Serge LeClerc – unethical and highly inappropriate behavior – Commissioner

In 2009 Saskatchewan MLA and former Teen Challenge Director/founder Serge LeClerc appeared on 100 Huntley Street to talk about God’s grace.
LeClerc is also known as a representative of Crossroads Christian Communications Inc. Circle Square Ranches.
LeClerc is President of Career 7 Associates Inc., a promotional company.
LeClerc is also known as an inspirational and motivational speaker, billing himself as someone who had gone from lawbreaker to lawmaker and peddling his book Untwisted.

Ex Crime Kingpin Turns the Tables 100 Huntley Street Part 1 of 3

LeClerc (Saskatoon Northwest) who was elected in 2007, was legislative secretary to the Corrections Minister and a member of the Human Services committee. He was asked to sit as an independent by Premier Brad Wall after an audio tape and 60 page chat room transcript of two men talking about drugs and sex surfaced in April. LeClerc resigned four months later, claiming innocence and citing poor health. Background is here.

LeClerc initially denied the allegations that was his voice on the tape that was sent to the CBC or that he’d engaged in the chatroom or taken drugs. He vowed to fight what he called a smear, said the tape was doctored and said he’d lent his laptop to a girlfriend in Ontario.
LeClerc’s wife died about the time the tape was made in 2009, LeClerc re-married in July.

Regina Police wrapped up their investigation in May and no charges were laid.
An investigation by the Conflict of Interest Commissioner continued. While the report was promised before the October sitting of the Saskatchewan legislature, it was not released until this week.

Former Saskatchewan MLA Serge LeClerc was involved with illegal drugs and engaged in “unethical” and “highly inappropriate” behaviour while still a legislator, a report from the province’s conflict of interest commissioner says.

…”According to the content of the recordings, it is my opinion that Mr. LeClerc smoked marijuana during the time period that he was an MLA, and that he had an unidentified person bring cocaine to his residence during the time period he was an MLA,” wrote Barclay.

Of particular concern to Barclay, he said, was that LeClerc removed and threw away the hard drive from his government laptop computer.

That hard drive, which was government property, could have been crucial in exonerating — or implicating — LeClerc’s participation in the audio or alleged online chat transcripts, Barclay said.

Commissioner Ron Barclay said there was no evidence the chatroom transcripts were genuine.

Another report by the Commissioner was tabled in the Saskatchewan legislature Tuesday:

It dealt with allegations LeClerc had his constituency assistant do work for his private company, setting up speaking engagements for LeClerc, who is a longtime motivational speaker with an anti-drug message.

Barclay concluded he discovered no violation of the legislature’s conflict-of-interest rules, although with regard to the spending rules, it might be a different story.

According to the CBC, 60 year old LeClerc suffers from diabetes and high blood pressure. The Regina Leader-Post says LeClerc is gravely ill with colon and bowel cancer. In April LeClerc told The Star-Phoenix he suffered from serious sinus problems, dizziness and aftereffects of head injuries from beatings and head injuries he received while a criminal.
Reached for comment in Ontario LeClerc says there is no evidence he used illegal drugs. He says the conclusions about the tape (examined by the RCMP) are just opinion:

“All I can tell you is that I don’t recall a conversation such as that, I never had that conversation as far as I know, as far as I remember, or any type of that conversation. I don’t know who the other party was, I don’t know what the other side of the conversation was,” LeClerc said by telephone from the Ontario hospital where he is receiving treatment.

“But I haven’t done drugs, marijuana or cocaine since 1986. End of story.”

LeClerc did not address the missing hard drive.
A blogger has Serge LeClerc doing speaking engagements in BC the end of October, so when LeClerc supposedly went into treatment in Ontario is hard to gauge. His speaking engagement in the same area was cancelled in September, a few weeks before the report was originally due. It’s sadly convenient treatment is reportedly occurring at the time the Conflict of Interest Commissioner report is released. LeClerc’s speaker calendar is conveniently blank. There is a Facebook entry on LeClerc’s wall dated November 19th from Indiana says he was in hospital with cancer in multiple parts of his body.

Regina Leader-Post:

Meanwhile Tuesday, the legislative assembly office confirmed that LeClerc would receive a “transition allowance” on leaving office.

The formula sees MLAs leaving the legislature receiving the equivalent of one month’s salary for each year of service. In LeClerc’s case, that would work out to $22,016.

Report by The Honorable Ronald L. Barkley, Q.C. November 22, 2010

Update: LeClerc died of cancer April 16, 2011.