Conservatives call for RCMP investigation into 2024 voting irregularities at Argyll Lodge in Surrey-Guildford riding

"These statements from Argyll Lodge are absurd on their face”  ~~ Steve Kooner, MLA for Richmond-Queensborough, and  Official Opposition critic for the Attorney-General’s ministry                       


British Columbia’s Official Opposition is calling for an RCMP investigation into voting irregularities at the Argyll Lodge licensed substance abuse and recovery facility in the Surrey-Guildford riding in the provincial general election last October. The party’s lead critic on the issue is doing so after the manager of the facility Baljit Kandola made public statements in the media that Elections BC has contradicted.

“It is clear that things are not adding up here,” said Steve Kooner, Official Opposition critic for the Attorney-General and Conservative MLA for Richmond-Queensborough. “It’s time for the police to investigate potential offences under the Elections Act.” 

Kooner referred to published and televised claims in the media by Kandola that Elections BC delivered 21 voting packages to the lodge, even though the facility is located across the street from a polling station.

Elections BC has maintained that voters must individually request ballot packages. The inconsistencies between Kandola’s statements and Elections BC’s response opens up the possibility that Section 104.01 of the BC Election Act has been contravened. 

“We read in the media statements from Argyll Lodge, such as ‘Every time there’s an election, either provincial or federal elections, the commission, they contact us, they probably have their offices in the neighbourhood, and they’ve always delivered their ballots here,’” said Kooner. 

"These statements are absurd on their face,” Kooner added.

“Neither Elections BC nor Elections Canada 'deliver’ ballots in bulk to licensed addiction and recovery facilities, certainly not 21 ballots. Elections BC has already refuted this claim, quickly and clearly.” 

“Individual voting packages must be requested by individual voters, directly to Elections BC, and returned to Election BC by these same voters,” said Kooner. “There are strict rules about who may assist a voter in completing and returning a mail-in ballot – only one person may assist any individual voter.” 

Kooner concluded, “Offences under the Elections Act are punishable by fines up to $20,000 and sentences of up to two years in jail, and that’s the way it should be. We need an urgent RCMP investigation to get to the bottom of these inconsistencies.”