Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum said in a canned statement that this year乌鸦传媒檚 Surrey Canada Day celebration was 乌鸦传媒渁 phenomenal showcase of national pride.乌鸦传媒�

But behind the scenes, it乌鸦传媒檚 alleged, there was effort made to keep Surrey MP Sukh Dhaliwal 乌鸦传媒� who has not yet confirmed his intention to run for mayor 乌鸦传媒� and Surrey Mounties in red serge from joining the mayor on stage at the Bill Reid Amphitheatre on July 1.

McCallum did not return a phone request for comment on Tuesday. The city乌鸦传媒檚 communications department also stated in emails he 乌鸦传媒渨ill not be commenting乌鸦传媒� and, 乌鸦传媒淭he City will not be commenting.乌鸦传媒�

Dhaliwal, meantime, said Tuesday he乌鸦传媒檚 in the process of writing to City Manager Vincent Lalonde in an attempt 乌鸦传媒渢o find out who gave the instruction to the staff and why would it happen. This was the first time I have ever seen something like this happen. This is the first time ever.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淭he attempts by the city to prevent me from participating in Canada Day was deeply disappointing,乌鸦传媒� Dhaliwal, Liberal MP for Surrey-Newton, told the Now-Leader. 乌鸦传媒淐anada Day is a celebration of our great country and not a time to play petty political games. We should expect better.乌鸦传媒�

Lalonde has not yet returned a request for comment.

Assistant Commissioner Brian Edwards, officer in charge of the Surrey RCMP, told the Now-Leader on Tuesday that the 乌鸦传媒淪urrey RCMP received a last minute request for our officers in Red Serge not to march in the Canada Day civic procession. That request to remove officers from the procession was absolutely dismissed. Our officers proudly marched in the procession - a long-held tradition in our community. We remain honoured to participate in the Cloverdale event each year.乌鸦传媒�

Edwards declined to comment beyond this statement.

Coun. Linda Annis, of Surrey First, weighed in.

乌鸦传媒淲hen I first heard it I thought no, it乌鸦传媒檚 not true,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淚 did check in with staff at city hall and I also checked in with the RCMP and unfortunately, and I hate to say sadly, but it was true.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淪pecifically I checked on the RCMP,乌鸦传媒� Annis said.

乌鸦传媒淎pparently,乌鸦传媒� she said, 乌鸦传媒渟taff that were there didn乌鸦传媒檛 have them included as part of the procession and I found that absolutely shocking.乌鸦传媒�

Traditionally there is a mustering station away from the stage from which the civic, provincial and federal-level politicians along with other dignitaries and the RCMP proceed to the stage where speeches are made.

乌鸦传媒淐ertainly as long as I乌鸦传媒檝e been a councillor the RCMP have always been included and they come in their red serge and march with us and this time they were just omitted from the procession and when they arrived thinking of course that they were part of it they were told no, they weren乌鸦传媒檛.乌鸦传媒�

Ultimately, the Mounties and Dhaliwal got up on the platform anyway, stage right and left.

The alleged exclusion, Annis said, 乌鸦传媒渨as I think a very disrespectful thing.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淚 have no idea where the instructions came from. I乌鸦传媒檓 certain it wasn乌鸦传媒檛 the staff that were on site making that sort of decision. I don乌鸦传媒檛 know if it was political or it乌鸦传媒檚 just the underlying culture that乌鸦传媒檚 taking place in the city over the police transition or what it is, but it乌鸦传媒檚 an embarrassment, I don乌鸦传媒檛 know what else to say.乌鸦传媒�

The city is in the process of replacing the Surrey RCMP with the Surrey Police Service.

Mary Rukavina, Surrey乌鸦传媒檚 manager of special events & filming, parks, recreation and culture has not yet returned requests for comment.

Dhaliwal said every MP got a related package, 乌鸦传媒渁 badge or something.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淚 was the only one who that did not get that package,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淚t is my understanding that in fact instructions were given to the bylaw by the co-ordinator of events not to let Sukh Dhaliwal on the stage.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淚 am an elected Member of Parliament,乌鸦传媒� he stressed.

tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
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