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Scott Aitchison MP
Aitchison in 2022
Member of Parliament forParry Sound-Muskoka
Incumbent
Assumed office October 21, 2019
Preceded by	Tony Clement
Mayor ofHuntsville
In office December 1, 2014 – October 28, 2019
Preceded by	Claude Doughty
Succeeded by	Karin Terziano
Personal details
Born	(1973-01-14)January 14, 1973 (age 53)[1] Huntsville, Ontario, Canada
Party	Conservative
Residence(s)	Huntsville, Ontario, Canada[2]
Alma mater	York University[3]
Profession	Realtor, Mayor, Politician
Website	www.votescott.ca

Scott AitchisonMP (/ˈeɪtʃɪsən/AY-chiss-ən, born January 14, 1973) is a Canadian politician who has served as a member of Parliament forParry Sound—Muskoka since 2019.^[4][1] A member of the Conservative Party, he previously served as the Mayor of Huntsville from 2014 to 2019.^[5]

Aitchison unsuccessfully ran for party leadership and placed last in the2022 election with one percentage point.^[6]

In his early years, Aitchison worked in sales with Coldwell Banker Thompson Real Estate,^[7] and Fowler Construction. He was also previously a consultant with Enterprise Canada Group from 1998-2004.^{[citation needed]}

He was a co-chair of the organizing committee for the 2012 Ontario Para Winter Games in Huntsville.^[8]

Aitchison was first elected to theHuntsville Town Council in 1994 at the age of 21, where he served for three terms. At the time, he was the youngest individual ever elected to Huntsville Town Council andMuskoka District Council. He was elected again as a District and Town Councilor in 2010 and was Deputy Mayor for the next four years. He was elected mayor in 2014 and re-elected in 2018. He served the office until October 28, 2019.^[9]

Aitchison won the Conservative nomination in 2019, defeating three other candidates,^[10] and subsequently won the general election in October of the same year. After winning re-election in 2021, Aitchison was appointed to theOfficial Opposition Shadow Cabinet as the Shadow Minister for Labour.^[11]

In December 2021, Aitchison worked directly withLiberal MinisterSeamus O'Regan to include in Government Bill C-3 an extension of bereavement leave for grieving parents who work in federally regulated industries. This change thereby incorporated a previously tabledprivate member’s bill from Conservative MPTom Kmiec into the government’s legislation. O'Regan said that the display of cross-party support was a rarity.^[12]

On March 3, 2022, it was reported that Aitchison was preparing a bid for leadership of theConservative Party of Canada with a campaign focused around character and tone.^[13] Aitchison officially launched his campaign on March 20 at a rally in Huntsville.^[14] On September 10, it was announced thatPierre Poilievre won the leadership on the first ballot.^[15]

Aitchison is currently serving as party’s critic for housing, diversity, and inclusion.^[16]

During the 2022 leadership race, Aitchison was characterized as acentrist.^[16] However, he prefers to seem himself as a "small-c conservative".^[16]

During theCanada convoy protest, Aitchison expressed his concern with what he described as the “growing divide in Canada” and accused Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau of not talking to Canadians he disagrees with.^[17] While delivering a speech in the House of Commons, Aitchison stated his desire to see politicians find compromise and “disagree without hating each other.”^[18]

Aitchison started his leadership campaign by releasing a plan to address what he described as a Canadian housing crisis. His plan, "YIMBY: A Plan to Build More Homes for Canadians", had four main aims: endingexclusionary zoning, increasing the number of tradespeople through education and immigration, increasing affordable and social housing, and cracking down on money laundering in Canadian real-estate.^[19]

Aitchison has spoken out against the 2019 QuebecAct respecting the laicity of the State, also known as Bill 21. In his launch speech for the Conservative Party leadership, Aitchison said, "Our Party has a proud tradition of being a voice for freedom of religion around the world. We need to have the courage of our convictions to do the same here at home, in every province and territory. Freedom of religion is a charter right. This includes the right of every single Canadian to proudly wear a cross, hijab, turban or a kippah at their place of work. Bill 21 is wrong, and I will stand against it."^[20]

Aitchison is supportive ofCANZUK, a proposed alliance ofCanada,Australia,New Zealand, and theUnited Kingdom to increase trade, foreign policy, and military co-operation. He was named to lead two cross-party working groups aimed to facilitate discussions on freer movement and trade within the partner countries.^[21]

In his first intervention in theHouse of Commons, Aitchison raised concern about rural internet service in his riding. He believes there needs to be more competition in the market and federal investment in underserviced areas.^[22]

Aitchison is an advocate for what he describes as a credible federalclimate change plan that would permit industry to find innovative methods of reducing emissions. He is opposed to acarbon tax, stating that it "disproportionally hurts lower-income Canadians living in rural areas".^[23]

On May 17, 2023, Aitchison joined fellow Conservative MPMichelle Rempel Garner and members of the federal Liberal Party, Green Party, and NDP in releasing a statement on theInternational Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia. Aitchison tweeted, "You belong. You matter. No matter who you are. No matter who you love".^[24] Aitchison toldThe Hill Times in February 2024 that he supports trans people's right to live without government restrictions, but did not comment onPierre Poilievre's remarks or Alberta PremierDanielle Smith's policies on trans people.^[25]

• Living people
• Conservative Party of Canada MPs
• Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Ontario
• 21st-century mayors of places in Ontario
• People from Huntsville, Ontario
• 1973 births
• YIMBY activists
• Canadian housing rights activists
• 21st-century members of the House of Commons of Canada

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