Close X
Thursday, October 31, 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

To boost biotech, fund best bets: Moderna founder

To boost biotech, fund best bets: Moderna founder
Derrick Rossi says Canadian politicians have a track record of trying to be equitable with their funding pledges to hit every region of the country. There is a political calculation behind that, he suggests, but setting the country up for long-run growth — especially in biotech — will require putting money behind the best bets and regions for growth of new firms.    

To boost biotech, fund best bets: Moderna founder

Pope's visit 'deeply meaningful': First Nation

Pope's visit 'deeply meaningful': First Nation
The First Nation also urges the church to "demonstrate acts of contrition" and fulfil promises to disclose residential school documents and raise funds for survivors and their families.

Pope's visit 'deeply meaningful': First Nation

Premier's office fostered toxic workplace: lawsuit

Premier's office fostered toxic workplace: lawsuit
A former senior political staffer in the Alberta government alleges in a lawsuit that the premier’s office fostered a “poisoned work environment” and repeatedly failed to address her complaint of sexual harassment about another employee.

Premier's office fostered toxic workplace: lawsuit

North Korean refugees will be screened: Canada

North Korean refugees will be screened: Canada
The Immigration Department says it will also check that refugees fleeing Kim Jong Un's authoritarian regime do not have a criminal background. Under the new program, Canadian citizens will for the first time be able to privately sponsor North Koreans so they can settle in Canada.

North Korean refugees will be screened: Canada

609 COVID19 cases for Wednesday

609 COVID19 cases for Wednesday
There are currently 4,748 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 196,342 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 422 individuals are currently in hospital and 157 are in intensive care. 

609 COVID19 cases for Wednesday

B.C. introduces new health service for kids, youth

B.C. introduces new health service for kids, youth
Mitzi Dean, B.C.'s minister of children and family development, says the province's current system is a patchwork of programs where many children and youth must wait for a diagnosis before receiving supports.    

B.C. introduces new health service for kids, youth