The B.C. government has asked lawyer Peter German to conduct fact-finding investigations into money laundering with the first report on casinos issued 18 months ago. Attorney General David Eby has appointed German to conduct a second investigation into real estate, luxury cars and horse racing. However, in these investigations, there is no onus on individuals to co-operate and supply information to German.

Supporters of a public inquiry say it would also identify where laws may be lacking, how money laundering is tied to illicit drugs and its impact on real estate.

Government watchdog IntegrityBC wants more scrutiny of laws that apply to money laundering. Executive director Dermod Travis says a public inquiry should have been called a year ago.

"We need to look at how the safeguards failed and allowed money laundering to happen," he says.

It is government's role to fix the legislation and look at other jurisdictions such as the United Kingdom, which has "justification of lifestyle legislation," he says.