A Windsor woman has a good reason to be swelling with pride — the NDP have selected her son to represent their party in Jack Layton’s former riding.
In just one round of voting at a Jan. 9 nomination meeting in Riverdale, Craig Scott won the right to represent the NDP in an upcoming by-election intended to fill the Toronto-Danforth seat left vacant by the NDP leader’s passing in August.
Hundreds of NDP members attended the nomination meeting, including Layton’s widow, Trinity-Spadina MP Olivia Chow. She spoke at the event.
Scott, a professor of international law at York University’s Osgoode Law School, defeated Layton’s former constituency assistant, Claire Prashaw, and environmental lawyer Justin Duncan in the contest.
Scott’s mother, Barb Scott, dropped by the Hants Journal Jan. 10 to share the good news. She recalled the phone call she received from her son shortly after his win was announced.
“It was 11:15 p.m.… and the first thing he said to me was, ‘Well, it’s over.’ And I’m thinking, ‘Oh, really over?’”
Turns out, Craig Scott’s new career in politics is just beginning.
“I’m a proud mother and I can only wish him good luck, good fortune and all the best for whatever the future may hold.”
Prime Minister Stephen Harper has until the end of February to decide when the by-election will be held in the Toronto-Danforth riding, which had been dominated by Layton since 2004.
Craig Scott was unavailable for comment as of press time, however, a mission statement on his nomination website indicates that his political aspirations closely mirror those of his predecessor.
“I have spent my career fighting for social justice at home, and abroad. Now I want to continue Jack Layton’s legacy of fighting for social justice in parliament.”
