Monday was an important day for Vancouver as the conversation around money-laundering accusations and what could be done to prompt a public inquiry took place once again at the City Hall. Councilor Christine Boyle invited Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West, as well as Simon Tremblay, once Assistant Chief Deputy for the Charbonneau Commission that conducted a public inquiry across Quebec.
The overall number of people willing to see public inquiry and participate in it with their own experience and pieces of information increases with each passing day. People across British Columbia want to see results and this Monday wanted to make a progress in this direction boosted by the conversation between Coun. Boyle and supporters of the public inquiry approach. She pointed out that British Columbians are now completely aware that there is something deeply wrong with the system that has allowed this malicious practice to spread through several sectors and to continue for years.
Quebec Public Inquiry Could Give Guidelines
The dirty money generated via fentanyl sale was later washed in casino venue sprinkled across the province, and Mrs. Boyle stated that sometimes the cash generated was poured in the real estate field, further swelling prices there. In this sense, the fact that these sectors were interlinked and working in synchronicity for years is concerning. In the past few weeks, Quebec is mentioned more often, as the province features Unité Permanente Anticorruption, an anti-corruption unit that battles illegal practices.
It launched a public inquiry seeking answers on public construction contracts. Mr. Tremblay stated that if British Columbia launches a public inquiry into the money-laundering issue, it should be able to summon individuals that could be useful with their knowledge in front of the commissioners. Such an approach is expected to bring real results seeking to fortify the province and prevent the washing of more dirty cash.
What Coun. Boyle wanted to accomplish with this recent public conversation was to prompt Vancouver to join the public inquiry movement. A motion proposed by her at the City Council meeting would seek support. British Columbia Attorney-General David Eby stated that right now a public inquiry would get in the way of an ongoing investigation that British Columbia prosecutors are currently taking care of.
March Would See More Money-Laundering Information
The month of March is expected to see more reports, such as Peter Germans real-estate one and that might be a better time for seeking the public input. He is one of the supporters of public inquiry and has been speaking openly about the positive outcome of such. According to the most recent poll conducted by Ipsos, some 76 percent of the British Columbians support a public inquiry that would boost money-laundering battle forward.
Most of the participants claim that the government should listen to the locals and meet their expectations in order to protect their rights. Seven in ten participants in the study pointed out that they consider this approach a winning one that could reveal the inconvenient truth about organized crime within the borders of British Columbia.
The study took place in the days between January 31 and February 4 and included as many as 800 individuals of legal age permanently residing in the province. Upcoming weeks are projected to see more clarity and highly-anticipated reports.
