Frankly Speaking

Frank Bucholtz photo Joanne Charles, councillor with Semiahmoo First Nation, shared some powerful words about reconciliation with an attentive audience at the Semiahmoo Spirit Stage on Monday night, as part of a  community discussion on reconciliation, diversity and equality/ The event was one of a series of community discussions hosted by organizers of the Gordie Hogg Liberal campaign in the federal riding of South Surrey-White Rock. With her on stage is emcee Deb Saih. The discovery of unmarked grave sites at four former residential school properties has changed the tenor of discussion about Canada’s relationships with indigenous people. Local governments have an important role to play in the process of meaningful reconciliation - as do all of us as citizens. Delta council has gone a fair ways down that path, largely due to a treaty with the Tsawwassen First Nation,  and White Rock’s relationship with the Semiahmoo First Nation is improving considerably, after some rough pat...

  In Surrey at least, the BC Liberals may have new life after announcing that the policing transition requires a referendum before going any farther. This, of course, will only happen should party leader Andrew Wilkinson gain enough seats to become premier. The policing transition in Surrey has become a major campaign issue in the provincial election, and it has the potential to give the  BC Liberals a big boost. Whether it will be enough for the party to regain power after more than three years in the political wilderness  is another question. The NDP are well ahead in the most recent public opinion polls. The BC Liberal party issued a statement on Sunday that a BC Liberal government would pause the transition process, and give Surrey residents a vote in a referendum on whether to switch to a new Surrey Police force or stick with the RCMP. Mike Farnworth, who as public safety minister gave the transition the green light and specifically said ...

Brenda Locke has left Safe Surrey Coalition, citing problems with Mayor Doug McCallum's approach to his job.  The Safe Surrey Coalition is no longer safe for those with dissenting opinions, and it isn’t much of a coalition any more. Coin. Brenda Locke left the coalition on Thursday (June 26), citing numerous actions by Mayor Doug McCallum. She is also seeking legal advice about comments McCallum made about her, when she expressed concern about how the size of the proposed Surrey Police force would affect Sophie’s Place, an agency which helps children who are victims of abuse.   She is the second of the seven councillors who were elected from the slate in October (along with McCallum), to depart. Coun. Steven Pettigrew left several weeks ago. McCallum threatened Pettigrew with expulsion from the council chambers on Monday night (June 24), which may have been a last straw for Locke. Locke’s departure is much more ominous for McCallum. She was the only person elect...

Minor hockey players in Surrey often have to travel to other communities to practice and play hockey, because of a shortage of available ice in Surrey. Mayor Doug McCallum wants to delay building a new Cloverdale Arena, which would have two sheets of ice. The new Surrey council is looking at delaying a number of capital projects, out of concern for the level of debt. These include a new ice arena in Cloverdale, on the Cloverdale Fairgrounds. Clearing of the site has already taken place, but no construction has started. Also on the postponement list are a community centre and library for the Grandview Heights area and expansion of the Fleetwood Community Centre. Several other capital projects also face delay. Mayor Doug McCallum made a lot of noise about $514 in capital debt last week. Yet the debt level is not that high. At present, it sits at $378 million. The delayed projects would add another $136 million in debt. That’s where the $514 million figure comes in. Debt ...

The SkyTrain system in Surrey will finally expand past King George Station, if the new Surrey council has its way. It voted Monday to scrap plans for LRT and put the money committed to it towards a SkyTrain line along Fraser Highway. Surrey has had no rapid transit extensions since 1994, despite a huge influx in its population since that time. Surrey council’s inaugural meeting Monday night was a very different type of meeting. While the usual formality was still part of the meeting, the most important part of the meeting came after the formal swearing in of council members. Council held a “special regular meeting,” where two motions were passed – one to begin the process of changing from the RCMP to a local Surrey police force, and another to scrap LRT in favour of SkyTrain. Both of these motions are a direct result of Mayor Doug McCallum’s successful campaign with the Safe Surrey Coalition. A new police force and a push for SkyTrain instead of LRT were the coalition’s two ...