Close X
Tuesday, November 5, 2024
ADVT 
National

Group calls for vote on Surrey, B.C., police force

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 15 Nov, 2021 05:22 PM
  • Group calls for vote on Surrey, B.C., police force

SURREY, B.C. - A group opposing the planned transition from the RCMP to a municipal police force in Surrey, B.C., says it has collected close to 43,000 signatures from residents calling for a referendum on policing in the city.

Darlene Bennett launched the campaign with the group Surrey Police Vote over concerns about rising costs associated with starting a new municipal police force, which was a key pledge in Mayor Doug McCallum's election campaign in 2018.

The city council voted in favour of the transition in 2018, the public safety minister approved the creation of the Surrey Police Board last year, and Surrey's budget for 2021 showed the transition was $18.5 million more than the original $45-million cost estimate.

Amber Stowe, media relations lead with McCallum's office, says the mayor would not comment on the petition before Elections BC delivers the final result.

A statement from the Surrey Police Union says the 42,942 signatures collected by the Surrey Police Vote initiative falls far below the legislative requirement of 10 per cent of voters from all 87 electoral districts in B.C. in order to trigger a referendum.

Bennett said upon launching the petition that the initiative would not campaign across the province, rather it would focus on the nine electoral districts in Surrey in hopes of demonstrating the need for a regional referendum to the provincial government.

B.C.'s Referendum Act gives provincial cabinet the power to order a referendum in a particular region, campaign strategist Bill Tieleman said in a statement on Monday.

The petition's signatures represent about 13.5 per cent of about 318,000 registered voters in Surrey's nine districts, according to a 2017 tally from Elections BC.

 

MORE National ARTICLES

Fatal collision: Highway 1 at Grandview HOV exit, Burnaby closes 2 Westbound lanes

Fatal collision: Highway 1 at Grandview HOV exit, Burnaby closes 2 Westbound lanes
Two westbound lanes are currently closed and motorists can expect delays while police investigate. Motorists can monitor DriveBC.ca with respect to the delay.    

Fatal collision: Highway 1 at Grandview HOV exit, Burnaby closes 2 Westbound lanes

Police seeking witnesses in Whalley assault which has left one person with injuries

Police seeking witnesses in Whalley assault which has left one person with injuries
The victim was taken to hospital with serious non-life threatening injuries. Police believe the assault occurred in the area of the 10600-block on 135A Street.    

Police seeking witnesses in Whalley assault which has left one person with injuries

Speaker cites Afghan detainee matter in court case

Speaker cites Afghan detainee matter in court case
The Liberal government asked the court in June to affirm a prohibition on disclosure of records concerning dismissal of the scientists from Canada’s highest-security laboratory.

Speaker cites Afghan detainee matter in court case

501 COVID19 cases for Tuesday

501 COVID19 cases for Tuesday
The number of active infections is up to nearly 5,300, with about 58 per cent located in the Interior Health region. There are 111 people in hospital, an increase of seven since Monday, including 51 in intensive care.

501 COVID19 cases for Tuesday

Slow down - Surrey Traffic Services issue 41 tickets in two hours: Surrey RCMP

Slow down - Surrey Traffic Services issue 41 tickets in two hours: Surrey RCMP
Police were in the area for two hours and in that short time issued 41 violation tickets and one impaired driver was taken off the streets through a 90-day Immediate Roadside Prohibition and a 30-day vehicle impound.

Slow down - Surrey Traffic Services issue 41 tickets in two hours: Surrey RCMP

All Canadian diplomats out of Afghanistan: Trudeau

All Canadian diplomats out of Afghanistan: Trudeau
The Department of National Defence has confirmed one of those planes carrying Canadian diplomats and special forces troops landed in Ottawa while a second plane arrived in Toronto carrying Afghans who previously helped Canada in Afghanistan.

All Canadian diplomats out of Afghanistan: Trudeau