SAULT STE. MARIE — The Ontario NDP is calling for MPP Chris Scott to resign, but the beleaguered politician’s future remains unclear.
The 35-year-old rookie MPP for the Sault faces two criminal charges following a Sept. 19 incident where he allegedly assaulted his wife with a high chair – and he’s facing consequences that reach far beyond the courtroom.
Yesterday morning, Premier Doug Ford promptly booted Scott from the Progressive Conservative caucus, making him an independent MPP.
On the campaign trail earlier this year, Ford vowed that Sault Ste. Marie voters will get to “keep our seat at the table."
Now – with no party and facing two criminal charges – Scott is facing calls to step down.
Toronto Centre MPP Kristyn Wong-Tam from the NDP is one of the people calling for his resignation.
Whatever happens during the court proceedings, Wong-Tam said Scott will not be able to effectively represent his constituents while his criminal case unfolds – a process that could drag out over an extended period of time.
“He should be laser-focused on giving the very best, effective representation to the good people of Sault Ste. Marie, and he will not be able to do that,” Wong-Tam said, giving credit to Ford for booting Scott from his caucus.
Wong-Tam reiterated a long-standing NDP call to declare intimate partner violence an epidemic in Ontario – something well over 100 Ontario municipalities have already done.
“Mr. Ford understands that there should be no tolerance for violence in his caucus, but I think he can go one step further and send a clear signal to everyone in Ontario that he will not tolerate intimate partner violence,” Wong-Tam said.
“It's incredibly troubling that Mr. Scott is still sitting as an MPP, as he is facing domestic violence charges.”
None of the criminal allegations have been tested in court and Scott is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Wong-Tam hopes Scott steps down, and that Ford promptly calls a byelection to find a replacement.
According to Elections Ontario, when a seat in the Ontario Legislature becomes vacant, the speaker issues a notice to the chief electoral officer, after which the premier has up to six months to call a byelection.
“He's got to finish the job and ask for his resignation, and then call a byelection quickly so that Sault Ste. Marie can have a proper MPP sitting in the chair of the legislature,” Wong-Tam said.
Whether or not that will happen is still hard to say, as Scott is not necessarily required to step down just because he faces criminal charges.
Scott has not returned calls to SooToday requesting comment.
According to Lydia Miljan, a political science professor at the University of Windsor, Scott has effectively been put on “leave” by being exiled from Ford’s caucus, but his guilt has yet to be proven in court.
“Just being charged with something doesn't mean you're guilty,” Miljan told SooToday.
“It signals to me that he can't sit as a member of the Ontario caucus until the matter has been resolved, but it doesn't mean he has to resign his seat.”
That sentiment was echoed by Donna Skelly, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.
“The laying of criminal charges on a sitting member of Ontario’s Legislative Assembly does not immediately impact their status,” Skelly said in a statement to SooToday.
“A member’s status may be impacted on conviction, depending on its nature.”
According to section 750 of the Criminal Code of Canada, if an elected official or public employee is convicted of an indictable offence and sentenced to two years or more in prison, “the office or employment forthwith becomes vacant."
Scott’s two charges — assault and assault with a weapon — carry maximum penalties of five and 10 years, respectively.
“He can't sit in jail and in the parliament (during) the sentence,” Miljan said.
There is also a historical example of an MPP being removed from office by a motion of the house, when MPP Adam Crooks was removed on Feb. 14, 1884 for an “incurable mental condition,” demonstrating a precedent for removing an elected official from office.
Reached by The Sault Star on Monday, Scott called the charges “baseless” and said he plans to say more in time.
“Politically, he might want to resign his seat because his constituents aren't going to be too happy,” Miljan said.
Scott bested the NDP’s Lisa Vezeau-Allen by 114 votes in the 2025 provincial election — the tightest race the riding has seen since 1905.
Vezeau-Allen said the charges are "very distressing for us as a community.
"That's my primary concern and obviously concern for the possible victim in the alleged charges.
“But we need strong leadership at Queen's Park, especially as a northern community. We need a good voice.”
She said at least Sault’s city council and the district social services administration board have good relationships with provincial ministers.
Vezeau-Allen wouldn’t say what she will do if a byelection is called. She also wouldn't comment on if Scott should resign.
“That's not for me to say. It's up to our community to say and . . . you know, time will tell,” she said.
- With files from Brandon Walker