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8 jaw-dropping allegations from B.C. Speaker’s report

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A wood-splitter. Tech support for an iMac mouse that just needed its battery recharged. A subscription to Palm Springs Life magazine.

Those are a few examples of questionable expenses allegedly submitted by two of B.C.’s top legislative officials, landing them at the centre of one of the province’s biggest political controversies in years.

In a sweeping 76-page report released Monday, House Speaker Darryl Plecas accused B.C.’s clerk of the House and sergeant-at-arms of flagrant overspending and inappropriate payouts of cash « in the range of a million dollars. »

Sergeant-at-Arms Gary Lenz and Clerk of the House Craig James have not been charged with any crime and have denied all wrongdoing. They said they read the allegations against them for the first time in Plecas’s report.

Lenz and James were suspended and escorted out of the legislature in November without explanation.

From left: Speaker Darryl Plecas, Clerk Craig James, and Sergeant-at-Arms Gary Lenz, pictured on Nov. 14, 2017. (Gregor Craigie/CBC)

Plecas first called for the pair to be investigated last January. He explained his reasons for doing so in the report, which had dozens of expense forms attached.

An all-party legislature committee voted to release the report Monday and agreed to launch an audit of legislature financial issues, conduct a workplace review and submit that report to an auditor from outside B.C.

Here are eight of the most unusual allegations contained in the report:

1. Travel expenses, shopping

Many of Plecas’s allegations centre around travel. The Speaker said he often questioned how much business was being done on work trips he took to the U.K. and a number of other locations along with James and Lenz.

Plecas said they stayed in luxury hotels, flew business class, claimed per diems when meals were provided and charged purchases to taxpayers — watches, chocolate bars, diaries and, on one occasion, « gunpowder mustard. »

« Throughout the trip, I was very surprised at how luxuriously we were travelling and how little we were doing for a work trip, » said Plecas, adding that he went along because he was new to the Speaker’s position and didn’t want to « alienate » Lenz and James.

On the way home from one trip to Europe, Plecas said he told James he expected to pay « a fair sum » in duties for the scotch he was bringing back. Plecas claims James told him, « Do as I do and don’t declare anything. »

Lenz, centre, is escorted out of the legislature by security last November after he and James were placed on indefinite leave pending a criminal investigation. (Dirk Meissner/Canadian Press)

2. ‘Part of the uniform’

James and Lenz both submitted expense claims for suits from Ede & Ravenscroft, which bills itself as the oldest tailor in London, saying they were part of their work « uniforms, » according to the report. In total, James’s garb cost taxpayers $1,327.29 while Lenz spent $666.11, the report says.

In the Legislative Assembly, the sergeant-at-arms and clerk of the House wear a gown, vest, black or grey pinstriped pants and tabs — not suits.

Plecas alleged the pair would quip « part of the uniform » when making other inappropriate purchases on more than one occasion.

Lenz and James hold a news conference on Nov. 26. Both men had been suspended from their posts at the B.C. legislature on Nov. 20. On Monday, Plecas released a report detailing his allegations against the pair. (CBC)

3. Vacation payouts

Plecas claimed the pair took « inappropriate » cash payouts of cash in lieu of vacation, amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

One year, Plecas claimed, Lenz took none of his officially recorded holidays and was paid out instead. The report says the assembly’s policy is that additional days are not to be paid out in lieu unless there are « extraordinary circumstances. »

« This practice effectively means both Mr. James and Mr. Lenz have regularly received unbudgeted cash bonuses, » Plecas wrote.

4. The wood-splitter

Plecas said he heard the Legislative Assembly paid $3,200 for a wood-splitter and more than $10,000 for work tools and a trailer that never arrived on the grounds.

Instead, the Speaker claimed he was told the equipment went straight to James’s house, where he and Lenz used it to chop up their own firewood.

James makes a statement to the media in Vancouver on Nov. 26, 2018. (Ben Nelms/Canadian Press)

Plecas said he couldn’t understand the rationale for buying the splitter in the first place: to have on hand in case a tree fell on the grounds and needing chopping up afterward.

« The scenario seems very remote, and in any event — even assuming external Emergency Services were not able to attend and handle this scenario — a chainsaw and axe would appear to suffice, » Plecas wrote.

5. The iMac problems

Plecas alleged James was reimbursed $785.85 for three calls to the computer support service Dial-A-Geek between April and August 2017. The report alleged one claim was for « new Apple products » at home, another was for a « new iMac » and hard drive at home, and the third was related to an « iMac with a weird zoom issue. »

The report also said the clerk expensed $121.80 to get help with his iMac’s mouse. Turns out, according to an attached receipt, the device had a dead battery and started to work when it was plugged into a charger.

A view of the exterior of the Legislative Assembly in Victoria. The expenses scandal is one of the province’s biggest political controversy in years. (Mike McArthur/CBC)

6. An alleged truckload of alcohol

The report accused James of asking legislature employees to load his pickup truck with $10,000 worth of alcohol purchased by the legislature in 2013. The alcohol, the report said, was apparently left over from a conference or an event hosted by the clerk.

Plecas said he asked for receipts related to any alcohol purchased during the 2012-2013 time frame and received expense claims totalling $8,789.84, but it’s not known whether those are connected to the alleged truckload.

Plecas said the allegation is one of many that « still warrants investigation. »

Lenz listens to James during their statement to the media in Vancouver on Nov. 26, 2018. (Ben Nelms/Canadian Press)

7. Online subscriptions

Plecas said he’s seen receipts showing $5,000 worth of various digital subscriptions purchased and expensed by James, including:

  • Monthly Apple Music plan.
  • Annual iCloud storage plan.
  • Arizona Highways magazine.
  • Palm Springs Life magazine.
  • Electric Bike Action magazine.

8. ‘Sudden’ firings

Plecas claimed he heard from former employees who said they were terminated without cause and without any notice of problems with their work.

He called it potentially « retributive or otherwise unjustified » firings.

« It appears that this practice of sudden without-cause terminations has fostered a culture [of] insecurity among staff in at least some of the departments at the legislative assembly that if employees spoke up about concerns or fell out of favour they could lose their jobs without warning. »

Read the full report below:

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Anglais

Nostalgia and much more with Starburst XXXtreme

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Get a taste of adventure with Starburst XXXtreme based on the legendary NetEnt Game. The nostalgic themes are sure to capture fans of the classic version as they get treated to higher intensity, better visuals, and features. The most significant element of the game is its volatility. Patience will not be an essential virtue considering the insane gameplay, and there is a lot of win potential involved. It retains the original makeup of the previous game while adding a healthy dose of adrenaline. 

Starburst Visuals and Symbols

The game is definitely more conspicuous than before. The setting happens over a 5-reel, 3-row game grid with nine fixed win lines, which function if a succession from the left to the right reel is present. Only those players that that attain the highest win per bet line are paid. From a visual standpoint, the Starburst XXXtreme slots illustrates lightning effects behind the reels, which is not surprising as it is inherited from the original version. Available themes include Classic, Jewels, and Space. The game is also available in both desktop and mobile versions, which is advantageous for players considering the global pandemic. According to Techguide, American gamers are increasingly having more engaging gaming experiences to socialize to fill the gap of in-person interaction. Starburst XXXtreme allows them to fill the social void at a time when there is so much time to be had indoors. 

Starburst XXXTreme Features

Players get to alternate on three features which are Starburst Wilds, XXXtreme Spins, and Random Wilds. The first appears on reels 2,3, or 4. When these land, they expand to cover all positions while also calculating the wins. They are also locked for a respin. If a new one hits, it also becomes locked while awarding another respin. Starburst XXXtreme offers a choice between two scenarios for a higher stake. In one scenario with a ten times stake, the Starburst Wild is set on random on reels 2,3, or 4, and a multiplier starts the respin. The second scenario, which has a 95 times stake, starts with two guaranteed starburst wilds on reels 2,3, or 4. it also plays out using respin game sequence and features. The game also increases the potential with the Random Wilds feature to add Starburst Wilds to a vacant reel at the end of a spin. Every Starburst Wild gives a random multiplier with potential wins of x2, x3, x5, x10, x25, x50, x100, or even x150.

The new feature is sure to be a big hit with the gaming market as online gambling has shown significant growth during the lockdown. AdAge indicates the current casino customer base is an estimated one in five Americans, so Starburst XXXtreme’s additional features will achieve considerable popularity. 

What We Think About The Game

The gambling market has continued to diversify post-pandemic, so it is one of the most opportune times to release an online casino-based game. Thankfully Starburst XXXtreme features eye-catching visuals, including the jewels and space themes. These attract audience participation and make the gameplay inviting. The game also has a nostalgic edge. The previous NetEnt iteration featured similar visuals and gameplay, so the audience has some familiarity with it. The producers have revamped this version by tweaking the features to improve the volatility and engagement. 

That is characterized by the potential win cap of 200,000 times the bet. Starburst XXXtreme does not just give betting alternatives for players that want to go big. The increase of multipliers also provides a great experience. If the respins in the previous version were great, knowing that multipliers can go hundreds of times overtakes the game to a new level. 

Players should get excited about this offering. All of the features can be triggered within a single spin. Whether one plays the standard game or takes the XXXtreme spin route, it is possible to activate all of the features. Of course, the potential 200,000 times potential is a huge carrot. However, the bet size is probably going to be restricted and vary depending on the casino. It is also worth pointing out that a malfunction during the gameplay will void all of the payouts and progress. Overall, the game itself has been designed to provide a capped win of 200,000 times the original bet. 

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Anglais

‘We’re back’: Montreal festival promoters happy to return but looking to next year

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In downtown Montreal, it’s festival season.

In the city’s entertainment district, a musical act was conducting a sound check on stage Friday evening — the second day of the French-language version of the renowned Just For Laughs comedy festival. Tickets for many of the festival’s free outdoor shows — limited by COVID-19 regulations — were sold out.

Two blocks away, more than 100 people were watching an acoustic performance by the Isaac Neto Trio — part of the last weekend of the Festival International Nuits d’Afrique, a celebration of music from the African continent and the African diaspora.

With COVID-19 restrictions continuing to limit capacity, festival organizers say they’re glad to be back but looking forward to next year when they hope border restrictions and capacity limits won’t affect their plans.

Charles Décarie, Just For Laughs’ CEO and president, said this is a “transition year.”

“Even though we have major constraints from the public health group in Montreal, we’ve managed to design a festival that can navigate through those constraints,” Décarie said.

The French-language Juste pour rire festival began on July 15 and is followed by the English-language festival until July 31.

When planning began in February and March, Décarie said, organizers came up with a variety of scenarios for different crowd sizes, ranging from no spectators to 50 per cent of usual capacity.

“You’ve got to build scenarios,” he said. “You do have to plan a little bit more than usual because you have to have alternatives.”

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Anglais

MELS new major movie studio to be built in Montreal

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MONTREAL — MELS Studios will build a new film studio in Montreal, filling some of the gap in supply to meet the demand of Hollywood productions.

MELS president Martin Carrier said on Friday that MELS 4 studio construction will begin « as soon as possible », either in the fall or winter of next year. The studio could host productions as early as spring 2023.

The total investment for the project is $76 million, with the Quebec government contributing a $25 million loan. The project will create 110 jobs, according to the company.

The TVA Group subsidiary’s project will enable it to stand out « even more » internationally, according to Quebecor president and CEO Pierre Karl Péladeau. In the past, MELS Studios has hosted several major productions, including chapters of the X-Men franchise. The next Transformers movie is shooting this summer in Montreal.

Péladeau insisted that local cultural productions would also benefit from the new facility, adding that the studio ensures foreign revenues and to showcase talent and maintain an industry of Quebec producers.

STUDIO SHORTAGE

The film industry is cramped in Montreal.

According to a report published last May by the Bureau du cinéma et de la télévision du Québec (BCTQ), there is a shortage of nearly 400,000 square feet of studio space.

With the addition of MELS 4, which will be 160,000 square feet, the company is filling part of the gap.

Carrier admitted that he has had to turn down contracts because of the lack of space, representing missed opportunities of « tens of millions of dollars, not only for MELS, but also for the Quebec economy. »

« Montreal’s expertise is in high demand, » said Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante, who was present at the announcement.

She said she received great testimonials from « Netflix, Disney, HBO and company » during an economic mission to Los Angeles in 2019.

« What stands out is that they love Montreal because of its expertise, knowledge and beauty. We need more space, like MELS 4, » she said.

There is still not enough capacity in Quebec, acknowledged Minister of Finance, the Economy and Innovation Eric Girard.

« It is certain that the government is concerned about fairness and balance, so if other requests come in, we will study them with the same seriousness as we have studied this one, » he said.

Grandé Studios is the second-largest player in the industry. Last May, the company said it had expansion plans that should begin in 2022. Investissement Québec and Bell are minority shareholders in the company.

For its part, MELS will have 400,000 square feet of production space once MELS 4 is completed. The company employs 450 people in Quebec and offers a range of services including studio and equipment rentals, image and sound postproduction, visual effects and a virtual production platform.

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