Speaker’s friend rejected as sergeant-at-arms

VICTORIA• The Speaker of the British Columbia legislature attempted to have his special adviser replace the sergeant-at-arms on an acting basis before legislators voted this week to suspend the man holding the job along with the clerk of the house.

House leaders for the New Democrats, Liberals and Greens said Thursday they met with Speaker Darryl Plecas on Monday about placing sergeant-at-arms Gary Lenz and Clerk Craig James on administrative leave pending an investigation.

Plecas proposed naming his special adviser, Alan Mullen, as acting sergeantat-arms but the party house leaders refused.

“The suggestion was made. It was rejected,” said NDP house leader Mike Farnworth. “Everybody accepted it and we moved on.”

The next day the house voted unanimously to place Lenz and James on leave with pay.

Liberal house leader Mary Polak released a sworn affidavit Thursday that said Plecas told the three house leaders on Monday evening that he wanted to make the Mullen appointment.

“Our response was ‘No,’” Polak at a news conference. “It’s not appropriate.”

Green house leader Sonia Furstenau said Polak’s affidavit is accurate.

After the vote, Mullen said the RCMP had launched a criminal investigation, but neither the RCMP nor the B.C. Prosecution Service will confirm the nature of the probe or say who they are investigating.

Mullen said Plecas hired him in January to work on issues of concern, which included the legislature investigation. He said he and Plecas are friends after working together at federal prisons in B.C.’s Fraser Valley.

Mullen and Plecas presented their investigative results to RCMP in late August.

The Mounties then obtained two special prosecutors to oversee their investigation on Oct. 1, which is a step used to prevent against the perception of political interference.

Mullen and Plecas told the party house leaders Tuesday about the special prosecutor, and the house leaders then instructed MLAs to vote unanimously to suspend the two men.

The Liberal house leader said she did not know that Mullen had been conducting a secret sevenmonth investigation of James and Lenz.

Premier John Horgan told reporters Thursday he was learning about the investigation and hiring efforts at the same time as the public.

“This was a surprise to me,” he said, mentioning his sister phoned him that morning to ask what was happening at the legislature.

“I know the individuals in question. I’ve been working with them for many years. This is a shock to the institution and a shock to the British Columbians.”

When asked if he condones the Speaker hiring a friend, appointing that person to conduct a secret investigation of top legislature officials without informing MLAs and then suggesting that person replace one of the people ousted, Horgan sidestepped.

“This is news to me today,” he said. “I’m processing that.”