# Scott Simms

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.
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 Bryan 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.

## Politics

Simms was elected in the 2004 election and defeated four other candidates, including Conservative incumbent Rex Barnes. Simms was re-elected on Jan. 23, 2006, beating Conservative candidate Aaron Hynes by approximately 5,000 votes. 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.
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.
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.
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."
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. Simms was re-elected in the 2015 federal election.
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.
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.

## Electoral Record

vte2021 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 | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 31,834 | 97.86 | +0.06 | $124,135.56 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 695 | 2.14 | -0.06 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 32,529 | 51.46 | -4.13 |
| Registered voters | Registered voters | Registered voters | 63,217 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | Swing | +6.93 |
| Source: Elections Canada |||||||
vte2019 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 | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 34,182 | 97.80 | -1.79 | 120,385.86 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 770 | 2.20 | +1.79 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,952 | 55.59 | -0.12 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 62,880 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | -26.51 |
| Source: Elections Canada |||||||
vte2015 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 | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 35,448 | 99.59 | | $238,355.39 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 145 | 0.41 | – |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 35,593 | 55.71 | – |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 63,891 |
| | Liberal notional hold | Liberal notional hold | Swing | Swing | +15.97 |
| Source: Elections Canada |||||||
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 | Total valid votes/Expense limit | Total valid votes/Expense limit | 31,157 | 100.00 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 151 | 0.48 | -0.02 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 31,308 | 36.24 | -4.91 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 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 | Total valid votes/Expense limit | Total valid votes/Expense limit | 28,588 | 100.00 | $92,537 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 145 | 0.50 | 0.00 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 28,733 | 41.15 |
| | Liberal hold | 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 | Total valid votes/Expense limit | Total valid votes/Expense limit | 38,175 | 100.0 | $86,380 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 190 | 0.50 | -0.03 |
| Turnout | Turnout | 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 | Total valid votes/Expense limit | Total valid votes/Expense limit | 33,134 | 100.0 | – | $84,760 |
| Total rejected, declined and unmarked ballots | Total rejected, declined and unmarked ballots | Total rejected, declined and unmarked ballots | 178 | 0.53 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 33,312 | 46.30 | -6.67 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 71,944 |
| | Liberal notional hold | Liberal notional hold | Swing | 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. |||||||