Northern Ontario MPP Chris Scott is no longer a member of Premier Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservative caucus after he was charged with assault and assault with a weapon over the weekend.
The premier’s office said in an email Monday that Scott is no longer a caucus member. No reason was given.
Later in the morning, the premier was asked about Scott’s exit, during a news conference in eastern Ontario.
“You know something — I would go to the Sault Ste. Marie police. I was informed literally in the parking lot as we were going through here,” Ford told reporters.
“Yeah, go to the Sault Ste. Marie police. I don’t want to interfere in a police investigation.”
The Sault Ste. Marie courthouse confirms Scott now faces those charges following an incident on Friday in the northeastern Ontario city.
He was released from custody after a court appearance on Monday morning, promising to abide by certain conditions, including not to contact specific people connected to the incident.
Sault Ste. Marie police had earlier said Scott was arrested by Toronto police, but the extent of their involvement is not clear.
Scott was first elected as the Sault Ste. Marie MPP in February’s Ontario election, defeating New Democrat candidate Lisa Vezeau-Allen by just 118 votes.
The 35-year-old is not originally from Sault Ste. Marie, but worked in Ford’s office as special adviser to the chief of staff. Scott also worked in the office of former Sault Conservative MPP Ross Romano when he was an Ontario cabinet minister.
