Monday evening's Toronto mayoral debate went a bit off the rails when a candidate not included in the event stormed the stage, but the eventful debate also included some other high-profile moments generating buzz on social media the next day.

Candidate and current city councillor Brad Bradford has emerged as somewhat of a punching bag for online commenters since entering the race with what has been described as a cringe-inducing, pandering visit to a local patty shop in Scarborough.

Bradford became the target of ridicule once again after remarks made during Monday's debate, where he told the audience of his "best friend Paul," who lives in the basement of Bradford's family home.

My best friend Paul, he lives in our basement.

He makes a good middle class income and pays $1000 a month in rent.

He can't afford to live anywhere else. #TOPoli #TorontoMayor pic.twitter.com/LmMhXtftDr

— Brad Bradford✌️ (@BradMBradford) May 16, 2023

Bradford used his basement-dwelling friend as an example of the rental housing shortage in Toronto, a comment that social media users are reacting to en masse the next day.

Damn Brad why you calling your boy out like this

— Kat Wilde 🖤 Atlanta + FMTY (@katwildeatl) May 16, 2023

People are humorously calling out the politician, not only for exposing his supposed best friend's less-than-ideal living situation, but also for charging this Paul person $1,000 per month to live in a basement.

Dear Paul, that’s crummy that Brad just revealed to the whole world how much he is overcharging you for his basement apt. You deserve a better best friend that doesn’t make you pay his mortgage for him 😢

— Natalie (@natalieroth) May 16, 2023

"I would be livid if my a politician/friend talked about my financial whatever as part of a PR thing because he's falling in the polls," said one commenter.

The little anecdote about Bradford — who was seen arriving at the debate via chauffeur despite currently placing 4th in the polls — playing landlord to his buddy has some questioning the dynamic of their friendship.

Why are you charging your best friend $1000 to live in your basement?! That $ could be saved for a future home.

— Sea Way (@cpettway79) May 16, 2023

If Bradford's claim is true, his friend pays him $12k per year, which is still below average market rents, but also, it's a basement owned by your friend, which should theoretically tip the scales a bit more in your favour.

Not the flex you think it is, Bradford. You're taking $12,000 a year off him, profiting from his problem.

— Michael Bouck (@VainHostile) May 16, 2023

"'I make my desperate friend pay my mortgage' isn't a vote getter, Bradford," reads one of the many scathing quote tweets taking aim at the councillor.

Another comment proclaims, "Brad Bradford is running one of the worst campaigns in modern Canadian political history and I don't think that's hyperbole."

Even Bradford's verified checkmark on Twitter was brought into the discussion, with one commenter saying, "I think it's really funny that $8 of Paul's $1000/month basement rent are paying to verify his best friend Brad Brad's account."

The latest mayoral polls have Bradford at just 12 per cent support, well behind frontrunner Olivia Chow and two other candidates.