BCLC to participate at money laundering public inquiry

British Columbia has launched a public inquiry into money laundering and the BCLC has been given official standing.

Canada.- After Canadian media reported that money laundering was happening through casinos in the country, British Columbia started an official investigation. The public inquiry into money laundering will feature sixteen organisations that will have official standing, including the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC).

Premier John Horgan called for the inquiry back in May after local media pressured to investigate money laundering accusations in BC casinos. In order to investigate such allegations, the city launched a public inquiry.

Senior Commission Counsel Brock Martland said: “This is who is allowed formal status at the hearings which will give them a number of rights to participate through opening and closing arguments, examining witnesses, putting forward evidence and information to assist in this inquiry.”

The BCLC has been given official standing, as well as the Great Canadian Gaming Cooperation and other fourteen organisations. These will work with the commission to focus on the money laundering issues. The hearings will start in the fall of 2020, and the final report is scheduled to be out by May 2021.

“I think what we have in this mix of applicants is quite a diversity of organizations and people who are coming forward and want to be part of this,” Martland said. “From our point of view, we are happy to see all these people coming forward. The government of Canada is one of the participants representing a number of federal agencies, and from the commission’s point of view that is a very important piece to see that the federal government is actively supporting this work, engaging in this work.”

Complete list of organisations

The organisations that have been given official standing are: the B.C. Ministry of Finance, the Attorney-General’s Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch, the federal government, the B.C. Society of Notaries Public, the B.C. Law Society, the B.C. Lottery Corp., Great Canadian Gaming, Gateway Casinos, the Canadian Gaming Association, the B.C. Government and Service Employees’ Union, former BCLC vice-president Robert Kroeker, BMW Canada, the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, the Canadian Bar Association, the Criminal Defence Advocacy Society, and a coalition comprised of Transparency International Canada, Canadians for Tax Fairness, and Publish What You Pay Canada.