Will investigation end like quick-wins probe – five years later with no charges?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Monday, April 15, 2019

OTTAWA – Today, Democracy Watch called on the B.C. RCMP and Special Prosecutor David Butcher to explain why no one has been charged since March 2017 when the Globe and Mail reported the lobbyist donation scheme involving several lobbyists donating money their clients gave them.

David Butcher was appointed Special Prosecutor to assist the RCMP investigation at the end of March 2017. Elections B.C. reported in April 2017 that the B.C. Liberals had returned $174,313 in donations dating back to 2010 ($92,874 of which the Liberals had admitted were “prohibited” donations), and that the NDP had returned $10,500. The Tyee.ca reported in May 2017 that Elections B.C. reports showed that the total reimbursed by the Liberals had increased to almost $250,000.

“The B.C. Liberals admitted they returned almost $93,000 in illegal donations in April 2017, so why didn’t the RCMP and special prosecutor Butcher ask the Liberals for the list of those donors and charge and prosecute them right away before the 2017 election?” asked Duff Conacher, Co-founder of Democracy Watch. “The RCMP and David Butcher owe B.C. voters an explanation of why they haven’t charged anyone in the past two years.”

Democracy Watch questioned whether this investigation will end like another long-delayed investigation overseen by Butcher – the so-called “quick-wins probe” that last five years and resulted in only one person pleading guilty even though the RCMP recommended charges against other people.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Duff Conacher, Co-founder of Democracy Watch
Tel: (613) 241-5179 Cell: 416-546-3443
[email protected]

Democracy Watch’s Money in Politics Campaign and Stop Unfair Law Enforcement Campaign and Stop Bad Government Appointments Campaign