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LETTER: Surrey mayor made me uncomfortable by bashing reliable ‘Now-Leader’

During a recent phone call, McCallum talked a lot about himself before disparaging newspapers
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Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum. (Now-Leader file photo)

The Editor,

What I am about to relate to you came unexpectedly from an ordinary small thing. But it has big implications. That is why we need a referendum over the issue of policing change.

Some months ago, the City of Surrey decided to shut down North Surrey Recreation Centre. Hockey had moved away already, only the pool and the gym were left. Many patrons figured out where they will need to go.

The Surrey Now-Leader published a story about the closing. It also had information about which facilities patrons could go to depending on what they wanted to do. I was particularly concerned that the pool many of us will need to go to has icy cold water. We can’t swim in that. So I booked a call with the mayor.

He called me. As I explained to him about the icy cold water and the need to raise the temperature by 1C, he launched into his swimming prowess over the years.

I thought he was cutting into my time as he told me to hurry up, he didn’t have much time.

As I started to explain the problem and tell him it does not work as the City was telling us. He asked, ‘Where did you get that’?

I told him it was in the Surrey Now-Leader. He told me not to believe that and went on to disparage the newspapers generally. I felt uncomfortable with what he was saying because I believe the Surrey Now-Leader is a fine reliable newspaper.

Here’s the twister. The last week prior to closing, the management put up a large sign in the lobby as to where patrons could go.

It was exactly what was in the Surrey Now-Leader story.

What’s with this mayor? He wasn’t like this in his first term as mayor. Please save us and order a referendum on the policing issue.

Dave Bains, Surrey



edit@surreynowleader.com

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