RCMP investigate possible theft from MLA’s office
Another B.C. politician has discovered money missing from his constituency office.
Chilliwack Liberal MLA John Martin announced Thursday that he has fired a longtime employee and notified the RCMP about a possible theft.
“I became aware earlier this week that money from my constituency account may have been inappropriately used,” he said.
Martin, who was first elected in 2013, said the amount of money involved could be in the “tens of thousands” of dollars.
“I’m profoundly disappointed in what has happened,” said an emotional Martin, who paused to compose himself while speaking to reporters at the B.C. legislature. “I believe we have an obligation to wisely manage taxpayers’ money.”
Staff Sgt. Steve Vrolyk of the Upper Fraser Valley Regional RCMP confirmed that the Chilliwack detachment received a complaint about an alleged theft of money from Martin’s office. No charges have been laid. “The Chilliwack RCMP serious crimes unit is currently investigating this complaint,” Vrolyk said. “Our investigators will take the time necessary to complete our proper investigation.”
Martin said the legislature’s switch to a new centralized system for managing constituency office expenses played a role in uncovering the alleged theft, although he declined to provide details.
The legislature’s management committee decided in December to tighten financial controls after Victoria-Swan Lake NDP MLA Rob Fleming discovered thousands of dollars missing from his office last year. A former employee in Fleming’s office pleaded guilty in October to two counts of fraud over $5,000.
Craig James, clerk of the house, said the legislature will launch a centralized system for handling constituency office expenses following the provincial election on May 9.
Currently, each constituency office has a bank account that is used to pay bills. Once the new system is in place, a centralized office at the legislature will handle the payments instead.
“That means that everything financial in the members’ offices will be brought in-house,” James said. “We’re going to phase it in so that new members — first-time members to this place — will be brought onto the new system immediately following the election.”
Veteran MLAs will be added over time, so that the system will be fully operating by the end of the fiscal year.
James said MLAs will still have control of their spending decisions, including where and from whom they make purchases. But the system will remove the accounting burden from constituency assistants and free them to devote more time to assisting their MLAs and the people in their ridings, he said.
Martin, who taught criminal justice before entering politics, plans to seek re-election.