INSIDE: Chilliwack Hospice Society publishes community report Pg. B1 June 29, 2010
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LOCAL NEWS, SPORTS, WEATHER & ENTERTAINMENT chilliwacktimes.com
Cloud lifted from Les
But dark days may be ahead for former approving officer Grant Sanborn, who faces three charges
BY PAUL J. HENDERSON phenderson@chilliwacktimes.com
INSIDE
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◗ Breach of trust charges connected to hilliwack MLA John Les has two developments Sanborn approved been cleared of wrongdomore than 10 years ago. See page 3. ing in relation to land deals from when he was mayor, ◗ Premier Gordon Campbell says MLA the criminal justice branch announJohn Les at the “top of his list” for a ced Friday. future cabinet position. See page 4. But special prosecutor Robin McFee approved three charges of breach of trust by a public officer delines only” with the goal of finding against the city’s former director of creative ways to “make development development and approving officer happen.” Grant Sanborn. McFee concluded the “available “I’m not sure if I’ve ever been as evidence does not meet the thresrelieved as I feel today,” Les told the hold of a substantial likelihood that Times on Friday. Mr. Les would be convicted of the “This has been a real ordeal, not offence of breach of trust by a public in the first place for myself; I was officer.” always much more concerned about This is primarily because whemy family. never discussion of Les’s Rosebank “I s a i d f ro m t h e v e r y development came to counbeginning and I was thorocil, he disclosed a conflict ughly convinced I had done and stepped out of meetinnothing wrong and obviougs. McFee also found there sly I’m just terribly pleased was a “paucity of evidence” that the special prosecutor that Les took direct steps EB IRST to encourage Sanborn to validated my feelings all First reported on approve the subdivision. along.” Les became the subject of chilliwacktimes.com But McFee did find that an RCMP investigation in there were “improper muni2007 for allegedly benefitting from cipal practices within the city of deals when he was mayor. Chilliwack during Mr. Les’ tenure as He resigned from his cabinet posi- mayor,” and that there was a “protion as B.C.’s solicitor general when development/can do” culture fostehe learned he was under investiga- red at city hall. tion. “Mayor Les and most members Les told the Times Friday that of council embraced this pro-deve“[McFee] has said unequivocally lopment philosophy such that staff there is absolutely no evidence of were encouraged, both directly and any wrongdoing on my part.” subtly, to adhere to what was desHowever, after an examination cribed as an attitude of innovatiof “voluminous” evidence by the on and creativity within the City of RCMP, and a look at more than 80 Chilliwack’s development and plantransactions, McFee found that the ning department,” the summary stapro-development philosophy of Les ted. and city council at the time encoLes was the developer and the uraged staff to look at government regulations and city bylaws as “guiSee LES, Page 3
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Submitted photo
Twenty-seven months after he stepped down from his position as solicitor general, Chilliwack MLA John Les has been cleared of wrongdoing in the criminal probe into whether he benefitted from land deals while he was mayor.
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