Politicians and residents alike were quick to rip into the City of Surrey Friday after the municipal government announced it’s taking the BC government to court over its mandated transition from the RCMP to the Surrey Police Service.
The City announced Friday it’s launching a court challenge to stop the transition and keep the RCMP in Surrey — a move it says will save taxpayers money.
But critics say this move is doing the exact opposite. They argue that by further delaying the transition to the SPS, the City is wasting taxpayer money.
Ron Jones had some choice words on X:
Why don’t you guys get a big bonfire in the middle of the city and just throw taxpayers in to it? I’m embarrassed to live in Surrey and to be represented by people that can’t accept that they lost … especially when it costs me money.
— Ron Jones (@hockeydraft411) October 13, 2023
“Why don’t you guys get a big bonfire in the middle of the city and just throw taxpayers in to it?” he said. “I’m embarrassed to live in Surrey and to be represented by people that can’t accept that they lost … especially when it costs me money.”
Even a supporter of keeping the RCMP said the City has now gone too far.
My tax dollars should not be spent this way. Not the outcome we wanted but it’s what we got. Please accept and transition. I don’t have more money to give to this.
— A_Norris (@A_Norris1) October 13, 2023
“My tax dollars should not be spent this way,” A. Norris said. “Not the outcome we wanted but it’s what we got. Please accept and transition.”
Please stop this vindictive pursuit and take the high road. True leadership means doing hard things! It’s time to leave this issue behind and carry on. Be humble.
— Jude Hannah (@studiojude) October 13, 2023
“Please stop this vindictive pursuit and take the high road. True leadership means doing hard things! It’s time to leave this issue behind and carry on,” Jude Hannah added.
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Surrey councillor Linda Annis, who opposed the court challenge, said in a news release that taking the province to court will waste time and cost taxpayers millions.
“This whole thing isn’t about what’s good for our city, it is clearly about political ego,” she said. “Our taxpayers paid more than $300,000 to defend Doug McCallum around the issue of having his foot run over in a grocery store parking lot. Can you imagine the time it will take and the millions it will cost to take the province to court.”
Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth, the one who told Surrey it would be forced to transition to a municipal police service, added he’s disappointed with the municipal government’s decision.
“People in Surrey want the uncertainty over who will police their city to end. They want this debate to be over. They want government money spent on protecting their communities instead of on legal fees to continue old fights,” he said.
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