Community council recommends Chris Stockwell for Ward 3 seat

Etobicoke York Community Council has made a decision about their preferred candidate to take on Doug Holydays old job at city hall.

The community council has decided that Chris Stockwell will be the candidate that they recommend be appointed to the vacant seat in Ward 3 Etobicoke Centre.

Forty-five people had put their names forward to replace the seat that was vacated by Holyday about two months ago, when he won a seat in the provincial legislature in a byelection.

On Tuesday afternoon, the community council voted to recommend Stockwell.

But city council must now vote on Stockwells appointment and the people who addressed the community council on Tuesday, will be also able to address the Toronto councillors before they make a decision on who will replace Holyday.

Stockwell served as a Progressive Conservative MPP in Etobicoke from 1990 until 2003. He was a cabinet minister under the governments led by former premiers Mike Harris and Ernie Eves, and also served as the Speaker of the Ontario legislature for nearly three years.

"I represented this area...for 20 years," Stockwell said Tuesday, when addressing the community council and outlining his experience at both the municipal and provincial levels.

Stockwell said he knows the community "quite well" and has a good grasp of the issues.

Coun. Giorgio Mammoliti asked Stockwell why he wanted to re-enter politics after being out of the public eye for some time.

"Ive been out of public life for 10 years and I think I enjoyed it," Stockwell said, noting that he misses that experience and he believes he is well-suited to take on the job.

"Youve got to find somebody who can hit the ground running, somebody who knows the issues, somebody who knows the community," he said.

Former MP and councillor John Nunziata, businessman Peter Leon and Toronto police officer Tony Vella had also been seeking the nomination.

Mayor Rob Ford wanted to hold a byelection to fill the seat but council opted instead to follow the appointment process to save the $200,000 cost.

A city councillors salary is a little over $104,000.