Truemors
Opinion
Barry Artiste, Now Public Contributor
Goodness me, Justice for all, but perhaps not for family members. British Columbias Attorney General Wally Oppal swift re-releasing of dangerous offenders into society, perhaps puzzles many why it takes 6 months for his department to investigate possible fraud deals with a local realtor. Oh wait, I Forgot, they are investigating his Brother Harry. Well that certainly puts things into perspective now doesn't it? As they say "Same Crap, Different Diaper".
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Investigation targets Oppal's brother
NDP MLA wonders why it's taking so long to decide on charges
Glenda Luymes, The Province
Published: Sunday, September 09, 2007
The public deserves to know why an investigation involving the brother of Attorney-General Wally Oppal has taken more than six months to come to light, NDP justice critic Leonard Krog said yesterday.
In February, the Financial Institutions Commission (FICOM) submitted a report to Crown counsel containing allegations that a number of people, including the attorney-general's brother, Harry Oppal, were involved in a questionable land deal in Abbotsford.
"How long does it take to come to a decision on whether or not charges should be laid?" asked Krog. "I understand that we don't get to pick our family, but this should have been made public."
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The Nanaimo MLA said he wasn't aware of the situation until the government issued a press release Friday in response to an inquiry from The Province.
"It seems to me that six to eight months is a very long time for the prosecutor to be sitting on information from police. The government, and the attorney-general in particular, are under a real obligation, given the length of time it has taken, to explain this. The public deserves an explanation," said Krog.
As stipulated in the Crown Counsel Act, the Criminal Justice Branch decided to appoint an independent prosecutor to the case to "ensure there was no risk of real or perceived improper influence in the exercise of prosecutorial responsibilities," according to a media release.
On Feb. 28, Assistant Deputy Attorney-General Robert Gillen appointed Victoria lawyer Harold Rusk as special prosecutor. On Thursday, Vancouver lawyer George Macintosh took over when Rusk was unable to continue his appointment due to personal reasons.
Macintosh will offer legal advice to FICOM and assess whether or not charges are warranted in the case. If charges go ahead, he will conduct the prosecution and any appeals.
gluymes@png.canwest.com
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