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."
While Canadian health authorities say recipients of a Moderna dose should not hesitate to have Pfizer-BioNTech as their second jab — or vice versa — the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has so far been reluctant to sanction the practice, saying it should only be done in "exceptional situations."
A regional politician in British Columbia's Interior is calling for more support amid a "dire" wildfire situation that he said has filled every available hotel with fleeing evacuees and stretched local security resources beyond their capacity.
VPD responded to multiple 9-1-1 calls just before 10 a.m. Monday after a security guard at a drug store near Thurlow and Davie Street was stabbed multiple times while trying to detain a shoplifter. VPD officers performed first aid until paramedics arrived and transported the victim to hospital.
79.9% (3,701,843) of eligible people 12 and older in B.C. have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 53.2% (2,464,201) have received their second dose.
Canada has extended the ban on incoming passenger flights from India for another month til August 21, 2021. The federal government is not renewing the travel ban for Pakistan.
Officials say the 14-day quarantine requirement will be waived beginning the second week of August for eligible travellers who are currently residing in the United States and have received a full course of a COVID-19 vaccine approved for use in Canada.
