Andy Scott (politician)

Robert Andrew Keith Scott PC (March 16, 1955 – June 24, 2013) was a Liberal Member of Parliament who represented the electoral district of Fredericton from 1993 to 2008. He was a member the Cabinet of Canada, most recently serving as the eighteenth Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development (2004–2006).

Andy Scott
Member of Parliament
for Fredericton
In office
October 25, 1993 – October 14, 2008
Preceded byBud Bird
Succeeded byKeith Ashfield
Personal details
Born
Robert Andrew Keith Scott

(1955-03-16)March 16, 1955
Fredericton, New Brunswick
DiedJune 24, 2013(2013-06-24) (aged 58)
Fredericton, New Brunswick
Political partyLiberal
SpouseDenise Cameron Scott
Children3
Residence(s)Fredericton, New Brunswick
Professionpublic servant

Early life

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Scott was born in 1955 in Fredericton, New Brunswick, and grew up in Barker's Point, a working-class neighbourhood. He was the only son in a family of four children. His parents both supported the Liberal Party, with his father especially an avid volunteer. The family business involved making cement blocks and fireplaces for houses. His father also volunteered for a summer camp for disabled children.[1]

Political career

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In the late 1980s, he was a senior civil servant with the provincial Liberal government of Frank McKenna.[2] He ran in the 1993 federal election and won convincingly, becoming the first Liberal MP elected in Fredericton since 1957.[3]

He was re-elected in the 1997 election and was named Solicitor General of Canada.[4] In 1998, New Democratic Party MP Dick Proctor said he overheard Scott on an airplane talking about several sensitive national matters, including the then-ongoing Vancouver Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) inquiry. Scott was alleged to have stated that several Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officers (who had used pepper spray against protesters) would take the blame at the end of it all. He denied prejudging the outcome, but later resigned his post as Solicitor General.[5][6]

In an incident in the fall of 2003, Scott was hospitalised after being physically assaulted by a constituent angry over his government's support for same-sex marriage.[7]

Scott returned to the Cabinet in December 2003, when he was named Minister of State for Infrastructure by Paul Martin.[8] Following the 2004 federal election, he was promoted to the position of Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development.[4]

On March 5, 2007, he announced that he would not seek re-election in the 2008 federal election.[9]

After politics

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On October 22, 2008, it was announced that Andy Scott would assume a research post in social policy at the University of New Brunswick.[10]

Death

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Scott died of cancer on June 24, 2013, at the age of 58, from non-Hodgkin lymphoma.[1][11]

Electoral history

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2006 Canadian federal election: Fredericton
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Andy Scott 19,649 41.80 -4.95 $63,544.32
Conservative Pat Lynch 16,292 34.66 1.18 $57,563.68
New Democratic John Carty 9,988 21.25 3.89 $33,143.96
Green Philip Duchastel 884 1.88 -0.47 none listed
Independent David Raymond Amos 198 0.42 none listed
Total valid votes/expense limit 47,011 100.0     $75,043
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 207 0.44
Turnout 47,218 67.99
Eligible voters 69,453
Liberal hold Swing -3.06
2004 Canadian federal election: Fredericton
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Andy Scott 19,819 46.75 8.97 $60,726.40
Conservative Kent Fox 14,193 33.48 -21.22 $61,658.27
New Democratic John Carty 7,360 17.36 10.41 $21,188.88
Green Daron Letts 997 2.35 $1,194.22
Total valid votes/expense limit 42,396 100.0     $73,437
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 264 0.62
Turnout 42,633 61.82
Eligible voters 68,968
Liberal notional hold Swing 15.10
Changes from 2000 are based on redistributed results. Conservative Party change is based on the combination of Canadian Alliance and Progressive Conservative Party totals.
2000 Canadian federal election: Fredericton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Andy Scott 14,175 38.60 4.48
Progressive Conservative Raj Venugopal 10,919 29.73 -0.44
Alliance Allan Neill 8,814 24.00 2.24
New Democratic Michael Dunn 2,584 7.04 -6.02
Natural Law William Parker 233 0.63 -0.26
Total valid votes 36,725 100.00
Rejected ballots 213 0.58
Turnout 36,938 62.8

Change for the Canadian Alliance is based on the 1997 results of its predecessors, the Reform Party.

1997 Canadian federal election: Fredericton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Andy Scott 12,252 34.12 -12.54
Progressive Conservative Cleveland Allaby 10,835 30.17 0.95
Reform Mark McCready 7,815 21.76 4.74
New Democratic Patricia Hughes 4,689 13.06 8.06
Natural Law Jeanne Geldart 321 0.89 0.07
Total valid votes 35,912 100.00

Change from 1993 is not based on redistributed results.

1993 Canadian federal election: Fredericton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Andy Scott 21,868 46.66 6.94
Progressive Conservative Bud Bird 13,696 29.22 -13.76
Reform Jack Lamey 7,977 17.02 Ø
New Democratic Pauline MacKenzie 2,343 5.00 -5.32
Natural Law Neil Dickie 382 0.82 Ø
Canada Party Steven Gillrie 373 0.80 Ø
Independent Doreen Fraser 226 0.48 -5.30
Total valid votes 46 865 100.00

Doreen Fraser was nominated as a Confederation of Regions candidate, but was listed as an Independent because that party did not run enough candidates to be officially recognized.

References

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  1. ^ a b Mackrael, Kim (July 13, 2013). "New Brunswick's voice in Ottawa: Whether at a formal policy meeting or at the farmers' market in Fredericton, the MP always wanted to hear constituents' concerns", The Globe and Mail, p. S12.
  2. ^ "Andy Scott remembered for commitment to social and aboriginal issues". Maclean's. June 25, 2013. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
  3. ^ "Liberal cabinet ministers sweep East". CBC News. June 29, 2004. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Former MP Andy Scott dies at the age of 58". Global News. Fredericton, New Brunswick. June 25, 2013. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  5. ^ Greenspon, Edward (October 19, 1998). "'Poor Andy' goes from obscurity to bad news". The Globe and Mail. Toronto, Ontario. p. A1.
  6. ^ LeBlanc, Daniel (November 24, 1998). "Loose-lipped Scott quits under pressure". The Globe and Mail. Toronto, Ontario. p. A1.
  7. ^ Foot, Richard (November 25, 2003). "Support for same-sex union linked to attack which left Liberal MP bruised". Edmonton Journal. Edmonton, Alberta. p. A11. Retrieved December 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Trueman, Anne; Smith, Kirsten (December 13, 2003). "The 23 newcomers". Ottawa Citizen. Ottawa, Ontario. p. B5. Retrieved December 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "MP Andy Scott leaving politics". Ottawa Citizen. Ottawa, Ontario. March 6, 2007. p. A5. Retrieved December 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Tanaka, Dan (October 22, 2008). "Andy Scott to lead new social policy research network at the University of New Brunswick". University of New Brunswick. Archived from the original on June 8, 2011.
  11. ^ "Former cabinet minister Andy Scott dies in Fredericton". CBC News. June 25, 2013. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
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27th Ministry – Cabinet of Paul Martin
Cabinet posts (2)
Predecessor Office Successor
Andy Mitchell Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
2004–2006
Jim Prentice
  Minister of State (Infrastructure)
2003–2004
 
Special Cabinet Responsibilities
Predecessor Title Successor
Denis Coderre Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians
2004–2006
Jim Prentice
26th Ministry – Cabinet of Jean Chrétien
Cabinet post (1)
Predecessor Office Successor
Herb Gray Solicitor General of Canada
1997–1998
Lawrence MacAulay