The only surprise from the Legislature’s spending scandal is that a lengthy report by Speaker Darryl Plecas is public and not hidden on a back shelf awaiting years of study.
Were the last government still in power, news of misspending would be secret because culprits and their enablers feared, “We would all wear it”.
That quote could be amusing considering that taxpayers were stuck with the bill when officers went clothes shopping at London’s prestigious and oldest tailors, Ede & Ravenscroft.
More seriously, let’s remember that while Legislative personnel were blithely spending on lavish trips to exotic places, children were being denied special education services and the disabled and other underprivileged citizens of BC were suffering a decade-long freeze in assistance payments.
But, let us not miss the most important point.
This years-long financial scandal would have been impossible if BC had sunshine laws ensuring full transparency of government spending. While I applaud the decision to release Mr. Plecas’ report, I am aware the Horgan Government and its agencies still obstruct FOI requests.
I am also aware that profligacy in management of the Parliament was well known in Victoria. But, it took Darryl Plecas to make it public.
When this story broke in the Legislature, the hands of Government House Leader Mike Farnworth were reported to be shaking. Perhaps he worried about how broad would be the impacts of these outrages, once revealed.
For the same reason that previous scandals have been hushed, an honest examination of public spending might yet be derailed. It would bring a vital institution into disrepute and no politician wants that to happen.
Categories: Ethics
in-sights.ca 
Lew
My apologies I posted a response to you but for some odd reason it seemed to have vanished.
No Off Colour Language, it was very polite and I thought it was appropriate but it is not my Blog so Mr. Farrell has the Final Say.
Too bad as I thought I had explained myself quite clearly and I feel it was something that might clarify my thoughts and advance my points. I also believe I made a good argument supporting my criticism of POTUS Obama and EU Leadership, including Conservative Leader DAVID Cameron.
I was not attempting to “Lecture you on Ideology”, i was simply making an observation and state that I acknowledge the fact you have shown balance.
Next time
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Your comment yesterday was caught by Akismet spam filter.
Probably because it was long, with disconnected subjects (your business activities, “Mayor Mumbles”, Bush, Blair, Cheney, WMD, “Government Waste and Bloat”, Obama, Merkel, Hollande, Cameron, Juncker, Lofven, Renzi, ISIS, etc.) In addition, comments with links to other websites are often considered spam.
Upon review, I don’t think you were simply making an observation.
I don’t usually look at comments in the spam folder. There are simply too many.
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Perhaps this “financial malaise” is an indicator that British Columbia’s parliamentary system needs a permanent tweak to bring it into the 21st Century, i.e. replace the Clerk and Sergeant-at-Arms.
Especially since recent revelations will indeed prove the current individuals have failed in their duty to “maintain order and security”.
Call it attrition, call it modernizing, call it system evolution…whatever.
But acceptable bureaucratic replacements to an arcane system are not impossible.
Obviously the SaA would be an RCMP, as he is armed.
I doubt the Queen would object.
“…Such a system became particularly prevalent in older British dominions, many of whom had their constitutions enacted by the British parliament; examples include Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the Irish Free State and the Union of South Africa.” from here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliamentary_system
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Lew
Actually I have the answer to most of those questions I am simply bringing the questions to the attention of others, but then you know that.
Don’t know about Lew but I AM productive, I was at my Desk in Burnaby today before 5:00 AM just as I always am almost every workday of the year.
I thought someone like you might care about the questions I have asked and pointed out.
Then again I suppose you only want to be critical of or ask questions of B.C. Liberals or Federal Conservatives that have made mis-steps.
You might notice that I have also been critical of B.C. Liberals when it comes to “Speaker Gate”, is that not the responsible way to look at this very concerning abuse of Tax Payers Funds?
Have just a little balance and objective thinking Lew, it does one good.
A rather odd attitude and stance to me.
One Must Never Allow Themselves to Be Bound By a Straight Jacket of Ideology.
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BMCQ, what is rather odd is that someone would post a set of questions for which they already have the answers and call them a point of interest. What might be interesting is the answers to those questions and your point of view based on the facts you have uncovered. Some who read here may not have the time or resources to sit at their desk at 5am and chase your rhetorical questions designed in your continuing quest to shoot Mr.Plecas. But of course, most don’t own the company where the desk sits. Right?
As for balance, you have no idea how hard I’ve been on the NDP, or how many letters, e-mails, and Tweets I’ve directed to John Horgan and his crew in the past year or so. None. But I can assure you they are in the hundreds. I’ve watched your posts over the years, including one memorable review of problems in the Middle East that covered the years from Clinton through Obama without once mentioning Bush or Cheney. Don’t even attempt to lecture me on ideology.
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BMCQ, a more productive question you might have posed is whether anyone knows of a browser that has a good search engine.
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Seeing as we are all still here I have a question or two.
Why is Mr. Mullen still the Chief of Staff for Speaker Plecas?
Seems like a nice Fellow but…..
Is Wally Oppal still on the Payroll and how much was he paid. Not saying Mr. Oppal should not have been called in and he was more than likely an appropriate choice but…………………
What is the Salary of Mr. Mullen? I actually sort of like Mullen and believe he is a good communicator but……………
Why did/does Speaker Plecas want Mr. Mullen to become a Full Time Employee in the Speakers Office? As what, Clerk?
Why is that position a Life Time Appointment with a fairly healthy Salary of over $ 300 K moe than the Premier or Canadian PM Justin?
The Retirement Allowance, Does the Clerk actually have that Pay Out? IF he does, Why if he is not Retired?
Claire Trevena? “Just how Deep is the Quicksand” the Tax Payers are Standing In”?
How many more like her, Linda Reid, the Clerk, Sergeant at Arms, and the rest past and present?
Time to Peel Back the Onion and create a fully transparent Audit for the “Great Unwashed” to see and review On Line. The statement of Trevena just Stinks of Arrogance, she must be a good friend of Linda Reid. I am guessing that if true it was speaker Linda Reid that invited Trevena and her spouse on the Kenya junket.
I was in 17 different countries last year and happened to either take my Wife or flew her to a handful of destinations to visit friends or relatives. NOT ONCE did I claim her Air Travel Expenses and I can if I wish. Yes the Rooms and Meals were paid for by my company but there are certain things I pay for out of pocket because I feel it is the right thing to do.
What about Tele Conference for many of these Educational Meetings? Why are they always held in Exotic Locations when we are in Colder Months here?
The Tax Payers of B.C. deserve a Forensic Audit and they deserve it now.
I am not asking you to research all of this Norm you obviously put a great deal of time and effort into your Insights and I am quite sure your regulars appreciate your hard work very much.
I am simply asking the questions as a point of interests. my apologies if I have missed published statements on any of these.
.
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Norm
I suggest you take note of the ( ) in my statement regarding Plecas Crossing thecFloor, it was very obvious it was meant of a Figure of Speech.
You suggest I support a Corrupt Political Party. I defy you to find just ONE Political Party That has “No Mud on Their Fingers”, unfortunately Political Parties are run managed by humans and some of them are imperfect, that is a silly argumen. People that run Political Parties can be stupid, naive, uneducated, ill informed, mislead, and corrupt, that is unfortunately what happens when humans are involved.
I await your list of those Political Parties that are not flawed or were/are once corrupt to use your term. Then I will introduce you to DAVE Stupich, one person that brought great shame to what was basically a good Political Party.
I too want severe penalties including a Criminsl Conviction for the Clerk, the Sergeant, Reid if it is warranted and anyone else but IMHO and those opinions of a few others I trust not much will take place unless there is more damning evidence and frankly I hope that exists.
It is elementary that if more fraud, theft (don’t rule that out) or other misappropriation took place the charged individuals should be prosecuted to the greatest extent of the law possible. I have absolutely NO sympathy for thieves, unfortunately I have been affected greatly by more serious events involving theft and a home invasion that resulted in a death.
Again, good for Plecas but I believe mistakes were made, I am always more than happy to admit a mistake or evolve on any issue. I never consider it harmful if I find myself being proven wrong.
You do not know me but I am not influenced quite as easily as you might think, my background dictates I would not be influenced by many in the media, just how many of them might One respect? As an example CKNW has morphed into CKNDP, talk about Partisan Media. Yikes! Would you consider them anything but Partisan? The PD There is quickly turning thevonce Great Top Dog into a Dead Dog. Mackin is fine but is certainly not God and neither are Plecas and Mullen.
Lew
Not Grandstanding at all, simply passing on an opinion from two CP I happen to know, if you do not wish to accept that it is fine with me. It should be more than obvious that no CP would like to be named and have their opinion on this made public. Surely you can accept that. Perhaps it might be better that you consider me to be untruthful, your choice. I introduced that into the conversation to give credibility to my comment, my apologies if it does not float your boat. You do not know me from Adam so I suppose you might have a question and that is understandable.
I truly hope that unlike all other Government Investigations the Public gets pertinent information sooner than later so we can understand the full story and at least understand exactly what took place.
I believe you might soon hear many opinions from some in the Legal Community that suggest nothing will stick to any of those involved past and present and that would be a sad thing.
We can only hope regardless of which Party we support, even if it might happen to be the Corrupt B.C. Liberals that the whole truth comes out.
One thing for sure as Barb suggests the System is Broken and the People of B.C. Deserve better.
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I have neither the inclination nor the legal experience — as BMCQ surmises — to argue my case other than to state my disgust as a taxpayer.
Your procedural reasoning equates to semantics.
I contend we believe the system is broken and that, in itself, is the beginning of change.
Speaker Plecas’ considerable experience likely led him to believe the avenues open to him were insufficient–indeed vague and ineffective–to thwart the continuation of abuse.
B.C. Rail fiasco? Basi/Virk legal expenses?
Senator Duffy’s “trial”?
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Lew
As you might know I am a B.C. Libeal Supporter and feel Plecas did the wrong thing by Crossing the Floor (let’s not parse words or be too technical here) and I really questioned his motives. Was it Power, Prestige, Salary, or perhaps all three. Trust me I would have also questioned a Green or NDP if they did the same thing, it simply just gives me an uneasy feeling and being the Speakers Position it causes me even more concern. It is not something I would do but that is me.
It also appears to me and this is only an opinion but Plecas appears to be somewhat Fragile to be Speaker.
As stated I am very pleased Plecas did what he did in exposing the wrong doing and bringing in the RCMP, IMHO Clark and Lenz should be terminated and sued civily to return every Taqx Payer Penny they took.
As stated I also feel that Linda Reid is/was involved as she proved she would help herself to Tax Payer Funds by taking her Husband to SA. I do not care which Party Brand one represents if they Steal or abuse Tax Payer Funds they deserve everything we can do Legally.
The Speaker is in fact responsible to the People of B.C. and I am still of the opinion I posted up the page. In my opinion he took an risk with his ill advised Investigation and a Crown Prosecutor I know agrees. I fully understand that Plecas thought he was doing the right thing and I may be wrong but I believe most in the Justice System would agree with me. I am not attempting tio vilify Plecas I am simply stating an opinion that I feel strongly about.
I suggest you ask yourself why the Crown has declined to review his report, your words, I am not sure about that.
Horgan stated that he attempted to say something about this while on a Committee which is fine, if he felt that strongly why did he not step forward and bring it to the attention of the Media? That would have certainly create3d a discussion.
IMO Lenz and Clark will not face Prosecution and they may even receive Severance and the so called Pension which I find disgusting, why would Plecas not go to the RCMP and the Auditor General first and they may have completed a “Sting” type investigation it it was possible.
I still feel that Plecas should not have taken the Junkets as there was more than enough evidence as we are all aware but again that is my opinion.
I also after knowing the circumstances of Lenz and Clark feel that they should have been called into his Office and along with the Auditor General Plecas should have Suspended the Pair at the appropriate time, once the RMP had concluded an Official Investigation.
I do not think the “Perp Walk” was advisable. Again, my opinion.
I still believe that what Plecas did was unadvisable and what he did is different than what I suggested.
I am not continuing to “Shoot” at Plecas, I made one Post on this Blog and then began to defend my comments after commentary from you and Barb. That is factual.
I hope very much that the two Offenders (Yes) get what they deserve and I hope they feel Shame, I also would like to see this Investigation go back many years and I want to see real change as there was with MLA’s Salaries and Perks several years ago. Transparency and Accountability is a MUST.
the Salaries and Benefits along with the Life Time Appointment of the Clerk needs to be dealt with immediately Tax Payers and Business in B.C. are already burdened with the Highest Rents, Mortgages, Property Purchase Tax, Property Tax, Speculation Tax, Vacancy Tax, ICBC, than anywhere else in the Country they should not be required to pay for Wood Splitters, Suits, Cufflinks, Hats, Gold Plated Travel, Meals, and the rest. Entitlement makes me sick.
Again, I challenge anyone to bring forward a Crown Prosecutor that would agree how Plecas carried out the investigation the way he did.
I await the word from the Crown Prosecutor. I would be very happy to stand corrected.
I stated up the page that I believe we must immediately to take steps to invoke Term Limits for B.C. provincial and Municipal Politicians, Two Four Year Terms.
In closing, I believe Plecas felt he was doing the right thing but………………..
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BMCQ, your arguments would be more credible if you didn’t resort to misinformation.
Plecas did not cross the floor. He agreed to serve as Speaker, a role which is supposed to be politically neutral. For willingness to serve our Legislative Assembly, your favourite party booted him and mounted a campaign to discredit and recall him.
Every reasonable person (Liberals generally excluded) wants complete transparency of government spending, whistleblower protection, strong laws establishing duty to document and freedom of information. Liberals, despite promising those thing while campaigning, refused to establish the appropriate laws. Instead, they perfected triple delete and post-it-note documentation.
Regardless of those facts, you defend and support a corrupt political party
Many want severe sanctions including criminal punishment if courts establish guilt of people who took advantage of public trust. Termination and civil actions are inadequate if fraud and misappropriation occurred.
Perhaps you’re overly influenced by partisan coverage of corporate media punditry that are partisan. Bob Mackin reveals many examples in “B.C. media elites let down the public when they put down Plecas, Mullen“
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BMCQ, your statement about the special prosecutors declining to read the report indicates to me that you haven’t fully read the Plecas report. It might be a good idea for you to do so.
As for the Crown prosecutor of your acquaintance that thinks Plecas was ill advised to investigate the activities of individuals he had a legislated duty to manage and supervise, I would remind you that it is you who raised the issue. Your credibility on the subject would be enhanced if you named that individual rather than grandstanding with challenges to others to achieve the very unlikely prospect of getting a Crown prosecutor to weigh in publicly on this matter at this, or any stage of the process.
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The Nanaimo bi-election will end in a tie on provincial Wednesday. Then there will be the call for recounts and voter cheating, spoiled ballots. Another six months of RCMP investigations, cover ups, millions spent and no one taking responsibility. Innocent, until proven guilty. Lawyers do very well. Everyone involved will get their pay cheques and percentage increases. The speculation tax will be found unnecessary as it costs more than it produces.
The Federal 2019 election will end up as a tie or close minority. Millions will be spent and little accomplished.
A provincial non-condfidence vote will lead to an early provincial election 2020. Millions spent, little accomplished. Several MLA’s will not run again but will be retiring, entitled to generous pensions. Daryl Plecas will step aside not wishing to be tainted.
… “Charges pending” but can’t speak in public … new improved government with new rules promised … millions spent, little accomplished.
“Liar, liar, pants on fire … but no one can put out the dumpster fire” … Will be the chant.
Welcome to the Crap Game of BC politics. Like a government Casino,
the House always wins, the taxpayer always loses.
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BMCQ, your main thesis here is that Speaker Plecas committed grave errors in the way he handled his duty to the public. A thorough reading (and as Barb points out – comprehension) of at least the executive summary of his report, coupled with a fundamental understanding of the Speaker’s role and responsibility should have disabused you of writing:
“Plecas should have called a meeting with the Premier, the RCMP, the Auditor General, and Government Legal Council informing them of his concerns while at the same time providing names of employees, former employees, documentation of suspicious expenses, affidavids/statements, any physical evidence, and anything else he deemed important. Should Opposition Leader Wilkinson have been included in that meeting? Possibly and probably as that would ensure balance and transparency.”
The Speaker is responsible to the Legislative Assembly, not the Premier or the leader of the Official Opposition. The Constitution Act and the Legislative Assembly Management Committee Act prescribe the manner in which he should interact with the assembly concerning the issues at hand. He followed them correctly. He consulted legal counsel. He contacted the RCMP as the employer of the two permanent officers, and presented evidence of his concerns, although in light of your comments about wrongly hiring an assistant it is remarkable that you think he could have gathered the nature and amount of evidence you suggest he should have provided. The Attorney General’s office was then involved and appointed two special prosecutors under the Crown Counsel Act. They have declined the opportunity to review the interim report, so his investigation plays no role in their determinations.
He also resisted calls to make the evidence he had public. You will recall Mary Polak screaming from the rooftops that he make it public. His report was properly presented to the committee in camera and only became public after the Legislative Assembly Management Committee voted that it be done.
It therefore seems that he did in fact do exactly what you suggest he should have done, within applicable protocols he was bound to follow, and exercised more caution than members of the Official Opposition and the media were demanding.
Why keep shooting at him?
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Barb
Without having the benefit of all details of the potential theft by the SAA and Clerk we are simply speculating whether we have read the report or not.
I do not know what your background or experience is with potential theft, investigation, gathering evidence, laying charges after presenting evidence to the Crown but I do have some experience with just that.
Plecas deserves thanks and credit for his actions and taking the initiative to expose abuse of Tax Payers Funds but his methods were flawed, especially for someone who is a ?Criminologist.
I have absolutely no intention of Shooting the Messenger and I support Plecas in his courageous steps but he was wrong in the way he handled it and could have compromised the investigation/evidence/case. He was wrong to hire Mullen, and Plecas was wrong to partake in the travel and purchase of goods with Tax Payer Money.
Plecas should have called a meeting with the Premier, the RCMP, the Auditor General, and Government Legal Council informing them of his concerns while at the same time providing names of employees, former employees, documentation of suspicious expenses, affidavids/statements, any physical evidence, and anything else he deemed important. Should Opposition Leader Wilkinson have been included in that meeting? Possibly and probably as that would ensure balance and transparency.
I can guarantee you the Two Special Prosecutors would still get to the bottom of this case and there would be less chance of something going wrong.
I believe we can assume that abuse has gone on in that office for decades and unfortunately there might not even be charges against the two suspended Legislature Officers as the Rules Governing them are Lax and in fact might not exist.
Farnworth, the Government, The Liberals, and the Greens need to overhaul all Spending Rules in the B.C. Legislature and they should have started last Fall.
The Tax Payers of B.C. Need to have confidence in the Legislature, they need Transparency and Accountability from all that work there.
“Shooting The Messenger”, My Ass!
I defy you to produce a single Crown Prosecutor that would Support the actions of Plecas and Mullen.
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Great discussion here!
I’m confident that Mr. Plecas will be able to stave off the recall campaign, mounted by his detractors in Abbotsford. Surely there are many honourable voters in Abbotsford, who will refuse to sign the petition.
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As e.a.f. points out, the Legislature only sits for a couple of months a year. What did the Clerk and Sargent-at-Arms do the other 8 months? Apparently they didn’t take holidays.
Perhaps they conjured up these freebies and junkets because they had too much time on their hands. And in desperation (to keep busy) they turned to wood chopping. (For the Legislature of course – do they still burn wood in that building?)
I’m no longer aghast, I’m disgusted!
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to BMCQ:
“Plecas handed the Investigation very poorly and he looks absolutely complicit by taking advantage of the travel and rewards of consumer goods. Stupid.”
————————————————
Really? REALLY?
If you would read the entire 76-page report, page by page, you’d learn the truth, and that Plecas was not “taking advantage of the travel and rewards of consumer goods.”
Comprehension! He explains it.
And some of us not only “get it”, we understand implicitly what is meant by his words.
Plecas is an honourable man.
And he may be the only elected official about whom that can be said.
Time will tell.
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Well said Barb.
Some cannot resist shooting the messenger, even if they are shooting blanks.
Although pronouncing that nothing done was illegal in the face of an ongoing and incomplete police investigation aided by two special prosecutors while at the same time calling for a forensic audit indicates some live ammo is being used. For shooting one’s own feet.
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Some people have a problem with ‘foot in mouth disease’ and it would behoove them not to shoot while the foot is in the mouth.
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When we speak of elite, traditionally we heard it in terms of elite sports, elite military, meaning the best of the best. They competed at an “elite” level. In the recent past we have heard it used in reference to people who have a lot of money. It maybe they are financial elites, but it does not make them elite people. they are a bunch of god dam crooks, as my Mother used to say. Of course my Mom used the term when I was a very young child and they used to have only the radio in most homes.
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It’s begun to hurt , and Wilkinson say “put down the swords” as he tries to lie his way out for the party. “What have we done wrong” is the pretense they behave with.
Many I’m sure know exactly where to put swords into these dragons.
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My understanding of these “elites” which drives you crazy is because that is how they portray themselves socially. All it takes is money they think to assume the pretension of being superior.
The don’t walk around saying “We are Crooks” socially.
So refreshing to hear the words “Crooks” again.
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The articles and comments refer to “elites”. Please don’t do that. They ARE NOT ELITES. THEY’RE A BUNCH OF GOD DAM CROOKS and abusers of systems to enrich themselves, allegedly.
One of my pet peeves has always been the $12K each and every MLA receives for a “housing allowance”, no receipts required. More than enough has been written about that. Only Vickie Huntingdon did it right, billed the government for her hotel room when she was in Victoria. Only she had an expense of under 2K a year and did not accept the “housing allowance”. With “entitlements” such as these, people begin to feel very entitled to all sorts of things.
While all these MLAs receive the housing allowance, Christy Clark was deducting nickel for nickel the support children received from their non custodial parents, leaving some and their custodial parent to live on $1,200 a month. It has always been the pale of things, that governments expect people to live on less than the poverty line but they themselves need $12K a year as a housing allowance. during the “reign” by the B.C. Lieberals the Leg frequently didn’t sit for more than 2 months a year.
Having read comments by R Issak over the past few years, he struggles as does his wife. It may come as a surprise but to die in dignity at home costs money which the government is forever saying they don’t have. Well in my opinion there would be enough money for palliative care at home and for kids, if the government officials stopped wasting money on themselves.
We need an inquiry into it all and that includes going back to 2008 when changes were made on how logging companies operated and benefited. From what I have gathered Eby and Farnsworth are in favour of an inquiry, Horgan is fence sitting and Meggs is against it.
To my favorite political party: FIRE MEGGS AND GET ON WITH THE INQUIRY. Meggs, what ever his talent is, isn’t worth it. You can find some one else. Some times politicians hire people who know where all the bodies are buried to give them an edge. In this case I’d suggest Meggs is one of the bodies, allegedly.
While Meggs and Robertson were on Vancouver City council the City went from almost liveable to unaffordable for most Canadians. They did nothing to stop it and did everything to encourage development. they had a nice routine, claiming they were Green and installing bike lanes while all the while destroying the city for the humans who once lived there. All Meggs and Robertson had to do was impose zoning which slowed things down or brought it to a halt. Any inquiry into B.C. Corruption and money laundering ought to take a very long look at Vancouver real estate and that won’t turn out well for Robertson or Meggs, So FIRE MEGGS and get the inquiry going.
this money laundering has seeped into every facet of our lives in this province. Casino “earnings” have been handed out as rewards to towns, who “host” the casinos so we all benefited from these crimes of money laundering. At some level it would not surprise me, that was always the intention. Sell it to the citizens so they benefit in some small way. Right now the BCLC is running adds about how we all benefit from casinos. NO WE DO NOT. Stop the ads, they’re a waste of money. In my opinion its another way of fighting against an inquiry because god forbid if they money stops coming into the community or charity, etc. If all the money went into general venue and politicians and their friends stopped helping themselves to this money and corporations had to pay their fare share, B.C. would have all the money it might need. We have charities because the government refuses to fund services. The negative impact of money laundering via casinos, high end luxury goods, and real estate isn’t worth the slimy casinos and the rot they have brought upon this province.
Thanks for letting me rant, I feel so much better now.
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An excellent Rant! I agree with much of what you have stated, it is indeed time for a complete Forensic Audit on many issues you have pointed out.
I also agree with you on Meggs, I am sure he has a lot to hide.
As to then”Elite” comments, I disagree somewhat with you on that. We all have varying definitions of “Elites” but I believe a term that might best describe it is “Entitled” which includes those of any party or income level that abuses the system or takes advantage of the Tax Payer, Charity, or other worthwhile organization.
Keep in mind the Theft of Tax Payer Money and Donations that Portland Hotel Townsend and others in the organization from those in need on the DES in Vancouver, they were “Elites” in their own way and they all escaped with out any real accountability and those in need did without.
Getting back to the Speakers Case, i would agree that a Forensic Audit is in order and it should go back 15 years. I believe LINDA Reid is up to her neck in much of the abuse of Tax Payers Money.
Plecas handed the Investigation very poorly and he looks absolutely complicit by taking advantage of the travel and rewards of consumer goods. Stupid.
I am sure there will be much evidence of abuse with no penalty forthcoming as under current rules and structure of the Speakers Office nothing done was illegal.
Time for more accountability, stricter rules with a full accounting and public display of Audited Expenses on line.
While we are at it I would like to see someone, anyone, in any Political Party Demand That Government Pass Legislation of Term Limits for Provincial and Municipal Politicians in B.C., it would be the first step in doing away with the sense of “Entitlement” almost all Politicians of any Brand seem to have as time goes on.
All Parties need new blood, fresh ideas, and the Tax Payer does not need the same politicians becoming too comfortable with the Trappings of Public Office.
Two Four Terms should be enough for anyone of any Party.
Increase their Salaries by 50% and do away with the Pensions, the increase in Salary will allow the Elected Official to Fund their own Pension and when their Two Terms is up the Tax Payer is Free of them.
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While battling the Health ministry for continuance of my wife’s palliative care benefits as she spirals towards her demise. this as a reward for beating insurmountable odds and with 4 & 1/2 years of 100% altruistic care by myself, as I sit and watch this instance of appointed elites & elected officials feigning indifference while employing many empty talking points for purely exculpatory reasons, I’m disgusted!
The Horgan chief of staff, has a track record for obfuscation, this is easily ascertained from all the communications staffers required in the CoV when he was a Councillor, no doubt some employed to just protect elected and appointed officials from further scrutiny, I wonder about openness, accountability and the public’s right to know the details of the people’s business? The Liberals had Laura the digital eraser, the NDP have not improved the impeded flow of pertinent information in any real, tangible way, why?
We the people, have the right to know accurately what is being done by our government and the bureaucracy they manage on our behalf, this should never be forgotten, never become subject to obfuscation or deflection. While I sit and battle for a few paltry hundreds to maintain the level of support for my wife, I see largess, entitlement and waste in the very place we the people are under the impression our affairs are managed in an accountable and honorable fashion.
More than just vomit inducing, revolting in every aspect, time for an immediate thorough and independent investigation from an entity far removed from all BC elected officials of every stripe, now!
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I believe Mr. Plecas is a honourable and honest man.
James and Lenz should be charged with fraud by the RCMP, and go to jail.
As other corruption/fraud is uncovered, charge the individual(s).
Keep going.
The people who were fired for “questioning” the expenses should be immediately reinstated with compensation.
We need to prove to our kids that the way we taught them is correct.
Be honest and decent.
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I don’t think the politicians protect each other but socially what you know has a political nature to it, and so……. What to do about seems then to be a complex issue. There are many wonderfully publically spirited people in the house who perhaps have no place to turn to feel safe.
I don’t think its a very casual social scene where these kind of events can be dealt easily with on one’s own. You’d have to tell someone then…..
Tell us!
We own the Legislature in prinicple, and I don’t think we like frightening people.
But we do like entertainment.
Any investigation I think has to be outside the legislature. It’s like a who done it mystery one ought to watch on Knowledge Network. It could be as popular as any of those English murder mystery about the dysfunctional English etlie.
One notices 90% of those programs involve well off people in crime harbouring some secret.
One suspenseful question is the record of that pension payout of $256.000 which was destroyed I think when… was it Linda Ried in oversite of finances then?
Thank goodness someone kept a copy of it thinking it may be useful some day.
What did that mean???
There’s a story there for sure.
Its time for Spring House Cleaning.
Its so curiuos this corruption.
I guess The RCMP escorted those two out of the Legislature so records of evidence would not be wiped out?
Of course the consequence of this corruption hurts a lot of innocent people who have a stake in democracy through voting for our legislature. If nothing is done here in conducting a forensic audit you can kiss democracy , and those good people who make it up goodbye.
This is what is at stake.
May as well put an entertainment spin on it, and celebrate we are doing something about it over drinks than be complacent.
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Politicians protecting politicians from the public ire regardless of party.?
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Why even ask what will the NDP’s legacy be? I think the age we live in now has moved beyond those gentler human aspirations which inspired democracy to do what was right.. Nice sentiment however, and to know what is possible should never be discouraged.
The NDP were in opposition all those years when the corruption going on, and what did they do?
Surely stories were about which required a curiousity to look into. As in people being fired without due cause!
Where is Labour justice in evidence there? Surely they would of noticed.
I’m not waiting for the politics in the legislature to leap this hurdle of finding out what went wrong, and when.
No confidence left here.
Just hoping for a surprise move, and I’ve begun asking the Dogwood Initiative to start a petition asking for all expenses of the legislature to go on line for the sake of transparancy.
Normans idea.
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This one small snapshot of life at the ledge, as revealing as it is, will look like small change in the petty cash drawer if the leads and loose threads from this cursory report are thoroughly pursued forensically. It will become a wall mural that will have many scrambling to get the hell out of the family portrait.
Imagine the size of the picture if John Horgan ever established a public corruption inquiry.
In that regard, Mr. Horgan has been wringing his hands about how long that would take and how reports that result from inquiry commissions usually wind up on a shelf gathering dust. His self- excusatory bleating is nonsense.
There is no requirement for the government or law enforcement officials to sit frozen on their keisters while a public inquiry operates. If a witness testifies in public that he or she knows there was skullduggery involved in award of a contract for instance, the authorities can start following up on it immediately. So can any journalist empowered and inclined to start looking for the truth. No one has to wait for the final report to act in the public interest. Heads can start rolling quickly once an inquiry starts rolling. Similarly there is no way in the world we have to wait on another German report to establish an inquiry.
As for the final report sitting on a shelf, Mr. Horgan should stop and give that some thought. If he orders the commission, he will get the report. Is he telling us he will put it on the shelf, or is he saying he doesn’t plan to be around when it is delivered?
Norm brings up the very important issue of damaged institutions. The BC Liberals have sullied the reputation of several independent public institutions with their tawdry actions. One of those is the traditional impartiality expected of the Attorney General in the exercise of administration of the law.
That office, already wounded when David Eby arrived, is now being severely tested. We witness the spectacle of Mr. Eby being kept in the dark and blindsided by his federal counterparts on matters like prosecutions and police reports. We get media reports that say Mr. Eby wants government to establish a public corruption inquiry but the Premier and his chief of staff are resisting. And we get “kick the can down the road” reports like the German report that said absolutely nothing that law enforcement and government didn’t already know.
This is the tipping point. If the NDP does not establish the only forum that will get the truth out and restore trust in our public institutions, the opportunity will be forever lost. Because the BC Liberals or whatever they’ll rebrand themselves as next will never do it.
Mr. Horgan? Mr. Eby? The rest of the NDP caucus? What will be your legacy?
.
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We do have an elite problem, and I think it best to start here with these persons, as the bigger issues always seem to escape discussion. I notice elites only care about a sense of their own entitlement, and democracy with any transparant discussion to it ends up way down on the list as being important.
Hoping this investigation goes on ,and on, and on until something constructive happens like Norm’s suggestion to put all expenses on line.
The 256K retirement payout sounds really criminal. Under the Liberals watch too. Accomplices in crime, lets investigate that too.
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Why does someone who has a lifetime appointment receive a retirement payout?
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What has happened at the legislature is nothing more than base entitlement by the elites.
Some years back, the Eye did some voluntary work for a charity, after the event and sweat and tears, the 25 odd volunteers gathered for a hamburger Bar-B-Q for thank you, nothing wrong with that and the cost for meat and pop, couple of hundred dollars.
The 12 person executive, well that was a different story, they ate at a well know eatery and the bill was in excess of $6,000 including a few bottles of Dom, paid for by the charity!
Needless to say, I ceased to volunteer.
The moral of the story is that those who consider themselves elite, have elite tastes and expect the non elite to pay for them.
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This is a distraction from the bigger issues , including the massive money laundering scandal.
This is all about elites, keeping up with elites, spending the taxpayer’s money.
But after the hype and hoopla, this peanuts compared to the $2 billion per year money laundering scandal or Site C, where billions are being wasted on a dam with a foundation so weak it may collapse at any moment; or the proposed $7 billion dollar subway to UBC, being built so the UBC Donns can sell off University lands to land speculators and land developers to build high-rise condos to sell to international money launderer’s, to further launder their casino washed cash.
Don’t get me wrong, what has happened in the legislature is damning, but on the scale of things, it is peanuts.
What really burns me, is listening to an ‘NW hostess, gush over the new mayor of Vancouver, who fast looking like the reincarnation of Vision Vancouver, with nothing more than puff questions and ooh’s and aah’s at his answers.
Distrusting.
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Its so nice to read here in the comments how some people can summarize past events.
What a treat to read.
I think it’s going to take more details of what the money was spent on to blow this scandal up by giving us something of relevance to talk with.
Were these tailors for the Queen or Teresa May, Boris Johnson??
I want more real life details like the woodsplitter story.
Instead of the politicians wanting to keep it quiet to preserve a dignity to the legislature they should be campaigning to bring transparancy.
The mainstream feels like the hush of death for democracy. It could be they are just very ignorant about what it is.
We need a reboot on democracy.
As they haven’t until now, until the independent MLA Plecas has spoken up.The parties are tainted now, and can only benefit in our estimation by speaking up for reform.
Things really slide around in the legislature once on this slippery slope of grease so you have $2 billion in laundered money inflating house prices , and the Liberals barely blink an eye, and the NDP choose to bring out a speculation tax to solve the problem with many innocent people required to fill out residency forms forever to prove their innocence.
It’s time for reform!
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If the Plecas report is just the tip of the ice berg, which I believe it is, then a full audit is necessary. As a previous poster wrote while referring to Christy Clark’s trips to Asia………..I recall on one of those trips there was some real complaints about the cost of her hotel rooms. People who travelled for business to these cities said good accommodation could be had for less and quoted some of the prices. What struck me at the time was the room service bill of $700 and change. People wondered what that was all about. My guess is this, hotels with shops, will send things up to the room. If you have it sent up at the same time as your meal you sign the slip and its all one. So shopping can be done under the guise of having room service. Now all of us know breakfast for one or two isn’t $700 and change. Back then all an enterprising reporter would have had to do is check to see if the hotel had a gift shop and what cost around the $600/700 mark.
if those two guys are any e.g. of what goes on in Victoria, Eby or some one, Plecas needs to have an audit, investigation conducted. Let the chips fall where they may. Its my tax dollars those ass holes went shopping with. A log splitter! A LOG SPLITTER, I can’t get over the brazen behaviour of that one. A Log Splitter at over $2K, OMG. I’d really like to see the explanation on that one. I’d suggest that their other shopping may well have been what members of government did and hence Christie’s little breakfast of $700 and change, but a log splitter, that is the one thing I can’t get over. a goddam log splitter……..really…………….
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Years ago the New York Times published an in depth article on the Wild West Politics of Christy Clark. We all knew the BC Government was full of self serving criminals……but the fear mongering of the BC Liberals worked for them for years.
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There is nothing like.a scandal to take the heat off the Nanaimo bielection. Voters should be questioning the unnecessary construction of Site C Dam, the negative billing technique of empty houses, Uber/Link postponement, identies of those involved in casino money laundering, opioid distribution, the insider trading of B.C. Rail sale and reasons behind BC Health firings.
Remember all the unnecessary foreign trips by Christy Clark “just doing her job”, the photo op entourage, yoga on the Vancouver bridge closure, Mt Polley Dam breach without environmental penalties, useless Royalty agreements, Teachers and Nurses contract agreements cancelled, the billion $ sale of the Retirement Concepts retirement homes to foreigners hidden by numbered companies.
Our pockets have been picked so often – that we have holes, yet we let it happen.
Hopefully, the Speaker and Sargeant at Arms will now “unload the dirt” from the back room deals.
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