DRUG ALLEGATION A 'SMEAR': LECLERC

MLA Denies Man In Recording Aired By Cbc Is Him

Serge LeClerc, the Saskatoon MLA who describes his life story as
transforming from "lawbreaker to lawmaker," has removed himself from
the Saskatchewan Party caucus after CBC reported it received a
package of information Friday alleging recent drug use by the MLA.

The Saskatoon Northwest MLA -- first elected in 2007 -- said in a
caucus news release he had taken himself out of caucus "while he
works to clear his name from allegations of drug use."

CBC aired a recording of a phone conversation of an individual
purported to be LeClerc speaking about using drugs with men at his
Regina condominium.

LeClerc -- who speaks regularly on and has written a book about
overcoming his past as a career criminal -- told CBC that while the
voice recording sounded "a lot" like him, it could not be him.

He said in the caucus statement he has not used any illegal drugs in
decades and said someone "is attempting to smear me."

LeClerc said he would ask the CBC to provide him a copy of the
recording and he would turn it over to police to investigate its
origins. He said he would take a drug test to prove he was drug free.

What CBC says are 12 minutes of phone recordings also have the person
purported to be LeClerc talking about having sex with a man that he
had used drugs with.

"It is not true. I have not done cocaine and I have not had illicit
homosexual sex," LeClerc told CBC. He also denied he used marijuana,
which CBC reported is mentioned on the recording.

The CBC also reported the information package contained transcripts
from Internet chat rooms but LeClerc said he no longer had his
personal laptop for the hard drive to be checked.

The news release says Premier Brad Wall has accepted LeClerc's
decision to remove himself from caucus.

But communications officials from both Executive Council and the
government caucus said LeClerc would not comment further to The
StarPhoenix, nor would any cabinet member or caucus MLA.

An e-mail from Reg Downs, senior adviser to Wall, said LeClerc will
also be removed from his unpaid position as legislative secretary to
Corrections Minister Yogi Huyghebaert, where he was responsible for
the "Corrections Facilities Initiative," and from his post as a
member of the legislature's human services committee.

LeClerc has described his past self as a violent gang leader, drug
dealer and drug addict who turned his life around after becoming a
Christian while incarcerated.

After years in and out of prison, he was released in 1988 and
embarked on a career of charitable work and motivational speaking.

LeClerc received a pardon in 2000 and came to Saskatchewan in 2002 to
head the local chapter of Teen Challenge, a faith-based drug and
rehabilitation program. He has not been involved with the program
since Oct. 1, 2007.

"I find it very surprising. Once you've committed to leaving the
world of addictions for the length of time that Serge has, I just
can't imagine him going back," said Denis Smail, director of Teen
Challenge Saskatchewan.

"It seems out of place. I can't believe that Serge would be involved
in any drug use after where he's been."

LeClerc won Saskatoon Northwest by more than 2,000 votes in the Sask.
Party landslide of 2007 and was recently renominated to run again in
2011. LeClerc also continued his public speaking, with both
"professional" and "faith based" motivational presentations,
according to his web site.

But in recent weeks LeClerc has come under fire.

At the beginning of April, NDP Leader Dwain Lingenfelter said that
LeClerc had given him the finger in the assembly and that the
first-term MLA had threatened him in a November confrontation in the
legislature rotunda.

LeClerc denied both accusations, saying he had left violence behind
more than two decades ago.

There have also been questions raised about how LeClerc has
represented what he described as an "unprecedented" pardon. In his
autobiography, Untwisted, he said his application had gone before the
House of Commons, which had passed legislation granting him a full
national pardon.

However, a copy of his pardon provided to reporters this week
appeared to be a regular pardon issued by the National Parole Board.

NDP justice critic Frank Quennell said while he had long taken a
"jaundiced" view of LeClerc being "completely transformed," he was
stunned by the events of Friday.

Quennell said when it comes to issues of criminality, LeClerc should
be judged innocent until proven guilty.

"That aside . . . the premier is under considerable obligation to
conduct his own investigation and inquiries into the conduct of Mr.
LeClerc, to which criminal standards and burdens don't necessarily
apply," he said.

"In public life, we should be held to a higher standard."

Quennell said he did not have an opinion of whether the audio file
was real or manufactured but it should go to the police in either case.

The legislature resumes sitting on Monday.