User:ScottA1973/sandbox/Scott Aitchison

Scott Aitchison

Scott Adam Gilbert Aitchison (born January 14, 1973) is a Canadian politician and is the current Mayor of the Town of Huntsville, Ontario.

In 1994 at the age of 21, Scott Aitchison became the youngest individual ever elected to Huntsville Town Council and Muskoka District Council. He chose not to seek re-election in the 1997 campaign but returned to elected office in the 2000 municipal election, was re-elected in 2003 and was then defeated in 2006 when he ran for Mayor, to be returned to Town and District Council in 2010. Mayor Claude Doughty named Aitchison Deputy Mayor for the 2010 - 2014 term. Aitchison was elected Mayor of Huntsville in November 2014.

Early Life

The second of four children, Aitchison was born and raised in Huntsville, Ontario to Elizabeth (Betty) Jean (nee Doman) and David (Mac) Malcolm Aitchison. His ancestors were among the first settlers in the Huntsville area, with his great, great, great grandfather David Aitchison bought a lot in Chaffey Township near Williamsport for his son Robert (Bob) Burns Aitchison to farm in 1886.

Aitchison grew up in a Jehovah's Witness home, learning from an early age how to communicate with people through weekly door knocking and preaching. Just prior to his 16th birthday, he left home and the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. He lived with the family of Walt & Linda Koop for the remainder of his teens. It was during his final years of attending Huntsville High School that Aitchison became engaged in school politics and was elected Student Council President for the 1991-92 school year. He was then elected by the graduating class of HHS to be Valedictorian.

After graduation from high school, he attended 1 year of post secondary school at York University. Upon completion of first year, he returned to Huntsville to work for the summer and chose to take a year away from school to save money for the balance of his education.

Municipal Elections

In 1994 while on a year leave from university, Aitchison was convinced to run for Town & District Council by his long time mentor, former HHS Principal and former Huntsville Mayor, Terry Clarke. Clarke assured Aitchison that he would not win on his first attempt, but would gain valuable recognition so that in the next election after completing university he would have a better chance to win. To the surprise of many, he was elected by a razor thin margin against well known long serving Councillors Bill Schell and John Earl.

He quickly developed a reputation for articulate and practical commentary at Council and for keeping a close eye on spending. He chose not to run after his three year term was complete so he could go back to school. He enrolled at York University on a part time basis while working for the Justin Eves Foundation. The office for the Foundation was located in the offices of the Enterprise Canada Group under the Chairmanship of Hugh Mackenzie.

In 2000, Hugh Mackenzie considered running for Mayor of Huntsville and Aitchison decided to run again for Town and District Council along side Mackenzie. Both were elected in 2000 and then again in 2003. Upon Mackenzie's announcement that he would not seek a third term as Mayor, Aitchison ran for Mayor against Claude Doughty, Sven Miglin and Det Schumacher. He lost to Claude Doughty. Four years later, Aitchison ran again for a seat on Town & District Council and won. Claude Doughty beat Hugh Mackenzie in 2010 and is his second term as Mayor and appointed Aitchison as his Deputy Mayor.

Doughty announced he would not seek a third term as Mayor. Aitchison chose to run for Mayor a second time in 2014 and defeated Hugh Mackenzie and former Councillor Tim Withey.

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