Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth offered up a master class last Friday on how not to go about revealing what he described in his preamble as “one of the most difficult decisions” he’s had to make as B.C.’s solicitor general and “also one of the most important.”
This of course refers to his presser concerning his long, long – did we mention long? – awaited decision on whether Surrey should stick with the RCMP as its police of jurisdiction or continue to forge ahead with the Surrey Police Force.
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This of course was expected in January, after four years of community infighting and a denied call for a referendum on the issue. Rather than put the matter to rest, on Jan. 26, Farnworth let both sides down with a meagre statement that more information was needed from either side to “inform further consideration.”
This was followed by three months of silence from Farnworth’s ministry while Surrey taxpayers carried an $8-million-per-month bill to maintain two police departments at the public teat. That Friday’s big reveal proclaimed a recommendation, instead of a decree, left people in both camps scratching their heads in frustration.
That the provincial government’s big reveal on this matter of historic importance, after three months’ delay no less, happened with the city’s mayor receiving a redacted copy of the ministry’s 148-page report mere hours prior speaks volumes.
Whether you disagree or not with six of nine council members voting to stick with the RCMP, it’s difficult to not agree with Mayor Brenda Locke that the way this was handled was “disgraceful” and disrespectful to Surrey’s civic government and residents.
Clearly, much of this debacle could have been avoided with a referendum.
Is it really too late?
– Now-Leader
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