Long before Sarb Rai put her name on a ballot, the lessons she learned at home were shaping the advocate she would become.
Sarb’s father repeated a lesson to his children: money can buy things, but it can never buy respect. Respect has to be earned—through your actions, your integrity, and how you treat others.
Rai saw those values reflected in her family. Her grandfather, a WWII veteran, inspired her to pursue a career in public service, which led to 27 years with the Canada Border Services Agency.
“My family always reminded us that success isn’t measured by a list of accomplishments,” Rai says. “It was about what you did for others along the way and whether you stood up for what you believed was right.”
Years later, as Rai raised three children of her own in Langley, she would find herself drawing on those lessons in ways she hadn’t anticipated. When her son was diagnosed with autism and needed additional support, Rai navigated the education system to advocate for him and refused to give up when solutions didn’t come easily.
When her daughter faced severe bullying at school, Rai once again fought to ensure she was heard and supported, even when she felt the school had turned its back on them.
“When it’s your child, you’re not thinking about policies or processes,” Rai says with conviction. “You just want them to be safe and to have the same opportunity as every other child in the classroom to learn, belong, and succeed.”
Those experiences changed the way Rai saw the school system and prompted her to think about other families facing similar challenges.
“You start out advocating for your own children, and then you realize there are many families trying to navigate their own challenges,” says Rai. “I wanted to help ensure those families had a voice, too.”
What began as a deeply personal fight for her own children had grown into something larger: a desire to advocate for families throughout the community. That desire led Rai somewhere she hadn’t expected to go: onto the ballot. In 2022, she was elected to the Langley School District #35 Board of Education, becoming its first School Trustee of South Asian descent.
Through the Township and School District Liaison Committee, Rai saw what could happen when different levels of government collaborated. She became a strong advocate for a partnership among the Township, School District, and Province, which led to the construction of a new elementary school in Willoughby.
“Families don’t think about which level of government is responsible for what,” she says. “They know their child needs a school and that they need a community where they can build their future. Our job is to work together to find a way forward.”
Her time as a Trustee also tested another lesson from her parents: integrity. When her colleagues considered raising their compensation, Rai voted against it.
“I think elected officials have to be mindful of public trust and of spending taxpayers’ money responsibly,” Rai says. “Leadership means being willing to hold yourself to higher standards. You have to be able to stand behind the decisions you make.”
After four years at the School Board table, Rai has seen how much of what affects families happens beyond the school gates. That insight led her to take the next step and run for Township Council. But Rai’s candidacy carries another, more personal significance. If elected, she would be the first South Asian woman to serve on council in the Township of Langley.
“When I was growing up, I didn’t see many women who looked like me at these tables. I think it matters for young South Asian girls to see themselves represented and to know they can be part of decision-making, too. Being the first would be an incredible honor, but I don’t want it to stop with me. That’s why I’m putting my name forward.”
For Rai, advocating for others is rooted in the values she grew up with. As she takes the next step toward Township Council, those lessons remain the driving force behind her decision to run.
“Stand up for what you believe is right. Fight for others to be heard. And earn their respect,” Rai says without flinching.
