SPEAKER’S OFFICE SEEKS QUICK REVIEW BY JURIST

The retired jurist tasked with reviewing whether clerk Craig James and sergeant-at-arms Gary Lenz have engaged in misconduct should report back within weeks, not months, so that MLAs can decide whether the two senior legislative officers should continue to be paid while on suspension, the Speaker’s chief of staff said Friday. “It’s not another investigation, we don’t want this to go on for another few months before we have a next step,” Alan Mullen told reporters. On Thursday, the all-party committee that oversees the legislature’s finances announced that a retired judge would be appointed to conduct an independent review into whether the alleged overspending by James and Lenz amounts to misconduct.

The jurist, who has not yet been selected, will not conduct a whole new investigation, but instead will review Speaker Darryl Plecas’ two reports, which accuse James and Lenz of taking lavish trips overseas and spending taxpayers’ money on gifts, luxury items and a $13,000 wood splitter and work trailer. The review will also look at the men’s responses to those allegations. The review, which is separate from an RCMP investigation, could help MLAs decide whether the pair should remain suspended with pay. James was paid a salary of $347,090 in 2018 and Lenz was paid $218,167.

Mullen initially said the jurist would complete his review within 10 days, but that time frame was not in Thursday’s motion from the legislative assembly management committee. Mullen later said he misspoke and a 10-day time frame was not discussed. The motion said the house leaders would draft the terms of reference for the retired jurist, a process from which Plecas has recused himself. Mullen said the Speaker is recusing himself from the review because Plecas has already provided detailed information. Mullen indicated that Plecas will continue to conduct a separate workplace review focused on human resources.