

Web Staff, cp24.com





Former politician and broadcaster Isabel Bassett is one of 38 Ontario conservatives who are throwing their support behind George Smitherman in the Toronto mayoral race.

In an email to be sent to 10,000 conservatives on Wednesday says it would like Smitherman to win.

Its signatories include former attorney general Charlie Harnick, former minister of the environment Dan Newman and Ontario PC Party regional vice-president Justin VanDette.

"We're conservatives," says the letter, sent at about 4 p.m. Wednesday. "He's a Liberal. Thankfully in municipal politics, party lines don't get in the way of supporting the best candidate for the job.

"We believe, hands down, that George Smitherman is the only one who can finally fix City Hall and get it focused on serving us as taxpayers."

The email is seen as a direct attack on frontrunner Rob Ford.