Editor:
Re: ‘Tsunami of Resistance’ promised, Feb. 12
Tom Zytaruk, one of Black Press Media’s reporters, sensationalized Ivan Scott’s delivery of a petition with 40,008 signatures to the premier on Valentine’s Day in 41 box loads containing 1,000 signatures (obviously an error in count) to be brought to Horgan’s office at 999 Canada Place.
This is to stop Mayor McCallum from replacing the RCMP with a local police force.
One can only assume that the signatures that are on the petition are ones from the voters list, which number 337,289 persons. To obtain only 40,008 signatures on this figure is hardly a tsunami of resistance against Mayor McCallum’s campaign promise to replace the RCMP. McCallum obtained more votes than there are signatures, based on only 32 per cent turnout of eligible voters.
Sixty eight per cent never bothered to vote and now are trying to involve the premier to get them out of a situation that they themselves created.
The old saying holds true. “If you did not vote, do not complain – keep your mouth shut.”
McCallum won the election to become mayor, fairly, legally and under scrutiny and, as a result, has the mandate he requires to keep his promise during his campaign to replace the RCMP with a local police force, perhaps the Surrey Police.
One can not imagine the premier, John Horgan, interfering in this instance by asking Mayor McCallum to break his campaign promise.
Michael Palmer, White Rock
Editor’s note: the story stated that “41 box loads each containing 1,000 signatures” was to be taken to Horgan’s office.