Health care, affordable housing, productivity, competitiveness through innovation, and rationally tackling climate change are concerns for the citizens of Ottawa Centre, as they are for Scott as well.
Scott’s first active political engagement was in the 1981 Ontario provincial election campaign, the late Bill Davis’ last. The nature of Scott’s career has at times restricted his political involvement, but he has participated in both provincial and federal campaigns where possible over the past 40 years. He has been on the board of the Ottawa Centre PC Association for five years.
Born in Kingston and raised in Mississauga, Scott attended York University in the early 1980s where he received a BA in history. While at university Scott became active in two life-long passions: politics and a career with the Canadian Armed Forces.
After graduating from university, Scott first worked in the insurance brokerage business, becoming a partner in his own firm. In parallel, Scott joined the naval reserve in 1981 and has been on part-time and full service ever since. Some of Scott’s military highlights include five years in command of four KINGSTON Class warships, a 10-month deployment to Afghanistan in 2008-09, and being appointed as Special Requirements Director for Innovation at Canadian Special Operations Forces Command.
Scott is the President of HMCS Bytown Inc, a not-for-profit corporation that until recently owned the building that has been the home to the Naval Officers’ Mess in Ottawa since 1943. Scott is a director with the Friends of the Canadian War Museum, where he is the Chair of the Ways & Means Committee and Co-Chair of the Monthly Newsletter. He is the National Fundraising Director for the Order of St. George’s Afghan Resettlement and Veterans’ Mental Health Initiative. Scott coordinates the fundraising for the Canada Day community fireworks display and partners with neighbours in maintaining a local ice-skating rink in the Glebe.
Scott is an extremely active individual. An enthusiastic cyclist he bikes to the office whenever possible. Still playing competitive hockey, Scott is also active with spin, circuit training, and the occasional run. For the past 14 years, Scott has embraced yoga with passion. Scott and his long-time partner Ellen Hall have been residents in the Ottawa Center community since 2008.
The leadership and communication skills developed by Scott over his career open the door for consensus-building and a collaborative approach for effective and rational decision making in government.