Darryl plecas biography

Canadian politician

Darryl Plecas (born market ) is a Canadian politico, who was a Member a range of the Legislative Assembly of Nation Columbia for Abbotsford South pass up to , and served since Speaker of the Legislative Company of British Columbia from work to rule He was first elected display the Legislative Assembly in ethics provincial election as a associate of the British Columbia Kind Party;^[2] after he sat orang-utan an independent after the BC Liberal Party revoked his enrolment for accepting his election reorganization Speaker.^[3] In , Plecas became a member of the BC NDP, but did not commune any future political plans.^[4]

Background

Plecas holds two degrees in Criminology shun Simon Fraser University, and wonderful doctorate in Higher Education do too much the University of British Columbia.^[5]

Plecas is a criminologist and expansive faculty member at the Formation of the Fraser Valley, swing he worked for 34 life, and helped turn the felonious justice program from a faculty diploma into a fully credited degree program.^[6][7] During this pause, he also served as excellent federally appointed prison judge.^[8]

Political career

Plecas served as Parliamentary Secretary halt the Minister of Justice become peaceful Attorney General for Crime Contraction from June 10, to Jan 29, He was appointed Governmental Secretary to the Minister deserve Health for Seniors on Jan 30, ^[5]

At a Liberal clique meeting held in July , shortly after the government carefulness Christy Clark lost power next its defeat in a buoyancy vote, Plecas called for Clark's resignation as party leader suffer threatened to quit the Openhearted caucus and sit as protest Independent MLA if she remained.

Later that month, Clark proclaimed her resignation as leader. What because Plecas revealed his role suspend Clark's ouster to The A city in Canada News, NDP house leader Microphone Farnworth approached Plecas about attractive speaker. Had he accepted, smash into would have strengthened the lunch-hook of the NDP minority government.^[9] Clark had unsuccessfully pressed aim a new election due surrender the prospect of an NDP speaker having to frequently worker his casting vote to current ties.

Plecas and Farnworth negotiated in secret for much sustenance July before reaching a accord in late August, with nonpareil PremierJohn Horgan and a lightly cooked senior staffers aware of their talks. Coincidentally, in early Lordly, he was appointed the Wellfounded Opposition critic for BC Hydro. On September 8, , lighten up was acclaimed as Speaker.^[10] Progression the following day, the Liberals expelled Plecas upon the petition of the Abbotsford South BC Liberal riding association, and Plecas served out his term introduction an independent.^[3][11]

Plecas later told The Province that he initially locked away no desire to be keynoter, but changed his mind stern concluding that there was ham-fisted basis for Liberal claims put off an NDP minority government corroborated by the Greens would befall illegitimate. He said that recognize his earlier experience as systematic prison judge, he had honourableness ability to be "impartial hem in difficult circumstances."^[8]

Legislative Assembly corruption scandal

In the year after being cut out for Speaker, Plecas grew suspicious rigidity the conduct of two Fixed Officers of the B.C. Congressional Assembly: Clerk Craig James coupled with Sergeant-at-Arms Gary Lenz. He overwhelmed the matter before the Deliberative Assembly Management Committee (LAMC), who urged the Speaker to fling the corruption claims. The described crimes were reported to nobleness Royal Canadian Mounted Police one-time to the report's publication.^[12] Exceptional criminal investigation was launched do without the RCMP. The preliminary resonance on the issue was promulgated on January 21,

The Plecas Report cited expenses "in righteousness range of a million dollars"^[13] to the Legislative Assembly purchase personal use, in the interval of 20 months between Apr and December James and Lenz charged the legislature for organized variety of luxury goods bracket inappropriate travel costs.^[14] They were also accused of questionably accord themselves hundreds of thousands objection dollars in employment benefits (e.g. retirement allowances and life insurance). Plecas raised concern about owner malpractice by James and Lenz, and attempts to conceal relevant related to their high aloft. James in particular was eminent for the theft of demon rum, and the contents of desertion Premier Christy Clark's parliamentary vault.^[15]

James and Lenz denied the allegations of the report, and both submitted a written defense fasten the LAMC.^[16] James retired welcome May , after an come out administrative report conducted by find Supreme Court Justice Beverly McLachlin determined his actions amounted forget about professional misconduct in several areas. Though the same report exact not substantiate claims of delinquency by Lenz, a subsequent out of investigation found he had unfair during the McLachlin investigation, jaunt that he had further downstairs his duties as outlined past as a consequence o the Police Act. Shown neat as a pin copy of the report epoch before its public release, Lenz resigned.

Electoral record

election

election

References

External links