endorsements that includes Liberal MPP Mitzie Hunter and former foreign affairs minister John Baird.

aartuso@postmedia.com