CBC NEWS Friday, June 25, 2010 | 12:01 PM PT
Former B.C. solicitor general John Les has been cleared of wrong doing by a special prosecutor's investigation into his land dealing in Chilliwack in the 1990, but a former municipal official will face charges. Special prosecutor Robin McFee did approve charges against Grant Sanborn, as part of the investigation, according to a statement released by B.C.'s Criminal Justice Branch on Friday. Sanborn has been charged with three charges of breach of trust by a public officer and scheduled to appear in court on July 27. But McFee said the available evidence against Les did not meet the threshold of substantial likelihood that Les would be convicted of the offence of breach of trust, and that he concluded charges were should not be recommended. Sanborn was an approving officer at Chilliwack City Hall during the 1990s, who left to become a private consultant specializing in assisting with applications to remove land from the Agricultural Land Reserve. Les resigned as B.C. solicitor general in March 2008 in the wake of allegations that he and his family benefitted improperly from developers who created subdivisions' in the Chilliwack area, many of which were developed while Les was mayor. The special prosecutor was appointed following Les's resignation as part of the investigation into the allegations.
At the centre of the controversy was the Rosebank development, which was built on land where boundaries had been redrawn when Les was mayor of Chilliwack between 1987 and 1999. The special prosecutor found that Sanborn failed to fulful his public duty as an approving officer when he allowed the subdivision to proceed at Rosebank, and when he approved another subdivision known as the Trails at Longthorn Creek. At the time of his resignation Les said he was confident his name would be cleared when the investigation is complete. "I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever that I'll be cleared. I know I have done nothing wrong," he said. While he resigned from cabinet, he remained a Liberal MLA during the investigation.
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Charges approved against businessman Grant Sanborn, but not John Les
Special prosecutor Robin McFee has approved criminal charges against Chilliwack businessman Grant Sanborn, who was allegedly involved in a land deal controversy linked to the resignation of former solicitor general John Les. Sanborn is facing three counts of breach of trust following an investigation into allegations of improper conduct on the part of former officials with the city of Chilliwack, the Criminal Justice Branch and the Ministry of Attorney General announced in a news release on Friday. The first court appearance for Sanborn is scheduled for July 25. McFee has not approved charges against Les. The special prosecutor has found that the evidence supports a finding that in allowing a subdivision of properties located near the intersection of Rosebank Place and Camp River to proceed, Sanborn "failed to fulfil his public duty as an approving officer." Sanborn was Chilliwack's approving officer for boundary changes during the time that Les was mayor. Les was mayor from 1987 to 1999, while Sanborn was the approving officer from 1992 until he left in 2000. In 1997, Sanborn made a boundary adjustment within ALR property owned by Les near Rosebank Place, the development under investigation by police and the ALC.Les stepped down as solicitor general in March 2008 shortly after news broke that an independent prosecutor was investigating his actions while mayor of Chilliwack.
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See copy of statement from Criminal Justice Branch here
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