The Surrey Police Vote campaign has filed a complaint against Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum, alleging possible intimidation and interference of volunteers collecting Initiative petition signatures that call for a democratic referendum on policing in Surrey. Surrey Police Vote Citizens Initiative proponent Darlene Bennett says Mayor McCallum allegedly attempted to intimidate and interfere with authorized volunteers at a South Surrey Save-On-Foods location on Saturday, threatening to have them evicted by Surrey by-law enforcement officers. “We are exercising our democratic rights, we are getting a fantastic response from Surrey voters and we will not be intimidated by anyone,” Bennett says. McCallum had claimed his foot was run over by one of the supporters of the anti-Surrey police group but the group had called the Mayor a liar.

By DESIBUZZCanada Staff

SURREY – The Surrey Police Vote campaign has filed a complaint against Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum, alleging possible intimidation and interference of volunteers collecting Initiative petition signatures that call for a democratic referendum on policing in Surrey. 

In a letter to Elections BC Wednesday asking for an investigation, Surrey Police Vote Citizens Initiative proponent Darlene Bennett says Mayor McCallum allegedly attempted to intimidate and interfere with authorized volunteers at a South Surrey Save-On-Foods location on Saturday, threatening to have them evicted by Surrey by-law enforcement officers. 

Bennett points out that the volunteers were on private property and Save-On Foods had given previous permission to the Surrey Police Vote Campaign.  Mayor McCallum also allegedly spoke to store management attempting to have the signature collection stopped. 

 “Surrey Police Vote is asking Elections BC to investigate these very serious allegations of Mayor McCallum violating provisions of the Recall and Initiative Act designed to protect volunteers from intimidation and interference,” Bennett said. “It would be unfair if any individual was intimidating or interfering with volunteers democratically petitioning government but if the Mayor of Surrey was found to be involved, that’s a whole different level of concern.” 

Bennett said Surrey Police Vote volunteers – many who are seniors and women – have also seen Surrey by-law enforcement officers monitoring their signature collection at other sites on several occasions and asked the officers if they were directed to be there by the City and, if so, under whose orders. 

 “We are asking Elections BC to investigate these allegations quickly, to get to the bottom of this and have it stopped if there is intimidation and interference by anyone, let alone municipal officials,” Bennett said.   

 “We are exercising our democratic rights, we are getting a fantastic response from Surrey voters and we will not be intimidated by anyone,” Bennett says. 

McCallum had claimed his foot was run over by one of the supporters of the anti-Surrey police group but the group had called the Mayor a liar.

Surrey RCMP is requesting if anyone has information, dash camera footage or witnessed an altercation involving McCallum and a Gray Ford Mustang at a “Keep the RCMP in Surrey” gathering at Save on Foods located at 3033 152nd Street, Surrey, on Saturday, September 4th, 2021 at approximately 12:30 pm

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502, or Crime Stoppers, if they wish to remain anonymous, at 1-800-222-8477 or www.solvecrime.ca.