The motion simply asked Minister Farnworth for a prompt decision, without picking a side: Councillor Linda Annis

Surrey, B.C. (April 11, 2023): Surrey First Councillor Linda Annis says a statement on the city’s website from Mayor Brenda Locke claims that Metro Vancouver mayors had voted unanimously last week to support retaining the RCMP in Surrey. They did not. This is either a misstatement or a misunderstanding by Mayor Locke and needs to be removed.

“Even Minister Farnworth acknowledged that the message he received from the metro mayors simply asked him for a timely decision on the issue, and did not direct him to retain the RCMP,” notes Annis. “It’s hard to understand how that request got interpreted by Mayor Locke as unanimous support for keeping the RCMP in Surrey. Her statement on the city website is wrong and misleading and should be removed immediately. 

Everyone agrees that we need a decision one way or the other because costs are climbing, but I think our mayor owes the metro mayors an apology for getting it wrong in her statement.”

Annis, who ran on holding a public referendum to decide who should police Surrey, says the “entire issue has become a costly fiasco” under both Doug McCallum and Brenda Locke. 

“The public has been ignored and left on the sidelines for more than four years. The result is a costly, chaotic, and divisive political mistake that is costing our taxpayers millions,” says Annis. “The problem is that whenever politicians ignore the community and make a mistake, it is taxpayers who pick up the tab and, in this case, it amounts to hundreds of millions. If anyone wants proof, just check your property tax bill that’s coming in the mail.”