Five months ago Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum was charged with public mischief after claiming Debi Johnstone drove over his foot with her car.
Although he has remained mayor of Surrey and stays on with his role as a chair of the Surrey Police Service Board.
According to Global News the Surrey Police Board requested he step down as chair after he was charged criminally in December. Surrey Police Board said due to confidentiality “the board could not comment on matters discussed in camera.”
On Sunday Debi Johnstone broke her silence on the incident with McCallum.
In an emailed statement, Johnstone told Global News: “My name is Debi Johnstone. I am the victim that Mr. McCallum falsely accused Sept 4, 2021… I remain steadfast in my original statement of innocence. I’m unable to comment further at this time.”
Her friend Paul Daynes acknowledged that it has been a tough time for her, saying “yes it has and all credit to her. I think she has been to hell and back and has shown great strength of character. Sticking to her guns and not being intimidated.”
Global News published details from previously secret court documents relating to his public mischief charge on Friday. Following a legal appeal by Global News, the records were unsealed.
Included in the investigation officers obtained a search warrant for McCallums medical records and the shoe he was wearing the day of the alleged incident. Production orders also included surveillance videos at Save On Foods along with media interviews. Owen Bird lawyer Dan Burnett said ”what the ITO indicates is the officers had viewed videotape, some of which they were still seeking, but they had viewed some and the story on the videotape, the officers believed, did not match up with what Mr. McCallum was saying.”
Surrey tax payers are footing the bill for Doug McCallums legal fight. Councillor Linda Annis said “this is not right. This is public money and the public deserves to know how much is being spent on these legal bills.”
Doug McCallum was successful with the help of his friends to win the vote to ban ethics investigations and court cases until after the next election. McCallum’s trial for public mischief is set for October, two weeks after the next municipal election. He has pled not guilty because none of the charges have been proven in court.
