Report on Serge LeClerc investigation delayed

REGINA – The report on the investigation into former Saskatchewan Party MLA Serge LeClerc has been delayed.

Conflict of interest commissioner Ronald Barclay had originally hoped to release the report on two separate investigations he is running by mid-October.

But a letter sent on Barclay’s behalf by lawyer Maurice Laprairie to the NDP Opposition indicated the report is now unlikely to be made public until Nov. 18.

LeClerc resigned his Saskatoon Northwest seat at the end of September, four months after drug allegations caused him to leave the government caucus.

The issue arose after CBC received chat room transcripts and an audiotape of an individual who sounded like LeClerc discussing cocaine and marijuana use.

LeClerc denied the allegations.

Barclay – who had been tasked by the legislative assembly in the spring to investigate LeClerc’s conduct – said at the time of LeClerc’s resignation that he had sent a copy of the audiotape to the RCMP for expert analysis to determine whether it had been doctored.

In the letter sent by Laprairie, he told the NDP that the investigation is mostly complete, except for the RCMP analysis, which likely won’t be available until Nov. 18.

“At this time, all witnesses have been interviewed, all documents have been gathered, and the opinions are nearly complete. However, Mr. Barclay cannot complete the opinion regarding the Assembly’s request until he receives expert forensic reports from the RCMP,” wrote Laprairie, who noted the commissioner is pressing the RCMP for an earlier release.

Besides the investigation requested by the full assembly, Barclay is also conducting an investigation into LeClerc’s constituency office requested by the NDP. He plans to release both reports concurrently.

The timing means that the reports won’t be released before voters go to the polls next Monday to select LeClerc’s replacement in the Saskatoon Northwest byelection.

Instead, it appears that they will be released after the legislature resumes sitting.