Council votes to replace Holyday by appointment

Toronto city council has voted to replace former Ward 3 councillor Doug Holyday by appointment.

The vote was 22-11.

Council, which debated replacement options on Monday morning, voted against a byelection, which was favoured by Mayor Rob Ford, by a vote of 14-19.

“I’m disappointed,” said Mayor Ford. “Council obviously didn’t listen to what the people want in Ward 3.”

Holyday left municipal politics to become the MPP for Etobicoke-Lakeshore at Queen’s Park.

The appointed candidate will hold the seat until the next municipal election, which will be held on Oct. 27, 2014.

Before the meeting began, speaker Frances Nuziata reminded councillors that because it was a special meeting, no other items could be introduced. She then removed herself from the debate due to a conflict of interest.

“I will be declaring a conflict of interest and I will be stepping down. My brother [John]has intent on running for the seat in Ward 3,” Nunziata said.

John Nunziata later tweeted, “I am not considering running for the position but would consider an appointment.”

Earlier in the meeting, Ford said he may campaign for a candidate in Ward 3 if the byelection route was taken.

“We all have the right to knock on doors…If Doug Holyday’s son runs, I’d support him,” he said.

“You’re the mayor of Toronto!” Coun. Janet Davis responded, suggesting his involvement may be inappropriate.

“I don’t agree with using city resources…I campaigned for Doug Holyday on my own time,” he said.

Ford made his comments after he played a video showing Toronto residents who supported a byelection.  He also argued that because provincial and federal vacancies are filled by elections, municipal politics should follow suit.

A byelection would have cost between $175,000 and $225,000. Whoever won – or was appointed – would take office in the fall and have the seat for less than a year.  Ford, known as a penny-pincher, said Monday, “You cannot put a price on democracy.”

The city clerk said cost of an appointment would be much less, with money being spent only on advertising.

If the city, as recommended, advertised in the Toronto Sun and two Etobicoke papers, the cost would be less than $5,000. The successful application would be appointed Oct. 10.

Coun. Michael Thompson said Monday he favoured a byelection.

“For residents in Ward 3, an election process [is the only way for them] to be able to be informed, to be able to be part of that process. This is the only way. An election affords them that opportunity,” he said.

“An appointment does not afford them that opportunity.”

Coun. Glenn De Baeremaeker said that in the past 10 years, there have been five vacancies in council. In all cases, the positions were filled by appointments.

“Every single vacancy has been filled by appointment,” he said, including current Coun. Paul Ainslie.

“If we were to follow the pattern of council for the past decade,” councillors should appointment a representative to replace Holyday, he said.

Coun. Peter Milczyn, who lost to Holyday in the provincial byelection, returned to city hall and faced friendly teasing from deputy speaker John Parker.

“So good to see you back,” Parker said.

“All is forgiven but not forgotten,” Milczyn said, to laughs from other councillors.

Holyday, who was also deputy mayor, won a provincial byelection on Aug. 1. Ford has already chosen Coun. Norm Kelly as his new deputy mayor.

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today