Warren Kinsella has stepped down from Brad Bradford's campaign team for the Toronto mayoral race, according to recent updates shared with The Star. Previously listed as a senior adviser, Kinsella is known for his controversial tactics and criticism of political opponents, including Olivia Chow and John Tory. His departure comes amid criticism over social media posts about the city’s storm damage in September, which Bradford distanced himself from, stating they were personal and not representative of the campaign's stance.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-01,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Warren Kinsella, a former Liberal strategist known for his controversial tactics, has left Brad Bradford's campaign as a senior adviser in the Toronto mayoral race. When contacted by The Star on September 21, it was noted that Kinsella was no longer listed among the team members. Communications director Laryssa Waler explained that months ago, Kinsella had informed them of his departure due to upcoming commitments like a book tour and international travel. Despite this change, Kinsella continues to support Bradford's campaign on social media and has previously criticized opponents online.
Written for “Toronto Mayoral Race” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
A key campaign operative for one of Toronto’s mayoral candidates is no longer listed as a senior member of the team.
asserted
operative → list → team
Warren Kinsella, a former Liberal strategist who the Star reported in July was part of Brad Bradford’s campaign team as a senior adviser, was not on the list the campaign shared with the Star on Sept. 21.
asserted
campaign → report → Sept.
Gone from the list since a similar statement in July were a member who’s since taken another job and Kinsella.
When asked if Kinsella is no longer part of the team or whether he’s changed roles, communications director Laryssa Waler pointed to a busy fall for Kinsella, who has an upcoming book tour and international travel.
“He told us months ago this was happening,” Waler said.
asserted
Waler → go → us
Kinsella did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
asserted
Kinsella → respond → comment
He has continued posting on social media, however, in support of Bradford’s candidacy to oust incumbent Olivia Chow.
asserted
He → continue → Chow
Kinsella, known for being a hardball and at times controversial political tactician, has often taken aim at Bradford’s opponents on social media, but some of those posts have since been deleted.
asserted
some → know → posts
On Sept. 2, in the lead-up to a red alert storm that inflicted staggering damage across Toronto and much of southern Ontario, Kinsella’s X account said in a now-deleted post: “The sun is out and it’s lovely in Toronto.
asserted
it → inflict → Toronto
Good thing Olivia Chow practically declared a state of emergency and said that we were going to be facing a torrent of rain, hail and tornadoes.
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we → declare → rain
The statement quickly garnered criticism and ridicule in the midst of the hailstorm and residents receiving emergency environmental alerts on their phones, as various users responded online with pictures of flying debris and the damaged Rogers Stadium.
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users → garner → debris
Kinsella’s X account soon after posted: “Pro tip: don’t make dumb tweets predicting the weather.
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account → post → weather
In Canada, you usually get it wrong.”
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it → get → Canada
On the campaign trail the next morning, when Bradford was asked about Kinsella’s posts, he said he was unaware of some but called the post about the storm “pretty stupid.”
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he → ask → storm
Bradford said Kinsella was not speaking for him or the campaign team, as he was posting from his personal X account.
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he → say → account
By contrast, communications director Waler speaks on Bradford’s behalf sometimes, including clarifying policy announcements, on her personal X account.
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Waler → speak → account
Kinsella led Chow’s war room during her 2014 mayoral campaign.
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Kinsella → lead → campaign
Kinsella took “a step back” from daily operations a week after he attacked then-rival John Tory’s SmartTrack transit plan as “segregationist.”
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he → take → segregationist
Tory’s campaign, in response, had accused Kinsella of making a racist smear.
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campaign → accuse → smear
(Tory later recruited Kinsella in his 2018 mayoral run.
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Tory → recruit → run
In the past year, Kinsella, who has called Bradford a friend, has also been critical of Tory in different contexts of the 2026 Toronto election, including in columns and colourful social media posts.
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who → call → columns
(Bradford was a key ally of Tory’s during his mayoralty.)
When a former federal Conservative cabinet minister Chris Alexander entered the mayoral race as the third high-profile mayoral contender, Kinsella’s X account published a now-deleted post on July 29 calling Alexander a “kamikaze” candidate, while appearing to attack Tory.
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account → enter → Tory
On the same day, his account posted calling Alexander a “bigot” over the notorious 2015 proposal for a “barbaric cultural practices” hotline — which Alexander has said was “a mistake” that he had “expressed regret for.”
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he → post → regret
He has said the idea he is anti-Muslim is “unjust” and that the idea had been misinterpreted by political opponents.
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idea → say → opponents
When asked whether Kinsella’s departure was influenced by a potential desire for an endorsement from Tory, Waler said: “No, and I’d add: I understand Warren has been friends with John Tory for years.”
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Warren → ask → years
Tory declined to comment when reached by email.
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Tory → decline → email
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