The News sent a questionnaire to all candidates in the three local ridings. Candidates were given strict word limits and instructed not to go over, lest their answers be cut off.
Name: Aird Flavelle
Current occupation: Mostly retired from the IT industry (Over 25 years I built Abbotsford’s MSA Computer Ltd.)
Notable past achievements/titles/jobs: [Max 3]
Notable past achievements/titles/jobs:
1. I almost haven’t missed an Abbotsford City Council meeting in 10 years. I also attend the Police Board meetings and almost all of the city’s Citizen Advisory Committee meetings.
2. Last year I recruited all of the sponsors for the Abbotsford Arts Council’s Arty Awards
3. As a long time Abbotsford Airshow director I am currently serving as Secretary, I am past president of the Rotary Club, a current committee member and past Director of the Chamber of Commerce, current treasurer of the BC Green Party, past director of the Fraser Valley Indo Canadian Business Assn; 10 year I.T. volunteer at Abbotsford Hospice; 5 year I.T volunteer at Restorative Justice, I’m a veteran of two different armies, I have a 30 year career in the Martial Arts, I could fly an airplane before I could drive a car and still retain a Commercial Pilots licence.
Where do you live?
Abbotsford planners call the neighbourhood “Babich”. It’s almost in the City Centre, between Maclure and George Ferguson Way.
If you have run for office before, what have you learned? If you have not, why are you running now?
As an avid community volunteer I run for political office in order to expand my areas of impact. Over numerous elections I have learned that politicians are typically just citizens, trying to help their community.
Tell us about yourself. I.E.: Where were you born, where did you go to school/college etc., what jobs did you have over the years?
Born in New Westminster, grew up in Coquitlam, thereafter the Australian Army, Douglas Collage, advanced flying training in Victoria and a bush pilot in Ontario. Thereafter extensive work in the middle east and Europe. Learned to read and write Arabic, Chinese, Japanese. Spent 25 years building MSA Computer in Abbotsford. I have been a board member or volunteer on many, many, Abbotsford community organizations.
Why would you make a good representative for your constituents in the legislature?
I don’t have a personal agenda….. I am in politics solely to try to make our community a better place to live.
What are the three most important issues facing Abbotsford and how would you address them?
1. Drugs; Homelessness and Gang Violence
Legalize all drugs; Identify the true causes of Homelessness and address them; educate our youth away from gang involvement.
2. Protecting the ALR
We need food security. 70% of our veggies come from the USA! I’d like to move towards tightening up protecting the ALR, and move existing “country estates” back into food production.
3. Affordable Housing, densification, transit
We need to separate housing from “speculative investment”. If we densify our urban cores then transit will become viable.
Tell us a surprising or unique story about yourself:
At age 17 I left Canada to seek out the world. While in Australia I joined the Australian Army.
Abbotsford is split into three ridings, all of which have changed a little since the last election. Click here for a map of the Abbotsford-Mission riding. Click here for a map of Abbotsford South. Click here for a map of Abbotsford West.