RCMP should check older MLA expense claims: critics
Posted Feb 15, 2011 05:10:14 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The RCMP says the 52 charges laid against four former and current MLAs is the end of its investigation – but there are calls to go back further into the records and see if more crimes can be found.
Former Tory cabinet minister Richard Hurlburt and former Liberals Dave Wilson and Russell MacKinnon all face counts of fraud over $5000, breach of trust by a public officer and uttering forged documents.
Independent member Trevor Zinck, the only active MLA to face charges, is charged with fraud, theft and breach of trust.
Speaking on the Rick Howe Show, Canadian Taxpayers Federation spokesperson Kevin Lacey says he wasn’t expecting such serious charges to be laid – and says voters are likely feeling pretty cynical.
“You know, there’s very little sympathy today for a lot of them who’ve been caught up in this mess,” he said. “These are serious, serious charges and I would have to say I am a bit surprised.”
The charges are a result of a forensic audit conducted by auditor general Jacques Lapointe, who turned six files over to police for further investigation.
The forensic audit covered only three years from 2006 to 2009 and Jared from Dartmouth suggests police should look a little further back.
“I think there’s guys that go back as far as Gerry Regan’s administration that probably were doing the same thing and got away with it scot-free,” he said.
Lacey says he agrees and suggests commercial crime officers dig into older expense claims to look for wrongdoing.
“I don’t think time should protect MLAs for some of the crimes that have gone on here, if there are any,”
However, after a year of poring over thousands of documents, RCMP Insp. Jim MacDougall says the case is closed – unless a new complaint comes in.
“The RCMP investigates only what complaints are made to them,” “If somebody made a complaint to us that had evidence of wrongdoing, we’d certainly investigate it.”
The four MLAs facing charges are due in Halifax provincial court on April 20.
