A B.C. Supreme Court judge was told Thursday (May 2) itB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址渋rrelevantB次元官网网址� whether Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke and Premier David Eby struck a deal on the cityB次元官网网址檚 policing transition before Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth issued his edict July 19, 2023 that the RCMP must be replaced by the Surrey Police Service.
Justice Kevin Loo is presiding over the City of SurreyB次元官网网址檚 petition for a judicial review aimed at quashing that order in a five-day hearing that began April 29 in B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver. He heard evidence on the second day of the hearing about a deal reached between Locke and Eby, contained in an affidavit from a political advisor and note-taker for the mayor, before Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth
On Thursday (May 2), lawyer Trevor Bant, representing the provincial government, told Loo that B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 propose to deal with the mayorB次元官网网址檚 affidavit in any way,B次元官网网址� he said, adding B次元官网网址渢he respondentB次元官网网址檚 position is that virtually all of the statements attributed to the premier and the minister in the mayorB次元官网网址檚 affidavit are inaccurate, taken out of context or both.B次元官网网址�
He told Loo he wonB次元官网网址檛 tender a B次元官网网址渢it-for-tatB次元官网网址� reply.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 irrelevant, in my submission on the judicial review component of the proceedings. The submission IB次元官网网址檒l make there is that itB次元官网网址檚 really quite irrelevant whether the premier and the mayor entered into some kind of deal about the timing of a vote. ItB次元官网网址檚 not germane to the legal issues that are before you.B次元官网网址�
Bant said B次元官网网址渢hereB次元官网网址檚 no evidence whatsoeverB次元官网网址� that Farnworth B次元官网网址渨as thinking about anything other than public safety. The City can certainly challenge the reasonableness of the ministerB次元官网网址檚 conclusions, but not for sincerity.B次元官网网址�
He noted that a ministry analysis of a strategy to keep RCMP and restaff the Surrey detachment was B次元官网网址渁mbitious but feasible only when considered in isolation of the RCMP resourcing pressures across the province.B次元官网网址�
A report from the City of Surrey, Bant said, concluded that while neither keeping the RCMP as SurreyB次元官网网址檚 police of jurisdiction or continuing with the transition to the Surrey Police Service are B次元官网网址渟traightforwardB次元官网网址� options, B次元官网网址渂oth options are feasible.B次元官网网址�
Bant said redactions were applied by the City of Surrey before it was given to the minister that included a summary where B次元官网网址渢he conclusion is really that both options are feasible. Where a council decision to maintain the RCMP is feasible with conditions (and) continuing the transition to the SPS is also feasible with conditions.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淣either pathway is straightforward and each requires fundamental conditions to be met by other parties in order to be successful,B次元官网网址� Bant told the court.
B次元官网网址淭he conclusion of this report, the CityB次元官网网址檚 own report that both options are feasible, neither option is straightforward, but both are feasible,B次元官网网址� he reiterated.
Bant told the judge some B次元官网网址渃andidB次元官网网址� sections suggest that B次元官网网址渢his report was probably never meant to be seen by the minister.B次元官网网址�
Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke announced in November 2023 the City would challenge the B次元官网网址渃onstitutionalityB次元官网网址� of FarnworthB次元官网网址檚 order.
Bant said this issue was B次元官网网址渢he simplest, in my submission.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淏y the way of overview on the constitutional issues,B次元官网网址� he began, the CityB次元官网网址檚 argument is contrary to the lawB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址渕eaning and scope.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淣otwithstanding the creativity and the very able submissions that have been made on behalf of the City, it really is a radical expression of freedom of expression that would convert our representative democracy into a direct democracy in which voters have that very literal right to get what they vote for.
B次元官网网址淭he legislation has not restricted anyone from expressing themselves, including by voting, and thatB次元官网网址檚 really dispositive of the constitutional argument.B次元官网网址�
