Scot Davidson, the Conservative Party of Canada candidate in York-Simcoe, is no longer the rookie coming into the 2019 election campaign.
He’s the incumbent, elected in the byelection held on Feb. 25 of this year, after longtime MP Peter Van Loan retired from politics.
Davidson has had time enough to get familiar with the workings of Parliament, and make his priorities clear. “My priorities are, it’s all about the riding,” he said.
Born and raised in Georgina, the health of Lake Simcoe tops his list.
“I’ve lived on the lake all my life,” Davidson said, making a living thanks to the opportunities created by Lake Simcoe. A graduate of York University in economics, he has been a restaurateur, marketer of Fish Crisp Enterprises’ fish coating for anglers, a marina owner and ice hut operator.
He has seen first-hand the positive impact of the Lake Simcoe Clean-Up Fund, in supporting grassroots environmental projects and conservation efforts.
Since his election, Davidson has lobbied for the return of the Lake Simcoe Clean-Up Fund, established by his predecessor and cancelled by the Liberal government – and was successful, as a backbencher, in getting the fund included in the Conservative platform.
“It’s on page 38 of the Environment Plan,” Davidson said.
Restoring the Lake Simcoe Clean-up Fund to the party platform “was a big win for me, out of the gate,” he said. “You have to negotiate, work hard, to get the policy that you want.”
He added, “We are the only federal party that has stepped up and said we’re making a commitment in York-Simcoe and surrounding area. Full stop. Other parties haven’t come to the table.”
During his brief term in office, Davidson has taken action on other local issues. On his first day in the House of Commons, he sat beside the federal Minister of Citizenship to request a citizenship ceremony at the historic Sharon Temple, often called the birthplace of Canadian democracy.
Three weeks later, “They had a fabulous ceremony,” he said, something he hopes will become an annual event.
Davidson also worked hard to move the Bradford Bypass – the Highway 400-404 Link – off the backburner, to address the traffic issues in the riding. "Get it done. This has been around for 30 years," he said.
Not only did he consult with his provincial counterpart, MPP Caroline Mulroney, he has taken the position that federal infrastructure funding should be used to help push forward important projects at all levels of government.
That’s one reason he challenged Liberal government’s contribution of a quarter-billion dollars to the Asian Infrastructure Bank for overseas projects, when the money could be used to fund significant infrastructure here, including the 400-404 Link.
Davidson talks about an expanded role for the federal government in providing infrastructure money for local projects — projects that include the provision of natural gas, Phase 3 Hydro power and high-speed internet to rural and agricultural areas, including the Holland Marsh.
Right now, the lack of servicing is limiting Canadian agriculture, he said.
“These are things that we can fix. I think the federal government has a responsibility for infrastructure,” Davidson said. “We have farmers that can’t do updates on their tractors because they don’t have wifi. We can make that a national strategy... These are the real issues faced by voters in the riding.”
Another local issue is the labour shortage created by changes to the agricultural guest worker program. It has become increasingly difficult to transfer workers from one region to another, as needed by farmers. It used to take three days to transfer workers from Niagara, once the fruit had been harvested, to the Holland Marsh to bring in the crops; now it can take eight weeks.
“The crops don’t wait,” said Davidson. “Those are the real issues I’m hearing at the door. These are the important issues in York-Simcoe that matter.”
He expressed a willingness to work with any party, any level of government, to get the work done. “I’m not a partisan,” Davidson said.
One of the first meetings he organized as the new York-Simcoe MP brought together all the mayors in his riding for a consultation. “I got Rob Keffer, Donna Big Canoe, Virginia Hackson and Margaret Quirk together,” Davidson said. “I think that was an important meeting to have. People just want to get things done.”
Although his focus is on local issues, Davidson also talks about the “macro picture,” impacting all Canadians.
There’s the issue of affordability. “Taxes are getting so high – you hear that at the door,” he said. “Where is the breaking point for people? A high-tax, low-growth rate isn’t the plan that’s going to move Canada forward.”
There’s "no magic wand" to address issues like affordable housing, he said, but he proposed a strategy that includes working with Habitat for Humanity to develop alternative housing, for lower-income families. “You have to work with an organization that has responsibility, and values,” he said.
As for the federal carbon tax, he is strongly opposed.
“People don’t like the carbon tax. It’s not a way to move forward on the environment,” Davidson said, suggesting that it penalizes those in the north, those who don’t have access to alternative energy sources and who must rely on diesel generators and diesel engines, including Indigenous people.
“You’re almost punishing the disadvantaged again,” he said. “We have no choice but to drive. It’s not like we’re in downtown Toronto.”
Davidson called the Conservative environmental plan realistic, recognizing that there’s no way to replace the hundreds of pipeline jobs with “green” jobs, overnight. Instead, he urged a partnership with business to come up with innovations to address environmental issues.
“The biggest thing is being realistic. Don’t fear monger,” he said. “We are going to work together. We all recognize that the environment is important. We’re getting there.” He pointed out that 15 years ago, there was no recycling, and carbon emissions from vehicles were far higher than they are today.
“At the end of the day, it’s going to be business – small and medium business – that will come up with the solutions,” he said.
Living in Georgiana with wife Suzanne and son Graydon, Davidson has served on the Georgina Medical Health Board, Georgina Waterways Advisory Committee, Lake Simcoe Fisheries Stakeholder Committee, and Jackson’s Point BIA.
During the spring byelection, he and his team knocked on about 18,000 doors in the riding and he's knocking on thousands more in the weeks before the Oct. 21 election.
Since the writ dropped, he said, it’s “game on, and we don’t miss a beat. We won’t take our foot off the gas.” He and his hard-working volunteers have been putting in 15-hour days, delivering signs to supporters, and knocking on doors.
“Being elected is a big honour,” said Davidson, promising to continue to work hard across party lines, to get things done and to put the riding first.
“I’m here to get stuff for the voter. That’s what you hired me to do,” he said. “There’s a way we’re going to negotiate and get things done, and I will always work for the riding.”
Davidson has a campaign office in Bradford at 157 Holland St. East. For more information click here.
