“Last night's event is a demonstration that I am able to work across party lines for Brampton,” said Jeffrey in an emailed statement to The Brampton Guardian on Sept. 27. “Last week all five Brampton Federal Liberal MPs came to my kick off as a demonstration of their support for me.”

Adding to the political intrigue, Jeffrey’s main rival in the Brampton mayor’s race is former PC leader Patrick Brown, who was ousted from that role mere months before the June 7 election that saw Doug Ford elected as premier.

The endorsements also feed rumours of a continuing rift between Brown, Ford and the governing PC Party. Brown had decided to run for the first elected chair of Peel Region before the Conservatives pulled the plug on that election in July, prompting Brown to run for Brampton mayor instead.

When asked by The Guardian about Jeffrey’s newfound chumminess with longtime political rivals, Brown called it a sign of desperation after losing previous supporters like former premier Bill Davis to his camp.

“Obviously, there’s a lot of momentum from my campaign. We’re seeing that in our research and I think Linda is probably seeing the same thing. The reality is desperate campaigns do desperate things,” he said.

In debates, Jeffrey has raised questions about Brown’s ability to work with the province, given the apparent rift with his former party.

“I’d ask the question reversely, will this hurt Linda Jeffrey’s ability to work with Justin Trudeau if she’s cut a deal with Doug Ford?” said Brown, referencing well-publicized political tension between Ford and the prime minister.

As of publication, the premier’s office has not answered a question from The Guardian asking if the party or Ford himself are also endorsing Jeffrey.

Brown also spoke to what he believes is the root of animosity between himself, Ford and the PC Party.

“I’m much more of a Bill Davis conservative. I know Premier Ford wasn’t very happy with Bill Davis’ interventions lately on the constitution, but I’m more in the line of a good old-fashioned ‘red Tory’ like John Tory and Bill Davis. Obviously, Doug Ford has a different perspective.”