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 it91裸聊视频檚 a test case which, if the City of Surrey91裸聊视频檚 petition to the court is successful, will have serious ramifications for democracy at the civic level in Canada.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 an outrageous overkill,91裸聊视频� Bose told the Now-Leader. 91裸聊视频淲hat have these seven senior citizens done? They91裸聊视频檝e done absolutely nothing; they91裸聊视频檙e being accused of all kinds of things.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淭his thing is totally out of hand,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淚 understand for the seven to respond, they would incur tens of thousands of dollars in legal costs. Nobody91裸聊视频檚 going to do it pro bono.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淚n my opinion this is a test case that deals with the powers of council to prohibit participation. It91裸聊视频檚 draconian,91裸聊视频� Bose said. 91裸聊视频淭he respondents need to have legal representation. It91裸聊视频檚 far more than a case where I91裸聊视频檓 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. It91裸聊视频檚 a serious matter and it needs to be seriously adjudicated.91裸聊视频�

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 91裸聊视频渇rom physically attending City of Surrey Council and Committee meetings in person, until Council determines otherwise91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频�

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.

91裸聊视频淭he respondents are regularly opposed to the policy decisions of the City91裸聊视频檚 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,91裸聊视频� the petition states, and alleges that 91裸聊视频渙n numerous occasions, the political opposition of the respondents has exceeded the bounds of respectful opposition.91裸聊视频�

Bose argues the City of Surrey has an obligation to indemnify the seven respondents for their legal costs 91裸聊视频渋f they91裸聊视频檙e serious about expanding the scope of denying citizens participation. This is no ordinary case.91裸聊视频�

The Safe Surrey Coalition majority on city council passed a motion during a land use meeting on Sept. 19 designed to 91裸聊视频減rotect the democratic process91裸聊视频� by banning some speakers from attending public hearings in council chambers and to ensure 91裸聊视频渁 safe and respectful environment91裸聊视频� for council and staff.

Coun. Brenda Locke, who is seeking election for Surrey mayor in next year91裸聊视频檚 election as the Surrey Connect candidate, says she and other councillors were 91裸聊视频渂lindsided91裸聊视频� by that motion because it also authorized staff to take further steps including seeking court orders.

91裸聊视频淚 didn91裸聊视频檛 really realize that because we didn91裸聊视频檛 have a copy in front of us,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淎s I said, we were all blindsided.91裸聊视频�

Locke said despite researching the issue she has 91裸聊视频渘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.91裸聊视频�

Coun. Jack Hundial, also of Surrey Connect, called the city91裸聊视频檚 petition to the court 91裸聊视频渇rankly uncalled for. There91裸聊视频檚 no reason to do this and it91裸聊视频檚 just another huge black eye for the city, the city doesn91裸聊视频檛 need it. I think a huge overreach by government. Really, people91裸聊视频檚 rights a freedoms.91裸聊视频�

Mayor Doug McCallum could not be reached for comment. Coun. Doug Elford, of the Safe Surrey Coalition, said Friday said he91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频渘ot quite sure91裸聊视频� what precipitated the court petition beyond the original council resolution. 91裸聊视频淚 have put a call into legal right now, waiting for a call back,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淚 don91裸聊视频檛 have answer for you right now. I91裸聊视频檝e got my feelers out on this to find out what precipitated the reasoning for it, and that91裸聊视频檚 where we91裸聊视频檙e at.91裸聊视频�

Ivan Scott, one of the seven respondents, said Friday he hadn91裸聊视频檛 been served yet. Fighting the petition will no doubt be costly, he said.

91裸聊视频淭his is just another typical way that he91裸聊视频檚 trying to intimidate us, bully us and try and shut us down and restrict any type of resistance to anything he does,91裸聊视频� Scott said of the mayor, 91裸聊视频渁nd especially the Keep the RCMP in Surrey campaign.91裸聊视频�

Scott hopes a lawyer might take on their case pro bono considering it91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频渁bsolutely in the public interest.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e just a group of volunteers here,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淭hey should indemnify us if they91裸聊视频檙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.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淚f there was somebody who is interested in us and looking at this as a pro bono, we91裸聊视频檇 happily talk to him,91裸聊视频� Scott said.

tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
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