In the light of recently unveiled speculations that Senator Larry Campbell’s board role in Great Canadian Gaming could have created a situation of a conflict of interest, experts have shared that this is not the only case of collision between corporate, public’s and personal interest.
The co-founder of Democracy Watch, Duff Conacher, who is also a professor of law and politics at the University of Ottawa, has explained that Canadian politicians have been able to serve their personal or some corporate interests, instead of the public’s interest due to certain loopholes in ethics laws.
Still, according to Mr. Conacher, it turns out that the Senate Ethics Officer has the necessary tools to actually close the above-mentioned loopholes and put an end to such conflict of interest. Conacher shared that in his opinion there is a conflict of interest between Senator Campbell’s obligation to act in the best interest of the local community, and his duty to act as a corporate board member in the best interest of Great Canadian Gaming’s shareholders.
“Senator Campbell is in a constant conflict of interest between his duties as a board member (…), and his duty as a senator (…)” – Duff Conacher in an interview for Global News
It has recently become clear that Senator Larry Campbell has received cash compensation amounting to over CA$800,000, as well as about CA$2.1 million worth of shares at his position of a board director at Great Canadian Gaming.
Sen. Campbell Remains Silent about Possible Conflict of Interest
As Casino Reports has previously shared, Great Canadian Gaming is exactly the company which owns the River Rock Casino – the gambling venue that has been pointed as the centerpiece of the massive money-laundering scheme which allowed international organized crime groups to “wash” no less than CA$100 million in British Columbia casinos.
The problem with Senator Campbell is that at the time when he has been supposed to be serving the public interest, he has also been occupying a chair position at the Great Canadian Gaming committee responsible for overseeing company’s ethics, compliance, and security at the River Rock Casino. Global News has revealed that at the end of August, an e-mail informing about him quietly stepping down from his chairman position at a BC Senate committee on internal economy and budgets.
After the former Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officer Peter German revealed the results of his independent investigation in the alleged money-laundering scheme on the territory of British Columbia, the gambling operator commented that neither the company nor the River Rock Casino had been subjected to enforcement in regard to their practices.
Senator Campbell did not respond to requests to comment on the accusations in a conflict of interest. He has also refused to comment on the findings of the money laundering scheme at the River Rock Casino and other casinos across the province.
