Taxpayers deserve details, not just the bill: Linda Annis
Surrey, B.C. (July 15, 2026): Surrey First councillor and candidate for mayor Linda Annis says she has written to Mayor Brenda Locke and the chair of the Surrey Police Board saying they should not sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) when it comes to the firing of Chief Norm Lipinski, and the cost of his severance.
“The firing of Chief Lipinski was pure politics that includes the mayor’s hand-picked police board,” noted Annis. “There should be no NDA when it comes to this issue, we need as much transparency as possible. The mayor and the police board owe Surrey residents answers and details, something they have not done so far. Any sort of NDA would shield them from questions and public scrutiny, and if there is anything the mayor hates, it’s transparency and having to answer questions.”
Annis said she believes the severance package for the former chief will be at least $500,000.
“The cost of the severance rests at the feet of the mayor, this is all her doing and taxpayers are paying the price,” said Annis. “The firing of the chief starts and ends with Mayor Locke because she told media on election night 2022, that the chief and inspectors would be fired. It took her four years, and the cost is being passed on to our taxpayers. Over the past four years the mayor has tried everything to stop or stall the transition which is now in year eight because of her bad decisions and political interference.”
Annis said it would be “insulting to taxpayers” if a non-disclosure agreement prevented the people of Surrey from knowing the cost and details of Locke’s political interference.
“Any NDA will hide the truth from public view and taxpayers deserve better,” said Annis. “The NDA will keep this whole issue from seeing the light of day and taxpayers will not get answers, something that has been missing since the chief was fired without cause.”