Son of former Toronto deputy mayor to contest his father’s seat

Stephen Holyday, the son of former Toronto deputy mayor Doug Holyday, is putting his name on the ballot for the seat once held by his dad in Ward 3.

The younger Mr. Holyday, a manager with the Ontario Ministry of Energy and a long-time Etobicoke resident, registered on Wednesday. The move comes less than a week after Peter Leon, who was appointed by city council to fill the vacancy left by Doug Holyday's provincial by-election victory last year, announced that he would not run in the October election.

The Holyday name is well-known in Etobicoke and, like Michael Ford, who is running to fill his uncle Councillor Doug Ford's seat in Ward 2, it is bound to be an advantage.

In the case of Doug Holyday, the former Etobicoke mayor took more than 70 per cent of the vote in his central Etobicoke ward in the last election without spending a penny on his campaign.

His son, who lives across the street from his parents with his wife and three children, aged 7, 5, and 2, plans to run a more traditional campaign. He is counting on his dad for advice and help knocking on doors. "He does like to get his exercise," he said.

Like his father, Mr. Holyday describes himself as a fiscal conservative.

Before the former deputy mayor left for Queen's Park, he stood by Mayor Rob Ford when news of the alleged crack video first surfaced and carried the ball earlier in the term on key files such as contracting out garbage and union negotiations.

Stephen Holyday said it is too soon to endorse any candidate for mayor.

Asked what advice his father has given him as he tries his hand at politics, he said he has given him pointers on public speaking and told him to "be careful" in choosing his words.