A City of Surrey statement that paints a grim picture of its current debt load has perplexed political scientists, leaving some wondering if it's a political ploy gone wrong. But according to the city's financial report from December 2017, the debt load is about half — $267 million. "It suggests to me that McCallum wasn't up on the fiscal situation of the city," said Hamish Telford, an associate professor of political science at the University of the Fraser Valley. "The new government comes in and says 'Oh, that the previous government was concealing the true fiscal situation with creative accounting practices.' "He came in with plans to spend more rather than less so it's a little bit curious that he's decrying the fiscal situation of his own city," Telford said.

Source: CBC News November 28, 2018 19:41 UTC