Close X
Saturday, November 30, 2024
ADVT 
National

Mayor of Surrey, B.C., announces constitutional challenge over policing

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 20 Nov, 2023 12:15 PM
  • Mayor of Surrey, B.C., announces constitutional challenge over policing

The British Columbia government's "roughshod" treatment of the City of Surrey over the transition of its police force has set off a constitutional challenge after the province suspended the police board, Mayor Brenda Locke said on Monday.

It's a new front in legal action taken by the city after the province said the city must continue its transfer from the RCMP to the independent Surrey Police Service.

Locke announced the city will amend its original B.C. Supreme Court petition to challenge the constitutionality of the provincial government's recent amendments to the Police Act.

There has been a series of back-and-forth manoeuvres between the province and Surrey over the city's fight to retain the RCMP and the provincial government's edict to transition to the independent force.

"This government does not have the right to run roughshod on every local government that doesn't bend to their will," Locke said at a news conference at Surrey City Hall announcing the escalation in the policing dispute.

Locke said she sees an "easy" solution to end the dispute.

"We have fulfilled all our legislative requirements," she said. "It's easy to fix. We keep the RCMP in Surrey, and everybody is happy."

Surrey was in the middle of moving to the independent force when it elected Locke last year on a promise to revert to the RCMP.

Last month, the province ordered that the transition continue and last week, it suspended the police board, including Locke as chair, to accelerate the switch to the Surrey Police Service.

Former Abbotsford police chief Mike Serr has been appointed as administrator of the board and will oversee the transition.

Surrey had asked for a judicial review of amendments made by the government last month to the province's Police Act that — if passed — would ensure that municipalities must complete a police transition once a plan is approved by the provincial government.

The change to the legal documents show the city is also asking the court to quash B.C. Solicitor General Mike Farnworth's appointment of Serr last week.

Farnworth had said the changes to the Police Act would provide "finality" on the future of Surrey's police services, but Locke said the city will do "everything within reason" to stop it.

"When Surrey didn't agree with their costly plans, they hastily ordered us to move forward with a very expensive and disorganized transition," Locke said. "And when we had challenged their authority to do that, they rushed through legislation at a record pace to cover the mistakes that they had made."

Locke said residents could be facing a 20 per cent tax hike to change to a municipal force, adding that the costs would not be a one-time increase but "generational."

She said the province had previously said on several occasions that the decision on Surrey policing was up to the city, and that led Locke to run for mayor.

"Now, they have removed civilian oversight on policing and installed another police officer to carry out this expensive, disorganized transition," said Locke.

"At best, the province misled Surrey taxpayers. This is not a Surrey police service; this is an NDP police service that reports to the solicitor general directly."

Farnworth told reporters in the legislature on Monday that the latest legal challenge is a "delaying tactic."

"I think all it does is cost taxpayer money and it is a waste of money and a waste of time," he said.

The minister accused the mayor of taking a "cheap political shot" at police officers by calling them the NDP police service.

"I think is disrespectful to those men and women who put their life on the line every single day to protect the citizens of Surrey, whether they are Surrey Police Service members or whether they are RCMP."

On Monday, Locke released an email she sent to Farnworth in which she described the appointment of an administrator as "objectionable," saying it was done without any consultation or notice to the city.

"To repeat, the City's number-one priority … is to provide its residents safe and effective policing in accordance with the (Police) Act," Locke said in the letter to Farnworth.

 

MORE National ARTICLES

B.C. moves up zero-emission vehicle target, with 100-per-cent sales goal by 2035

B.C. moves up zero-emission vehicle target, with 100-per-cent sales goal by 2035
The British Columbia government is taking steps to accelerate the transition to zero-emission vehicles to meet its 100-per-cent sales target five years sooner than initially planned. If passed, the legislation to amend the Zero-Emission Vehicles Act would increase access and choice for electric vehicle buyers, as new provincial funding expands the charging network, a statement from the Energy Ministry said.

B.C. moves up zero-emission vehicle target, with 100-per-cent sales goal by 2035

More than half of B.C. businesses in survey reported cyberattacks in past year

More than half of B.C. businesses in survey reported cyberattacks in past year
Global accounting firm KPMG says cybercrime is a growing issue in Metro Vancouver and on Vancouver Island. The firm says a survey of 700 Canadian businesses conducted last month revealed that more than half of those in Vancouver and on the island had been hit by cyberattacks in the last year.

More than half of B.C. businesses in survey reported cyberattacks in past year

B.C. helicopter lands safely after being hit by lightning, Helijet says

B.C. helicopter lands safely after being hit by lightning, Helijet says
A commercial helicopter with 14 people on board landed safely in Victoria on Tuesday after it was hit by lightning. Rick Hill, the vice-president of Helijet, said the aircraft was at about 1,200 metres when it was hit by lightning, the two pilots on board took the chopper down to below the clouds and then landed without trouble in Victoria a few minutes later. 

B.C. helicopter lands safely after being hit by lightning, Helijet says

84 year old struck in New Westminster

84 year old struck in New Westminster
Police in New Westminster are looking for witnesses and dash-cam video after a hit-and-run left an 84-year-old man with serious injuries. Police say officers found the man who had been hit by a driver in the parking lot of a gas station at the intersection of Sixth Avenue and Eighth Street around 8 p-m Monday night.

84 year old struck in New Westminster

India resuming some visa services at high commission, consulates in Canada

India resuming some visa services at high commission, consulates in Canada
India's high commission in Canada said on Wednesday that the country's officials will resume processing some types of visa applications in Ottawa and at consulates in Toronto and Vancouver. The decision came a month after New Delhi suspended the services in Canada and for Canadian citizens worldwide.

India resuming some visa services at high commission, consulates in Canada

BOC keeping interest rate at 5%

BOC keeping interest rate at 5%
The Bank of Canada is keeping its key interest rate at five per cent, saying there are clearer signs that monetary policy is moderating spending and relieving price pressures. But it hasn't ruled out future rate hikes as those pressures remain high.

BOC keeping interest rate at 5%