Young voters take candidates to task Mayoral debate geared to those 20 to 35 years old Hall, Jakobek grilled on trips, election finances The Toronto Star KERRY GILLESPIE CITY HALL BUREAU Young Torontonians aren't just plugged into the latest fashion trend or computer gadget. Last night, at a mayoral debate, they showed themselves to be just as knowledgeable about issues facing the city. Some 300 attended a debate held by Canada25, a national group dedicated to making sure the ideas of people aged 20 to 35 are heard. "As mayor of Toronto, one of you will lead the city in a new direction," Alysson Storey, co-ordinator of the Toronto chapter of Canada25, said to former mayor Barbara Hall, former city budget chief Tom Jakobek, Councillor David Miller, former MP John Nunziata and former cable executive John Tory. "Do not turn a blind eye to our opinions, viewpoints and suggestions," she said. The debate, at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management, covered many issues facing the city, including waterfront revitalization, Toronto Island airport expansion, government funding for non-profit groups and how the city can foster good corporate citizenship. The candidates on the platform are generally the ones to raise their counterparts' politically embarrassing issues, but last night those were raised from the floor first. The Ontario Provincial Police investigation into Hall's $107,000 pre-election fundraising through an organization called the Friends of Barbara Hall was raised in a question by Simon Shaw, a fringe candidate running for mayor. A recent court ruling found there were reasonable grounds to support Jakobek's allegation that Hall broke municipal election laws and the OPP announced on Monday it would investigate. "I believe if Mr. Jakobek takes me to 100 different places, I'll be cleared a hundred times," Hall said. But when asked by the moderator if she would step down if she were to win the election and later be found guilty of having broken the law, she refused to answer. "It's a hypothetical situation and I don't respond to that," Hall said. Jakobek was put on the spot just minutes later when he was asked why he thought he was fit to run for mayor after the "fiasco" of the MFP computer leasing scandal. "I made a mistake about something I said, not something I did," Jakobek said. Earlier this year, Jakobek admitted at a public inquiry that he had lied about a charter jet flight to Philadelphia to watch an NHL playoff game, taken when he was the city's budget chief. The trip was paid for by MFP Financial Services Ltd., which was vying for a lucrative city computer contract and later got it. An inquiry is now looking at how the value of that contract grew from $43 million to $83 million without council's apparent authorization. Last night's debate was the second of the day for the mayoral candidates. In the morning, they attended the Ontario Club for a debate organized by businesswomen. Questions ranged from child care to better access for small businesses to bidding on city contracts. Tory and Hall said the planning process could be used to get child-care centres built in new developments. Nunziata suggested child care be made an extension of the school system. Jakobek said it was important to think beyond traditional day care and consider providing financial assistance to families to share a babysitter. Miller said the city needs to go beyond child care and into early childhood development. With files from Vanessa Lu © Copyright 2003 Canada25