'Can never happen again': Political reaction to court ruling in B.C. legislature spending scandal
'Can never happen again': Political reaction to court ruling in B.C. legislature spending scandal
'Can never happen again': Political reaction to court ruling in B.C. legislature spending scandal
The legislative spending scandal started with a moment many won't soon forget: The top official, who was supposed to be appointed for life, being escorted out of the building and placed on administrative leave.
Premier John Horgan said that started a dark chapter for many who work at the legislature.
"It was a difficult time for the people who worked here," said Horgan, adding: "It was definitely a blow to all of those who care about this place."
With allegations of lavish spending and few controls of how taxpayer dollars were being used, public confidence was shaken. The Legislative Assembly Management Committee faced questions about whether top officials spent taxpayer dollars like it was the Wild West.
Government house leader Mike Farnworth is on that committee.
"I think all of us in this building were disappointed by the events that took place. It was a very sad day for this institution," he told reporters on Wednesday, after former legislature clerk Craig James was found guilty of fraud and breach of trust.
Farnworth also pointed to work that's been happening to tighten controls and proactively and publicly disclose expenses.
That includes new spending controls, strengthened workplace policies, more oversight and clear direction on accountabilities.
Farnworth called the changes "significant," saying they will "ensure what happened with Mr. James can never happen again."
For months, then speaker Darryl Plecas battled to prove the wrongdoing he saw was criminal. He asked for independent reports to verify the claims.
The new speaker, Raj Chouhan, wasn't available for an interview. In a statement, he outlined many of the activities taking place to make sure taxpayer dollars are spent with care.
The statement reads, in part: “With enhanced oversight and increased transparency, we are a leader in parliamentary governance in Canada.”
Given the breach of trust and fraud convictions, asking the public to have faith may be a big ask.
The U.S. Supreme Court has ended the nation's constitutional protections for abortion that had been in place nearly 50 years in a decision by its conservative majority to overturn Roe v. Wade. Friday's outcome is expected to lead to abortion bans in roughly half the states.
Canadian politicians are responding to the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to end constitutional protections for abortion, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau calling the news 'horrific.'
Canadian advocates are cautioning against complacency regarding abortions protections in place in Canada, after the U.S. Supreme court voted to overturn Roe v. Wade on Friday.
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After going for drinks this week, an unnamed worker lost a USB flash drive containing the personal details of every resident of the Japanese city of Amagasaki, according to a statement from the city's government.
A new study has found that breast cancer can metastasize more efficiently while people are sleeping, a finding researchers say could 'significantly change' the way cancer is diagnosed and treated.
British Columbia's police watchdog is investigating after a man suffered medical distress while in RCMP custody in Campbell River, B.C., and later died.
A nurse and sexual health educator from Nanaimo, B.C., says she's "heartbroken" about the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn its Roe V. Wade ruling, allowing for individual states to ban abortions.
A 42-year-old man, accused of impaired driving causing the death of a young Alberta couple, was supposed to appear at a Drumheller, Alta. courtroom for his first appearance but a glitch resulted in the proceedings being delayed.
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team has determined Calgary Police Service officers did not commit an offence during the attempted arrest of a suspect who fell five-storeys to her death.
The U.S. Supreme Court has ended the nation's constitutional protections for abortion that had been in place nearly 50 years in a decision by its conservative majority to overturn Roe v. Wade. Friday's outcome is expected to lead to abortion bans in roughly half the states.
An Edmonton MLA who admitted he used the premier's birth date to "hack" Alberta's COVID-19 records system has been charged under the province's Health Information Act.
A Member of Parliament from rural Alberta went live on Facebook Friday to celebrate a United States Supreme Court vote to end constitutional protections for abortion.
Canadian politicians are responding to the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to end constitutional protections for abortion, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau calling the news 'horrific.'
The Toronto Transit Commission is facing nearly $3 million worth of wrongful dismissal lawsuits filed by former employees in conjunction with its mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy implemented late last year.
Those who know the debate most intimately said there's little nuance to be found in Quebec Premier Legault's arguments about Quebec's immigration model. 'Every time it's as painful as it is the first time,' said a spokesperson for a Sikh group.
A second legal challenge has been filed against Bill 96, focusing on a rule requiring corporations to translate -- at their own cost -- court documents into French. This could include First Nations, one-person businesses, charities and all sorts of groups. Lawyers argue the rule is unconstitutional.
A group of students from a school in Winnipeg’s River Park South neighbourhood were involved in a ‘pepper spray incident’ while riding to school on a Winnipeg Transit bus, says a local school division.
A woman at the centre of a child abuse case took the stand in her own trial. She told court why her nephews were found in an empty room, locked shut with rope.
Nearly a week after a shooting that led to a community-wide lockdown, RCMP are advising that there will be an increased police presence in La Ronge over the weekend as the investigation into the incident continues.
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Twenty-two tornado warnings were issued across central and southern Saskatchewan by Environment Canada on Thursday afternoon and evening, on top of multiple severe thunderstorm warnings.
The inquiry investigating the Nova Scotia mass shooting wants to know why the federal Justice Department withheld notes written by a senior Mountie for several months -- and if there's more revelations to come.
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A 60-year-old woman from the Greater Sudbury community of Chelmsford was killed Thursday night after she hit a moose with her motorcycle on Highway 144.
An officer with the Waterloo Regional Police Service won't face charges in connection to the 2021 shooting of a 19-year-old man in Kitchener, as the SIU determined the victim wanted to provoke the officer into killing him.
