A Dedicated Community Leader in Ward 5
I moved from London’s East End to North Centre with my parents and two sisters when I was eight. My father was a local police officer, and my mother raised my sisters and me. I have always loved the city’s North end, where my parents still reside in the same house on the same street where they raised me.
I spent my early post-secondary years traveling and competing in sports before returning to school, eventually completing my Masters in Business. Since then, I have completed post-graduate education with the Wharton School of Business and Harvard’s HMX program. I’m a local entrepreneur who runs three small community wellness businesses, earning me London’s Top 20 Under 40 Honours in 2016. There are many parallels between running a community business and a city, and my expertise and experience will bring sound judgment and best practices to the city council.
I have three young children, and thinking about their futures led me into the political realm. As you may understand, having kids changes how you think about the world and your community. London is a beautiful city, but it could be much more. We are missing strong leadership and selflessness at all levels of Government, including municipally, and it’s hurting the trajectory of London’s progress.
I’m an enthusiastic leader with a proven track record for managing many moving parts and people, and I am doing my duty to step up for the city at a critical time. I want to ensure a bright future for all of our residents, both young and old, and that starts in council.
I promise to lead with integrity while acting with authenticity. The city should belong to the people, not to politicians.
SUPPORT MY CAMPAIGN
Campaign donations of up to $1,200 can be securely e-transferred to contact@tommycaldwell.net
You must include your name, address, and contact info in the ‘notes’ section of your e-transfer for proper receipt (for tax purposes)
You can also contact Tommy directly by emailing contact@tommycaldwell.net or using the form at the bottom of the page
FAQ
What is your political affiliation?
Like you, I don’t fit into a particular ‘box.’ I find partisan politics to be ideological and self-limiting, which is why I view it as one of the most significant issues with Provincial and Federal systems. Attaching to a party limits our ability to think and act reasonably, and in reality, our political leanings should adapt to each issue. When it comes to economics, I’m conservative. Fiscal responsibility is essential when the rise in the cost of living is out-paced only by the decline in the value of our dollar. When it comes to healthcare and education, I’m Liberal. Schools and Hospitals are critical to the well-being of all citizens, but we must run our institutions efficiently and with total transparency. When considering those struggling socioeconomically, you could consider me a New Democrat. Those on the lowest socioeconomic rung require support from the community, and when we better the lives of those around us, everyone’s well-being improves.
Without the flexibility to address problems with nuance, it is impossible to get to the best solution to any given situation. Party politics act as a burden on progress and a wedge in the community. I prefer to approach each issue with a clean slate, free of preconceived notions or opinions, and do the work required to reach what is best for the citizens. We should be neighbours and Canadians first with shared concerns outside of political ideologies. If we focus more on what we have in common rather than what we have in difference, we will arrive at the crux of progress.
What is your top municipal concern?
Government, by nature, devolves into wasteful, bureaucratic systems. It’s inevitable when a small group of unaccountable individuals spend other people’s money. Politics has become- or always has been- very self-serving. Politicians are more concerned with their careers and maintaining political relationships than they are with standing for the community. If there is a silver lining from 2020, it’s the spotlight that has been put on these issues.
We pour money into an inefficient system each year while getting less in return, and bureaucracy is at the core of irresponsible and unaccountable spending. We need people in public offices who will start holding the group responsible.
My priority is to do the best job possible for the city of London, not for myself, with the four years I have to represent the citizens. My actions won’t be influenced by concerns for re-election, holding board positions, currying favour, or furthering my occupation. I am not a career politician. I’m a proven community leader who wants what is best for our society, not my career.
I believe ongoing accountability is paramount to a thriving municipality, and we are missing the courage, consideration, and leadership necessary to achieve this end.
Why do we need citizens to step into these roles?
Governance works best when we elect people into office who actively serve the community in demanding ways. We don’t need more career politicians. We need leaders who have shown sacrifice and the willingness to stand for what is right even when it wasn’t popular. When an actual crisis hit in 2020, we witnessed the results of incompetent bureaucrats who refused to take swift action or own the consequences of their flimsy decisions. Every choice made at all levels of Government was motivated by what was politically safe, and we are living with the result. We are in an economic and social crisis that isn’t recovering. The cost of living will double while the quality of our lives and the value of our dollar plummet. Hospitals are backlogged, children are suffering record mental health disorders and developmental delays, and much of this could’ve been avoided with strong leadership. The community suffers when leaders are worried about re-election instead of real-time issues. What we want in office are people willing to put their heads on the chopping block if it means doing what is best for the public. You simply won’t get that with the current leadership structure. It’s time we rid our municipalities of selfish or fearful individuals who cost us significantly more than we get in return.
Whatever we’ve been doing, it isn’t working, and the will of the citizens is not represented in government. I want to change that on October 24th.
Contact Tommy
Follow Me On Social!
Tommy Caldwell, MBA 