Thirty Years of Service, and Then a Letter to Constituents

There is a quiet finality to a resignation letter, even one written by a man who has spent three decades in public life. The words are measured, grateful, and careful—the language of someone who knows that leaving is also a kind of service. On Wednesday, Scott Aitchison, the Conservative Member of Parliament for Parry Sound–Muskoka, announced he would resign his seat at the end of the fall parliamentary sitting, closing a chapter that began in municipal politics and carried him to the federal stage.

Aitchison, 53, was first elected to the House of Commons in 2019 after serving as a town councillor and two-term mayor of Huntsville, Ontario. In his letter to constituents, he described his time in office as “the honour of my lifetime” and said that after thirty years of public life, it was time for a new chapter. He did not indicate what those next steps might be, but he reflected on the values that shaped his approach: “I worked to build consensus, cut through the bureaucracy, and make life better for the people who placed their trust in me” .

His departure marks the eighth Conservative MP to leave the party’s caucus since the 2025 election, and he becomes the twelfth MP overall to resign since January. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre issued a statement praising Aitchison as “a friend, a dedicated public servant and a man who cares deeply about the people he represents,” thanking him for his years of service .

Aitchison’s tenure included a notable run for the Conservative leadership in 2022, where he finished fifth in a contest won by Poilievre. Housing was a central theme of his campaign, and Poilievre later appointed him as the party’s housing critic. In his resignation letter, Aitchison noted that all levels of government have recognized the burden that over-regulation and excessive taxes place on housing affordability, and expressed confidence that the Conservative team would continue that work .

His resignation will create another vacancy in the House of Commons, where six seats are already empty. Parliament is scheduled to sit until December 11, meaning Aitchison’s seat will not officially open until the fall sitting concludes. Byelections for the existing vacancies are already pending, and his departure adds to the list of seats awaiting a vote .

For a man who began his career in local government, the arc of Aitchison’s public life has been defined by a certain steadiness rather than spectacle. He leaves behind a record of quiet advocacy on housing and a reputation for decency that his leader acknowledged in his farewell. The next chapter, whatever it holds, will begin after the gavel falls on the fall sitting.

AI Image Disclaimer: The images accompanying this article were generated by artificial intelligence and are intended for conceptual illustration only.

Sources: CBC News, The Canadian Press, Toronto Sun