Craig Harley James, the former clerk of the Legislative Assembly of B.C., has been charged with four counts of breach of trust by a public officer and two counts of fraud in excess of $5,000.
The charges, sworn Thursday in Vancouver by an agent of the Attorney General, allege that James used his position to advance his own personal interests over the public good between Sept. 10, 2011, and Nov. 21, 2018. They relate to the purchase of a woodchopper and trailer, travel expenses and James’s long-service award.
James made his first appearance by video this morning at the Victoria courthouse. He is on an undertaking with three conditions that include having his fingerprints and photograph taken, not to go to the legislature and to have no contact with 57 people.
His next appearance has been set for Jan. 27. The case is proceeding by way of direct indictment, which means it will proceed without a preliminary inquiry.
The charges allege that between Sept. 10, 2011, and Feb. 28, 2013, James committed breach of trust by using his position to improperly obtain and keep a long-service award in the amount of $257,988.38.
James is charged with breach of trust by using his position to obtain personal benefit for the purchase and use of a wood splitter and trailer paid for with public funds between Sept. 1, 2017, and Dec. 8, 2018.
James is also charged with fraud over $5,000 in connection with the purchase of the trailer and wood splitter.
It’s also alleged James committed breach of trust by knowingly submitting travel expense claims and receiving reimbursement for personal travel expenditures between Nov. 1, 2013 and Sept. 30, 2018.
Finally, James is charged with defrauding the province of more than $5,000 by making fraudulent travel expense claims.
The charges arise out of an RCMP investigation. On Nov. 20, 2018, assistant deputy Attorney General Peter Juk appointed special prosecutors Brock Martland and David Butcher to provide legal advice to the RCMP and to assume conduct of the prosecution if charges were approved.
