Harrison brothers running for two vacant trustee seats bill themselves as ‘two for the price of one’
February 9, 2012
Kristin Rushowy
EDUCATION REPORTER
Here’s the deal: If elected as trustees in upcoming by-elections, the Harrison brothers are promising to each donate half their yearly salary to their schools and communities.
Running for two vacant trustee seats in the Feb. 27 Toronto District School Board by-elections, Scott and Sean-Michael Harrison say voters can get “two for the price of one” — they’ve pledged roughly $12,000 each a year, for the next three years of the term, or about $72,000.
(Toronto trustees are paid an honorarium of about $25,000, from which some tax is deducted.)
Scott Harrison, a firefighter who served three terms in Scarborough Centre before losing the last municipal election, said “we want to get the message out there that we are willing to invest in the community.”
The community would decide how the money is spent, he added.
Sean-Michael Harrison, the younger of the two, is a Toronto police officer who has run for trustee before. Scott Harrison is hoping to be elected in Scarborough Agincourt; Sean-Michael in Don Valley East.
Their father is the late Metro councillor Brian Harrison, who started out as a Scarborough school trustee.
Scott Harrison said that, like Mayor Rob Ford and his brother, Councillor Doug Ford — who he said share their values — they are following a family tradition.
“Sons and brothers following in their father’s footsteps is not a new phenomenon in politics. Just look at our City of Toronto Mayor and his brother, Rob and Doug Ford,” said the brothers’ news release.
“Just as their father Doug Sr. represented Etobicoke, Scott and Sean-Michael’s father represented Scarborough for over 35 years. It’s the next generation in community service.”
The by-elections, forced after Michael Coteau and Soo Wong were elected as MPPs, attracted a total of 31 candidates in the two wards.