Surrey First Councillor Linda Annis is calling Doug McCallum’s Halloween day trial ia nightmare for Surrey voters and taxpayers, since it comes two weeks after the municipal election on October 15. “Surrey voters and taxpayers are really scratching their heads about this whole thing,” said Annis. “People cannot understand why this has taken so long, particularly since it boils down to one pretty simple question: did Doug McCallum get run over by a car or not? Meanwhile, Surrey taxpayers are on the hook for all of his legal bills which will be in the tens of thousands of dollars, and the actual trial isn’t until after the October 15 municipal election is over. “

By DESIBUZZCanada Staff With News Files

SURREY – Surrey First Councillor Linda Annis is calling Doug McCallum’s Halloween day trial ia nightmare for Surrey voters and taxpayers, since it comes two weeks after the municipal election on October 15.

“Surrey voters and taxpayers are really scratching their heads about this whole thing,” said Annis. “People cannot understand why this has taken so long, particularly since it boils down to one pretty simple question: did Doug McCallum get run over by a car or not? Meanwhile, Surrey taxpayers are on the hook for all of his legal bills which will be in the tens of thousands of dollars, and the actual trial isn’t until after the October 15 municipal election is over. 

“So, here we have our city’s mayor up on charges, we’re paying his legal bills, and there’s no court case until after we’re supposed to vote. Will voters be willing to re-elect someone who has been charged and won’t be found guilty or innocent until after they vote? It’s going to make for a pretty interesting election campaign, and in some ways it speaks volumes about Doug McCallum’s entire chaotic and divisive term in office, his disrespect for Surrey residents, and his complete disregard for transparency and accountability.”  

Court records show the first day of McCallum’s trial has been scheduled for Oct. 31 in Surrey provincial court. So far, seven days have been set aside for the proceedings.

McCallum was charged with one count of public mischief in December over a police report he made several months earlier. McCallum went public on Sept. 4 claiming a member of the group opposing the city’s police transition had run over his foot outside the South Point Save-on-Foods on 152 Street. 

At the time, the Keep the RCMP in Surrey group had been collecting signatures for a policing referendum campaign.

Charges of public mischief involve making false statements with the intention of misleading police officers.

The B.C. RCMP Major Crime Section headed the investigation after taking it over from the Surrey RCMP “to ensure there was no potential for real or perceived conflict of interest or improper influence.”

The mayor has hired high-profile defence lawyer Richard Peck, who was on Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou’s defence team. His legal costs are being covered by the city’s taxpayers, which has been strongly criticized by opponents who say he should be footing the bill, reported Surrey Leader-Now newspaper.

Annis has criticized having taxpayers pay for McCallum’s hefty legal bills, with no accountability and the mounting costs kept secret from Surrey residents.

“Taxpayers are not ATM machines, but that’s how he is treating them right now. We definitely need to change the rules at city hall. If the city is paying legal fees on behalf of a mayor or councillor, those fees should be made public,” noted Annis. “As for the new provincial rules governing local politicians, they don’t apply to this case because it happened prior to the change in the rules, but it’s certainly telling that if it was happening today, Doug McCallum would likely have to step aside until his court case was decided.”

Annis said voters will also be pretty cynical if McCallum tries to strike a deal on a lesser charge prior to election day. “He’s taken up a lot of police, court and lawyer time and voters are not going to forget how disruptive and costly this entire issue has been,” explained Annis. “If he does a deal and the case never goes to trial, Doug McCallum will still be judged in the court of public opinion, and that will have a big impact on election day.”