Port Moody petition demands government action for politicians convicted of crimes
Posted November 4, 2019 8:23 pm.
PORT MOODY (NEWS 1130) — People seeking legislation that would force politicians to quit after they’ve been convicted of a crime hope to deliver their petition to the B.C. legislature by the end of November.
“It’s important they recognize there are a lot of people who want this to be addressed so that it doesn’t happen to anybody else,” says co-organizer of the petition Laura Dick.
She’s from Port Moody, where Mayor Rob Vagramov has taken a leave of absence after being charged with sexual assault.
“I was stunned to find out there was nothing in place. This shouldn’t be happening. We deserve this to get acted upon and acted upon quickly — recognizing that it probably won’t help the situation in Port Moody at all. Not expecting it to be retro-active,” she explains.
Dick says she felt compelled to do something after learning Vagramov doesn’t have to quit if he’s found guilty.
She’s already collected more than 900 signatures on the petition she started with fellow concerned citizen Anthony Sandler.
“It has to be a paper petition with original signatures to be accepted by the B.C. legislature, so you can’t do an online petition,” she explains. “Which is why we are on the ground.”
They will be outside the Port Moody Recreation Centre between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday to collect more signatures.
Vagramov is on a leave of absence until the charge dating back to the summer of 2015 is resolved.
His next court date in Port Coquitlam is November 13.
