Surrey mayor scolds council rivals for \u2018unfounded\u2019 claims, spreading \u2018misinformation\u2019<\/p>\n
Published 9:30 pm Monday, July 13, 2026<\/p>\n
Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke scolded rival council members straight out of the gate during Monday night\u2019s meeting for what she called \u201cunfounded\u201d public allegations and she also had city solicitor Philip Huynh recite the Council Code of Conduct to her fellow politicians.<\/p>\n
Locke specifically targeted Councillor Linda Annis, mayoral candidate for the Surrey First slate, and Safe Surrey Coalition Councillor Mandeep Nagra.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt has been a concern of mine that some on this council continue to put your election campaign in front of your duties as a councillor,\u201d she said. \u201cIt is completely unacceptable for elected officials to make unfounded allegations against city staff or spread misinformation in attempt to shift political responsibility onto our professional staff who are carrying out the lawful direction of this council.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis last week hit a new low,\u201d Locke said.<\/p>\n
She put Annis on the spot, demanding she provide evidence that the City\u2019s finance are \u201cquote \u2018in a mess,\u2019\u201d as Locke said Annis told the media. \u201cThat is a very serious allegation and so can you please tell council and the public specifically what evidence you have to support a statement like that? Which financial reports, audits, audit findings or financial indicators lead you to conclude that the City of Surrey\u2019s finances are in a mess, or was that simply a political statement rather than one based on facts?\u201d<\/p>\n
Annis replied she will \u201cgladly submit a statement to the city manager on what my intention was and I will do that as quickly as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
The mayor had Huynh \u201cremind\u201d council about its code of conduct \u201cand also of the oath of office that we signed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Huynh told them that under the code council members must \u201crefrain from conduct that could be construed as bullying or harrassing.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt includes any conduct that would be contrary to the City\u2019s respectful workplace policy,\u201d the lawyer noted, \u201cand it also includes any unwelcome of objectional conduct that causes an individual to be humiliated or intimidated including making derogatory comments, including questioning the professional competence of staff.\u201d<\/p>\n
Locke said that doesn\u2019t cover just finances but also \u201ccomments that were made with regard to the land purchase and I think that was completely unfair and so that one is very specifically directed at you councillor Nagra.\u201d<\/p>\n