SHAMEFACED: Mayor issues mea culpa for mask misfire in park

Published May 24, 2020 • 1 minute read

Social media image of Toronto Mayor John Tory at Trinity Bellwoods Park on Saturday, standing less than six feet from others and wearing his facemask around his neck — an act Toronto top doctor Eileen de Villa specifically advised against earlier this week. Tory has since apologized. Photo by Instagram

He’s hiding his face … in shame.

Toronto Mayor John Tory has apologized after photos of the civic leader displaying questionable social distancing etiquette at a packed Trinity Bellwoods Park on Saturday caused an uproar on social media.

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“I fully intended to properly physically distance but it was very difficult to do,” he wrote in a statement issued Sunday evening.

“I wore a mask into the park but I failed to use it properly, another thing I’m disappointed about.

“These were mistakes that I made and as a leader in this city, I know that I must set a better example going forward.”

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This is how you set an example? Tory at Trinity? pic.twitter.com/YFE0bBReLu
— Dani Elwell (@danielwell00) May 24, 2020

Thousands of sun-seekers packed the Queen St. W. park Saturday, contrary to pleas from public health officials to enjoy the weekend’s spring weather responsibly in light of the ongoing pandemic.

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Photos of Tory mingling with park-goers appeared on social media over the weekend, showing him standing less than two metres from others and wearing his black, cloth face mask under his chin.

Tory spokesman Don Peat told the TorontoSun the mayor went to the park to gain insight on the situation, “consistent with his frequent practice of attending the scenes of major incidents in the city.”

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On Wednesday, Dr. Eileen de Villa, Toronto’s chief medical officer, followed the lead of her provincial and federal counterparts and reversed Toronto Public Health’s position on non-medical face masks when maintaining social distancing isn’t possible.

She warned against what Tory was pictured doing on Saturday: “Do not leave it around your neck, hanging from your ear, or on your forehead.”

bpassifiume@postmedia.com
On Twitter: @bryanpassifiume

Social media image of Toronto Mayor John Tory at Trinity Bellwoods Park on Saturday, standing less than six feet from others and wearing his facemask around his neck — an act Toronto top doctor Eileen de Villa specifically advised against earlier this week. Tory has since apologized. Photo by Instagram

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