His son, Edwin Dafoe, became managing editor of the Free Press and his grandson, John Dafoe, became the editor of The Montreal Star and later editorial page editor of the  Winnipeg Free Press.
As a result of his son's success, Edwin Dafoe became the managing editor of the Free Press. His grandson, John Dafoe, eventually rose through the ranks to become a prominent figure in Canadian journalism, holding positions such as editor of The Montreal Star and editorial page editor of the Winnipeg Free Press.