Chris Scott (politician)
Chris Scott | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament for Sault Ste. Marie | |
| Assumed office February 27, 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Ross Romano |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1989 or 1990 (age 35–36)[1] |
| Party | Independent (2025–present) |
| Other political affiliations | Progressive Conservative (before 2025) |
| Education | Carleton University (BA) |
Christopher Allen Winfield van Scott[2] (born 1989 or 1990) is a Canadian politician who has served as the member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for Sault Ste. Marie in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario since 2025. Initially elected as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party, he was removed from caucus in September 2025 and now sits as an Independent. Scott previously served as a special advisor to Premier Doug Ford's chief of staff.
Education
Scott graduated from Carleton University with a bachelor of arts degree in political science and government.[3][4]
Political career
Before his election, Scott worked in the office of his predecessor, PC MPP Ross Romano, and later as a special advisor to the premier’s chief of staff. He was selected by Progressive Conservative leader Doug Ford as the party’s candidate for the 2025 provincial election in Sault Ste. Marie, a decision that bypassed the usual local nomination process. Romano served as his campaign manager.[4]
In the election, Scott won by a margin of 118 votes over NDP candidate Lisa Vezeau-Allen, the closest result in the riding in more than a century.[5]
Arrest
On September 22, 2025, Scott was arrested by the Toronto Police Service on an out-of-town warrant.[6] The Sault Ste. Marie Police Service allege that Scott assaulted his wife with a high chair on September 19, resulting in charges of assault and assault with a weapon.[2][7][8] Following his arrest, Scott was removed from the Progressive Conservative caucus and now sits as an Independent.[6]
Calls for resignation
Following his arrest, Scott has faced widespread public pressure to resign from his position as MPP. The Ontario New Democratic Party demanded Scott’s immediate resignation, describing the situation as "incredibly troubling",[9] Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles stated that Sault Ste. Marie needs a full-time representative and called on Scott to resign.[10] Sault Ste. Marie Mayor Matthew Shoemaker publicly urged Scott to step down "for the betterment of our city".[11] The SooToday Editorial Board published an editorial titled "Chris Scott: It's time for you to go away," calling for his resignation,[12] and the paper published several letters to the editor from residents calling for him to do the same.[13][14] Additional calls for resignation have come from advocacy group Angie’s Angels,[15] ethics professor Stephen Maguire,[16] and the Ontario Federation of Labour.[17]
References
- ^ "Sault MPP Chris Scott removed from Ford's PC caucus after arrest on assault, assault with weapon charges". CBC News. September 22, 2025. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
- ^ a b Benzie, Robert (2025-10-02). "MPP Chris Scott breaks his silence after arrest for spousal assault". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2025-10-18.
- ^ "About Chris Scott – Sault Ste. Marie PC Riding Association". Retrieved 2025-02-28.
- ^ a b "Doug Ford chooses new PC candidate for Sault Ste. Marie". The Trillium. 2025-01-29. Retrieved 2025-02-28.
- ^ Kirk, Maggie (February 28, 2025). "PC Chris Scott defeats NDP by 118 in Sault Ste. Marie riding". The Sault Star.
- ^ a b White, Erik (22 September 2025). "Sault MPP Chris Scott removed from Ford's PC caucus after arrest on assault, assault with weapon charges". CBC News. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
- ^ Armstrong, Kenneth (September 22, 2025). "Sault MPP Chris Scott accused of assaulting wife with a high chair". SooToday. Archived from the original on September 22, 2025. Retrieved 2025-09-22.
- ^ Armstrong, Kenneth (2025-09-22). "Sault MPP charged with assault, booted from Ford's caucus". The Trillium. Retrieved 2025-09-22.
- ^ "'Incredibly troubling': Scott's future unclear as NDP demands his resignation". SooToday. 2025-09-28.
- ^ "'The Sault needs a full-time rep,' Stiles says about Chris Scott". SooToday. 2025-10-10.
- ^ "MPP Chris Scott must resign 'for the betterment of our city': Shoemaker". SooToday. 2025-10-02.
- ^ "Editorial: Chris Scott, it's time for you to go away". SooToday. 2025-10-01.
- ^ "Letter: Time to turn the page on MPP Chris Scott". SooToday. 2025-10-08.
- ^ "Chris Scott staying on is 'selfishness dressed up as duty,' reader says". SooToday. 2025-10-09.
- ^ "Chris Scott should resign, says group supporting domestic violence victims". SooToday. 2025-09-30.
- ^ "'An honourable person would resign': Chris Scott must go, ethics prof says". SooToday. 2025-10-03.
- ^ "Letter: We are done waiting — Federation of Labour calls on Chris Scott to resign". SooToday. 2025-10-08.