Special prosecutor appointed to assist RCMP investigation of Surrey mayor's complaint
The BC Prosecution Service has announced the appointment of a special prosecutor to assist the RCMP in its investigation of a complaint by Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum.
Richard Fowler, QC, has been appointed as the special prosecutor after the RCMP requested assistance from the prosecution service on Sept. 13.
Peter Juk, Assistant Deputy Attorney General for the BC Prosecution Service, granted the request, according to a news release from the prosecution service.
“The ADAG concluded that, in light of the nature of the allegations, the mayor’s position as a public official in a senior position of authority, and the ongoing public discussion about the change from the RCMP to a municipal police force in Surrey, a special prosecutor should be appointed,” the service said in its release.
The service did not elaborate on the specifics of McCallum’s complaint. Earlier this month, he claimed that a supporter of the Surrey Police Vote initiative – which is gathering signatures in hopes of forcing a referendum on the police transition – had run over his foot in a parking lot.
Elections BC is investigating a complaint from the Surrey Police Vote group, who accuse the mayor of intimidation and interference in the democratic process.
The altercation between McCallum and opponents of the police transition happened on Sept. 4 in the parking lot at the Save-On-Foods in South Point Mall.
At the time, the mayor told CTV News Vancouver he had just parked his car and was making his way to the grocery store when the altercation happened. He said the woman who was driving pulled out of her spot abruptly and began yelling at him, calling him names and shouting obscenities.
The woman shared her own version of events in an email to CTV News. She acknowledged that she shouted for the mayor to resign and had “a heated exchange” with him, but maintained that she did not ever hit him with her car. She asked CTV News not to use her name as the incident is under police investigation.
Other canvassers for the Surrey Police Vote initiative said McCallum confronted them that same morning, telling them they weren’t allowed to be there and threatening to call bylaw officers. The canvassers maintain that they had permission to be there.
It was unclear from the prosecution service’s announcement just which of these details are part of the RCMP investigation that Fowler is now joining.
The service said Juk had appointed a special prosecutor “to avoid any potential for real or perceived improper influence in the administration of justice.”
The service described Fowler as “a senior Vancouver lawyer in private practice.”
“He was given a mandate to provide legal advice to the investigators as may be necessary, conduct any related charge assessment, and assume conduct of the prosecution if charges are approved,” the service said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Police to announce arrests in $20-million Toronto Pearson airport gold heist
Police say that arrests have been made in connection with a $20 million gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport one year ago.
Outdated cancer screening guidelines jeopardizing early detection, doctors say
A group of doctors say Canadian cancer screening guidelines set by a national task force are out-of-date and putting people at risk because their cancers aren't detected early enough.
Lululemon unveils first summer kit for Canada's Olympic and Paralympic teams
Lululemon says it is combining function and fashion in its first-ever summer kit for Canada's Olympians and Paralympians.
Canada's health-care crisis was 'decades in the making,' says CMA
The strain placed on Canadian health care during the COVID-19 pandemic shows no sign of abating, and the top official of the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) is warning that improving the system will be a 'slow process' requiring sustained investment.
'I just started crying': Blue Jays player signs jersey for man in hospital
An Ontario woman says she never expected to be gifted a Blue Jays jersey for her ailing husband when she sat alone at the team’s home opener next to a couple of kind strangers.
Mussolini's wartime bunker opens to the public in Rome
After its last closure in 2021, it has now reopened for guided tours of the air raid shelter and the bunker. The complex now includes a multimedia exhibition about Rome during World War II, air raid systems for civilians, and the series of 51 Allied bombings that pummeled the city between July 1943 and May 1944.
LIVE @ 4 EDT Freeland to present 2024 federal budget, promising billions in new spending
Canadians will learn Tuesday the entirety of the federal Liberal government's new spending plans, and how they intend to pay for them, when Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland tables the 2024 federal budget.
B.C. woman facing steep medical bills, uncertain future after Thailand crash
The family of a Victoria, B.C., woman who was seriously injured in an accident in Thailand is pleading for help as medical bills pile up.
Step inside 'The Brain': Northern education tool aims to promote drug safety
An immersive experience inside a massive dome coined 'The Brain' is helping youth learn about brain function and addiction