SURREY – BC Liberals have rewarded Surrey mayoral election loser Barinder Rasode by appointing her to Fraser Health Board of Directors.
Rasode, who was previously a City of Surrey Councillor, lost the Surrey mayoral race by a wide margin, finishing more than 8,000 votes behind another loser Doug McCallum as well as by the same number of votes behind her own team-mate council candidate Kal Dosanjh.
The Fraser Health Board of Directors provides the governance and vision for the health authority. It works with management to establish overall strategic direction, reviews long-term plans, and ensures appropriate community consultation.
Rasode, who’s employment before her council gig included being an Account Executive with Pattison Sign Group and Staff Officer with the Professional Employees Association, studied Conflict Resolution at the Justice Institute of British Columbia and Political Science at Simon Fraser University.
“Barinder has been an active member of the Surrey community and her dedication to community issues and her wealth of professional and volunteer experience will be an asset as she transitions to her new role and supports the board in its focus of improving care for patients in this region,” said Health Minister Terry Lake.
Lake appointed Rasode for a one-year term ending March 31, 2016.
“On behalf of the Board of Directors, I am pleased to welcome Barinder to Fraser Health,” said Karen Matty, Chair of the Board. “Her public service and philosophy of engaging with people in a meaningful way, aligns ideally with Fraser Health’s vision of putting patients first. We are confident that she will add valuable insight as we work to implement new strategies and initiatives that benefit patients and families.”
Rasode joins board chair Matty, appointed last fall, and arrives as the health authority board continues to pursue reforms spelled out in a new strategic and operational plan last summer.
That plan was the product of a review ordered by Health Minister Terry Lake that sought to improve care and control costs, in part by cutting unnecessary use of hospital emergency rooms in favour of improved primary and community care.
Fraser Health directors are paid a base retainer of $7,500 a year and collect varying amounts – typically $14,000 to $20,000 in total – after meeting attendance fees are added and additional pay for chairing committees.
