Trial starts for former Moncton executive accused of financial crimes
CBC
The trial of a former Moncton-area economic development executive on numerous charges related to financial crime began Tuesday.
Daniel Bard, 60, faces 19 charges, including possession of property obtained by crime, fraud, theft and money laundering in a case that's been going on for years.
Some of the allegations date to when Bard was vice-president of investment attraction for 3+ Corporation, a municipally funded business development agency for the Moncton region, between 2016 and 2018.
In 2019, CBC reported Bard was accused by several business owners and individuals of receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in administrative and brokerage fees while working for the agency, but failing to deliver on promises and then vanishing.
Bard was arrested in northwest New Brunswick in 2022 as part of an investigation into what RCMP described as "financial irregularities amounting to more than a million dollars."
Eric Mourant, who was president and CEO of 3+ when Bard worked there, was the Crown's first witness.
Mourant said although Bard seemed to have several projects on the go at once, it wasn't always clear whether he was making progress.
When he pressed him for updates, Mourant testified that Bard told him he had signed non-disclosure agreements with prospective clients that prevented him from divulging any information about them.
"He shared very little information with me on all cases," Mourant said, adding that Bard would also get irritated and threaten to quit when pressed for details.
"I felt uncomfortable about the whole situation."
Mourant said Bard didn't close any deals during the nearly 18 months he was employed at the agency. He said Bard would repeatedly say deals were imminent, but they never came through.
When asked by defence lawyer James Matheson whether it's common for deals in the investment field to take long periods of time, Mourant said it can take more than a year in some cases and that the ratio of success is "about five per cent."
When asked about Bard's hiring process, Mourant said the company didn't get do a credit check or check Bard's references before he was hired.
He testified that Bard asked the hiring team that they not check his credit because he had spent a considerable amount of money helping his parents, who had fallen ill.
Run 3 Space | Play Space Running Game
Traffic Jam 3D | Online Racing Game
Duck Hunt | Play Old Classic Game
Bob Byrnes has been in business in Stephenville for decades, and once served on the board of the non-profit corporation that used to run the airport.
It looks like your average rock on the picturesque shoreline of Lake Nipissing, but beneath the surface lies a contentious property dispute that now involves the local township, surveyors, and a nonprofit organization.
Nova Scotia's farming industry hasn't turned a profit in nearly a decade, and last year lost more than $41 million — a reflection of the economic challenges that are concerning industry leaders in the province.
When the William Mitton Covered Bridge in Riverview was torn down last winter, many were heartbroken.
Transit users are adjusting their commutes Monday as maintenance workers with Montreal's transit authority launch a week-long strike.
The first indication that it's not business as usual at La Ronge docket court is that it's taking place at the provincial courthouse in Saskatoon.
Chief Conroy Sewepagaham of Little Red River Cree Nation points to ground zero — the spot where the wildfire started two years ago.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats general manager Ted Goveia says he has been diagnosed with "a serious form of cancer that's spread."
Ontario's chief medical officer of health says six infants have been born with congenital measles since an outbreak began last fall, adding they were infected in the womb through mothers who were not vaccinated.
EDITOR'S NOTE: CBC News commissioned this public opinion research to be conducted immediately following the federal election and leading into the second anniversary of the United Conservative Party's provincial election win in May 2023. As with all polls, this one provides a snapshot in time. This analysis is one in a series of articles from this research.
Marlee Liss still remembers how dehumanizing it felt to sit through the preliminary trial of the man accused of sexually assaulting her, disturbed by how she was treated while testifying, as she answered a series of invasive questions.
Supporting local tourism is a high priority for many Canadians this summer, and a farm in Bright, Ont., has found a low "steaks" way to draw visitors.
The First Nations group L'nuey and Parks Canada are looking for board members to help co-manage P.E.I.'s protected lands and historic sites, taking the next step on an agreement they have spent years crafting.