‘It’s time to challenge the Surrey First monopoly on city council,” said Surrey Community Alliance president Doug Elford in a press release, issued on March 7.
Yes, it is. That’s not to say that Surrey First should be completely sent packing. Instead, there needs to be a wider and more diverse set of voices on council, so that controversial projects such as a road through Hawthorne Park aren’t pushed through with little debate and 9-0 votes.
Democracy works best when those who are elected represent a diversity of voices, in whatever jurisdiction is being governed. That means there needs to be opposition on council to a “groupthink” mentality, which takes hold when one political party, slate or group controls all the votes.
Back in 2001, when the BC Liberals won the provincial election with 77 MLAs, facing just two opposition NDP MLAs, a number of people expressed concerns about how difficult it would be for varying viewpoints to be raised. That was true, in spades.
So when former premier Gordon Campbell was charged with drunk driving while vacationing in Hawaii in 2003 (and later convicted), the party didn’t even feel it was necessary to have an interim leader take over until the court case was finished. That kind of arrogance is common when one party isn’t challenged.
In some ways, other viewpoints are even more necessary on a municipal council. Councils are not parliamentary bodies, with government and opposition rigidly opposed on almost every issue, and no power given to those who aren’t part of the majority. Councils are set up to make decisions on a case-by-case basis, with council members putting forward differing viewpoints on many issues.
Surrey First at one time was more like that – most notably when former mayor Dianne Watts cast the deciding vote and a proposed South Surrey casino project went down to defeat 5-4. There haven’t been many votes like that under her successor, Linda Hepner, in the past 3 1/2 years.
Voters elected Surrey First councils because they liked the positive changes and optimism about Surrey that Watts brought to the job. It is worth recalling that when Watts was first elected mayor, it was as an independent. She had dared to challenge the Surrey Electors Team hold on council.
Watts had been part of Surrey Electors Team but left to take on incumbent mayor Doug McCallum, due to a series of disagreements. She showed the value of bringing a different perspective to council.
SET actually elected a majority of councillors in the 2005 election where Watts became mayor – including Hepner and current Couns. Tom Gill, Mary Martin and Barbara Steele. They initially opposed Watts on numerous issues, but later left SET behind and joined her in forming Surrey First. They realized that the majority of the public, whether they had voted or not, were enthused about her vision for the city.
Surrey First won every seat on council in the 2011 and 2014 elections. It steamrolled any opposition and forced the competing Surrey Citizens Coalition to fold. Massive donations from developers and other businesses funded their campaigns, and no other slate or individuals could compete.
While political slates and candidates in local elections are now prohibited from raising money from developers and unions, Surrey First likely amassed a huge war chest before those rules went into effect. As a result, it will almost certainly outspend any opponents daring to challenge its hegemony.
Two new groups have said they will try to compete for votes – the SCA and People First Surrey. The candidates they are able to field, the funds they can raise for their campaign and the issues they bring up with voters will all be important factors in whether they can meaningfully challenge Surrey First.
Frank Bucholtz writes Wednesdays for Peace Arch News.
frank.bucholtz@gmail.com