Scott Simms (born August 12, 1969) is a Canadian politician. He was the Liberal Member of Parliament for the Newfoundland and Labrador riding of Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame from 2004 until 2021.
Scott Simms | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of Parliament for Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor (2004–2015) | |
| In office June 28, 2004 – September 20, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Rex Barnes |
| Succeeded by | Clifford Small[1] |
| Chairman of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage | |
| In office February 19, 2020 – September 20, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Julie Dabrusin |
| Succeeded by | Hedy Fry |
| Chairman of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans | |
| In office February 16, 2016 – April 19, 2018 | |
| Preceded by | Rodney Weston |
| Succeeded by | Bernadette Jordan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 12, 1969 Bishop's Falls, Newfoundland |
| Political party | Liberal |
| Residence | Norris Arm, Newfoundland and Labrador |
| Profession | Journalist |
Early life
editScott Simms was born on August 12, 1969, in Bishop's Falls, Newfoundland.[2]
In 1990, while a student at Mount Allison University, Simms started in politics and campaigning when he acted as the official agent and campaign manager for Bryan Gold the Rhinoceros Party candidate in a federal byelection in the Beauséjour riding. Simms graduated from Mount Allison University with a Bachelor in Commerce and Loyalist College in Journalism. Before entering elected politics, Simms worked for The Weather Network, prior to which he had worked as a radio reporter in Gander and Grand Falls-Windsor. He was an active campaigner for the "No" side in the 1995 Quebec referendum.[3]
Politics
editSimms was elected in the 2004 election and defeated four other candidates, including Conservative incumbent Rex Barnes.[4] Simms was re-elected on Jan. 23, 2006, beating Conservative candidate Aaron Hynes by approximately 5,000 votes.[3] Simms was re-elected in the 2008 federal election.
He was a member of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage and the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans. Since January 18, 2006, he has been the critic for the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans. He was the critic for the Minister for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency from February 23, 2006 until January 17, 2007.[2]
Simms is also now known by a number of people who live on the west coast of Ireland following the voyage of one of his election posters across the Atlantic Ocean to Keem Bay in the village of Dooagh on Achill Island, County Mayo. The story was published by a local news paper called The Mayo News after a lifeguard at the beach, Conal Dixon, found the poster washed up on the sand.[5]
On May 2, 2011, Simms was again re-elected, defeating Hynes in a re-match by approximately 9,200 votes, with a total of 17,895 votes in his riding.[6]
In 2012, Simms was the only Liberal to join the Conservatives in voting to repeal Section 13 of the Canadian Human Rights Act, which dealt with communication of messages "likely to expose a person or persons to hatred or contempt."[7]
In 2013, Simms was courted by the supporters in the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador to run for the provincial leadership in the 2013 leadership election, but ultimately declined to focus on federal politics.[8] Simms was re-elected in the 2015 federal election.[9][10][11]
In April 2018, Simms was removed as Chairman of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans as a result of voting in favour of a Conservative party motion opposing changes to the Canada Summer Jobs program.[12]
Simms was re-elected in the 2019 federal election. Simms served as the Chair of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage.
Simms was defeated in the 2021 federal election losing to conservative candidate Clifford Small.[13][14]
Electoral Record
edit| 2021 Canadian federal election: Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Conservative | Clifford Small | 14,927 | 46.89 | +11.55 | $59,241.94 | |||
| Liberal | Scott Simms | 14,646 | 46.00 | -2.31 | $41,577.53 | |||
| New Democratic | Jamie Ruby | 2,261 | 7.10 | -5.26 | $0.00 | |||
| Total valid votes/expense limit | 31,834 | 97.86 | +0.06 | $124,135.56 | ||||
| Total rejected ballots | 695 | 2.14 | -0.06 | |||||
| Turnout | 32,529 | 51.46 | -4.13 | |||||
| Registered voters | 63,217 | |||||||
| Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +6.93 | ||||||
| Source: Elections Canada[15][16][17] | ||||||||
| 2019 Canadian federal election: Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Liberal | Scott Simms | 16,514 | 48.31 | -26.52 | $48,943.91 | |||
| Conservative | Alex Bracci | 12,081 | 35.34 | +17.02 | none listed | |||
| New Democratic | Noel Joe | 4,224 | 12.36 | +6.26 | $6,009.07 | |||
| Green | Byron White | 1,363 | 3.99 | +3.24 | $5,899.33 | |||
| Total valid votes/expense limit | 34,182 | 97.80 | -1.79 | 120,385.86 | ||||
| Total rejected ballots | 770 | 2.20 | +1.79 | |||||
| Turnout | 34,952 | 55.59 | -0.12 | |||||
| Eligible voters | 62,880 | |||||||
| Liberal hold | Swing | -26.51 | ||||||
| Source: Elections Canada[18][19] | ||||||||
| 2015 Canadian federal election: Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Liberal | Scott Simms | 26,523 | 74.82 | +19.90 | $53,460.35 | |||
| Conservative | Kevin O'Brien | 6,479 | 18.28 | –12.04 | $151,187.70 | |||
| New Democratic | Claudette Menchenton | 2,175 | 6.14 | –7.49 | $3,416.01 | |||
| Green | Elizabeth Perry | 271 | 0.76 | –0.12 | – | |||
| Total valid votes/expense limit | 35,448 | 99.59 | $238,355.39 | |||||
| Total rejected ballots | 145 | 0.41 | – | |||||
| Turnout | 35,593 | 55.71 | – | |||||
| Eligible voters | 63,891 | |||||||
| Liberal notional hold | Swing | +15.97 | ||||||
| Source: Elections Canada[20][21] | ||||||||
| 2011 Canadian federal election: Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Liberal | Scott Simms | 17,977 | 57.70 | -12.57 | ||||
| Conservative | Aaron Hynes | 8,595 | 27.59 | +12.36 | ||||
| New Democratic | Clyde Bridger | 4,306 | 13.82 | +1.31 | ||||
| Green | Robyn Kenny | 279 | 0.90 | -1.08 | ||||
| Total valid votes/Expense limit | 31,157 | 100.00 | ||||||
| Total rejected ballots | 151 | 0.48 | -0.02 | |||||
| Turnout | 31,308 | 36.24 | -4.91 | |||||
| Eligible voters | 86,394 | – | – | |||||
| 2008 Canadian federal election: Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Liberal | Scott Simms | 20,089 | 70.27 | +18.3 | $23,605 | |||
| Conservative | Andrew House | 4,354 | 15.23 | -25.1 | $32,723 | |||
| New Democratic | Jason Holley | 3,577 | 12.51 | +5.5 | ||||
| Green | Robert O'Connor | 568 | 1.98 | +1.3 | ||||
| Total valid votes/Expense limit | 28,588 | 100.00 | $92,537 | |||||
| Total rejected ballots | 145 | 0.50 | 0.00 | |||||
| Turnout | 28,733 | 41.15 | ||||||
| Liberal hold | Swing | +21.7 | ||||||
| 2006 Canadian federal election: Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Liberal | Scott Simms | 19,866 | 52.0 | +3.8 | $43,240 | |||
| Conservative | Aaron Hynes | 15,376 | 40.3 | -1.3 | $75,703 | |||
| New Democratic | Sandra Cooze | 2,668 | 7.0 | -1.1 | $10 | |||
| Green | Judy Davis | 265 | 0.7 | -0.4 | $0 | |||
| Total valid votes/Expense limit | 38,175 | 100.0 | $86,380 | |||||
| Total rejected ballots | 190 | 0.50 | -0.03 | |||||
| Turnout | 38,365 | – | ||||||
| 2004 Canadian federal election: Bonavista—Exploits | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Liberal | Scott Simms | 15,970 | 48.20 | -7.12 | $45,455.39 | |||
| Conservative | Rex Barnes | 13,786 | 41.61 | +7.11 | $78,934.75 | |||
| New Democratic | Samuel Robert McLean | 2,667 | 8.05 | -2.14 | $1,870.00 | |||
| Green | Ed Sailor White | 367 | 1.11 | – | $275.00 | |||
| Independent | John Lannon | 344 | 1.04 | – | none listed | |||
| Total valid votes/Expense limit | 33,134 | 100.0 | – | $84,760 | ||||
| Total rejected, declined and unmarked ballots | 178 | 0.53 | ||||||
| Turnout | 33,312 | 46.30 | -6.67 | |||||
| Eligible voters | 71,944 | |||||||
| Liberal notional hold | Swing | -7.12 | ||||||
| Changes from 2000 are based on redistributed results. Change for the Conservatives is based on the combined totals from the Progressive Conservatives and the Canadian Alliance. | ||||||||
References
edit- ^ Roberts, Darrell (Sep 24, 2021). "Conservative Clifford Small wins Coast of Bays-Central-Notre Dame". CBC. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
- ^ a b "SIMMS, Scott, B.Comm". Library of Parliament. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
- ^ a b "CBC — Canada Votes 2006 - Candidates and Ridings". Archived from the original on August 8, 2007. Retrieved September 16, 2007.
- ^ "CBC — Canada Votes 2004". Archived from the original on July 12, 2004. Retrieved July 12, 2004.
- ^ Canadian poster in Achill! The Mayo News, October 2, 2007
- ^ "Innu leader delivers Conservatives from N.L. shutout". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 2011-05-02. Retrieved 2018-05-25.
- ^ "Jonathan Kay: Good riddance to Section 13 of the Canadian Human Rights Act | Full Comment | National Post". Archived from the original on 2013-01-05. Retrieved 2013-12-19.
- ^ Higgins, Kevin (8 February 2013). "The Telegram>News>Local Simms says he will not be seeking the leadership of the province's Liberal Party". The St. John's Telegram. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
- ^ "Scott Simms victorious in new riding". The Norwester. 22 October 2015. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
- ^ "Scott Simms keeps seat in Coast of Bays-Central-Notre Dame". CBC News. October 20, 2015. Retrieved 2015-11-11.
- ^ "No more politicking for Kevin O'Brien". The Telegram. St. John's. October 19, 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 2015-11-11.
- ^ "N.L. MP Scott Simms removed as fisheries chair after breaking with Liberal party line". CBC News. 19 April 2018. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
- ^ Darrell Roberts, "Conservative Clifford Small wins Coast of Bays-Central-Notre Dame". CBC News Newfoundland and Labrador, September 25, 2021.
- ^ "Liberals flip St. John's East, trail in Coast of Bays-Central-Notre Dame". CBC News. 21 September 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
- ^ "Confirmed candidates — Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame". Elections Canada. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
- ^ "Election Night Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
- ^ "Candidate Campaign Returns". Elections Canada. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
- ^ "List of confirmed candidates". Elections Canada. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
- ^ "Election Night Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
- ^ "October 19, 2015 Election Results — Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame (Validated results)". Elections Canada. 23 October 2015. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
- ^ Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates Archived August 15, 2015, at the Wayback Machine