Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 01 Mar, 2022 01:30 PM
VANCOUVER - A special prosecutor says British Columbia's former clerk of the legislative assembly used public funds to enrich himself in "glaring and egregious" ways.
Brock Martland made the allegation as he began closing arguments in the Crown's case against Craig James, who has pleaded not guilty to two counts of fraud over $5,000 and three counts of breach of trust.
James's defence is expected to present its case Wednesday.
Martland says that as the most senior officer of the legislature, James held a position akin to the CEO and was responsible for financial stewardship of the institution.
He accused James of acting outside of his duties by picking up a wood splitter and trailer for the legislature and storing them at home for a year, exploiting a weakness in the system to award himself a $258,000 retirement benefit and charging souvenirs to the public purse.
Martland says public trust in government officials is a critical part of a functioning democracy, and he alleged that James violated that trust.
"This case is about trust, specifically the public trust that we place in government officials," Martland told the court on Tuesday.
"Our position is that the public trust was violated repeatedly and extensively by Craig James."
Ottawa announced on Tuesday that all air travellers entering Canada, except for those coming from the U.S., would need to be tested for COVID-19 upon arrival at the airport and isolate until they get their results, even if they are fully vaccinated against the virus.
For the first time, the COVID-19 virus has been detected in Canadian wildlife. Environment Canada says the virus was detected late last month in three wild white-tailed deer in Quebec.
British Columbia's website says eligibility will expand to those 18 and older as of January and Ontario hinted earlier this week that larger segments of the population could soon be included in its booster rollout.
It's too early to say whether Canada's latest requirement to test arriving air travellers for COVID-19 will be extended to include those coming from the United States, Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said Wednesday. The federal government is in discussions with the provinces on that issue but is ready to act to implement such a requirement for incoming U.S. air travellers if necessary, he said.
Several young Canadians are taking the federal government to court in an effort to strike down the minimum voting age. They argue that denying citizens under the age of 18 the right to vote in federal elections is unconstitutional.
Mary Ng met virtually Tuesday with U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai to talk about a number of festering trade irritants, including Canada's "significant concern" with a proposed tax credit for electric vehicles.
