Close X
Thursday, October 31, 2024
ADVT 
National

B.C. Legislature Clerk Craig James In Spending Scandal Retires As Investigation Finds Misconduct

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 16 May, 2019 06:38 PM

    VICTORIA — British Columbia's top legislative official has retired after a report by a former chief justice of the Supreme Court of Canada found he improperly claimed benefits and used legislature property for personal reasons.

     

    New Democrat House Leader Mike Farnworth told the legislature that Clerk Craig James has retired with a "non-financial" settlement.

     

    Both James and sergeant-at-arms Gary Lenz were suspended last November amid allegations of receiving improper benefits and expensing spending on personal items.

     

    In her report presented to the legislature, Beverley McLachlin found four of five administrative allegations against James were substantiated, while she said Lenz did not engage in misconduct.

     

    Farnworth says Lenz will remain on paid leave.

     
     

    Lenz and James had denied any wrongdoing, saying a report by the legislature Speaker harmed their reputation, adding that their expenses were approved.

     

    James said in a statement that he has been in public service for more than four decades and has fond memories of his time at the legislature, but he has now "had enough."

     

    "I have been publicly ridiculed and vilified. My family has been deeply hurt and continues to suffer humiliation. In an effort to put an end to that, I have decided to retire, and reach a settlement with the Legislative Assembly," he said.

     

    He added that when the allegations were disclosed to him, he provided detailed written submissions and supporting documents to the legislative assembly, but many of them are not referred to or addressed in McLachlin's report.

     

    "I believe the public has a right to see those submissions and documents, so they can know and understand the whole picture and judge the truth of these matters for themselves," he said.

     

    Lenz was set to hold a news conference later Thursday.

     

    B.C.'s Speaker, Darryl Plecas, said in a 76-page report released in January that based on what he had seen and heard at the legislature since being named Speaker in September 2017, that he felt obligated to contact the RCMP.

     

    The Speaker alleged in his report that Lenz and James engaged in inappropriate spending on personal items and foreign trips. The report also alleged inappropriate vacation pay outs and retirement allowances.

     

    Plecas told reporters Thursday that McLachlin's report is a positive first step.

     

    "We still have some way to go. We need better accountability systems," he said.

     

    Farnworth told the legislature that McLachlin noted several policy areas that the legislature needs to consider. He said the house leaders accepted all of her recommendations and he also tabled a status report detailing "considerable efforts" already undertaken by staff to address these issues.

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

    Members of the legislature voted unanimously to suspend Lenz and James last November after learning of the ongoing RCMP investigation and the appointment of two special prosecutors.

     

    Farnworth told the legislature in March that McLachlin would conduct a "confidential, impartial and independent investigation,'' and her report will be made public.

     

    McLachlin was tasked by the all-party legislative committee that oversees management of the legislature to review the Plecas report, the written responses, the legal submissions by Lenz and James and the subsequent Speaker's report on the written responses.

     

    McLachlin was also appointed to examine if the clerk and sergeant-at-arms improperly and knowingly received improper pay outs of vacation pay, improperly claimed and received retirement allowances, and improperly made purchases of a personal nature and filed expense claims to the legislature.

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Refugee Who Lost Fingers To Frostbite Pleads With MPs Not To Pass New Asylum Law

    OTTAWA — A man from Ghana who lost all his fingers to frostbite after crossing irregularly into Manitoba is pleading with MPs not to pass new refugee rules in the government's budget bill.

    Refugee Who Lost Fingers To Frostbite Pleads With MPs Not To Pass New Asylum Law

    'Motivated By Hate.' Vandals Trash Role-Playing Business In Cape Breton

    The camp, on private property near a secluded lake southeast of Sydney, has been spray-painted with homophobic slurs, crude images and obscene insults.

    'Motivated By Hate.' Vandals Trash Role-Playing Business In Cape Breton

    Caretaker Of Vacant Victoria Hotel Still Missing, Days After Blaze

    Caretaker Of Vacant Victoria Hotel Still Missing, Days After Blaze
    Victoria Fire Chief Paul Bruce said Mike Draeger, the caretaker at the former Plaza Hotel, is missing. Victoria Police want Draeger or anybody who knows of his whereabouts to contact the police.    

    Caretaker Of Vacant Victoria Hotel Still Missing, Days After Blaze

    Missing Supreme Court Justice Clement Gascon 'In Good Health,' Supreme Court Judge's Family Says

    OTTAWA — The family of Supreme Court Justice Clement Gascon says he is in good health a day after he briefly went missing.    

    Missing Supreme Court Justice Clement Gascon 'In Good Health,' Supreme Court Judge's Family Says

    Quebec Court Of Appeal Rejects Class Action Against Loto-Quebec By Ticket Buyer

    The decision announced today upholds a previous Quebec Superior Court judgment that also rejected the request.

    Quebec Court Of Appeal Rejects Class Action Against Loto-Quebec By Ticket Buyer

    Former Senator Links Hijab And Mutilation At Quebec Secularism Hearings

    Hearings into Quebec's secularism bill veered off track Thursday when a former senator drew a connection between the Muslim head scarf, female genital mutilation and forced marriage.  

    Former Senator Links Hijab And Mutilation At Quebec Secularism Hearings