Gordon Hogg says he’s “two to three weeks” away from a decision on whether to run for the mayor’s seat in either the Surrey or White Rock municipal races.
Hogg acknowledged this week that he has been asked to run in Surrey with the non-partisan civic organization Surrey First and has also been approached by individuals who’d like him to to run in White Rock in the elections, which will take place on Oct. 15.
“I have a few more meetings – and a family meeting – coming up to discuss it,” the veteran politician and lifelong White Rock resident told Peace Arch News, noting that he is mindful of the challenges and stresses such a decision would place on himself and those around him.
“I have mixed feelings, but I’m honoured to be asked,” said Hogg, who served as White Rock mayor from 1984 to 1993, after some 10 years before that as a council member.
Moving on from the municipal arena he was elected B.C. Liberal MLA in the Surrey-White Rock riding in 1997, and was reelected four times before he retired in 2013.
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He was subsequently elected Liberal MP for White Rock – South Surrey in 2017 in a byelection prompted by the resignation of sitting Conservative MP Dianne Watts, but lost the seat in 2019 to Conservative challenger Kerry-Lynne Findlay, who also won a rematch during the federal election of 2021.
He said he has been impressed by those asking him to run again in both civic races that they are “searching for people who are willing to step up and serve the public, people with experience who are interested in seeing what solutions can be found” in an era of increasingly divisive politics.
“If I ran in either, it would be because I felt I could make a significant contribution to the democratic process, in having a number of people who can represent a wide range of different values.
“Building consensus and a co-ordinated approach are very important in local government; making sure that the people have the options they are looking for,” he said. “Unhealthy councils can be very bad for communities.”
alex.browne@peacearchnews.com
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