It’s hard to imagine the level of seething intrigue that was in play as Speaker Darryl Plecas put together his case against the two top executives at the legislature.
His description of the personal dynamics that played out over his first year in the post sound so tense, it’s a wonder the place even functioned.
Plecas presided over the house for the first time on Sept. 11, 2017, and was immersed in learning the new role. But early on, by his telling, there were inklings of trouble. To set the tone, in the report released Monday he recounted his first surprise on Day 1 at his new job — three liquor cabinets in his office.
“It had been my personal experience that the government does not pay for alcohol … so this was surprising.”
His narrative recounts how clerk Craig James asked early on that he be the conduit for all dealings with division heads, and how he later learned James discouraged division heads from dealing with the new Speaker.
Then there was an issue about life-insurance policies for James and sergeant-at-arms Gary Lenz that had a confusing and questionable history.
Plecas also noted that Lenz would drop by for coffee on occasion and at one point warned him that James was close to the B.C. Liberals and should not be trusted.
After the fall session concluded, Plecas said James arranged a trip to the U.K. on government business for the three of them. Plecas said the business was mostly perfunctory “meet and greet” encounters.
His account of the trip dwells on expensive shopping trips in which items were later expensed to the legislature, prompting his suspicions.
“Throughout the trip, I was very surprised at how luxuriously we were travelling and how little we were doing for a work trip.”
A few months later, Plecas said James submitted a form for a “retirement allowance” for himself and other senior executives.
Plecas said he signed it, but only so it would be retained as evidence. He consulted with deputy clerk Kate Ryan-Lloyd and said he learned that James had received a $257,000 retirement allowance in 2012. He said they had a lengthy conversation about her misgivings about James’s conduct related to travel expenses, the handling of vacation time and other matters.
Then last May, Lenz recounted to Plecas the allegation that thousands of dollars’ worth of liquor from the legislature was loaded into James’s pickup truck in 2013.
Plecas said he responded by suggesting a forensic audit or police investigation, but Lenz dissuaded him and instead suggested that James be removed.
Plecas said it was increasingly looking like an investigation was needed.
He said Lenz then approached him or his special adviser Alan Mullen on an almost daily basis, inquiring about plans to force James out.
In May 2018, Plecas, deputy speaker Raj Chouhan and James went to China on government business.
“I was uncomfortable at that point going on another trip with Mr. James, but it would have been difficult to back out at that point … so I decided to go and make further observations.”
Plecas alleged that James submitted per-diem claims on days when the meals were supplied by hosts.
At the time they were there, Plecas recounted questionable handling underway back in Victoria of a whistleblower’s concerns about an MLA’s expenses.
Then he went on another trip to the U.K. with James, Lenz and their wives. Plecas detailed a fresh new batch of concerns about purchases that were expensed to the legislature.
Those and other concerns prompted Plecas and Mullen to meet the RCMP on Sept. 27 and outline their concerns.
Police asked for a special prosecutor the next day and two were appointed on Oct. 1. The RCMP confirmed to Plecas in November the two were under investigation and the house voted to suspend them on Nov. 20.
James and Lenz have committed to a detailed response to what they say are false allegations.
The house leaders of the three parties want it by Feb. 1.
The Speaker’s report suggests a degree of simmering tension in the legislature far beyond what most suspected. It hasn’t even come to a full boil yet.
