The long-delayed B.C. Legislature raid corruption trial was put back one more day Monday after legal matters caused B.C. Supreme Court Associate Justice Anne MacKenzie to twice bring in and then send out the jury.

Former B.C. Liberal government ministerial assistants David Basi and Bob Virk and former government communications officer Aneal Basi all face charges related to the 2003 sale of Crown corporation B.C. Rail for $1 billion to CN Rail.

On December 28, 2003 police launched an unprecedented search of the B.C. Legislature looking for evidence. Basi, Virk and Basi were charged one year later.

A publication ban imposed by MacKenzie prohibits reporting on any court proceedings that take place in the absence of the jury.

The trial is now set to begin Tuesday at 10 a.m., with more than 40 Crown witnesses to include former cabinet ministers Gary Collins and Judith Reid and Premier Gordon Campbell's current chief of staff Martyn Brown testifying over six to eight weeks.

Bill Tieleman is a regular Tyee contributor who writes a column on B.C. politics every Tuesday in 24 Hours newspaper. E-mail him at [email protected] or visit his blog.