Abbotsford – Tom Norton, who lost his bid for Abbotsford Council last year in the by-election to replace Bruce Banman (who became an MLA) has placed his hat in the ring for another shot. Norton lost to Dave Sidhu.
From his media release:
Retired RCMP member and Performance Athletics coach Tom Norton in race for Abbotsford council seat October 15 th 2022.
He said his optimism for the city is unwavering: “Abbotsford has unlimited potential for new families as the ‘Heart of the Fraser Valley,’ yet struggles with it’s identity. “Abbotsford isn’t just a small farming community anymore nor should it be a whistle stop for cheap gas along Hwy# 1 heading to somewhere else. It’s a city. A big city with big problems that cannot be ignored and could develop it’s potential with the right progressive, proactive leadership”.
Tom Norton once again announced he is running for a council seat in the Abbotsford and BC General Election on October 15, 2022. Norton is a decorated, retired member of the RCMP major crime section whose family has called Abbotsford home since 1994. He has 35 years of meritorious service in law enforcement and four decades of high-performance coaching in Athletics and sport, “Municipal government has been a goal for many years, and the time was right for me to step up during the recent byelection in 2021,” he said.
“Like many other major metropolitan centres, Abbotsford faces challenges with vulnerable citizens experiencing homelessness, street crime, and gang activity that test the mettle of its emergency services, and I offer my decades of experience to help tackle those issues, real issues that affect the entire community from the littles to our most venerable seniors and everyone in between”.
Norton said his leadership and strategic guidance on employee services – including performance management, policy, discipline, and managing collective agreements – would serve him well on council.
“The City has socked away nearly $350 million dollars over the last eight years. I guess my question is why hasn’t some of that money been used to shore up needed infrastructure including city works staff or gone to buy at least one sidewalk snow plow? Even just one?”
“People always come first and being out in front on the ground is how you engage with the community, rather than behind a desk” he said.
