Canada's longest-serving municipal politician remembered as a common-sense man of the people

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Moncton Ward 1 Councillor Norman Crossman was praised yesterday as a common-sense man of the people who was always in touch with his constituents and kept the city's best interests at heart over four decades in office.

Norm Crossman 1933-2008

Crossman, the longest-serving politician in Canada, died yesterday at the Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont Regional Hospital. He was 74.

He had suffered from diabetes for many years and recently had battles with cancer and heart trouble.

"This is truly a sad day for Moncton. We have lost a crusader, a dedicated elected official who always had his neighbours' best interests at heart," Moncton Mayor Lorne Mitton said in a statement released by city hall yesterday. "Personally, I have also lost a great friend. On behalf of all Monctonians, I extend my most heartfelt condolences to Mr. Crossman's family."

Crossman was recently recognized by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities as Canada's longest serving municipal politician. For 41 years he served local residents, including a tenure as Mayor of Lewisville, then as a Moncton city councillor. Most recently, he was chairman of the Westmorland-Albert Solid Waste Commission, and long-time chairman of the City of Moncton's Transportation Committee. He also worked tirelessly towards the creation of the new Kay Community Centre.

He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Eileen, six children (Kathy, Peggy, Shelly, Dave, Tim and Shawn) and 10 grandchildren.

Citizens of Metro Moncton are invited to sign a book of condolence in the lobby of Moncton City Hall today through the day of the funeral, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Flags have been lowered to half-mast at City Hall until sunset on the day of the funeral. The family will accept condolences Sunday and Monday at Frenette's Funeral Home from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. The funeral will be held Tuesday at 11 a.m. at St. Bernard's Roman Catholic Church.

Crossman was known as the people's councillor in Lewisville and had recently announced his intention to re-offer for his Ward 1 seat in the May 12 municipal election.

"I just spoke to him three or four days ago and he was getting ready to put his election signs up," said Ralph Hayden, former manager of the Moncton Coliseum who had been friends with Crossman for 40 years. "He said he was feeling good and seemed to be in good spirits."

Hayden said Crossman had worked tirelessly to help people in his riding with little problems like getting streets paved or sidewalks fixed. He also helped many people get jobs with the city.

He was known as a hockey player, family man and hard-working politician.

One of the projects near to his heart was the rebuilding of the Kay Arena and Community Centre, just up the street from his home on Willowbend Drive. The official opening of the new Kay was scheduled for this Sunday, but officials said yesterday it will now be postponed.

Crossman outlasted many other mayors and city staff members during his time on council and he was involved in every major project and decision undertaken by the city.

Dennis Cochrane -- who served as councillor, mayor and Member of Parliament for Moncton through the 1970s and '80s -- remembered Crossman as strong advocate for his constituents in Lewisville and a man who always stood up for city workers.

"Nobody spoke more often on behalf of the employees. The workers had a real friend in Norm," said Cochrane, who is now deputy minister of Education in Nova Scotia. He said Crossman often acted as an advocate for the employees during discussions about benefits and conditions. "He really kept in touch with the people he represented and he certainly will be missed."

George Rideout -- who also served as a councillor, mayor and Member of Parliament for Moncton -- praised Crossman as a man of the people who always had the best interests of his constituents in mind, but was able to see what was best for the city.

"I worked with Norm for over 15 years and he always represented his constituents well. He always had his ear to the ground and knew what was going on, and could always bring you back to earth," said Rideout, who is now a Court of Queens Bench Justice.

Brian Murphy, another former mayor who is now MP for Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe, said Crossman's life spanned the old days of the biscuit factory and mirrored many of the changes in the city's political landscape.

"He was a very modern-thinking older guy. He was a close friend and he brought with him the common-sense advice and thinking that is often quite lacking in politics," Murphy said yesterday.

"He was always there to defend his citizens," said Leopold Belliveau, another former Moncton mayor.

In an interview with the Times & Transcript in 2002, Crossman said he was born in Gunningsville and moved to Lewisville in the 1950s. He was a graduate of Moncton High School. He had played professional hockey in Scotland in 1953-54 and bought the house on Willowbend Drive a year and a half later. He worked for Weston Biscuits for 19 years and later as a sales representative for Kedco Products, an advertising firm. In the summers, he spent much of his time at his trailer at the Ocean Surf beach park in Shediac. He said his wife and family were used to the phone ringing day and night with calls from constituents.

He said Lewisville remains a great place to live and raise children and became a major player in the fight to rebuild the Kay Arena and keep it as a true community centre.

While his political career remained focused on municipal politics, Crossman did make one foray into the provincial arena. In 1982, he was nominated to run for Richard Hatfield's Progressive Conservative party in the Moncton East riding, but lost out to Liberal Ray Frenette.