# Scott Armstrong (politician)

David Scott Armstrong (born July 9, 1966) is a Canadian politician, who was elected as a Conservative member to represent the electoral district of Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley in the federal by-elections on November 9, 2009. He served until his defeat in the 2015 election.
After his defeat in the 2015 election, Armstrong was appointed as the official opposition critic on Atlantic Canadian issues and ACOA and was the only official opposition critic who was not a member of parliament.
On September 15, 2016, it was announced that Armstrong would return to full-time teaching and relinquish his posts with the Conservative Party.
In the 2024 Nova Scotia general election, he was elected to the Nova Scotia House of Assembly for Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley.

## Background

Armstrong graduated from Cobequid Education Centre in 1984. He graduated from Acadia University with a Bachelor of Arts. He then went on to earn a Master of Social Science Education from Florida State University and studied at the University of Southern Mississippi as well.
Armstrong has served as a school administrator for over 15 years. Armstrong was principal at Tatamagouche Elementary School in the early 2000s. He was also principal at Truro Elementary School in 2008 and 2009. After his election defeat in 2015 Armstrong returned to his career as an educator. He served as Principal at Great Village Elementary School in 2016/2017, Principal of Debert Elementary 2017/2018, Principal of South Colchester Academy (High School) 2018/2019, Principal of Debert Elementary 2019/2020, and South Colchester Academy 2020/2021. After a two-year secondment as Chair Elect for the Board of Directors of the Public School Administrators Association of Nova Scotia, Armstrong returned to South Colchester Academy for the 2024/2025 school year.

## Personal life

Armstrong is married to Tammy Stewart.

## Community involvement

Armstrong is a volunteer on the Children's Aid Society Board and the Hospital Foundation Board. Armstrong is a former president and longstanding volunteer of the Progressive Conservative Party of Nova Scotia, and volunteer with the Conservative Party.

## Political career

Following the resignation of then independent Bill Casey in April 2009 as the Member of Parliament for Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley, Armstrong was nominated as the Conservative Party candidate for the byelection to replace him. On November 9, 2009, Armstrong won the byelection, receiving 45.8% of the vote. He was re-elected in the 2011 federal election, receiving 52.5% of the vote. In September 2012, Armstrong was named chairman of the federal Conservative Atlantic caucus, replacing New Brunswick MP Mike Allen. In the 2015 federal election, Armstrong was defeated by Liberal Bill Casey.

### 40th Parliament

Armstrong served as a member on the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development, the Standing Joint Committee on the Library of Parliament, the Standing Joint Committee on Scrutiny of Regulations and the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage.
During the 40th Parliament, Armstrong sponsored a Private Member's Bill, Bill C-636 – An Act Respecting the Marine Mammals Regulations (Seal Fishery Observation Licence). The bill would have increased the distance that a person must maintain from another person who is fishing for seals. Bill C-636 did not go beyond first reading.

### 41st Parliament

Armstrong served as a member on the Legislative Committee on Bill C-11, the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates and its Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure, the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage and its Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedures, the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs and its Subcommittee on Private Members' Business, the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights, the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and Status of Persons with Disabilities, and its Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure.
Armstrong served as Member of Panel of Chairs from September 28, 2011 to September 13, 2013.
Armstrong was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment and Social Development on September 19, 2013.

### Post-parliamentary career

After his defeat and because the Conservatives did not elect a single MP in the 32 seats of Atlantic Canada during the 2015 election, Armstrong was appointed Official Opposition Critic for Atlantic Canada and ACOA by Acting Conservative Leader of the Opposition Rona Ambrose. Armstrong was the only Official Opposition critic who was not a member of either the House of Commons or the Senate.
Armstrong worked as a paid staffer in the office of the Leader of the Opposition and spent his time between Ottawa and Atlantic Canada but was based in Nova Scotia. The position paid approximately $60,000 per year out of Ambrose's office budget. He spoke for the Conservatives on the region.
On September 15, 2016, Armstrong relinquished his position with Ambrose's office and as critic to return to full-time teaching.
He re-contested the riding of Cumberland—Colchester in the 2019 federal election but lost narrowly to Liberal candidate Lenore Zann.
On October 21, 2024, Armstrong was nominated as the Progressive Conservative candidate in Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley for the next Nova Scotia provincial election.
On November 26th, 2024, he won his seat in the 42nd Nova Scotia Provincial Election for Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley.

## Electoral record

2024 Nova Scotia general election: Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley :
| ** Preliminary results — Not yet official ** |||||||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Scott Armstrong | 4,048 | 67.60 | +12.47 |
| | New Democratic | Janet Moulton | 1,113 | 18.59 | -0.67 |
| | Liberal | Gwynneth "Gwyn" Bellefontaine | 827 | 13.81 | -11.81 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 5,988 | 99.44 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 34 | 0.56 | +0.16 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,022 | 39.10 | -13.26 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 15,403 |
| | Progressive Conservative hold | Progressive Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | +12.14 |
vte2019 Canadian federal election: Cumberland—Colchester :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Lenore Zann | 16,672 | 36.68 | −27.05 | $91,456.57 |
| | Conservative | Scott Armstrong | 16,219 | 35.69 | +9.23 | none listed |
| | Green | Jason Blanch | 6,015 | 13.23 | +9.67 | $9,366.06 |
| | New Democratic | Larry Duchesne | 5,451 | 11.99 | +6.28 | $3,860.15 |
| | People's | William Archer | 608 | 1.34 | New | none listed |
| | Independent | Matthew V. Rushton | 232 | 0.51 | New | none listed |
| | Veterans Coalition | Jody O'Blenis | 144 | 0.32 | New | none listed |
| | National Citizens Alliance | Stephen J. Garvey | 109 | 0.24 | New | none listed |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 45,450 | 99.03 | | $104,050.86 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 447 | 0.97 | +0.59 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,897 | 68.54 | −2.51 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 66,967 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | −18.14 |
| Source: Elections Canada |||||||
2015 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Bill Casey | 29,527 | 63.73 | +45.35 | $94,835.51 |
| | Conservative | Scott Armstrong | 12,257 | 26.45 | –26.48 | $155,677.03 |
| | New Democratic | Wendy Robinson | 2,647 | 5.71 | –16.76 | $21,393.25 |
| | Green | Jason Matthew Blanch | 1,650 | 3.56 | –1.81 | $8,721.38 |
| | Independent | Kenneth Jackson | 181 | 0.39 | – | – |
| | Independent | Richard Trueman Plett | 70 | 0.15 | – | – |
| Total valid votes/Expense limit | Total valid votes/Expense limit | Total valid votes/Expense limit | 46,332 | 99.62 | | $207,024.53 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 178 | 0.38 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 46,510 | 71.64 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 64,923 |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | Swing | +35.91 |
| Source: Elections Canada |||||||
2011 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | Scott Armstrong | 21,041 | 52.46 | +6.62 | $84,480.51 |
| | New Democratic | Wendy Robinson | 9,322 | 23.24 | -2.49 | $10,734.51 |
| | Liberal | Jim Burrows | 7,264 | 18.11 | -3.21 | $34,804.26 |
| | Green | Jason Blanch | 2,109 | 5.26 | +1.95 | $5,762.34 |
| | Christian Heritage | Jim Hnatiuk | 375 | 0.93 | -2.26 | $5,478.83 |
| Total valid votes/Expense limit | Total valid votes/Expense limit | Total valid votes/Expense limit | 40,111 | 100.00 | | $87,350.74 |
| Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | 256 | 0.63 | +0.23 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,367 | 58.34 | +22.53 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 69,188 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | +4.56 |
| Changes based on 2009 by-election results. |||||||
| Sources: |||||||
Canadian federal by-election, November 9, 2009 On the resignation of Bill Casey, 11 September 2009 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | Scott Armstrong | 11,167 | 45.84 | +37.01 | $85,124.62 |
| | New Democratic | Mark Austin | 6,267 | 25.73 | +13.41 | $70,020.79 |
| | Liberal | Jim Burrows | 5,193 | 21.32 | +12.87 | $59,031.48 |
| | Green | Jason Blanch | 807 | 3.31 | – | $3,338.63 |
| | Christian Heritage | Jim Hnatiuk | 778 | 3.19 | – | $61,482.45 |
| | Independent | Kate Graves | 149 | 0.61 | – | $1,108.02 |
| Total valid votes/Expense limit | Total valid votes/Expense limit | Total valid votes/Expense limit | 24,361 | 100.0 | | $86,242 |
| Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | 97 | 0.40 | -0.11 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 24,458 | 35.81 | -21.96 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 68,304 |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | Swing | +11.80 |