Surrey petition gets go-ahead
Support being gathered on referendum for keeping RCMP or creating new force
Elections B.C. has approved a petition to ask B.C. residents whether they support the provincial government conducting a binding referendum on changing the police force in Surrey.
The call for a petition was launched by Darlene Bennett as part of the Surrey Police Vote campaign. Bennett's husband, Paul, was killed in 2018 in front of their home in a case of mistaken identity,
Bennett was very excited that Elections B.C. had approved the petition. “I hope this gives the residents of Surrey a voice and I hope everyone will make an informed decision,” she said.
Signature sheets must be submitted by Nov. 15.
Any registered voter in B.C. can apply to have a petition issued to gather support for a legislative proposal. Elections B.C. says applications are approved if the proposal is clear and within the jurisdiction of the provincial legislature.
If the petition garners enough signatures, the referendum would ask whether B.C. residents support keeping the RCMP as Surrey's police service or creating a new Surrey Police Service, as proposed. The referendum would be binding under the B.C. Referendum Act.
After the petition is issued on Aug. 16, the group will have 90 days to collect signatures from at least 10 per cent of the registered voters in each of B.C.'s 87 electoral districts. The threshold must be met in every electoral district in order for the petition to be successful.
However, political strategist Bill Tieleman, who led the successful “No” campaign for the 2011 HST referendum and is leading the Surrey Police Vote campaign, says while they would need 10 per cent to have a binding referendum, the provincial government could OK a binding regional referendum if they have enough support in Surrey.
Anyone in B.C. can sign the petition, however, canvassers will be focusing on Surrey's nine provincial ridings, he added. “What we are attempting to show is there is strong support in Surrey for a regional referendum,” Tieleman said during an online news conference Thursday.
Tieleman believes that if the government sees proof the people of Surrey want a vote, then the cabinet can make that decision.
Registered voters can sign the petition once, and only for the electoral district in which they're registered.
Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum contends that transitioning to an independent police service was the No. 1 election issue for residents in 2018, and shortly after council was sworn in, it unanimously voted in support of the Surrey police transition.
In an emailed statement Thursday, McCallum said the province isn't interested in a referendum, and “this will not change, as they have been supportive” of the transition since the beginning.
“The idea of a provincial referendum on a municipal matter is extremely dangerous for every city's democratic process. Our residents are clearly in support of this transition, and we are ... moving closer to fully operating the Surrey Police Service,” said McCallum.