Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum has sights set on re-election despite mischief charge

Surrey, B.C. -

Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum has remained relatively quiet since a special Crown prosecutor approved a public mischief charge against him on Friday.

On Saturday, CTV News Vancouver knocked on his door to try to get answers.

“Unfortunately, I can't make any comments today,” said McCallum through a half-opened door. “I have already made a comment and I'm going to stay with my comment.”

The comment in question was provided via email, in which he wrote: "We are in the middle of changing from RCMP to the Surrey Police Service and as this matter is before the courts, I will not be making any comment.”

City councilor Jack Hundial, a former Mountie of 25 years, was unimpressed with the mayor’s written statement.

“I think this is part of his gaslighting attempts over the years, where he, you know, brings issues or conferences into something that truly has no relevance,” he said. “Regardless of a transition or not, the police are the police and the Criminal Code is the Criminal Code.”

Hundial, along with councillors Brenda Locke and Linda Annis, is calling on McCallum to step down as mayor and chair of the Surrey Police Board.

“Clearly, to me, there's a conflict of interest with him being the (board) chair of the Surrey Police Service while he's under investigation and has been charged,” said Annis.

McCallum told CTV News he will not step down and instead, he wants to run for re-election during the next municipal election in 2022.

“I have tremendous support from the majority of my councillors,” he said.

UBC associate professor of political science Gerald Baier said if a provincial or federal elected official were to face a criminal charge, there would be more party pressure to step down, but municipal politics are not the same.

Still, with the fall 2022 municipal election on the horizon, some of McCallum’s supporters may feel differently, Baier said.

“Nobody likes this kind of thing attached to their party or to their team,” Baier said. “McCallum's team might be a little bit more intent on dealing with this in one way or another. And so if the pressure comes from within, I think that will be the thing that will motivate a resignation much more than opposition councillors calling for it, even if it does seem like the right thing.”

McCallum remained tight-lipped on Saturday, saying the issue is now before the courts.

His first court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 25.