More is at stake here than the political drama of a council majority simply striking out at seven Surrey residents by asking a judge to prohibit them from attending council meetings.

Former Surrey mayor Bose Bose says it害羞草研究所檚 a test case which, if the City of Surrey害羞草研究所檚 petition to the court is successful, will have serious ramifications for democracy at the civic level in Canada.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 an outrageous overkill,害羞草研究所� Bose told the Now-Leader. 害羞草研究所淲hat have these seven senior citizens done? They害羞草研究所檝e done absolutely nothing; they害羞草研究所檙e being accused of all kinds of things.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淭his thing is totally out of hand,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚 understand for the seven to respond, they would incur tens of thousands of dollars in legal costs. Nobody害羞草研究所檚 going to do it pro bono.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚n my opinion this is a test case that deals with the powers of council to prohibit participation. It害羞草研究所檚 draconian,害羞草研究所� Bose said. 害羞草研究所淭he respondents need to have legal representation. It害羞草研究所檚 far more than a case where I害羞草研究所檓 putting on a square-foot addition to my house without permits and in violation of a zoning bylaw. For this matter to be fairly adjudicated, the respondents need to respond, and they need to have adequate legal counsel to respond properly. It害羞草研究所檚 a serious matter and it needs to be seriously adjudicated.害羞草研究所�

A petition to the court was filed by Lidstone & Company on behalf of the City of Surrey on Oct. 18, at the B.C. Supreme Court registry in Vancouver, asking the court to prohibit seven Surrey residents 害羞草研究所渇rom physically attending City of Surrey Council and Committee meetings in person, until Council determines otherwise害羞草研究所�害羞草研究所�

The respondents named in the petition are Annie Kaps, Debbie (Debi) Johnstone, Colin Pronger, Ivan Scott, Merle (Meryl) Scott, Marilyn Smith and Linda Ypenburg. They have 21 days to respond.

害羞草研究所淭he respondents are regularly opposed to the policy decisions of the City害羞草研究所檚 Mayor and Council and have regularly made this opposition known through written correspondence and submissions to Council and City staff, as well as attending and appearing at Council meetings,害羞草研究所� the petition states, and alleges that 害羞草研究所渙n numerous occasions, the political opposition of the respondents has exceeded the bounds of respectful opposition.害羞草研究所�

Bose argues the City of Surrey has an obligation to indemnify the seven respondents for their legal costs 害羞草研究所渋f they害羞草研究所檙e serious about expanding the scope of denying citizens participation. This is no ordinary case.害羞草研究所�

The Safe Surrey Coalition majority on city council passed a motion during a land use meeting on Sept. 19 designed to 害羞草研究所減rotect the democratic process害羞草研究所� by banning some speakers from attending public hearings in council chambers and to ensure 害羞草研究所渁 safe and respectful environment害羞草研究所� for council and staff.

Coun. Brenda Locke, who is seeking election for Surrey mayor in next year害羞草研究所檚 election as the Surrey Connect candidate, says she and other councillors were 害羞草研究所渂lindsided害羞草研究所� by that motion because it also authorized staff to take further steps including seeking court orders.

害羞草研究所淚 didn害羞草研究所檛 really realize that because we didn害羞草研究所檛 have a copy in front of us,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淎s I said, we were all blindsided.害羞草研究所�

Locke said despite researching the issue she has 害羞草研究所渘ever found a council anywhere in Canada that has done this, so I would assume that there will be a lot of eyes watching to see how this moves forward.害羞草研究所�

Coun. Jack Hundial, also of Surrey Connect, called the city害羞草研究所檚 petition to the court 害羞草研究所渇rankly uncalled for. There害羞草研究所檚 no reason to do this and it害羞草研究所檚 just another huge black eye for the city, the city doesn害羞草研究所檛 need it. I think a huge overreach by government. Really, people害羞草研究所檚 rights a freedoms.害羞草研究所�

Mayor Doug McCallum could not be reached for comment. Coun. Doug Elford, of the Safe Surrey Coalition, said Friday said he害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所渘ot quite sure害羞草研究所� what precipitated the court petition beyond the original council resolution. 害羞草研究所淚 have put a call into legal right now, waiting for a call back,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 have answer for you right now. I害羞草研究所檝e got my feelers out on this to find out what precipitated the reasoning for it, and that害羞草研究所檚 where we害羞草研究所檙e at.害羞草研究所�

Ivan Scott, one of the seven respondents, said Friday he hadn害羞草研究所檛 been served yet. Fighting the petition will no doubt be costly, he said.

害羞草研究所淭his is just another typical way that he害羞草研究所檚 trying to intimidate us, bully us and try and shut us down and restrict any type of resistance to anything he does,害羞草研究所� Scott said of the mayor, 害羞草研究所渁nd especially the Keep the RCMP in Surrey campaign.害羞草研究所�

Scott hopes a lawyer might take on their case pro bono considering it害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所渁bsolutely in the public interest.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e just a group of volunteers here,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭hey should indemnify us if they害羞草研究所檙e going to fight their own citizens. In a case like this, they should in actual fact guarantee our legal costs, or stand for them anyway. That should be in the interests of the public. To just nail meal is not really in the interest of the public.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚f there was somebody who is interested in us and looking at this as a pro bono, we害羞草研究所檇 happily talk to him,害羞草研究所� Scott said.

tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
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