By Charmaine Y. Rodriguez
Political aspirant Narima Dela Cruz vows to bring needed change to city
A civic leader whose contributions to the City of Surrey are legendary—that’s how Imagine Surrey Mayoral candidate Mike Starchuk described Filipino community organizer Narima Dela Cruz during the latter’s birthday dinner and fundraiser over the weekend.
Imagine Surrey is among the parties that is seeking to get elected in the October 17, 2026 municipal elections.
The electoral race includes incumbent Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke and some of her councillors, who are seeking re-election, and long-time former mayor Doug McCallum and his candidates for council seats.
Starchuk’s council slate includes Narima, Yousef Aldabainah, Chandan Chathal, Perminder Chohan, Ashiyana Hanif, William Li, Margaret Mubanda and Kevin Wilkie.
With a platform to build a City of Champions, the group is focusing on safe streets, fast commutes, smart investments, lower costs (recreation and housing) and strong frontline services.
Starchuk, a former Member of the Legislative Assembly for Surrey-Cloverdale and former Surrey City Councillor, said he decided to run for mayor with a team who shared his values.
He listed track record rooted in service, diversity, as well as a demonstrated leadership in personal, professional and public lives, as among the qualities he was looking for in his teammates.
He said they should also have competency, empathy and a spirit of collaboration that holds the team together.
“I found all four readily in Narima Dela Cruz,” he said in a speech.
Narima, in her message, revealed that she has known Starchuk for a long time. They both ran for councillor under the Surrey First party in the 2018 elections but lost.
She revealed that she expected this year to join another political group, which she did not name, only to be told that they are not considering her as a candidate anymore.
However, to be part of Starchuk’s team is a “gift from God,” she said.
“On behalf of my Imagine Surrey team, I committed. I will continue to commit that I will work the hardest I can so that the citizens and residents of Surrey get what they deserve…a city that will give them all the services, all the care that they need,” she told her guests.
Aside from the 2018 elections, Narima also ran in 2014 under the One Surrey party. In 2022, she decided to run as an independent candidate. But she didn’t make it to the top eight.
Fundraiser
Narima’s family, friends and her partners in community work—mostly of Filipino descent— gathered for her celebration which was held at the Grandt Kitchen Filipino Cuisine in Surrey last Saturday.
With the savory smell of chicken inasal in the air, the fun colours of buko pandan and talented singers belting out classics like John Lennon’s “Imagine” and Frank Sinatra’s “My Way,” a group of supporters of different ethnicities gathered and were wearing Imagine Surrey’s brand colours of yellow, blue and red to celebrate Narima’s comeback into the political scene.
But for Rudy Antonio, founding member and Chairman of the Mabuhay House Society and former president of the Filipino Association in British Columbia, Narima never really left the arena.
“Here is Surrey, I have seen how often Members of Parliament, Members of the Legislative Asembly, and civic leaders turn to her for insight,” he shared.
As founding chair of the Surrey Philippine Independence Day Society (SPIDS), Narima helped build an organization “that is more than a cultural group, a volunteer driven society that has promoted civic engagement, youth leadership and community visibility,” Antonio said.
The fact that it has endured for 20 years is a testament to the governance foundation she helped establish, he added.
“Over the years, I have watched her work tirelessly to ensure that the Filipino community, now one of the largest cultural groups in Surrey, is not only seen, but heard. She advocated representation not as a symbolic gesture, but as a matter of good governance. She believes, as I do, that communities thrive when their voices are reflected in the decisions that shape their daily lives,” Antonio also said of Narima.
The fundraiser, which was also her post-birthday celebration, allowed Narima’s family, friends and supporters to donate for her campaign expenses.
Under election laws in Canada, Canadian citizens or permanent residents can make contributions to registered parties, electoral district associations, candidates, leadership contestants and nomination contestants.
For contributions over $20 but under $200, the contributor’s name must be recorded but not reported to Elections Canada. For donations of over $200, their name and address must be recorded and reported to Elections Canada, according to elections.ca.
Also, when total contributions from an individual are over $200, Elections Canada publishes the contributor’s name, city, province, postal code and contribution amounts on its website.