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."
Kay is also accused of assault in connection with an incident that occurred October 21 at the Pan Pacific Hotel. In that case, a man was arrested after he allegedly threatened to stab a stranger with a needle.
Loblaw Companies Ltd. and Metro Inc. released their latest financial results on Wednesday, offering a glimpse at the inflationary pressures and labour challenges hitting the grocery industry.
Abbotsford Mayor Henry Braun detailed some of the rescue efforts for farm animals happening in his Fraser Valley community during a news conference where he announced an evacuation order for 1,100 homes in the Sumas Prairie area.
Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth says supplies of food, cots and blankets are being delivered to the town of Hope, which is helping nearly 1,100 people. On Tuesday, RCMP recovered the body of a woman from a landslide across Highway 99 near Lillooet.
Statistics Canada said Wednesday that the annual pace of inflation in October rose to 4.7 per cent, the largest year-over-year gain since February 2003.
Canadians should expect to see one test message from their provincial or territorial emergency management organization over television, radio, and compatible wireless devices at 12:55 p.m. EST.
