The former sergeant-at-arms at the B.C. legislature allegedly committed “very serious misconduct” by submitting untruthful statements to a former Supreme Court chief justice investigating allegations of misspending.
That is detailed in a new report released Tuesday night by former Vancouver Police deputy chief Doug LePard in a Police Act investigation into Gary Lenz’s actions.
The report says Lenz violated his oath as a special provincial constable in his dealings with former chief justice Beverly McLachlin when he engaged in “discreditable conduct and deceit”.
McLaughlin was commissioned by the province to look into allegations of spending misconduct by Lenz and legislature clerk Craig James.
Much of the report looked into allegations that James had misappropriated $10,000 worth of booze from the legislature grounds in 2013 and found Lenz failed to properly investigate.
“Lenz’s untruthful oral statements and written submissions to Justice McLachlin regarding the 2013 liquor incident – including with respect to his conversations with Speaker (Daryl) Plecas and Mr. Mullen (Speaker’s Chief of Staff Alan Mullen) in 2018 – constitute an egregious breach of public trust”
Lenz did not accept the report’s findings in a written statement and disputes he lied to investigators “in the strongest possible terms.”
“I have always told the truth in every matter related to my employment as Sergeant at Arms and I did so in the testimony that I gave to Mr. LePard’s investigation,” Lenz said.
Lenz resigned as sergeant-at-arms last week.
With files from CBC.
CHEK News
