Vancouver Rundown Tuesday, June 20, 2023

Summary

Clowns to the left of me

Jokers to the Right

Here I am stuck in the middle with you

Listening to Brenda Locke’s news conference and reading B.C. Solicitor General Mike Farnworth’s claims reminded me of those pointed lyrics by the great Scottish musicians Joe Egan and Gerry Rafferty (Stealers Wheel). At the end of the day (and many days before this and countless more to come), it’s Surrey taxpayers who are caught in the middle of the nasty bun fight between Locke and Farnworth over the future police force of jurisdiction. Locke has more than doubled down on Surrey’s decision to stick with the RCMP - backed by last week’s council vote and one back in the fall. She is also reminding us the So Gen said that ultimately the decision on whether to end the transition rested with Surrey itself. But Farnworth has also been accused of being a bully and misogynist for claims that Surrey failed to give him a detailed plan (by his deadline) on how policing levels would be accomplished that provided adequate public safety. It’s clear - Farnworth wants the Surrey Police Service. What’s not clear is why. Now we wait to see if he will force that matter through the strong arm of provincial legislation…a move that would surely be contested in the courts and cost taxpayers even more angst and money.

Other stories…

The president of Surrey’s Guru Nanak Sikh temple has been gunned down in the gurdwara’s parking lot. It happened at around 8:30 Sunday evening and police don’t have any suspects in Hardeep Singh Nijjars killing. The 45-year -ld had been politically active in advocating for a separate state in India’s Punjab. He had also claimed to have received several threats in recent weeks.