Influential radio host John Tory appeared on a campaign trail on Saturday, throwing his support behind Ward 32 candidate Mary-Margaret McMahon in the hopes of unseating incumbent Sandra Bussin.

McMahon is running for the Ward 32 Beaches-East York council seat, in one of the more notable races going into the Oct. 25 election.

Tory, the former leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservatives who flirted with the idea of running for mayor, called McMahon a "breath of fresh air" before spending much of the morning canvassing the ward with the local community activist.

His opposition to Bussin is no great surprise, having publicly scrapped with her last year after she anonymously called in to his radio show on Newstalk 1010 as he was mulling a run for mayor.

Bussin called Tory a "three-time loser" -- referring to his election losses in the 2003 mayoral election, the 2007 provincial fight he lost in Don Valley West and the 2008 byelection defeat that led Tory to quit as party leader.

She later apologized for not properly identifying herself.

McMahon poses the toughest challenge to Bussin, who is seeking a fifth term in office. Bussin has represented Beaches-East York on council since 1997.

Last week, lawyer Martin Gladstone dropped out of the race and officially endorsed McMahon for city council in a bid to block a Bussin victory.

Bussin also spent Saturday canvassing the ward.