B.C. votes: Meet the six candidates for Surrey-White Rock

Six candidates are competing for the MLA seat in Surrey-White Rock: incumbent Conservative Trevor Halford is being challenged by former NDP candidate and former White Rock mayor Darryl Walker. The other candidates are Waqas Rana of CentreBC, Christine Kinnie of the BC Green Party, Amanda James of OneBC and independent Kevin Diakiw. Final voting day is Oct. 24. Advance voting is available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 16 to 21. More information is at electionsbc.ca.

Peace Arch News sent all candidates a questionnaire to introduce them to voters. Each received the same questions, word-count limit and deadline. Responses received are presented below in alphabetical order.

Kevin Diakiw, Independent

Diakiw lives in Ocean Park and was a journalist in Surrey for 22 years. He describes himself as a dedicated advocate for government accountability. His three priorities are mental health and addiction services, health care, and affordability in housing and basic necessities.

If elected, Diakiw says he would work across party lines in his first 100 days to establish a non-partisan group focused on improving access to mental health care, addiction treatment and ongoing recovery support. He would push for incentives to bring Canadian doctors practising in the U.S. back to serve communities, and oppose extending the provincial sales tax (PST) to more services, saying that expansion would raise the cost of living. He would also bring together financial and public-service experts to identify practical ways to reduce B.C.'s deficit and debt while protecting front-line services. He says his focus would be concrete proposals and public accountability.

Diakiw says he has been a trusted voice for Surrey residents after covering local politics for 22 years. He says he is not beholden to a party or constrained by a party whip, and answers to Surrey-White Rock voters. Voters can find out more at www.kevindiakiw.ca or by emailing info@kevindiakiw.ca.

Trevor Halford, Conservative Party of B.C.

Halford describes himself as Holly's husband, father to Ben, Nic and Alexandra, and a lifelong resident of the peninsula. His priorities are affordability for families, shorter health-care waits, and public safety through safer streets and real consequences for repeat offenders.

Halford says his first 100 days would focus on three areas. He would help the most vulnerable neighbours get off the streets and into treatment, recovery and stable housing, with compassion and accountability. He would cut red tape and ease costs for small businesses, which he calls the backbone of Surrey-White Rock. He would also push for a health-care system that puts patients and front-line workers ahead of bureaucracy.

Halford says he has a record of fighting for Surrey-White Rock in Victoria and delivering for the community. He says he will keep pushing for lower costs, safer streets and patient-first health care, and that he shows up, listens and gets results. He is asking voters for their support. His campaign page is https://conservativebc.ca/ candidate/trevor-halford/.

Amanda James, OneBC

James did not respond to the questionnaire. The OneBC campaign directed Peace Arch News to her biography on the party website. According to that information, James (AJ) grew up in Richmond, B.C., and has lived in Surrey-White Rock for the past nine years. She is vice-president of legal and corporate affairs at Eteros Technologies, a Canadian manufacturing company headquartered in Surrey, B.C.

Christine Kinnie, BC Green Party

Kinnie is a longtime Surrey-White Rock resident, public-school secretary and community volunteer. She says she is committed to human rights, affordable communities and accountable government. Her priorities are making housing and everyday life more affordable, strengthening public education and essential community services, and protecting human rights, advancing reconciliation and strengthening democracy.

Kinnie says she would begin her first 100 days by listening to residents, community organizations, educators, local businesses and Indigenous leaders to understand their priorities and build meaningful relationships. She would advocate for practical action on housing affordability and the cost of living, and properly funded public education and health care. She would champion fair taxation so the ultra-wealthy contribute their fair share without increasing taxes on ordinary British Columbians. She would also stand behind human rights, reconciliation and the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, while promoting greater transparency, accountability and democratic participation in the provincial government.

Kinnie says her experience in public education and community service gives her first-hand knowledge of challenges facing ordinary British Columbians. A longtime local resident, she says she cares deeply about the community's future and would bring integrity, compassion, independent thinking, evidence-based policy and a commitment to accountable government to the B.C. Legislature. Her official BC Green Party candidate page offers information about her priorities, email contact and social media links: https://bcgreens.ca/ candidates-2026/christine-kinnie/.

Waqas Rana, CentreBC

Rana describes himself as a dedicated family man, community advocate and professional, with family and community at the heart of his life. His priorities are access to health and primary care and shorter hospital waits; the economy and affordability; and public safety and safe streets.

Rana says living in British Columbia costs too much. He says that starting Jan. 1, 2027, the plan is to lower income taxes for working families by rolling back the increase to the lowest tax bracket, saving the average household $540 a year. It would also limit BC Hydro rate increases so they do not rise faster than inflation, raise the renters' tax credit to $600 and add 20,000 child-care spaces at $10 a day. He says the goal is to leave more money in people's pockets.

Rana says Surrey-White Rock deserves a dedicated local voice in Victoria. Running with CentreBC, he says he would offer accountable, common-sense leadership, fight to lower living costs, protect quality of life and secure the community's fair share of resources. Voters can find out more at https://www.centrebc.ca/candidates/waqas-rana/.

Darryl Walker, BC NDP

Walker was White Rock mayor from 2018 to 2022, has lived in the community since 1970, was a BCGEU union president and is a community activist. His priorities are affordable homes for everyone, stronger hospitals, shorter emergency-room waits and modern classrooms, as well as affordable living, thriving local businesses and safe streets.

If elected, Walker says he would help White Rock and Surrey get the support they need to build affordable homes. He would push to expand health care, including at Peace Arch Hospital, shorten emergency-room waits, secure more medical equipment and invest in teachers and school buildings. He would help local businesses and entrepreneurs access provincial grants and loans, work with local police to give them what they need to keep streets safe and businesses free from fear, and hold town halls, saying that listening never stops.

Walker says he has called the community home since 1970 and cares about it. He says he knows local people, from business owners to police and fire personnel, and knows how to bring them together to get things done on health care, schools, housing and safe streets. Voters can visit darrylwalker.bcndp.ca or follow the campaign on Facebook at facebook.com/SurreyWhiteRockBCNDP.