Tammy Scott-Wallace

Tammy Scott-Wallace
Scott-Wallace in 2024
Minister of Tourism, Heritage and Culture Minister responsible for Women's Equality
Assumed office
September 29, 2020
PremierBlaine Higgs
Preceded byBruce Fitch
Member of the
New Brunswick Legislative Assembly
for Sussex-Fundy-St. Martins
Assumed office
September 14, 2020
Preceded byBruce Northrup
Personal details
BornBelleisle, New Brunswick, Canada
Political partyProgressive Conservatives

Tammy Scott-Wallace is a Canadian Progressive Conservative politician who has represented Sussex-Fundy-St. Martins in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick since 2020.[1] Prior to running for politics, Scott-Wallace worked as a journalist, with the majority of those years spent writing for the Kings County Record and the Telegraph-Journal.

Scott-Wallace is a member of the Executive Council of New Brunswick, serving as Minister of Tourism, Heritage and Culture, as well as Minister responsible for Women's Equality.[2] She is the first woman to be elected to represent the riding of Sussex-Fundy-St. Martins.

Early life

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After growing up in Belleisle and graduating from Belleisle Regional High School, Scott-Wallace attended Mount Allison University's political science program before transferring to the journalism program at Holland College.[3] From there, she launched a 25-year career as a journalist, writing for the Kings County Record and Telegraph-Journal for the bulk of her career.[3]

Political career

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First election

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Following the retirement of long-time Sussex-Fundy-St. Martins MLA Bruce Northrup, Scott-Wallace secured the Progressive Conservative nomination for the riding in the 2020 New Brunswick general election.[4] Despite the riding being known as a conservative stronghold, the unpopularity of scrapped healthcare reform proposals left the party's standing in the region to be questioned.[4] Assuring voters that the proposed changes would not be re-tabled by her party, Scott-Wallace was able to win Sussex-Fundy-St. Martins with a majority of the vote. In doing so, she became the first woman to represent the riding in the provincial legislature.

2020–present: Minister of Tourism, Heritage and Culture

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As a freshman in the legislature, Premier Blaine Higgs appointed Scott-Wallace to his cabinet as Minister of Tourism, Heritage and Culture on September 29, 2020.[5] She took over the mandate in the midst of the tourism sector's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Scott-Wallace was also appointed Minister responsible for Women's Equality[5]

In 2024, Scott-Wallace and her deputy minister came under scrutiny from opposition members as a result of a week-long vacation they took to the United Kingdom and France. The trip, which had a total cost of CA$22,527 in taxpayer funds paid by the government, saw the staffers stay at two luxury hotels while additionally billing the government for a British Museum tour as well as for riding the London Eye. The trips, described as "Tourism Mission — Europe" on its financial statement, was critiqued as "a vacation with a few meetings here and there to justify it" by Liberal critic of tourism Isabelle Thériault.[6][7] Scott-Wallace came under further scrutiny for spending $5,200 in taxpayer dollars to attend a cruise ship conference in Miami, Florida.[8]

Electoral record

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Sussex-Fundy-St. Martins

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2020 New Brunswick general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Tammy Scott-Wallace 4,366 56.29 +6.83
People's Alliance Jim Bedford 1,321 17.03 -7.26
Liberal Cully Robinson 971 12.52 -3.19
Green Tim Thompson 969 12.49 +5.95
New Democratic Jonas Lanz 129 1.66 -1.63
Total valid votes 7,756
Total rejected ballots 20 0.26 +0.14
Turnout 7,776 64.92 +0.87
Eligible voters 11,978
Progressive Conservative hold Swing +7.04
Source: Elections New Brunswick[9]

References

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  1. ^ "Live New Brunswick election results 2020: Real-time results in the provincial election". Global News. Retrieved 2020-09-15.
  2. ^ Government of New Brunswick, Canada (29 Sep 2020). "Swearing-in ceremony held". www2.gnb.ca. Retrieved 2020-10-03.
  3. ^ a b "About Me". Tammy Scott-Wallace. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
  4. ^ a b Perry, Brad. "Candidate Spotlight: Tammy Scott-Wallace". Country 94. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
  5. ^ a b "New Brunswick swears in 16-member cabinet, including five newly elected members". Atlantic.CTVnews. 2020-09-29. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
  6. ^ "'Conscience is clear': N.B. tourism minister, deputy expense $22,500 for Euro trip". CTV Atlantic. 25 April 2024. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  7. ^ Poitras, Jacques (23 April 2024). "N.B. tourism minister defends pricey trip to United Kingdom, France". CBC News. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  8. ^ Chilibeck, John (May 17, 2024). "Embattled N.B. tourism minister's latest trip to Miami cost thousands". SaltWire. The Daily Gleaner. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  9. ^ "Provincial Election Results". Elections New Brunswick.