CARP – Scott E. Miller had no political aspirations, but when Max Bernier split from the Conservatives and formed the People’s Party of Canada (PPC), Miller wanted to make sure the residents of Kanata-Carleton had the option to vote for the new party.

“I didn’t originally,” Miller answered when West Carleton Online asked why he wanted to run last week (Sept. 3) from the patio of the Cheshire Pub on Carp Road. “I always liked Max. When he split from the Conservatives, I said ‘that’s a shame.’ Then I read his platform and he stood for everything I did.”

Miller had never been a card-carrying party member before.

“I had no real expectations, and then I was acclaimed,” Miller said. “I was excited, I was proud, I was terrified. Ultimately, Max needed a champion in this area.”

And now the Kanata software engineer is representing the PPC in Kanata-Carleton.

Miller is the son of a military family with farming roots and has spent most of his life in the Ottawa area. He was educated at Canterbury High School and Carleton University (Systems and Computer Engineering, 1989), and has worked in senior technical positions at a number of local companies large and small, mostly in systems design, operating systems and protocols, with several patents to his credit.

His wife Kim and he have three children ranging from 13 to 22. The Kanata resident is a volunteer with the Kanata Scouting program as well as the Dunrobin Community Association’s (DCA) special needs programming.

Miller teaches a learn to play guitar program at the Dunrobin Community Centre. Miller’s son Duncan was born with Down Syndrome. While his son does not have the capacity to play guitar, Miller wanted to help out any way he could.

“I’m not the kind to sit on the sidelines,” he said. “I told Greg (Patacairk, the DCA president), what can I do? That’s been a good experience. It takes patience but that’s a lot of fun.”

Miller says he has been campaigning, but the new PPC doesn’t have a lot of money in the bank.

“It’s a small party and we don’t have a lot of money,” he said. “I’ve been active on Twitter and now I’m going to get out there, kissing hands and shaking babies I like to say.”

And like all Kanata-Carleton politicians, the Carp Fair is circled in thick ink.

“It is going to be our big event,” Miller said. “I’m looking forward to the Carp Fair. It’s going to be an efficient use of our time. Come out and see us.”

Miller says a federal member of parliament has to balance the needs of their community with the needs of the country.

“What direction do you want the country to go in?” he said. “What can you do? You run a constituency office and you go to bat for your constituents.”

Miller says he believes mass immigration is a big issue in the upcoming campaign.

“That’s a hot button item,” he said. “Most of the people I work with are immigrants and they are opposed to the illegal immigrants as well. There are many ways to look at the same issue. People are viewing it from their angle. We are not opposed to immigration. We want as many skilled immigrants as we can get.”

Miller says the PPC’s entire plan is one all Canadians can get behind.

“Check out Max’s platform,” he said. “It’s pretty reasonable. It’s Canada first. The PPC is all about libertarianism. That is no longer a dirty word. We follow a lot of rules now and families still can’t get ahead.”