Money-laundering inquiry urged to look to future

VANCOUVER — The commissioner of B.C.’s public inquiry into money laundering was urged to look to future efforts to combat the crime rather than point blame at how hundreds of millions of dollars in illegal cash poured into provincial casinos.

The way forward in the fight against money laundering is through continued collaboration between governments, law enforcement agencies and regulatory bodies, lawyers for the B.C. and federal governments said during closing submissions Friday at the Commission of Inquiry into Money Laundering.

“We note that of course while the commission’s mandate does include the potential to make findings of misconduct, the province submits that should not be the principal focus of the inquiry,” B.C. government lawyer Jacqueline Hughes told Commissioner Austin Cullen.

“This commission’s most important work will be the recommendations it makes towards a path forward,” she said.

Hughes said the provincial gaming regulator and Crownowned B.C. Lottery Corporation held differing views about addressing illegal cash at casinos for years, but their working relationship has improved.