COUNCIL CANDIDATES
*denotes incumbent
Daniel (Dan) Bue
Education: BA (sociology & economics, MA (counselling)
Occupation:
Clinical Counsellor, Part-time Professor, Former business owner
Residency: Abbotsford
Community involvement: Director of MEI, Co-chair of Christian Leaders’ Action Team, Co-chair of Sikh / Christian Initiative, Past director of Abbotsford Downtown Business Assoc’n, Past director of Alpha Family Services, 5 years on the leadership team of The Life Centre
Key issues:
Homelessness
Protecting our environment, which relates to transportation issues
Job creation
Sandy Blue
Party affiliation: AbbotsfordFirst
Education: Management Certificate – Administrative Management (BCIT); Ec.D (University of Waterloo);
CEcD (International Economic Development Council)
Occupation: Manager Strategic Economic Initiatives, City of Maple Ridge
Residency: Abbotsford
Community involvement: Commissioner - Abbotsford Police Board; vice-president – Abbotsford Police Foundation
Key issues:
Creating a business friendly approach to assist existing business and attract much investment
Leveraging the many assets of Abbotsford to the benefit of current and future generations
Establish / strengthen relationships with senior government, industry, business and post-secondary to develop practical solutions to priority issues.
Rick Barkwell
Education: College, industry related
Occupation: Financial Advisor, Raymond James
Residency: Abbotsford
Community involvement: Abbotsford-Sumas Rotary, AMHA, Campus of Care
Key issues:
Job creation/retention
Business attraction
Development
Raji Buttar
Education: MBA
Occupation: Co-owner, Arisoko Luxury Travel Inc.
Residency: Abbotsford
Key issues
Homelessness
Unemployment
Property Taxes
Lyle Caldwell
Education: High school, certified mechanic, management training
Occupation: Retired, part-time Ducks Unlimited
Political experience: Campaign manager for two local elections
Residency: Abbotsford
Community involvement: Abbotsford Rotary, Ducks Unlimited, Food Bank, Abbotsford Hospice Society, Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce, Abbotsford Arts Council, MSA Museum, Canada Day Parade, Operation Red Nose, Abbotsford International Airshow. Abbotsford Agrifair
Key issues:
Fiscal prudence.
Good paying jobs, strong economy.
Open and participatory government, restore trust and integrity.
James W. Breckenridge
Education: Bachelor of Commerce University of Saskatchewan Chartered Accountant
Occupation: Emergency shelter worker, advocate, writer, consultant
Residency: Abbotsford
Key issues: Fiscally sustainable, responsible budgeting and planning
Social issues (affordable housing, homelessness, poverty, hunger, living wage, employment);
Changing the way the city does business in order to attract business
Vince Dimanno
Party affiliation: AbbotsfordFIRST
Education: SFU, Kwantlen College
Occupation: Web and software developer
Political experience: Candidate for council in 2011
Residency: Abbotsford
Community involvement: Abbotsford Ratepayers Association, Abbyfest Multicultural Society, Crohns and Colitis Foundation (volunteer)
Key issues:
Debt, including infrastructure deficit
Homelessness and social issues
Economic development
Daljit Sidhu
Education: London university
Occupation: Vice-chair of credit union.
Political experience: Participated in previous city council elections.
Residency: Abbotsford
Community involvement: Volunteer, community sports tournaments, culture shows, blood donation and Abbotsford Sikh parade.
Key issues:
Business development
Safety ( youth at risk)
Affordable homes. (homelessness)
*Les Barkman
Education: Lakehead University
Occupation: Full-time City Councillor
Political experience: Two terms as Abbotsford city councillor
Residency: Abbotsford
Key Issues:
Homelessness
Spending tax dollars, but provide quality services
Property taxation - B.C. Assessment needs to review qualifications for different classifications
*Bill MacGregor
Education: Doctorate in Educational Leadership
Occupation: Public Servant
Political Experience: Two terms On Abbotsford city council
Residency: Sumas Mountain
Key issues:
Jobs
Continued Fiscal Restraint
Resolution of the Homeless Issue
Tim Felger
Education: Ohio State University
Occupation: Unknown
Community involvement: Drug War Suvivors
Key issues:
Transportation
Homelessness
Government Employees performing criminal acts.
*Moe Gill
Education: Mission High School
Occupation: Farmer and City Councilor
Political experience: Seventeen years on Council
Residency: Abbotsford Community involvement:
Numerous committees, boards and Rotary
Key Issues:
Public safety, policing and fire services resources.
Homelessness
Abbotsford’s economic performance.
Brenda Falk
Party affiliation: AbbotsfordFirst
Education: Fashion Design UFV, Landscape Design-Horticulture Kwantlen College
Occupation: Self-employed farmer and business woman
Political experience: Member of the Agriculture Advisory Committee, as well as Economic Development Advisory Committee, a member of the Mayor’s Task Force for Economic Development
Residency: Abbotsford
Community involvement: Co- Creator of the ‘Passport to Christmas’ and the Abbotsford and Regional ‘Circle Farm Tour’.
Key issues:
Sustainable economic development
Infrastructure deficit
Homeless Issue
Raymond Kobes
Education: Enrolled at the University of the Fraser Valley
Occupation: Student
Political experience: Post-Secondary Commissioner on the Parks; Recreation and Culture Commission
Residency: Abbotsford
Community involvement: Jam in Jubilee organizer; Friday Nite Basketball Gym director; volunteer for various events in Abbotsford
Key issues:
Fiscal responsibility and dealing with our municipal debt.
Providing a long-term solution for homelessness.
Increased awareness and emphasis on arts and culture in Abbotsford.
Kelly Chahal
Party affiliation: AbbotsfordFirst
Education: Master’s in Criminal Justice
Occupation: Independent chairperson CSC, Probation Officer
Residency: Abbotsford
Community involvement:
Involved in intercultural, multicultural, interfaith, criminal justice, and social justice. I am on Senate at UFV, Public Relations
Key issues:
Fiscal Responsibility - High taxes, low tax base
Lack of encouragement and responsivity towards business development
Homelessness, affordable housing
Nathan Loewen
Education: Bachelor of Arts Geography
Occupation: Manager of contracting business, currently student
Political Experience: Fraser Valley Regional Committee of BC Green Party, assisted with local campaigns
Residency: Abbotsford
Community involvement: Volunteer with Fraser Valley Conservancy & Fraser Valley Watershed Coalition, member of the Scandinavian Club of Abbotsford, formerly social advocate with Vancouver-based Streams of Justice.
Key issues:
Adhering to sustainable/green urban development
End homelessness and support affordable housing options.
Attracting innovative clean-tech businesses and quality employers
Marlisa Power
Education: Honours Bachelors of Arts - History/English
Occupation: Consultant, Power House Consulting; project and event co-ordinator/social media marketer and actress
Political Experience: Student council member in high school, student union member in university
Residency: Abbotsford
Community involvement: Abbotsford Farm & Country Market volunteer, Canadian Cancer Society office volunteer, Canadian Kidney Foundation Walk committee member, help at The Warm Zone, member of Grace Church, Abbotsford Hospice Society volunteer.
Key issues:
Homelessness - Immediate shelter & longer-term multi-tiered solutions
Fiscal responsibility/accountability/transparency
Ease/Attractiveness of doing business in Abbotsford
Paul Redekopp
Party affiliation:
Trinity Western/North West Bible College
Occupation: Driver at Alliance Concrete Pumps
Political Experience: Former BC Conservative Party Candidate 2013 provincial election. Currently BC Conservative Party vice-president
Residency: East Abbotsford Whatcom area
Community involvement: Currently on the Board of directors at Fraser Valley Child Development Center, Volunteer with developmentally disabled adults, member at TRBN and a marriage coach.
Key issues:
Homelessness
Safer streets and communities
Property tax, user fees and the highest unemployment rates in BC
Doug Rempel
EDUCATION: UBC Sauder School of Business RED
Occupation: Real Estate sales
Residency:
Abbotsford central
Community involvement:
Member of Chamber of Commerce, Triathlon BC, Fraser Valley Real Estate Board. Currently volunteer time for Habitat for Humanity UFV and the Abbotsford Triathlon. Previous volunteer work includes all the past summer games, coaching football at Rick Hansen Secondary School, Abbotsford Youth Commission, Junior achievement, and Toast Masters. Board of director for GARD an organization that does water and health programs in Uganda.
Key issues:
City debt
Homelessness/affordable housing
Sustainable development
Tina Stewart
Education: UFV Business Tech with Accounting.
Occupation: Executive Director, ADBA
Residency: Abbotsford
Community involvement: Volunteer palliative and bereavement companion at Abbotsford Hospice; committee member - Purple Light Nights Campaign; committee member - FV Diversity and Immigration Partnership Council
Key issues:
Development of jobs that meet or exceed the Living Wage
Affordable housing; increased medium and high density housing
Transit
*Patricia Ross
Education: Graduate of Leadership for Environment and Development International
Occupation: Abbotsford Councillor
Political experience:
Abbotsford councillor since 1994
Residency: Abbotsford
Community involvement: Restorative Justice, Environmental Advisory committee, Homelessness Task Force, Abbotsford/Mission Water and Sewer Commission, Working to stop Metro Vancouver from building polluting garbage incinerators and promote a better way of dealing with waste. Chamber of Commerce committees and Victim Services volunteer.
Key issues:
Homelessness, ensuring everyone has a home.
Environmental/quality of life threats such as Metro Vancouver’s plans to build a polluting garbage incinerator and pipelines
Taxes, ensuring enough for todays needs and services, while not putting at risk our future
David Sahlstrom
Education: Master of Business Adminstration - MBA, Professional Agrologist (PAg)
Occupation: Partner in bed & breakfast, business consulting
Residency: Abbotsford
Community involvement: MSA Museum Society, Arts Council, donated to various community groups, worked on the HST repeal referendum.
Key issues:
How candidates will support their vision and dreams for Abbotsford
Qualifications of the candidates to carry out the responsibilities of councillor.
Ross Siemens
Party Affiliation: AbbotsfordFirst
Education: Fraser Valley College and Trinity Western University
Occupation: Owner/manager of Hub Motor Service
Political Experience: Elected at the age of 23 to the District of Abbotsford Council in 1986 and reelected in 1988.
Residency: Abbotsford
Community involvement: Founding member of the Abbotsford Downtown Business Association; served on the Board of Directors of Abbotsford Community Services; serve on the Board of Directors of the Abbotsford Sports Hall of Fame.
Key issues:
Homelessness
Debt and infrastructure deficit.
Economic development.
Ken Wuschke
Education: Certificate in Public Safety Communications, Kwantlen Polytechnic University
Occupation: Wooden drawer assembler
Residency: Blueridge
Community involvement: City of Abbotsford Traffic Safety Advisory Committee, member; City of Abbotsford Heritage Working Group, member; Clearbrook Elementary School PAC, past president; Cycling Abbotsford, past chair; MSA Museum Society, former board member; Friends of the MSA Centennial Library, past chair; BC Historical Federation, board member; Abbotsford Bicycle Valet, organizer
Key issues:
Homelessness
Bringing the citizen’s voice into the committee process
Paying down debt, maintaining current service levels, investing in infrastructure.
*Dave Loewen
Education: S.F.U. - B.A. (Sociology); PDP UVic – M.Ed. (Educational Administration)
Occupation: Retired high school teacher/administrator
Political experience: Three terms on Abbotsford council
Residency: Abbotsford
Community involvement: MCC BC board and executive, including chair; national and local church committees; Canadian Mennonite University council chair; director on Federation of Independent Schools Associations Board; Heart2Heart, Haiti board; Mennonite Historical Society of BC Board; member of Abbotsford Rotary Club; member of Level Ground Mennonite Church; participant in Ken Herar’s ‘Cycling4Diversity’
Key issues:
Fiscal policies that build and maintain sustainability - delivering vital services to citizens without jeopardizing future capacity to deliver same.
Housing – affordable housing for homeless and those on verge of homelessness
Safety – supporting present levels of police and fire safety
Gerda Peachey
Education: Halfway through a Bachelor of Arts, and two years of Horticulture at UFV
Occupation: Wife, mom, grandmother, gardner, prison volunteer, musician (off-key)
Political Experience: Also ran four times. Decades of volunteer work for candidates vying for office in federal, provincial and municipal elections.
Residency: Abbotsford
Community involvement: Sing hymns with residents at seniors homes. Hang out with fellow jammers at local coffee houses. Been part of the local naturalists and the local rock and gem club.
Key issues:
Tend to the pragmatic business of running our city,
Do not sign contracts with big business and big amusements that hurt us financially.
Write sensible, doable and enforceable by-laws.
Karen Young
Education: SFU, Publishing
Occupation: Director of development (fundraising), semi-retired
Residency: Abbotsford
Community involvement: Board of Governors, past-president of the Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce in 2001; President, Rotary Club; President of the Abbotsford Symphony Orchestra Society (to 2007). Abbotsford Arts and Heritage Advisory Committee member (2006–11)
Key issues:
Social inclusion
Fiscal responsibility and transparency
Customer-focused service within city hall
Hank Roos
Education: High school
Occupation: Retired project manager and estimator
Residency: Abbotsford
Community involvement: Served on church and independent school boards. President of the Abbotsford-Mission Nature Club for 12 years.
Key issues:
Manage growth in a sustainable way
Homelessness
Attracting new clean hi-tech industries