Parry Sound-Muskoka MP announces bid for federal Conservative leadership

Huntsville -

Scott Aitchison has officially launched his leadership campaign for the federal Conservatives.
 
On Sunday, supporters filled a downtown Huntsville brewery banquet hall and watched as Huntsville-Parry Sound MP explained his vision for the country.
 
The former Huntsville mayor and councillor spoke about several topics he would tackle as leader, such as health care, climate change and clean drinking water for all Canadians. He said more details on his plans will be released as the campaign goes on.

"It's a big task, but I am ready for it," Aitchison said. "Canada needs the kind of inclusive, engaged, and compassionate leadership that I learned right here."
 
Pooja Gandhi was among the crowd of supporters.
 
She said she was compelled to come with her son after Aitchison supported her family during some of their darkest days.
 
"I lost my husband in December 2020 due to COVID. He had a cardiac arrest. Scott was always there to support us," Gandhi said.
 
Gandhi said Aitchison would check in from time to time and helped the family navigate COVID-19 restrictions as they prepared for the funeral.
 
Many others in attendance came to see the evolution of Aitchison's political career.
 
Detlev Schumacher was a former Huntsville councillor who worked alongside Aitchison during his run as a councillor and mayor.
 
"I was on it the years when he was in his mid-20s," Schumacher said.
 
He noted his leadership was apparent from day one. Schumacher recalls his charisma, confidence, and passion for the community stood out.
 
"I went through different administrations, and many were autocratic—the mayor had bobbleheads, not Scott. He was a good leader, and he let people have the debate," Schumacher said.
 
Aitchison mentioned that his 20 plus years of training in the Huntsville area shaped how he conducts himself.
 
"It's about solving problems, as opposed to getting the next sound bite," Aitchison said.
 
His message of unity and avoiding divisive politics is something two political science professors said will appeal to many voters.
 
"Not to do away with discussions and the back and forth but rather to do it in the limits that Canadians tend to want to see," said Kathy Brock, a political science professor at Queens University.
 
Michael Johns, a visiting political science professor at York University, said Aitchison would be an underdog in the race. Due to his lack of name recognition nationwide, he said he will need to be heavily active in promoting himself.
 
"He will be the candidate who is going to have to spend more time introducing himself than his ideas, as opposed to those who are well known and can argue from an idea point of view," Johns said.
 
The official candidates running for the federal Conservative leadership are Pierre Poilievre, Leslyn Lewis, Roman Baber, Jean Charest, Patrick Brown, Joseph Bourgault and Marc Dalton.  
 
Candidates have until April 19 to throw their name in the hat before a leader is announced in September.