Canadian Lawyer

CROSS EXAMINED Taking on Jack's legacy Craig Scott looks to champion issues of human rights and the arts in the federal riding once dominated by the late Jack Layton. BY JENNIFER BROWN Former Osgoode Hall law professor Craig Scott is on long-term leave to pursue a career in politics. Craig Scott admits he has experienced a baptism by fire since being elected in the spring to replace the much-loved MP. He knows he is walking in the shadow of a legend and he is reminded of this often. A whiteboard hanging in a cramped meeting room in the riding office in Toronto still reflects Layton's much-quoted words from the letter he wrote to voters on Aug. 20, 2011, two days before he died. "My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful, and optimistic. And we will change the world. S the small storefront office. In early June the sign on the front of the building still Other reminders of Layton remain in " itting in the Toronto- Danforth constituency office he inherited from the late New Democratic Party leader Jack Layton, had Layton's name on it, and inside not much had been done to show a new MP was in residence. But that was all about to change. While he vows to carry on Layton' new spot. "We are in transition here," says s work, Scott wants a fresh start in a Scott as he settles in, preparing to meet some constituents on a Saturday morn- ing. "I leave here with regret because we had a great landlord, but I've decided to move closer to the centre of the riding. At the beginning of July, Scott moved the constituency office to put it closer to the Broadview subway station and to where he says new residents to East York need his help most. It's been a whirlwind since Scott " declared he would stand for the nomina- tion in Toronto-Danforth on Dec. 9, 2011, having only decided three days before. Then the byelection was held March 19. Now, he admits it has meant a major change in life and he hasn't looked back. 20 A U GUST 2012 www.CANADIAN Lawyermag.com "It's been nonstop since," he says, noting the NDP leadership was four days after his byelection and then the House began sitting the following Monday. Formerly an Osgoode Hall law pro- fessor, the 50-year-old Scott is currently on long-term leave from the law school, which he says may eventually lead to a full resignation, but he will wait to see what the next federal election brings in 2015. While 2015 may seem like a long time nomenon — we are only about one year out of last May's election that produced a small majority Conservative government and yet the temper of the times is that a huge number of people in the country are already talking about 2015. It has a lot to do with what Mr. Harper' away, it doesn't feel that way to Scott. "In terms of psychological space I think both we the NDP and the country are already thinking about 2015. It' s the strangest phe- agenda has been in the last year, and also s method and JeNNifer BroWN

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