Yesterday, Kevin Falcon caved to BC Conservative pressure and completely reversed his support for transitioning to the Surrey Police Service.

“Kevin Falcon’s reversal on Surrey police shows he’s not taking the safety of people in our community seriously,” said BC NDP MLA Rachna Singh. “Just a few months ago, he told Punjabi media that he supported this decision. Now, he’s saying in the legislature that he’s against it.”

In May, Falcon strongly supported transitioning to the SPS and said he would make that transition binding on Surrey:

Falcon: I said early on, if I was the Mayor, based on the information I know, I’d take the $50 million every year and I’d go with the Surrey police service.

Connect FM Host: If you were the Public Safety Minister, would you give a binding decision?

Falcon: I would absolutely make a binding decision, for sure.

Falcon even called for government to recall the legislature to pass a bill to make the recommendation binding, and promised to support it:

Harjinder Thind: If there is legislation on the floor about the policing, implementing that recommendation the solicitor general has made, would you vote for it?

Falcon: First of all, we’d have to call back the Legislature. But I’ve been very clear not only should they do that, if that’s what’s necessary to make it happen, we would certainly be there and make sure that we help get that done. (Video)

But yesterday, BCU MLAs suddenly reversed course by promising to vote against the legislation that Falcon had so strongly supported.

What changed?

When Minister Mike Farnworth announced in July that the recommendation would be binding, the BC Conservatives criticized the decision.

“Kevin Falcon’s decision to cave to BC Conservative pressure shows he can’t be counted on to keep people in Surrey safe,” said Singh. “He’s continuing his habit of saying one thing to Punjabi media and the opposite in the legislature. He’s not looking out for people in Surrey.”