A former Speaker of the B.C. legislature is questioning the way sergeant-at-arms Gary Lenz and legislature clerk Craig James were suspended on Tuesday.
Claude Richmond, the former Liberal MLA for Kamloops, said he鈥檚 puzzled that police could remove the two men from office without either arresting them or telling them why they are being investigated.
鈥淭hat to me is unusual. I would not have done it that way,鈥� said Richmond. 鈥淭hese are high-ranking people, especially the clerk. He鈥檚 in a very important position and to publicly remove him from office is pretty embarrassing. I聽don鈥檛 think there鈥檚 any precedent for it.鈥�
Richmond, who was Speaker from 2001 to 2005, said he鈥檚 also puzzled by the hiring of Alan Mullen as special adviser to Speaker Darryl Plecas. On Wednesday, Mullen said he鈥檇 been hired in January to assist in an investigation of the two men.
Mullen forwarded the investigation to the police in late August. Both James and Lenz have been suspended with pay pending a criminal investigation involving their administrative duties. The RCMP are investigating because they have jurisdiction over the legislature.
鈥淚n my experience and to my knowledge, there鈥檚 never been a special adviser to the Speaker hired before this. It鈥檚 something new,鈥� said Richmond. 鈥淏ut I guess he has hired this person. I don鈥檛 understand that. I wouldn鈥檛 have done it that way.鈥�
Richmond vividly remembers Boxing Day 2003.
That鈥檚 when solicitor general Rich Coleman, accompanied by RCMP officer, travelled to Richmond鈥檚 home in Kamloops to get permission to seize documents from the offices of two political aides, Dave Basi and Robert Virk.
鈥淭he RCMP wanted to go into the building and seize documents from a couple of offices. They had to fly to Kamloops to get my permission to go into the building,鈥� Richmond recalled.
鈥淚n that instance, they showed me the evidence they had and it was sufficient to allow me to say: 鈥榊es you can go in and search these two officers only and take what documents are required.鈥� We put it all in writing and they signed it.鈥�
Richmond said it seems bizarre that the investigation into James and Lenz has been going on for 11聽months and few knew about it.
The Speaker is in charge of the clerk, the sergeant-at-arms, the grounds of the legislature and the house while it鈥檚 in session.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e like a referee. You make sure everyone conforms to the rules. ... You do have quite a bit to say,鈥� said Richmond.
George MacMinn, a former legislature clerk, said he would not comment on how the situation has been handled.
鈥淚鈥檓 unhappy with the present state of affairs and I鈥檓 hoping that the cloud will lift and some light will be cast on it in the near future,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a hot potato. I鈥檓 retired but I still watch things with interest.鈥�
The 88-year-old worked with both Lenz and James over the years.
鈥淚 recommended Craig鈥檚 appointment as clerk when I left and that鈥檚 where my authority ended,鈥� said MacMinn. 鈥淚 think they are both fine people and I am sorry to see this mess.鈥�
