Speaker Darryl Plecas is going to have a profound impact on the People’s House and the MLAs and table officers who work there, even if his allegations have yet to be proven.
His lengthy report sent shockwaves through the corridors of the legislature and while it made allegations aimed at the Chief Clerk and the Sgt.-at-Arms, going forward it will most certainly touch on politicians of all stripes.
An audit will begin on spending at the legislature. While the terms of reference have not been set, it may extend back to before the expenses of MLAs were posted publicly and, if so, that is where things could get messy.
The overseas trips Plecas purports to document in his report were not unusual. For years, various MLAs from both the BC Liberals and BC NDP have accompanied the Speaker or the Clerk to conferences in such places as London and Hong Kong.
The total amount of spending has been out in the open for a while and on two occasions dating back to 2007, the provincial auditor general raised serious questions about the practice. Each time, MLAs either ignored them or took small steps to answer them.
Plecas’ report, however, is the first to shine a light on the alleged details of some of that spending: expensive suits, luggage, jewelry and – of all things – a wood chipper.
He was able to report this because he is the Speaker and as such has sole access to many of the receipts that itemize the spending. He also essentially conducted an undercover investigation by accompanying the two legislature officers on trips.
The day after he released his report, Plecas told me he was in a position no other Speaker had been in before - he was truly independent, beholden to no party or caucus. I think he may be right.
The so-called “culture of entitlement” has been at the legislature for decades.
The creation of the Legislature Assembly Management Committee in 1992 shed some light on MLAs’ and legislature officers’ spending habits. But LAMC meetings were held in secret for 20 years or so.
The first one I attended saw an MLA complain about a new rule being contemplated that would mean his spouse would no longer have the taxpayer cover her meal if she was visiting the capital.
Two MLAs – both House Leaders at the time - seemed to rise above others when it came to pushing for more disclosure: Mike de Jong of the BC Liberals and now-Premier John Horgan. De Jong wanted MLA spending to decline and be made publi and Horgan, ironically, wanted more oversight of the table officers.
Well, there will now be more scrutiny, more oversight and far fewer trips. And we can thank Plecas (who I, and many others, have underestimated since he took the job) for that.
Keith Baldrey is chief political reporter for Global BC.
