Editor:
Couns. Mandeep Nagra, Laurie Guerra, Allison Patton and Doug Elford, along with the mayor, have brought lawlessness and shame to the municipality of Surrey. They have earned the right to be called a gang.
Democracy was vacated by the shutting down of comments of council members (at the Dec. 16, 2019 meeting).
Everyone heard from Coun. Guerra. They also needed to hear from Couns. Linda Annis, Brenda Locke, Jack Hundial, and Steven Pettigrew.
The pre-determined evacuation of council chambers by the mayor and his four supporters for 10 minutes, obviously set up a divisive council. The mayor’s disgusting race through budget items 16-32 after they returned, with no count of hands or point of order called or comments allowed, is a mockery of democracy.
Further, at the Jan.13, 2020 Surrey city hall meeting, Couns. Locke, Hundial, Annis and Pettigrew rightfully called to rescind the minutes of the Dec. 16 meeting, while the remaining four councillors all voted with Mayor Doug McCallum to adopt the minutes.
This is what gangs do – ignore, bypass or stamp out established democratic procedures, then carry on. This is absolutely unacceptable and must be stopped.
I expect that any self-respecting member of any police force or any institution would be ashamed to be positioned with this. RCMP, or any city police, both tasked with applying civic rules, I am certain, dread working in this environment.
It is ludicrous, disrespectful to officers of any badge, citizens, and future discourse to approve this dangerous precedent.
Couns. Elford, Nagra, Guerra, Patton, you have not won. You have lost democracy and joined a gang. Resign.
Mayor McCallum, you have not won. You have become leader of a gang. Resign.
S. Hodges, Surrey