Latest news with #MalcolmBrodie
Global News
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Global News
Richmond Mayor questioned over Olympic Oval Europe trip
As Global News continues to investigate spending at the City of Richmond, there has been a troubling incident involving Mayor Malcolm Brodie. It happened Tuesday morning at a playground in Steveston. Global News attended as invited guests and, in addition to covering the event, we tried to ask Mayor Brodie about a European junket taken by employees of the Olympic Oval and the city. In a stunning turn of events, Mayor Brodie grabbed our camera. 2:08 Many questions after Richmond Olympic Oval delegation travels to Europe in 2022 Richmond's media relations person intervened, saying the mayor was sensitive to our reporting on Monday that the city and Olympic Oval had refused our repeated attempts to obtain costs of the 2022 junket, which later prompted us to file a freedom of information request. Story continues below advertisement Sources inside the Oval have now told us eight people went to Olympic-related events in Spain and Switzerland and that the trip cost about $77,787. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'Unfortunately, a lot of politicians across the country know that they can't blatantly steal the public's money and so they use perks and junkets as another form of corruption, which really amounts to theft of the public's money because there's no reason for most of the trips that they're taking,' Democracy Watch co-founder Duff Conacher commented. After Brodie left the playground, his PR person contacted Global News and requested a sit-down interview for the mayor on Wednesday.
Global News
16-05-2025
- Business
- Global News
RCMP probe launched into City of Richmond gift card purchases
Following a months-long Global News investigation into the City of Richmond's purchase of restaurant gift cards, there are bombshell new developments. The city has confirmed that $295,000 worth of gift cards remain unreconciled. Also, it says an employee has been terminated, and the RCMP is investigating as a forensic audit continues. Richmond previously claimed most of the restaurant gift cards were for service awards, retirement or volunteer recognition. 1:44 New details in City of Richmond gift card scandal Richmond said the cards cost taxpayers $32,800 in 2022, $71,550 in 2023 and $71,300 in 2024. Story continues below advertisement But results from a Global News freedom of information request produced 493 pages showing the cards totalled $156,000 in 2022, $218,000 in 2023 and $124,000 in 2024. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy One employee we interviewed, who we agreed not to identify, said he had concerns about the cards. 'Why are we getting these? We are very well paid to do our jobs, and we're not a private organization, so these are all tax dollars,' they said in a previous interview. 2:26 City of Richmond gift card program prompts call for investigation When asked about the lack of financial accountability, Mayor Malcolm Brodie told CKNW radio, 'There are internal controls on everything at City Hall and and how this could have, whatever happened, how it could have gone on for a number of years. I cannot, at this point, comment on.'' 'I can say there are controls on. I only assume that there's been some kind of a breakdown.' Story continues below advertisement Another $31,000 worth of cards is being held by the city's human resources department. At this stage, it's unclear if criminal charges will be laid.
