Vancouver Sun

Mar 3 2019 — Michael Smyth — Vancouver Sun — Jody Wilson-Raybould says she is “overwhelmed and grateful” about an outpouring of public support since her scorching testimony in the SNC-Lavalin scandal. And despite a nasty internal backlash after her explosive appearance before the federal justice committee, she has no intention of quitting the Liberal caucus in Ottawa. “It really has been quite remarkable,” Wilson-Raybould […]

Feb 12 2019 — Daphne Bramham — Vancouver Sun — Usually a federal party leader running in a riding is enough to spark more than a frisson of interest. It’s certainly attracted the attention of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Ignoring the sometime tradition of not running a candidate against another leader, Trudeau is actively campaigning in Burnaby South this week. Yet, even if NDP Leader […]

Feb 11 2019 — Vancouver Sun — The number of former and current legislature employees complaining about alleged mistreatment grows almost daily, and the tally now also includes political staffers, Speaker Darryl Plecas says. Two weeks ago, Plecas’s chief of staff Alan Mullen said about 20 people who worked for the B.C. legislature — in areas such as the financial services branch, […]

Jan 26 2019 — Vancouver Sun — Over the last several months, “an alarming number” of former legislature employees have contacted Speaker Darryl Plecas to say they were improperly fired after voicing concerns about “corruption” involving taxpayers’ money, says the Speaker’s chief of staff. “They have described corruption, they have also described being terminated for what is alleged to be asking questions,” […]

Jan 25 2019 — Vancouver Sun — The investigation into alleged financial wrongdoing and mismanagement at the provincial legislature could balloon into the largest political scandal this country has seen, says the B.C. Speaker’s chief of staff.

Jan 16 2019 — Vancouver Sun — The death sentence given to Canadian drug trafficker Robert Schellenberg by a Chinese court has spooked Canadian tourists planning to visit the People’s Republic. “Everyone is feeling it,” said Canadian travel agent Julius Yan, president of Laurus Travel. “The last couple of days, and especially this morning, we have been getting calls from people who […]

Jan 10 2019 — Daphne Bramham — Vancouver Sun — For most of the last 50 years, Indigenous people have tried to negotiate, litigate and protest their way to a new relationship with Canada. In the past 21 years, they have won landmark rulings upholding their title to traditional territories, and their inherent rights including the right to self-government. Repeatedly, the Supreme Court has ruled […]

Jan 8 2019 — Rob Shaw — Vancouver Sun — A recall campaign targeting Speaker of the legislature Darryl Plecas will begin at the end of January, says the organizer. Robin Roy, who runs the BCrecall2018 Facebook page, said his group plans to submit recall paperwork to Elections B.C. in the last week of the month to target Plecas, the MLA for Abbotsford South. “If […]

Dec 11 2018 — Vancouver Sun — The judge presiding over the bail hearing of a high-ranking Chinese business executive seeking release pending an extradition hearing is questioning a proposal to have her husband act as a potential bail surety. Justice William Ehrcke raised the issue while a lawyer for Meng Wanzhou, the CFO of telecommunications giant Huawei who was arrested in […]

Dec 10 2018 — Rob Shaw — Vancouver Sun — Speaker Darryl Plecas was the focus last week during a raucous meeting at the legislature where he clashed with MLAs over his role in the suspension of the building’s two highest-ranking employees. The independent MLA for Abbotsford South went all-in with his career, pledging through several tirades he would soon reveal “serious concerns,” promising forensic […]

Dec 7 2018 — Vancouver Sun — Huawei chief financial officer Wanzhou Meng’s family appears to have connections to at least two pricey Vancouver homes including one in the exclusive Shaughnessy neighbourhood, property records show. Meng, who also goes by the name Sabrina, was arrested by Canadian police while changing planes at Vancouver International Airport Dec. 1 on a warrant issued under […]

Dec 3 2018 — Rob Shaw — Vancouver Sun — After a long day at work at the legislature, Speaker Darryl Plecas and his special adviser, Alan Mullen, like to relax at the bar near the capital building. Belleville’s Watering Hole & Diner is a favourite haunt for MLAs, political staff and journalists. But among the crowd, you’re more likely to spot Plecas and Mullen […]

Nov 26 2018 — Rob Shaw — Vancouver Sun — The B.C. legislature’s two highest-ranking officials, who were suspended amid unknown allegations of wrongdoing last week, reiterated their innocence at their first press conference Monday and said they’ve been deeply humiliated by how they were treated. Clerk Craig James and sergeant-at-arms Gary Lenz said they still don’t know what allegations are against them, and reiterated […]

Nov 26 2018 — Daphne Bramham — Vancouver Sun — These days, it’s proportional representation that most Canadians, especially British Columbians, think about if they think about democratic reform at all. There’s the provincial referendum and before that the federal Liberals’ briefly toyed with getting rid of first-past-the-post before jettisoning the idea.

Nov 25 2018 — Vancouver Sun — When Abbotsford South MLA Darryl Plecas defected from the B.C. Liberal party last year to become legislature Speaker, he told his local newspaper he’d work hard to overcome the damage done to his credibility. “When I say, gee this is a good job for me, it’s because it’s a direct hit on impartiality, it’s a […]