Controversial PC candidate stumps at Greyhound game

Chris Scott, controversial Progressive Conservative candidate in the just-called Ontario election, appeared with his campaign manager Ross Romano at Wednesday night’s OHL Soo Greyhounds game against the Kitchener Rangers.

The announcement of Scott’s candidacy yesterday was greeted with dismay among some SooToday commenters.

Some were shocked that Scott, originally from Kemptville, Ont., was chosen by Premier Doug Ford with no vote from the local party faithful.

Others derided Scott as an out-of-town ‘parachute’ candidate, even though he lived in the Sault while working at Romano’s local constituency office and has also worked in the premier’s office.

While Romano was collecting his Greyhounds jersey before tonight’s game, the guy who until this week has headed the Sault Ste. Marie PC Riding Association was using a Greyhound analogy to defend Scott.

“I was chatting with some people today and they said to me: He’s not from the Sault,” Jason Naccarato told SooToday.

“And I said, if the Greyhounds were close to making the playoffs, and the trade deadline was coming and they were able to sign a 50-goal scorer from Sweden, and they were going to win the Memorial Cup because of it, none of you would complain,” Jason Naccarato told SooToday.

“You’d be on the parade, and you’d be happy for the win. And yay, yay, yay, we won the Memorial Cup. And this guy, who’s our 50-goal scorer, is amazing and we all love him.

“But the minute he wants to go and represent us at Queen’s Park, you guys get all bent out of shape about this stuff.

“Whether it’s true or not, it was ridiculous. Here’s the thing: at the end of the day, this guy’s an all-star. This guy’s been at Queen’s Park.

“I’ve worked with him politically, and he’s awesome. This guy is by far, an amazing, amazing candidate.

“Here’s what we know. Anyone else in the city, whether it be these other candidates you’re hearing about, or even if we picked someone with no political experience, they’re gonna spend the first year of their term trying to find their way around Queen’s Park.

“This guy knows all that. He’s been there, he’s been in the premier’s office and he’s going to hit the ground running.

“So this guy is going to go there on day one, advance our city’s files and advance our city’s agenda.

“That’s what the million-dollar thing is, not where he sleeps at night. Who the heck cares?” Naccarato said.

He said he was speaking only for himself because constituency associations are dissolved when an election is called.

SooToday will have additional coverage of Scott’s controversial candidacy tomorrow.