Craig Scott (politician)

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Craig Scott
Scott in 2013
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Toronto—Danforth
In office
March 19, 2012 – October 19, 2015
Preceded byJack Layton (2011)
Succeeded byJulie Dabrusin
Personal details
Born (1962-03-14) March 14, 1962 (age 62)[1][2]
Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada
Political partyNew Democratic
SpouseKovit Ratchadasri
Alma mater
OccupationLegal scholar

Craig M. Scott (born March 14, 1962) is a Canadian politician and academic. Formerly a law professor at Osgoode Hall Law School and a director of the Jack and Mae Nathanson Centre on Transnational Human Rights, Crime and Security,[3] he was elected as the New Democratic Party candidate in a federal by-election in Toronto—Danforth on March 19, 2012, following the death of Jack Layton in August 2011.[4]

Background[edit]

Scott was born and raised in Windsor, Nova Scotia.[5] From 1979 to 1981, he attended Lester B. Pearson United World College of the Pacific in Canada, where he gained the International Baccalaureate Diploma. He then earned undergraduate degrees from McGill University and from the University of Oxford where he was a Rhodes Scholar at St John's College.[6] He has a Bachelor of Laws from Dalhousie University and a Masters of Law from the London School of Economics. His academic specialty is international law[7] with a focus on human rights law.[8] Scott was a professor in the University of Toronto Faculty of Law[9] from 1989 to 2001. He was Osgoode Law School's Associate Dean (Research and Graduate Studies)[10] from 2001 to 2004 and has remained on the faculty subsequently.[8]

Scott and his partner Kovit Ratchadasri[11] previously owned the Craig Scott Gallery, an art gallery on Berkeley Street near Toronto's Distillery District.

Advisor[edit]

Scott was an advisor to the African National Congress during its period in exile during the Apartheid era and subsequently assisted in the drafting of portions of the post-apartheid Constitution of South Africa. In 1993-1994, he served as co-counsel for the government of Bosnia and Herzegovina before the International Court of Justice and has also been involved in human rights issues relating to Iraq, Sri Lanka and Honduras[8] where he was involved with the Truth Commission held in the aftermath of the 2009 Honduran coup d'état.[12]

He also advised rights seeking groups in Canada in regards to legal challenges using the Charter of Rights and Freedoms[8] and assisted Maher Arar in his lawsuit against the Canadian government.[13]

Political career[edit]

Scott was selected as the New Democratic Party's candidate for the Toronto—Danforth by-election on January 9, 2012.[14] He won the seat on March 19, 2012, winning 59% of the vote, despite a strong campaign by second-place Liberal finisher, Grant Gordon.[15] Scott was defeated for re-election in 2015 by Liberal Julie Dabrusin amid the massive Liberal wave that swept through Toronto.[16]

Electoral record[edit]

2015 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Julie Dabrusin 23,531 42.34 +24.75 –
New Democratic Craig Scott 22,325 40.17 -20.70 –
Conservative Benjamin Dichter 5,478 9.86 -4.44 –
Green Chris Tolley 2,618 4.71 -1.74 –
Progressive Canadian John Richardson 1,275 2.29 –
Animal Alliance Elizabeth Abbott 354 0.64 – –
Total valid votes/Expense limit 55,581 100.00   $209,972.56
Total rejected ballots 269 0.48 –
Turnout 55,850 72.38 –
Eligible voters 77,158
Liberal gain from New Democratic Swing +22.73
Source: Elections Canada[17][18]


Canadian federal by-election, March 19, 2012: Toronto—Danforth
Death of Jack Layton
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
New Democratic Craig Scott 19,210 59.44 −1.36 $ 82,847.22
Liberal Grant Gordon 9,215 28.51 +10.89 86,016.54
Conservative Andrew Keyes 1,736 5.37 −8.95 73,735.56
Green Adriana Mugnatto-Hamu 1,517 4.69 −1.77 57,955.38
Progressive Canadian Dorian Baxter 208 0.64 –   1,473.73
Libertarian John C. Recker 133 0.41 –   2,433.05
Independent Leslie Bory 77 0.24 –   898.69
Canadian Action Christopher Porter 75 0.23 –   3,163.57
Independent John Turmel 57 0.18 –   –    
United Brian Jedan 55 0.17 –   130.18
Independent Bahman Yazdanfar 36 0.11 –   622.86
Total valid votes/expense limit 32,319 100.00     $ 86,821.95
Total rejected ballots 150 0.46 −0.13
Turnout 32,469 43.58 −21.32
New Democratic hold Swing −6.1
Source(s)
"By-election March 19, 2012 – Official Voting Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
"Financial Reports: Candidate's Electoral Campaign Return – March 19, 2012 By-election". Retrieved October 29, 2014.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Craig Scott bio Archived October 29, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ Kennedy, Brendan (January 10, 2012). "Q&A with Craig Scott — Jack Layton's successor in Toronto-Danforth". The Star. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
  3. ^ Meyer, Carl (May 4, 2011). "How the Afghan mission influenced the election". Embassy Magazine. Archived from the original on July 29, 2012. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
  4. ^ "Danforth byelection: NDP hangs on to Jack Layton stronghold". Toronto Star, March 19, 2012.
  5. ^ Jackson, David (December 11, 2011). "Getting to bottom of Baillie's comment". The Chronicle-Herald. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
  6. ^ "Complete list of Rhodes Scholars". Archived from the original on March 8, 2012. Retrieved March 20, 2012.
  7. ^ Harvey, Colin (February 14, 2003). "Talk of tort law as a tool for tortured". Times Higher Education Supplement. Retrieved January 10, 2011.
  8. ^ a b c d "Craig M. Scott". Osgoode Hall Law School Faculty. York University. Archived from the original on January 14, 2012. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
  9. ^ "U of T investigates law professor in connection with student cheating scandal". CBC News. February 21, 2001. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
  10. ^ Conrod, Monique (March 28, 2002). "Hearing arguments for Toronto's 2 law schools ; Osgoode Hall's paper chase less often points to Bay Street". Toronto Star.
  11. ^ "NDP Toronto-Danforth candidate Craig Scott meets party caucus in Ottawa". Toronto Star. January 24, 2012.
  12. ^ Lindell, Rebecca (August 12, 2011). "Honduras rolls out welcome mat for Canadian companies". Global News. Archived from the original on August 1, 2012. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
  13. ^ Hopper, Tristin (January 9, 2012). "Craig Scott wins NDP nomination for Jack Layton's Toronto-Danforth riding". National Post. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
  14. ^ "Craig Scott gets NDP nod to run in by-election in Layton's old riding". Globe and Mail. January 9, 2012. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
  15. ^ "NDP wins in Jack Layton's former riding". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. March 19, 2012. Retrieved June 24, 2013.
  16. ^ "'It hurts': NDP shut out of downtown Toronto in Liberal crush". CBC News. October 20, 2015. Retrieved September 29, 2016.
  17. ^ Elections Canada – Confirmed candidates for Toronto—Danforth, 30 September 2015
  18. ^ Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates Archived August 15, 2015, at the Wayback Machine

External links[edit]

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