Suspended RCMP officer wants investigation stopped

canada.com (full story)
OTTAWA - Deputy commissioner Barbara George, who was suspended as the RCMP's top human resources officer, is asking the Federal Court to quash the "unlawful and invalid" internal and criminal investigations she claims the force started into her conduct. In court documents, George says her testimony at the Commons public accounts committee is protected by "parliamentary privilege" and can't be used against her in any criminal or civil investigation. She argues the code of conduct and criminal investigations the RCMP initiated into her testimony "breach" that privilege.

She's also asking the court to quash her suspension and reinstate her. The 29-year veteran found herself at the centre of a political storm over the alleged mishandling of the RCMP pension plan when she and other witnesses gave conflicting testimony about a police investigation into the funds during committee hearings held on Feb. 21 and March 28. The committee decided to hold hearings after Auditor General Sheila Fraser released a report last November concluding $3.4 million in spending was inappropriately charged to the RCMP pension fund and that $1.3 million had been spent by the RCMP on work of little or no value. She also questioned the independence of the Ottawa police investigation into the funds when most of the investigators were RCMP.

George is among the dozen witnesses the committee plans to call next week after MPs heard explosive testimony March 28 from a group of RCMP officers and a longtime civilian employee. They alleged senior management attempted to cover-up mismanagement and wrongdoing in the handling of the force's pension and insurance plans. A key issue for MPs is to get to the bottom of the different testimony that led to the removal of RCMP Staff Sgt. Mike Frizzell from the Ottawa police investigation into the funds. George is facing allegations she misled the committee about Frizzell's removal when she testified she wasn't involved. Liberal MP Borys Wrzesnewskyj, has since tabled evidence suggesting George had a hand in his removal. "I'm very concerned that deputy commissioner Barb George has perjured herself before this committee and will need to reappear to clarify this situation," Wrzesnewskyj said at the committee.

In court documents, George alleges Chief Supt. Robert Paulson improperly began a criminal investigation into allegations she misled the committee and committed perjury. She argues "misleading" the committee would be a contempt of Parliament and "is punishable only by the House of Commons." According to documents, she'll address the committee's concerns about conflicting testimony when she's recalled next week so the RCMP investigations are "unnecessary and unlawful." RCMP officials refused to discuss whether a criminal investigation was launched because the matter is before the courts. Bruce Carr-Harris, George's lawyer, couldn't be reached for comment. George was appointed chief human resources officer in October 2003, making her a member of the force's senior executive committee.