They run with a slate called Safe Surrey Coalition.

But recent events have some questioning two city councillors害羞草研究所� adherence to that concept following reports Councillor Laurie Guerra is in Mexico during this Coronavirus pandemic, and Councillor Mandeep Nagra害羞草研究所檚 attendance at the mayor害羞草研究所檚 March 16 press conference concerning the city害羞草研究所檚 response to the public health crisis, 10 days after he returned from a trip to India.

The Now-Leader has reached out to Mayor Doug McCallum on both matters, but has not yet received a response.

On March 13, McCallum held a press conference at city hall to discuss the city害羞草研究所檚 response to COVID-19, in which he stated, 害羞草研究所淏y taking personal responsibility, you are not only protecting yourself, you are protecting your family, loved ones, friends, and ultimately your community.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淲e have also instituted a ban on all work-related international travel for staff,害羞草研究所� he said at that presser.

The Now-Leader has yet to establish why Guerra is in Mexico, when she left and when she害羞草研究所檚 scheduled to return. Phone calls to her have not been returned. The next council meeting is set for April 6.

On March 12, provincial health officials issued a recommendation for British Columbians not to travel outside Canada and, for those that do, to self-isolate for 14 days upon their return.

Update on City of Surrey Closures in Response to Covid-19

害羞草研究所� City of Surrey (@CityofSurrey)

McCallum also held a presser on Monday, March 16 at city hall concerning COVID-19 with a few city councillors at his side, Nagra among them. Nagra had returned from a trip to India on March 6.

Nagra told the Now-Leader on Wednesday that after he returned he isolated himself 害羞草研究所渇or almost a week, but there was no guidelines for isolation, they came in on the 12th. If the guidelines had came on the 6th, I would have stayed home, but I was at the next council meeting.害羞草研究所�

That meeting was on March 9, three days after he got back. 害羞草研究所淪o there were no guidelines or instructions to stay home 14 days after your arrival.害羞草研究所�

After he became aware of the guidelines, he said, 害羞草研究所淚 stayed home most of the time. I did not attend any gatherings. I was invited to a number of events, but I cancelled everything.害羞草研究所�

He said he cancelled on a Sikh temple event on Wednesday morning.

Asked why he attended the mayor害羞草研究所檚 COVID-19 presser on Monday, Nagra replied, 害羞草研究所淚 checked for any symptoms, I害羞草研究所檓 feeling totally fine and healthy. There害羞草研究所檚 absolutely no symptoms at all.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚 am taking all the precautions and I am watching for any symptoms as the arise,害羞草研究所� Nagra said. 害羞草研究所淏ut I害羞草研究所檓 totally healthy and there are no symptoms at all, and that害羞草研究所檚 the reason I was there. I think we should all be self-isolating right now, right.

害羞草研究所淲e don害羞草研究所檛 know where people are catching it from, we don害羞草研究所檛 have the exact source, right, we might be catching the same common places like door handles and all that stuff. So we should all be self-isolating at this time, to stop the spread,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 only getting out when I really have to. I have this responsibility where I have to make sure that the safety of our residents is ensured, so that害羞草研究所檚 the reason I was there at the press conference.害羞草研究所�

As for Guerra, he said, 害羞草研究所淚 think she害羞草研究所檒l be back by the end of this week.害羞草研究所�

Props to 鈦︹仼 for making the exact same face so many of us make when we hear people say they plan to travel regardless of the pandemic.

害羞草研究所� Robert Benzie (@robertbenzie)

Paul Daynes, a strategist for the Keep the RCMP in Surrey campaign, is not impressed.

害羞草研究所淲ell, I think Surrey, we害羞草研究所檝e had to deal with a very nasty virus called the Safe Surrey Coalition,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭hey have absolutely no sense whatsoever of social responsibility. Guerra goes to Mexico the day before a travel advisory is given.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淪ociety, generally, is trying to make things easier for their citizens,害羞草研究所� he said.

Concerning Nagra, Daynes has this to say.

害羞草研究所淓very other citizen seems to be getting the message, I mean the media are accused of many things, but not getting the information out there, the do害羞草研究所檚 and the don害羞草研究所檛害羞草研究所檚, is not one of them. We害羞草研究所檙e being inundated with it; there害羞草研究所檚 no excuse for not knowing what is the right thing to do. Does he need to be told what the right thing to do is? Because 99 per cent of the people I encounter, from the rich, the powerful, the influential down to just ordinary working Joes like myself, we all know what the right thing to do is, but these guys clearly don害羞草研究所檛.害羞草研究所�

Councillor Brenda Locke, who at press time said she害羞草研究所檇 been working at home because she was nursing a 害羞草研究所渟tupid cold,害羞草研究所� told the Now-Leader 害羞草研究所淚 understand害羞草研究所� that Guerra is in Mexico but she doesn害羞草研究所檛 know exactly where.

害羞草研究所淪he said she was leaving on Friday, I believe she害羞草研究所檚 still there. I don害羞草研究所檛 really know, but,害羞草研究所� Locke said. 害羞草研究所淪he left on vacation. I don害羞草研究所檛 want to comment on anything she害羞草研究所檚 doing. I guess people made arrangements for spring break, and she probably made the arrangement some time ago.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚 just know she said she was going to Mexico.害羞草研究所�

As for Nagra, Locke noted 害羞草研究所渢his thing is moving pretty fast害羞草研究所� and at the time he came back, she thinks, 害羞草研究所渢hey didn害羞草研究所檛 say to him he had to self-monitor or self-isolate. This thing has moved so quickly.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淎lso, when Mandeep went, India wasn害羞草研究所檛 one with a big red dot on it at that time. It is now, but it wasn害羞草研究所檛 then.害羞草研究所�

tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
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