Close X
Friday, November 1, 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

Beavers be gone, but not until spring

Beavers be gone, but not until spring
Officials in Cranbrook have been trying to relocate the beavers for the last month but a permit for the move is set to expire. A statement from the city says staff will focus on transferring the creatures to a more appropriate location early next year.

Beavers be gone, but not until spring

Man In Custody After Hours-Long Barricade

Man In Custody After Hours-Long Barricade
Police arrived at the suite at the building in the 600-block of Douglas Street shortly after noon, in an effort to apprehend a man wanted on several warrants under both the Criminal Code and the Mental Health Act.

Man In Custody After Hours-Long Barricade

1,846 COVID19 cases over 3 days

1,846 COVID19 cases over 3 days
There are currently 4,917 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 190,918 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 360 individuals are currently in hospital and 151 are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation.

1,846 COVID19 cases over 3 days

Surrey RCMP need the public's help in locating missing male Kulvinder Pooni

Surrey RCMP need the public's help in locating missing male Kulvinder Pooni
Pooni is described as an South Asian male, 70kg, 5.8”, short black hair, black goatee, black eyes, wearing a grey jacket with black pants. Pooni is known to frequent 120th Street and 72nd Avenue in Surrey. 

Surrey RCMP need the public's help in locating missing male Kulvinder Pooni

BoC chief warns of ongoing supply-chain pressures

BoC chief warns of ongoing supply-chain pressures
Annual inflation rates have run above the Bank of Canada's comfort zone since April, reaching 4.1 per cent in August. The central bank expects readings higher than its target of two-per-cent through the rest of the year.

BoC chief warns of ongoing supply-chain pressures

580 COVID19 cases and new rules for northern B.C. as COVID spreads

580 COVID19 cases and new rules for northern B.C. as COVID spreads
British Columbia's provincial health officer has announced new restrictions for the northern health region in an attempt to stop the rapid spread of COVID-19 through those who are unvaccinated.  Dr. Bonnie Henry announced the further restrictions will continue until Nov. 19.

580 COVID19 cases and new rules for northern B.C. as COVID spreads