Darlene Bennett is undaunted by Elections BC鈥檚 announcement Tuesday that her initiative petition calling for a referendum on Surrey鈥檚 policing transition has failed.

鈥淚t think it鈥檚 a clear voice for Surrey, Surrey wants a referendum and we鈥檒l keep the pressure on the provincial government because they still have the ability to call for one,鈥� she told the Now-Leader. It鈥檚 not a provincial 鈥減roblem鈥� but a regional one, she said, adding she was expecting this outcome but the fight is not over.

鈥淲e鈥檙e asking for a referendum only for Surrey.鈥� She said she鈥檚 not disappointed.

All told, 42,942 signatures were delivered to Elections BC in Victoria on Monday. That鈥檚 just 2,622 shy of the 45,564 votes Mayor Doug McCallum, champion of the controversial policing switchover, received in the 2018 civic election.

McCallum issued a statement Tuesday that since Elections BC announced the 鈥渇ailure鈥� of the petition 鈥渋t is clearly time to move on.

鈥淭he work of the Surrey Police Service has remained focused on the task at hand for a safe and smooth transition. Surrey Police will take another significant step forward when the first SPS officers hit the streets alongside Surrey RCMP members by the end of the month,鈥� he said in his written statement.

Elections BC鈥檚 statement notes that under the Recall and Initiative Act a petition must gather signatures from at least 10 per cent of the registered voters in each of the province鈥檚 87 electoral districts to succeed.

鈥淚t was clear upon submission that the petition did not receive the required number of signatures in each electoral district. As a result, Elections BC will not be counting or validating any of the signatures submitted,鈥� Elections BC鈥檚 statement reads.

Bennett said it was always her campaign鈥檚 intention to collect signatures in Surrey.

鈥淵ou know, 42,942 signatures during a global pandemic, crazy weather systems and you know, the interference with the mayor, this is huge. People are mad and they want a voice in this,鈥� she said.

鈥淚t鈥檚 still in play, it鈥檚 still a win and this is a clear message to the provincial government that the residents of Surrey want a referendum.鈥�

Campaign strategist Bill Tieleman said as far as the campaign for a referendum in Surrey is concerned, it鈥檚 still 鈥渢otally game on.鈥� Cabinet, he noted, could make a decision 鈥渢oday, tomorrow, a week before Christmas,鈥� and proceed with a referendum in Surrey. 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 end the issue at all.鈥�

Tieleman said the campaign team will be making public and private 鈥渞epresentations鈥� to the provincial government and will meet later this week to discuss what the future holds for their cause. 鈥淧eople want a vote,鈥� he noted. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think there鈥檚 any reason we should stop this campaign at this stage because we don鈥檛 have a referendum yet. And if we don鈥檛 get a referendum I think the municipal election will be the referendum, next year.鈥�

tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
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