theBreaker.news Podcast: B.C.'s money laundering inquiry goes public

Another milestone in British Columbia's independent public inquiry into money laundering.

Justice Austin Cullen presided over the first open session on Oct. 18, when lawyers for two B.C. Lottery Corporation executives and an ex-RCMP whistleblower applied to participate in the public inquiry.

"The public has become aware of and concerned about this problem. One recent poll reported approximately 90% of British Columbians are concerned about money laundering," Cullen said in his opening statement.

"There is also an incidental benefit from simply bringing additional concentrated attention to the crime of money laundering. The more awareness there is of its presence, and of the profound social harms it springs from and propagates, the less complacency there can be for facilitating or tolerating it."

Public hearings will begin sometime in spring 2020. Oct. 23, however, is the first of five public meetings in cities across B.C. 

Premier John Horgan announced the public inquiry in May and cabinet set a May 2021 deadline for the commission to report to the provincial government. An ambitious timeline, what with the size and scope of the problem and those that it affects.

In an interview with theBreaker.news Podcast, senior commission counsel Brock Martland said: "We will be selective in focusing in on things we think we can accomplish and get us to the heart of we need in terms of evidence, recommendations, policy reforms."

The inquiry has the power to call witnesses and compel the production of documents. No decision has been made on whether to call former high-ranking politicians yet.

Hear more from Cullen and Martland on this edition of theBreaker.news Podcast.

Plus commentaries, headlines and a compilation of Liberal leader Justin Trudeau's broken promises and misleading statements. 

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