Scott Simms

Scott Simms
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
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 (age 54); Bishop's Falls, Newfoundland
Political party	Liberal
Residence	Norris Arm, Newfoundland and Labrador
Profession	Journalist

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.

Early life

Scott 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 Brian 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

Simms 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

v t e 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]

v t e 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]

v t e 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

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