Former mayor Bose backs Rasode, says no Surrey Matters slate coming

SURREY — Though Coun. Barinder Rasode has yet to officially announce her intentions to run for the city’s top job, she’s already received an endorsement.

Former Surrey mayor and longtime councillor Bob Bose has officially endorsed Rasode as a mayoral candidate.

Bose served as a Surrey alderman from 1978 to 1985 and then served as mayor for nine years. After his mayoralty, Bose returned to Surrey civic politics as a councillor, from 2000 to 2011, when he was ousted by Surrey First sweeping all the seats.

Bose told the Now in July he believes voters needed a fresh face, “not somebody who’s an incumbent or who’s been on council.”

But last week, Bose said it’s “too late now” for new candidates to emerge and Rasode is the “clear choice” for him, describing her as strong, bright and as having a huge amount of energy.

He also said in July he thinks the ideal candidate should have their “roots in community.” Rasode has a track record in terms of her community outreach and engaging neighbourhoods, Bose said, adding that she’s advancing an issue important to him: wards.

“Barinder is talking about moving a lot faster on it” than the other candidates, he said of the ward debate thus far.

Bose is also throwing his support behind his nephew, farmer Mike Bose, who is running for a seat at the council table.

“He’s got a bit of a fire in his belly,” he noted.

“He’ll make a good council member. It’s been a long time since we’ve had an honest-to-goodness farmer."

Bose said he’s on the board of Surrey Matters Voters Association - formerly Surrey Civic Coalition - and doesn’t expect a slate to come together.

"We’re going to be supporting progressive independent candidates. We certainly are in no position to launch a campaign," he said, adding, "We're basically a shell now."

He doesn’t expect any member of the group to run independently either, unless Surrey First is “completely imploding.”

Bose said he’s hopeful there will be a major change at the council table, some “fresh blood.”

“We have some tired council members. Surrey will be better for it if there’s some new faces. And a significant number of new faces.”

areid@thenownewspaper.com