1995 Legislative Session: 4th Session, 35th Parliament
FIRST READING
The following electronic version is for informational purposes only.
The printed version remains the official version.
MR. HARRY de JONG
HER MAJESTY, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, enacts as follows:
1 This Act shall be cited as the "Nanaimo Commonwealth Holding Society Public Inquiry Act".
2 The Honourable Chief Justice of the British Columbia Supreme Court, or such other member of the Judiciary as the Chief Justice may designate in his stead, is hereby appointed as commissioner to constitute a public commission for the purposes of inquiring into the affairs, business and conduct of the Nanaimo Commonwealth Holding Society as well as any and all related or affiliated organizations, persons or entities including, without restricting the generality of the foregoing, the Nanaimo Centre NDP Association, the Harewood Community Hall Association, the Harewood Social Centre Society and the NCHS Charity Society, together with any other corporation, organization or person that may have benefited, directly or indirectly, from the operations of the Nanaimo Commonwealth Holding Society to determine if there has been any breach of law, duty or other wrongdoing in connection with the conduct of their affairs, business and enterprises.
3 The Commissioner hereby appointed shall have all of the powers and entitlements provided under the Inquiry Act, R.S.B.C. 1979, c. 198, including but not limited to:
(a) access to all Provincial Government papers, documents, records and books;
(b) power to summons and require the attendance of witnesses,
(c) to require any persons summoned to bring and produce before the Public Commission all documents, books and papers in their possession, custody or power relating to or concerning the subject matter; and
(d) in the event that a summoned person fails to appear before the Public Commission at the time and place specified in the summons, or having appeared refuses to answer to questions put to the person or to produce or to show the documents in his possession, custody or power, the Commissioner shall have the same powers as judges of the Supreme Court in the like behalf.
4 All hearings shall be held in such a fashion so as to be available to the general public, in such a manner deemed appropriate by the Commissioner.
5 The Commissioner shall report as to the results of the Public Commission within one year of his appointment as Commissioner, which report shall be filed with the Legislative Assembly forthwith upon its completion.
6 This Act comes into force upon proclamation.
This Bill will provide for a full public inquiry into the Nanaimo Commonwealth Holding Society and all of its affiliates, as well as examining its links to the New Democratic Party.
The purpose of the public inquiry is to determine, in a public forum, the full extent of the activities of the Nanaimo Commonwealth Holding Society.
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