Pro-RCMP group angry after Surrey city council votes to amend political signage bylaw
Global News
Critics believe it's another attempt by Surrey's mayor to silence a group opposed to the city's transition from the RCMP to a municipal police force.
Surrey city council has passed a controversial bylaw amendment that limits what signs people can have on their lawns.
Council voted 5-4 Monday night to expand a bylaw around election signage to cover citizens’ initiatives, making it illegal to have any signs on lawns until two weeks before a vote.
The amendment narrowly passed with all councillors outside of McCallum’s Safe Surrey Coalition voting against it.
Critics believe it’s another attempt by McCallum and Safe Surrey Coalition councillors to silence Keep the RCMP in Surrey, a group opposed to the city’s transition from the RCMP to a municipal police force.
“It just seems to be a constant pattern that we’re not communicating with the people who voted us in,” Coun. Linda Annis said. “I think that’s hugely problematic. The residents have every right to be heard.”
Ivan Scott of Keep the RCMP in Surrey said the group is hiring a lawyer to fight the amendment.
He said the thousands of Keep the RCMP in Surrey lawn signs, mainly on private property, are staying up. If bylaw officers write any tickets, they won’t be paid.
Bill Tieleman of Surrey Police Vote, a group hoping to force the provincial government to hold a binding referendum on the proposed police transition in Surrey, says the bylaw is trying to shut them down.
