Councillor Doug Ford says he’ll have lots of time to help brother Rob campaign to be re-elected mayor in 2014.

That’s because Ford doesn’t plan to run to retain his council seat, but rather is interested in seeking provincial office in the next Ontario election, in 2015.

Councillor Ford said the firing of Councillor Jaye Robinson from the powerful executive committee wasn’t a big deal, but Mayor Ford needs to have close allies around him as the election looms closer.

“We’re just moving forward,” Doug Ford told reporters Wednesday. “We’ve got to get ready for the upcoming election in January. We want to make sure we have a team that has the same priorities as the mayor.”

Candidates for mayor and council can register in early January. Voting day is Oct. 27, 2014.

Councillor Ford was asked who would run the campaign after key members from 2010, Nick Kouvalis and Richard Ciano, said they won’t help next year unless the mayor takes steps to address his “health and well-being.”

“I’ll be working on it,” he said. “I won’t be running next time; at least, down here I won’t be running. I’ll be running away from this place in 16 months.”

The Fords’ late father, Doug Ford Sr., was a Tory MPP in the old riding of Etobicoke-Humber from 1995 to 1999.

Doug Ford has expressed an interest in running in Etobicoke North. However, relations between Ford and Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak seem to have cooled.

Hudak attended last summer’s annual Ford Fest barbecue but was evasive when asked Wednesday whether he will attend this year’s event, to be held at the Ford family home.

“I’ll look for whatever venues I can find,” Hudak told reporters of his plans to preach the Conservative message across the province while the legislature is in recess until September.

With files from Rob Ferguson

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