Hooray for Surrey.
Last civic election, there were allegations of widespread election fraud leading up to voters going to the polls on Oct. 20, 2018, resulting in a seven-month Surrey RCMP investigation.
This time out, we have a mayor seeking re-election who is also to be tried on one count of public mischief on Oct. 31, two weeks after voters go to the polls on Oct. 15.
Three days prior to news breaking about that particular trial date, which will mark the beginning of seven days in which Mayor Doug McCallum will be defended at Surrey taxpayers’ expense, his SSC majority made what can only be viewed as a self-serving move.
Council approved, in a 5-3 vote, an amendment to the Council Code of Conduct Bylaw that has placed a moratorium on the city ethics commissioner’s ability to process any new complaints that are lodged against council members from April 12 until after the Oct. 15 election.
READ ALSO: Surrey council suspends new Code of Conduct investigations until after next election
READ ALSO: Surrey mayor’s ‘Halloween’ trial a ‘nightmare for Surrey voters,’ Annis says
Surrey’s politics has always been a little rough around the edges, at all levels. But can anyone deny that this council’s term has not been an all-out circus?
Surrey has in past decades faced many challenges fed by its growing pains; its transition from a place where one could still enjoy the stars at night to a proper modern city with skyscrapers.
Surrey has many things to be proud of, but the current state of its civic politics cannot be counted among these.
Hopefully there are brighter days ahead.
But first, Surrey voters should brace themselves for what will undoubtedly be an ugly election campaign for the ages.
– Now-Leader
edit@surreynowleader.com
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