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

New COVID-19 restrictions in north B.C.

New COVID-19 restrictions in north B.C.
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says indoor gatherings are now restricted to only one other family or five guests, while outdoor gatherings are limited to 50 people.

New COVID-19 restrictions in north B.C.

801 COVID19 cases for Thursday

801 COVID19 cases for Thursday
84.6% (3,922,233) of eligible people 12 and older in B.C. have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 76.9% (3,565,148) received their second dose.    

801 COVID19 cases for Thursday

Woman assaulted at Pacific Centre Mall: VPD

Woman assaulted at Pacific Centre Mall: VPD
An employee working at the mall witnessed a man approach a woman from behind and grope her buttocks on August 27 around 5 p.m. The suspect then fled and mall security followed him while calling 911. Police were able to locate the suspect on a bus near Hastings and Abbott streets.    

Woman assaulted at Pacific Centre Mall: VPD

16 new, improved schools to start school year

16 new, improved schools to start school year
Right in time for the new school year, more than 8,600 students will be returning to safer and modernized classrooms at 16 new or improved schools throughout the province. The Government of B.C. has invested almost $353 million in these schools.

16 new, improved schools to start school year

Teenage boy arrested for assaulting 3 women in random attacks

Teenage boy arrested for assaulting 3 women in random attacks
On Wednesday, at around 4:00 p.m., Burnaby RCMP located and arrested a 15-year-old boy who police believe to have committed these attacks. He was taken into custody as he departed a SkyTrain station.    

Teenage boy arrested for assaulting 3 women in random attacks

Surrey RCMP need the public's help in locating missing man Robinder Sidhu

Surrey RCMP need the public's help in locating missing man Robinder Sidhu
Surrey RCMP is updating the public that the 40-year old man reported missing August 31, 2021, was located deceased. On September 5, 2021, the missing male was located deceased. Criminality does not appear to be a factor in his death and the investigation has been turned over to BC Coroners Service.

Surrey RCMP need the public's help in locating missing man Robinder Sidhu