Saturday, March 29, 2008

British Columbia: Solicitor Generalissimo John Les Steps Down amid Corruption Investigation

B.C. premier says solicitor general right to step down pending investigation
5 hours ago

VANCOUVER — British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell says his solicitor general did the right thing by resigning his cabinet post while he is the subject of an investigation.

John Les stepped down after it was revealed a special prosecutor had been looking into allegations that he may have improperly benefited from a land deal.

"(Les) phoned me and he told me what had taken place and he said that he felt it was best for him to step down as the chief law enforcement officer," Campbell told a Saturday news conference.

Attorney General Wally Oppal will take on the solicitor general role as the probe runs its course.

A statement from the province's Criminal Justice Branch says the investigation includes examining "potential misconduct on the part of former officials with the City of Chilliwack" and the allegations date back a decade, when Les was mayor.

The premier said he did not know of the investigation until Friday.

Campbell pledged that the investigation into the allegations against Les will be free of political interference.

"It's in the public interest to make sure those investigations and those decisions are totally free of any kind of political interference," Campbell said. "I don't know who's being investigated, or when it's being investigated, or when a special prosecutor's appointed and that's the way it should be."

Les said he, too, only found out about the investigation Friday and has no doubt he'll be cleared of any wrongdoing.

He said he knew there was some kind of investigation underway involving the city, but he didn't pay much attention to it because he believed it had nothing to do with him.

But when he found out Friday he was part of the investigation, Les said he knew he must step aside.

The criminal justice branch of the Ministry of the Attorney General issued a statement that it had appointed a special prosecutor to investigate the matter last June.

In a prepared statement, Les said he would not comment further on the investigation until the special prosecutor has concluded his work.

Les, who said he will keep his Chilliwack seat on the Liberal backbench, was adamant about his innocence.

"On a personal level, I hope this matter can be concluded as expeditiously as possible," he said in the statement.

Les, known for his tough stance on crime, said he doesn't know what the investigation is about and has never been questioned by anyone.

News about the special prosecutor was released after business hours on Friday.

Neil MacKenzie, spokesman for the branch, said the information was released in response to an inquiry from the media.

Last month, the City of Chilliwack confirmed in a news release the RCMP was investigating possible criminal activity dating back 10 years.

Chilliwack Coun. Mel Folkman said councillors have been advised not to discuss the issue.

"It's an investigation, so we can't make any comment during that process," he said.

MacKenzie said the special prosecutor, Vancouver lawyer Robin McFee, was appointed at the behest of the RCMP.

On Saturday, Assistant Deputy Attorney General Robert Gillen released a statement outlining the guidelines of the circumstances involved when a special prosecutor is appointed to an investigation.

"A decision to appoint a special prosecutor is made when there is significant potential for real or perceived improper influence in the independent exercise of prosecutorial responsibilities," the statement read.

It went on to say that a special prosecutor is appointed in cases involving cabinet ministers, members of the legislature, other senior or ministry officials, high-ranking police officers, other senior positions in the justice system or people in close proximity to them.

Gillen said an announcement would be made if the special prosecutor approves a charge and it is laid.

NDP Leader Carole James has called the development disturbing and said Les had no choice but to step down.

Further, she said in a news release that the premier's comments left many questions unanswered about the investigation.

"We still need to know how it could possibly be that John Les served as B.C.'s top law enforcement officer for almost a year after he came under criminal investigation," said James.

She called for disclosure of who in government knew about the probe and when they knew it.

"We need to know how John Les could possibly have not have known he was under investigation, and we need to know why it took a media inquiry to make this mess public."

Les was mayor of Chilliwack between 1987 and 1999 and was elected to the legislature in 2001.

Les is the third minister in Campbell's cabinet to step down after news they were being investigated by a special prosecutor.

In 2004, Gordon Hogg resigned as children's minister over financial irregularities connected to government contracts doled out to a non-profit society run by a former Prince George car dealer.

An audit later cleared Hogg of any personal wrongdoing and he was returned to cabinet in a junior portfolio in a shuffle in 2006.

John van Dongen resigned as fisheries minister in 2003 over allegations he improperly disclosed an investigative report to a fish farming company.

A special prosecutor concluded there was no evidence van Dongen had criminal intent when he disclosed the information and van Dongen was reinstated to cabinet.

Les was appointed minister of public safety and solicitor general on June 16, 2005.

His tenure as the dual portfolio minister was not without controversy.

Les was the first government minister to admit the Liberal government mismanaged child death files after boxes containing more than 700 incomplete children's death files were found in a government warehouse.

He originally denied fraud problems at the Crown-owned lottery corporation, but then tabled an audit that found some lottery retailers were winning multiple payouts.

Les also criticized a Vancouver area police chief for calling for the formation of a metro police force to tackle the Vancouver area's rising gang killings. Les later agreed to hold joint meetings with Vancouver area officials to discuss improving regional policing.

He previously was minister of small business and economic development and has served on several government caucuses, including the standing committee on parliamentary reform, ethical conduct, standing orders and private bills.


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