Straight Talk

Surrey mayor Doug McCallum's story about hit-and-run takes a surprising turn

The RCMP is investigating whether public mischief occurred after he said that he was struck by a vehicle

by Charlie Smith on October 14th, 2021 at 9:25 PM
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      The RCMP is investigating whether "public mischief" occurred in connection with a high-profile incident involving Surrey mayor Doug McCallum.

      It marks a dramatic turn of events in what was initially seen as an investigation of a hit-and-run case.

      In early September, McCallum alleged that he was verbally assaulted and that a motorist drove over his foot in a Save-On-Foods parking lot in South Surrey.

      He filed a police complaint.

      Today, Global TV reported the details of a B.C. Supreme Court production order. It required the station to turn over raw, unedited video footage of an interview with McCallum in connection with what happened.

      According to the production order, a peace officer has stated "there are reasonable grounds to believe" that an offence occurred.

      The production order cited section 140(1)(a) of the Criminal Code of Canada. 

      It states: "Every one commits public mischief who, with intent to mislead, causes a peace officer to enter on or continue an investigation by (a) making a false statement that accuses some other person of having committed an offence."

      It's a hybrid offence. If someone is found  guilty of an indictable offence, they are liable to imprisonment for up to five years. But on summary conviction, the maximum penalty is a fine of $5,000 and/or imprisonment for two years less a day.

      McCallum declined to comment when Global B.C. requested an interview.

      On September 4, McCallum argued with the founder of Keep the RCMP in Surrey, Ivan Scott, in the Save-On-Foods parking lot. Scott was collecting signatures as part of an initiative campaign to force a referendum on whether McCallum's party should be allowed to create a local police force.

      Scott told the media at the time that McCallum's police complaint was "absolute rubbish".

      His group, Surrey Police Vote, subsequently asked Elections B.C. to investigate whether McCallum was "intimidating or interfering with volunteers".

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