The mayor for Port Coquitlam is tired of the excuses and says it is time for the province to call a public inquiry to deal with money laundering.

Speaking on NL’s The Woodford Show Brad West says he shares the outrage among the public over the laundering of billions in dirty money from the proceeds of various horrific illegal activities in the province.

“People are completely fed up. I have told myself I am going to stop saying I am shocked what I am is pissed off. I am pissed off that this has been allowed to happen to this province and government has been unwilling or unable to do anything about it. We just need to put a stop to this once and for all. I am increasingly convinced that the best way to do that is through an inquiry.”

Specifically West says B.C. needs a Charbonneau commission style public inquiry as conducted in Quebec to address widespread corruption within the construction industry.

“It was extremely successful. You had people go to jail, you had people charged criminally, you had a significant amount of money recovered for taxpayers, and you actually had politicians who had to resign.”

West doesn’t buy the excuse a public inquiry would involve an orgy of lawyers, huge costs, and take forever with little to show for it.

“Give it the tools that it had in Quebec the ability to subpoena people, to compel people to testify, to work in partnership with prosecutors.”

West says if you set up an inquiry to fail by not giving it the tools it needs then do not be surprised when it does fail.

He says while inquiries can be expensive he points to the costs and thousands of lives lost in the dirty money fueled opioid overdose crisis and the costs already incurred by a completely unaffordable housing market again thanks to dirty money.