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."
John McKay, a Toronto Liberal MP and chair of the House public safety committee, said the Mounties are a globally known Canadian icon, but it's time to acknowledge the RCMP's "quasi-military" existence is not working for all Canadians.
British Columbia's legal cannabis operators will be allowed to deliver directly to buyers starting on July 15. Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth says the government wants to shrink the illegal market and allowing delivery to consumers is an advantage retailers have said they need.
In order for the petition to succeed, setting off the referendum, signatures from at least 10 per cent of the registered voters in each of British Columbia’s 87 electoral districts must be collected within 90 days of the petition's start.
Jamal, who would be the first person of colour to sit on the top court, was a longtime litigator before becoming a judge of the Ontario Court of Appeal two years ago.
Public Services and Procurement Canada says construction on the traditional seat of the House of Commons is expected to wrap before 2032, with a cost of between $4.5 billion and $5 billion.
A 50-year-old West Vancouver woman is lucky to have walked away with only a ticket, after she lost control outside an elementary school and crashed through a fence, narrowly missing children playing nearby.
