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."
The two pharmaceutical companies had been delivering about 2 million shots per week through the month of May, but will increase that to 2.4 million doses per week starting on Monday.
The minimum wage in British Columbia jumps to $15.20 an hour on June 1, making it the highest rate of any province in Canada. A statement from the Ministry of Labour says the rate climbs 60 cents per hour Tuesday, while the minimum wage for liquor servers will increase $1.25 per hour to match the minimum wage.
The Black Entrepreneurship Loan Fund will provide loans of up to $250,000 for businesses that are majority Black-owned, or entrepreneurs for their startups or existing for-profit small businesses.
Trudeau offered sombre words today about the remains of 215 children on the grounds of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School, calling it "heartbreaking news."
Officials say there has been a COVID-19 outbreak at a long-term care facility, Brookside Lodge in Surrey, where one resident and a staff member have tested positive.
British Columbia's Conservation Officer Service says Canadian National Railway has entered a guilty plea in a Prince Rupert court for failing to obtain the needed authorization to apply pesticide along its tracks.
