Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum said in a canned statement that this yearsa国际传媒檚 Surrey Canada Day celebration was sa国际传媒渁 phenomenal showcase of national pride.sa国际传媒�

But behind the scenes, itsa国际传媒檚 alleged, there was effort made to keep Surrey MP Sukh Dhaliwal sa国际传媒� who has not yet confirmed his intention to run for mayor sa国际传媒� 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 citysa国际传媒檚 communications department also stated in emails he sa国际传媒渨ill not be commentingsa国际传媒� and, sa国际传媒淭he City will not be commenting.sa国际传媒�

Dhaliwal, meantime, said Tuesday hesa国际传媒檚 in the process of writing to City Manager Vincent Lalonde in an attempt sa国际传媒渢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.sa国际传媒�

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

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 sa国际传媒淪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.sa国际传媒�

Edwards declined to comment beyond this statement.

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

sa国际传媒淲hen I first heard it I thought no, itsa国际传媒檚 not true,sa国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒淚 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.sa国际传媒�

sa国际传媒淪pecifically I checked on the RCMP,sa国际传媒� Annis said.

sa国际传媒淎pparently,sa国际传媒� she said, sa国际传媒渟taff that were there didnsa国际传媒檛 have them included as part of the procession and I found that absolutely shocking.sa国际传媒�

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.

sa国际传媒淐ertainly as long as Isa国际传媒檝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 werensa国际传媒檛.sa国际传媒�

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

The alleged exclusion, Annis said, sa国际传媒渨as I think a very disrespectful thing.sa国际传媒�

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

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

Mary Rukavina, Surreysa国际传媒檚 manager of special events & filming, parks, recreation and culture has not yet returned requests for comment.

Dhaliwal said every MP got a related package, sa国际传媒渁 badge or something.sa国际传媒�

sa国际传媒淚 was the only one who that did not get that package,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淚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.sa国际传媒�

sa国际传媒淚 am an elected Member of Parliament,sa国际传媒� he stressed.

tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
Like us on Follow us on   and follow Tom on