Ok Ok

Edited for possible libel. Tyee editor

Some things

Some things, like decks being built, seem to pale by comparison don't they? Don't see Gordie facing the R.C.M.P. with a stunned look on his face---not that that would be unusual. Maybe he needs another drink.

You must be joking

These people were Campbell's go to guys Cappy.

TIme to wake up and smell the coffee. The RCMP have bobbled the ball so badly that the results of all this may never get to the judge for a decision; but, because of the dedication and hard work of a few people for the past year, this dirty laundry IS going to be aired in the court of public opinion.

You can review the information and the journalism that's come out during that year here: http://bctrialofbasi-virk.blogspot.com/

It's all there in the archives. And by the way, you'd be very surprised to know exactly who stops by that little blog on a regular basis.

Have a look and then come back and tell us Basi and Virk are the only bad apples.

You might want to remember

While you're browsing that material on the blog remember that Premier Gordo and Garry Collins were also caught on the RCMP tapes using Mr Basi's cell phone. That's not an allegation, bud, that's a fact...as is virtually everything else that's coming out in these hearings.

Why do you think there has been so much delay and foot dragging over disclosure? This is a criminal trial my friend, not a civil litigation.

"some of this stuff"

Capitalism...some of this stuff doesn't look good? I submit to you that none of it looks good.
And as far as you trying to water down the media manipulation by saying all parties do it, that may be so but tell me of another party that did it to manipulate the selling off of public companies. These bastards are selling of our province to their big business buddies and in some (proven) cases to the detriment of the people of this province.
one thing for sure. In your comment you lumped some of the bad apples into the same pie. Basi, Virk, Campbell. And you can bet your sweet bippy that Campbell knew all of this crap from the get-go.
The way this thing is shaping up the crown will probably drop the case so no more details smother the Liberal Party.The party that will go down in history as being absolutely against the good of the people of B.C.

Is Cappy's Koolaid Wearing Off?

Gee I'm in the West pointed out:

-

An excellent observation my good man! I would like to add, in the interests of clarification that the above quote from Gavin means also, but not exclusively, that it is also not a Photo Op (mounties with boxes), a focus group or a star chamber proceeding.

It also might be a good time to point out that parliamentary privilege doesn't include a "Get Out of Jail Free" card for every occasion - or at least that wasn't the intention.

The "bad apple" defense

Ah cappy, you are a sad one. Are there any more cliched excuses you can come up with?

The only thing sadder is the utter lack of attack by the NDP. Why aren't they hammering on this at every opportunity?

1984 v/s 2009

George Orwell's book 1984 is slowly proving to be a fairly accurate picture of what life will be like.

1984 was a bit opitmistic, add 25 years and it now seem likely that in 2009 we will be;
Constantly scrutinized by spycameras.
Our every act will be recorded and kept on file.
Our movements monitored at the borders.
Truth will be distorted,
And history be rewritten after the fact.

That list could go on, but you get the picture!

We are now in an era where "the powers that be" will resort to any method to prevent ever loosing that power again!

Shocked and Appalled

Rather than feigning being "shocked and appalled" like most of the left-wing hypocrites on the Tyee, I find this fuss amusing.

If the Liberals organized phone-banks of callers to hotline shows, and staged counter-demonstrations, they have simply learned the tactics that "progressives" have used for generations. Good for them.

Cappy, you've got to be kidding...

You're either far more naive than anyone thinks, or this comment is completely and utterly disingenuous.

The current investigation of the RCMP is exposing their corruption at every level. And all that the Gomery commission did was illustrate how a corrupt governing party can hang its political appointees out to dry, which appears to be exactly what's happening here.

Give your head a shake! Sometimes things are what they seem, regardless of how much you'd like them to be otherwise.....

If only 10 % of this is true

If only a small portion of this is true and I believe the percentage is a lot higher the deck pales by comparison. Capitalism and Martin can't even deal with the reality. Good article Bill, keep them coming till the light shines on the whole dirty bunch.

I wish

I wish to hell that the RCMP dig into RAV -Ken Doebell/Jane Bird's (RAVCo.)phony LRT planning! Same stuff, different location! Bombardier didn't get SkyTrain, but....the Hyundai cheapie metro is a license built Bombardier job!

Why did Alstom walk?

Why was Siemens not awarded a contract?

Was it it a done deal before the phone P-3?

Why does TransLink fib about LRT being more costly to build and operate; less safe, etc. than metro, yet now say the opposite for the Evergreen Line?

Skywalker

Campbell has been cleared of wrongdoing. Yes, this is civil litigation, but remember that doesn't change the fact that they are trying to present a case. Just because OJ said he wasn't a murderer, and the Furman planted the "bloody glove" doesn't mean its truth.

This stuff in part, is probably true. Politicians are just that, politicians. They are clearly consumed with public opinion...no real news here.

None of this stuff is all that concerning UNLESS we find evidence to suggest their involvement in these improprieties or profiteering as a result. Sorry guys, there is no evidence to suggest it.

Is Cappy Campbell?

In light of allegations that the BC Liberals planted phony phone calls to Bill Boring's show, can we assume that Cappy is part of the Campbell clan?

It's a slimy business

For those whose eyes tend to roll back at the mention of the NDP having to challenge not only other parties, but a traditionally hostile media, the following excerpt is quite telling. You may, if you wish, believe that the stations' directors and/or talk show moderators were not "in on it":

"They're not just lobbing softball questions to the premier -- they're setting the stage for calls to the leader of the Opposition," McCullough alleged.

In another intercepted call on Oct. 16, 2003, Reichert tells Basi that: "Three MLAs got killed on the Joe Easingwood Show -- just slaughtered." Easingwood is the host of a morning talk radio show on Victoria's CFAX station.

As a frequent talk show caller for many years, I became well aware of the games that were played and how the talk shows could be manipulated.

Quote:Phony hecklers Phony

Phony hecklers? Aren't there any real ones left?

The Lifeline

The socialist horde has been yearning for something to attack the success of the present BC Liberal Government on. Just today I read that organic farmers are being given funds to expand. The public sector unions were settled with and all businesses are firing on all cylinders. Unemployment has gone, etc., but a few still perpetuate the myth than things are terrible. They cant get arrested because each time they turn an issue they used to own vaporizes. This case was a desperate hope. Time will tell.

I see that GWest is, as per the usual, up front and centre to moderate the crowd and encourage the NPDers and pounce on those that haven't swallowed the neo-commie-Kool-Aid. I wonder how he can justify his umbrage to the petty ploy of stacking radio shows, with his stacking of this site with his, self-confessed, alter ego Alciabides?

Tit for Tat? Or, it was justifiable since no money was passed. Yet, this is a commercial site and GWest himself intends to publish and profit from his scribbles. Any quibbling is just a matter of degrees.

Round & round 'The Circle' goes . . . .

~ George Bernard Shaw

Our systems have become corrupted, at the expense of all British Columbians. The trial on the Raid of the Legislature serves a much bigger purpose than this trial alone: A BIG RED ALERT.

It is a lightening rod for broad exposure; a crack in the tight little "political Circle" that must be OPENED WIDE:

. . . e.g. how this Circle has operated for years, abusing legal process for their OWN vested interests NOT the public's; how their tentacles reach far, wide & deep, including into the media, the RCMP etc. Cover-ups everywhichway.

It is time these LINKS were exposed & broken - their conduct aired.

What other sensitive, political files have the RCMP, in particular the Commercial Crime Division "tainted" in their quest to sanitize specific evidence obtained to protect highly placed politicians?

What other dirty deals have gone down surrounding the BC Liberal controlled Vanoc where millions of taxpayers' dollars & crown land are sucked in & vested interests /conflicts of interests abound; where Dobell, key Campbell friends such as the 'Concert Properties Cabal', senior Land bureaucrats & the RCMP are pulling the levers?
What other cover ups has this Circle manipulated where Dobell & company have been involved? More questions to be asked & answered . . . oui????

We have all witnessed the use of the courts unethical tactics to 'sanitize' & 'dismiss' when the heat is on high profile reputations/vested interests.

We are all watching closely Madame Bennett . . .Please raise the bar on decency in our court system or the best interests of British Columbians

Cappy, Cappy, Cappy

this is NOT civil litigation

This is A CRIMINAL TRIAL. It is not civil litigation.

Campbell, far from being cleared, is being revealed as more and more corrupt with each passing day.

Even Lucinda Chodan admits this is news.

The funny thing is that all of this, save a few minor (but very interesting details) has been out there in the public realm for months.

R/man, you sound bitter.

And, if you want my rationale

Although I've already pointed this out at least 2 dozen times, you can read the whole story here:
http://thetyee.ca/Views/Teacherdiaries/2007/02/27/BoyTrouble/

Thanks again for the advert.

Excuse me, realisticman?!

The evidence has nothing to do with Political Parties per se - it has everything to do with corruption & unethical conduct
For some of us, I can't speak for YOU, we are British Columbians comprised of all political beliefs, that share a common denominator:

We are sick of corruption across the political & bureaucratic networks - & make no mistake about it - the bureaucratic system has been up to their hips in corruption for years. There are many good public servants - others have their own agendas & know which side their bread is buttered on.

I hope you have not simply received a "media contract" but are just a little naive.

Alive 50min ago"Constantly

Alive 50min ago
"Constantly scrutinized by spycameras.
Our every act will be recorded and kept on file.
Our movements monitored at the borders.
Truth will be distorted,
And history be rewritten after the fact."

And history be rewritten after the fact
Why and Where did gordo put the Public Library in the Legislature?
I’ll bet it wasn’t for his new office?
I might have the name of the library wrong but not the dirty deed that gordo plans!
More dirty msm tricks
http://thetyee.ca/electioncentral/?p=229
Why can't WE

EDITED FOR POSSIBLE LIBEL. TYEE EDITOR

do an independent investigation into the convention center, 2010 Winter Olympics and their contractors on the new highway (for the rich) to Whistler Village, RAV, etc.

Cappy, get real.

"Just because OJ said he wasn't a murderer, and the Furman planted the "bloody glove" doesn't mean its truth."

I doubt the RCMP have been very aggressive in investigating a link between the sale of BC Rail and the Premier. So all your protestations fall into the same category as your quote above. As more information comes to light it is hard not to remember that where there is smoke there is likely fire. All you guys made the same argument when day after day we saw Clark in his kitchen while the RCMP were searching his house. Everyone said he was guilty even after he was found innocent.

Your excuses are just a bit more than one can take and most NDP'ers didn't cut Clark the same slack that you are prepared to cut Campbell. It is the mark of the right that regardless of how damaging the picture gets they blindly shout the mantra. Free enterprise has always been excused by the end is justified by the means. I am convinced that if an NDP government had done half of what Campbell did in his first term, there would have been rioting in the streets fueled by the southern media. That even gives me cause to be unimpressed by Carole James and the opposition as I see their increase in seats as a failure to capitalize on the Campbell meanness in the first term. They snatched opposition status from the jaws of victory.

So while I am critical of both parties and see the sale of BC resources as the selling of BC's future, you Capitalism make excuses just because you are one of priviledged who feels that that getting the benefit is all that matters. Some of us are doing OK as well but we think Campbell is making grave mistakes for short-term political gain.

All that aside, I don't believe for one minute that Basi/Virk and Co. acted on their own. Take the liberal glasses off for a few minutes.

$1,000,000,000.+ for US the

$1,000,000,000.+ for US the taxpayer to use for 2 two weeks and 20+yrs to pay off?

A world under attack using US to build this Orwellian Highway.
The new Super highway from BC to Mexico, to the USA built by imported immigrants? NWO
http://www.mmlv.us/nacorridors.html
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20010430/greider

the respective hordes

quote:

The socialist horde has been yearning for something to attack the success of the present BC Liberal Government on.

unquote.

The problem is that this seems to be the way the cycle works: get in on projected merits and the screwups of the predecessors. Now it's 'your turn' (quoting Gord). Then it goes well, momentum amounts, then arrogance sets in. Voters are dumb an won't know the difference. This would give me a nice little bonus and/or put me in with the right people for after, when I need a job. And so on, until really obvious and gross self-service breaks into the broad daylight. Then you get thrown out, and 'the others' move up. They get in on projected merits and the screwups of the predecessors. And so on. Therefore, the 'hordes' alternate. So its not even worth commenting on. It would take a new set of prophets of some kind to inject real integrity, not to mention steadfastness, into this stupid circus.

Amen

The CanWest Global Media are

The CanWest Global Media are guilty of surpressing and abbetting in other words a co-consperitor in the whole sordid corruption of the BC g campbell gov against the US people of BC!
We have got to OVERTHROW this Dictator and his evil cowards right out of power and into prison for racketering with OUR and OUR kids future!
Maybe some of the rats will start squ-e-e-e-ling to save a prison sentence?
Remember RIP native elder Harriet Nahanee, aged 71
Betty Krawczyk 78-year-old Sentenced to 10 month in jail for trying to stop big Corporations from raping OUR Province BC!
An RCMP officer got 1 day in jail for the DISPICABLE act of LURING two little girls (BABIES) ages 12 and 15 to take pics of them!
Where is the Justice in BC?
Not in OUR Court Houses, SHAME

realisticman, cappy etal You

realisticman, cappy etal
You are all guilty of being a part of the BC Rail, BC Ferries, LRA, BC Hydro, Mindy Tran, Pickton (20yrs), and too many others to name here Coverups!
You are what is commonly known as "Sheepal"
can't think out of "The Box"

G

Sorry, I meant criminal - which is why I made reference to the OJ case...

Cappy, get some sleep, or something!

Hello Cappy, anybody home? You are outdoing yourself today, is it a sign of desparation or what?

i.e. ------>

-

Oh yeah, and when was this? These guys have their hands all over every lever of government and the administration of Justice. Campbell is such a "made man" that he doesn't even get accused of wrongdoing, much less cleared.

No, it isn't, if you repeat it enough do you think that will make it so. Are you like the Bushies - another one who creates your own reality? Apparently affirmative to that. But since you have "heard" of the OJ case AND Mark Furman, you must be a legal expert.

Do you even read what you write? Of course politicians should be concerned with what the public thinks, rumor has it that they are supposed to represent us and our interests (by us, I mean the public). But shaping public opinion to purposely mislead the public used to be considered "propagandizing" and was oh so evil and wrong when done by the USSR during the cold war.

finally:

Well, I feel better now Cappy, because obviously you have been able to see and evaluate the "evidence." The defense lawyers can't seem to gain access to the evidence. Beradino may or may not have access to much of the evidence and Justice Bennett has to go to Quebec and read the eastern press to know what is happening in her own courtroom in Vancouver. But Cappy has seen and evaluated the evidence and there "is none to suggest it ( "it" being any Soup Nazi involvement).

So now that thanks to Cappy I don't have to worry that bad things might be happening in Victoria in my name thanks to the BC Lieberals, and I can focus on important stuff like the next missing blond woman.

this case won't mean much at

this case won't mean much at election time for two reasons: it's small potatoes and there's no opposition. case closed. nice try anyway.

One earlier poster was quite

One earlier poster was quite corect to say these are accusations by the defence. But folks, The other side gets to put in their licks as well. Eventually the Judge gets to decide which side is the most correct.
But it's always interesting to note that a fellow repeatedly referred to as a Control Freak knows nothing. I don't think so.

no kidding !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

that drunken bum knew of the UNDERHANDED METHODS used in HIS KIND OF POLITICS !!!

WHOA!!!!!!!!!!!! LET ME GET A BEER AND GET READY FOR THE CANUCKS TONIGHT.........

CAUSE THIS IS ..................OLD NEWS ...TO ANYONE WITH A BRAIN....

HERR KAMPBELL'S KLAN ist just followink the game plan of any RESPECTABLE RIGHT WINGER ,unt FACIST KREEP....

YAH.........DAS IST ..........ZEHR GOOT....HUH?????????????????

OOOOPS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YOU GOT ME SO EXCITED !!!!!!!!!!!!

das game ist tommorow.............lieblings.

say ,HI, to das FUHRERH ,fihr micht.....HUH!

IST Goot Thomas Ist Goot

Anyone who hasn`t clued in to this totally phony second rate bs`ing flim flam artist by now...WHOA..MAKE THAT TWO BEERS!!!!!!

wHATS WIT THE SWASTIKA ON DA FERRY?????

Der Swastika

Well Campbell, the premier who likes to spend BC taxpayer's money in other countries has now taken possession of a German built ship, a new addition to his leaky Kriegsmarine!

Well, a swastika will certainly get the Jewish population in BC going tch, tch, tch!

Though a swastika is a good luck symbol, it has evil connotations; I wonder if there was a mention of it in the contract?

Well, build boats in other countries, you got to play by their rules, politically correct or not!

Is Teflon Campbell wearing out? Will Bill Boring, give him a free ride on his next visit? will Basi & virk go to gaol? will the voters of BC finally stomach enough of this cancerous crew and give them the heave ho? Will the Swastika boat make it across the Atlantic?

Stay tunes to next weeks show!

WOW it's about time, 6 years

WOW it's about time, 6 years of cover-ups plus Campbell's evil past.
I'd like to see REAL MEDIA with Real investigative Reporters start up!
Now the 2010 WO silence along with the Rest of OUR Planet is starting to hear these evil dictators, canadian polititions and Bushco owned and Told what to say or do, kinda like now.
I think this case "BC Rail" right here in BC Canada is a fight for all of OUR Canadian People's Rights and Freedoms!
Starting with a gift for Mother's day, just give your moms or wives a great big Hug and say thanxs and don't buy a damned thing and explain! Who do you think thinks most of these occasions up, "click" lol
WE in Canada could send a strong msg to the corporations to back off from their excessive need for GREED!
With no Corporate influence which = GREED is their GOD!
I know who my real friends are!
Do you CEOs etal know, really?
Must be a real back strabbing bunch in your so called "Empty, Boring Lives" with people you can't stand listening the same subects money stock markets, eating another drib by some nameless thing?

"GO CANUCKS GO"

"GO CANUCKS GO"

Swastika references

For those confused about the swastika references above, the link below is to an article with a picture of what is being referred to.

An unintentional gaffe, but given what appears to be the nature of the alleged corruption of the Campbell government, the irony is rather delicious. Of course conspiracy buffs every where will make a mountain out of this mole hill.

http://www.shippingtimes.co.uk/item480_gaffes.htm

A quick scan of question

A quick scan of question period of today( Tuesday) is a good read. Eevn better with the visuals. Wally the ex judge was doing the talking as the Premier got tired of saying the same thing over and over.Gordon was trying to look so serious and sad that the peasnats were actually asking him stuff.

Time to warm up the TVs

I'm going to check all the purveyors of BC news (that I can) to see if they have any of this on tonight. Funny, I heard nothing on the local radio... I tink it is time for the fertilizer to hit the ventilator in a load and unending way. This is huge news, and we know it. I've been telling everyone I know. If a Liberal has an ounce of sense or pride left in him or her, then it is for them to really start distancing themselves from Herr KampBell. They've had six years to figure it out, who's their new clean rising star this time.

scam artists

The question period is just another scam these days!

There are serious questions asked, and no proper answers provided, so a great big waste of time to pretend to have a question period at all.

Our media could make headlines every day by simply reporting what the opposition brings up, but the media is bought and paid for!

powers that 'be'?

wrote alive

This has been and always will be the case.

The difference this time around will be the speed of the change to come.

Unlike the collapse of Rome, or the drubbing the Catholic Church took in the 1500's. Our current 'leaders' will be blindsided by a series of ever vanishing returns ... tax returns that is.

...

This could get even uglier for Campbell, latest from the G&M :

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070424.wbcvirk0425/BNStory/National/home

'the light'?

wrote skywalker

skywalker must be rather young, or uninformed.

I watched as bus loads of 'protestors' got out at the legislature, about 15 minutes before the BCTV news crew arrived. They were each handed a placard and sign and a button (I overheard the conversation about the 'buttton').

The (rent-a-) crowd then chanted and cheered as Buzz Hargrove got on his hand mike and then cheered again as Mike Harcourt shouted something, and again, and again ~ they seemed to know just when to 'cheer' and allow the speakers their shot at the mike.

No one was invited to speak, it was a set 'list' of speakers.

The TV crew interviewed Hargrove and Harcourt with the (rent-a-) crowd making thumbs-up signs and other random cheering and lots of 'smiles' for the keynote speakers as they took their turn in front of the cameras.

20 minutes after the camera crews left the first of the busses arrived...only those with a 'button' got to go on the bus. I was lucky enough to snag a button from the legislature lawn and jumped aboard, even though I had no placard or other acoutrements.

The busses stopped at a garage in Saanich and there were tables with sandwiches and coffee etc, I was not spotted having a lite snack but when the love-in expanded and Hargrove had returned to the group I was noticed and 'invited' to depart.

I was later told by a friend that the button holders got 'vouchers' for theater or other entertainment tickets, and that the mostly college age crowd then enjoyed a BCFed 'kegger' where a few were tapped after 5:30 that evening.

This sort of garbage goes on all the time, skywalker, it is pathetic that the judge is even bothering to let it be entered as any sort of evidence proving anything.

BC Dude goes ballistic?

OK Which one?

Campbell? = he has no say in the courts, this much is accurate.

Harpo & Co, sometimes known as the CONformers? = they have even less control over the courts.

rats? never.
we have no whistle-blower legislation, nor will we ever with the system we have.

This is a travesty of allowing the corporations to use their money and influence (thru their many-faceted legal angles) to sway the court into abbrogating their control over the 'contempt of court' rulings.

The use of injunctions needs to be used against these self-same corporations, sadly none of the great unwashed has the financial wherewithal to maintain such actions, as the 'natual capital' of the commons will be taken by those strong enough (or tricky enough) to wrest control of it from the rest of us whom see the boundary of the commons but cannot express it in legal terms.

FEDERAL Case and yet another example of the mis-use of the RCMP as common constables in BC.

In a boardroom on Bay Street in Toronto, of course (as if you did not know?).

Yes it is a shame, and yet another reason for local election of all officials and magistrates.

Obfuscate away

Not true. The evidence the defense is presenting demonstrates that Basi and Virk were far from independent operators for the Campbell government. It alleges a pattern of communication that reveals Campbell was well aware of what sort of activities they were engaged in.

What is pathetic is that you excuse the Campbell government by suggesting the judge throw the information out, while condemning the BCFL with hearsay anecdotes. The value of your information is zero next to actual tangible RCMP wiretap info.

That said the only thing more pathetic as a defense is saying someone else committed a crime or was just as underhanded as you were. So what? That doesn't excuse Campbell's behavior if the allegations are true.

Hell hath no fury...

I notice that today the media is beside themselves with indignation but it isn't because they have been kissing liberal butt for so long. It is because they find out they have been manipulated and hell hath no fury like a media which has been conned. unless maybe it is a political hack. The real question is will it last.

Well Murdoch I am neither young or uninformed and if Buzz Hargrove wanted a rally (you don't even say what the issue was) and invited Harcourt, that is a real stretch to say the NDP organized the protest and that the crowd was "rented". If people in the crowd were paid, that would have been revealed long before you try to justify the Campbell dirty tricks and the current cover up.

Gordo not knowing, give me a

Gordo not knowing, give me a break, his little band of "yea boss" people who at the end of the day will have the reputation of a "Traitor" and for what?
A Government leader who does this to a good human being Paul Nettleton, Thank You!

"That Basi and Reichert worked to "find a way to get Paul Nettleton's expenses out," to presumably embarrass the former Liberal MLA who quit the caucus over the B.C. Hydro privatization and was critical of the B.C. Rail deal"
Again Thank You Paul Nettleton, from a very greatful British Columbian!

http://billtieleman.blogspot.

http://billtieleman.blogspot.com/

Must be bored

So what? Big deal! So I don't notice the same lefties who phone in to talk radio?
Give me a break.
This scandal is not going to topple the Campbell Government, and you know it. Nobody cares. They are too busy being prosperous.
Get a new game plan lefties. You are losing the battle by such a large margin, that you may soon be an endangered species in BC.
God bless Boris Yeltsin.

Welcome to the new dictatorship

Well IAMC, you seem to welcome Liberal corruption with glee, you and about 51% of BC's population by recent polls! So sad.

Georges Braque

And falsehood after falsehood has been invented by Campbell and the rest of his questionable gang!

Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche
This bunch have made themselves out as the master businessmen, yet in hindsight, they could not run a peanut stand. The just BS'ed the media into thinking they can!

I do hope that gaol will await the lot of them!

Memo, Memo, Who's Got the Memo?

Charlie Smith reported in the Georgia Straight,December 31, 2003:

So you see, Campbell set the ground rules himself...and he defines very clearly here in this memo the ultra controlling hand he would assume over every ministry....and he thus implicates himself in every decision made and every action taken by his government.

(Look how quickly Nettleton and Brensinger were exiled to the political wilderness when they dared to speak out against the Campbell Liberals' agenda.)

That memo says it all - in it the premier is clearly telling his cabinet ministers to take a back seat...and that he and Martyn Brown are the drivers of the BC Liberal bus...and that the top dog role of each ministry would no longer fall to cabinet ministers but to deputies/CEO's conveniently appointed by... (who else?) ....the premier's office.

The memo reveals how this government was intentionally structured from the very start.

...

It may not, IAMC, but this trial is going to be long, and the info that flows out of it deep.

We'll see how the numbers look by the end of it all. My guess is the Libs won't be riding as high in the polls when all is said and done.

Ferry Swastikas

If you spin them backwards and listen real close, you'll hear Go*d is dead, Go*d is dead. Koo Koo Ka Choo.

...

I've also noticed the Libs have been taking a hit in the press over Ken Dobell... eventually this stuff creates an impression in the public's mind, of arrogance, of corruption, etc... it's not easy for a government to shake that, just ask Paul Martin.

Premier's chief of staff

I cant recall his name, but the Premier's right hand man, formerly from the City of Vancouver, sent out an email telling staff to delete emails so as to avoid FOI release of them. I am looking for the info now and will post it later if i find it.

what a wonderful memory, Lynn

Lynn, your post of 32 minutes ago is a Jewell. If you are sure someone has the original, this memo needs to be published far and wide - it makes the circle complete. And if his ministers did not follow the memo, what would that say about his ability to lead. Either way, he has brought this whole mess upon himself.

I heard/watched only one of the major TV newscastors (CTV - I believe) publish the court case and it showed the Premiere looking pretty shaken as he refused to speak about the issue or whether he had any knowledge of the issue. I say if he had no knowledge, he would have said so, plain and simple. He got personal with the reporter, calling him by name. I hope he has a job tomorrow. If he doesn't, that would be another good story for the Tyee.

Carol James was shown asking the Premiere about the government's involvement and asked for an investigation. She was clear, but she needs our help in getting a forceful, angry voice out. We need people in the streets, shouting from the rooftops, renting planes with banners, etc.

What was it GW said? "Fool me once, shame on me...Fool me twice... you're not going to do it again."? I think our leader has not fooled many of us at the Tyee. But, now the public is really catching on...

When we were having coffee

When we were having coffee one of the old timers said when Moe got into where it was alleged he did something wrong Campbell and the Main paper reporters demanded he step down til it was over. Same when Glen was aleeged to have been given the deck. So why aren't these same reporters now calling for the Premier to step down until these allegations have been investigated. Mr. Smythe hasn't even acknowledged there is a Trial going on has he? Either in print or his radio cheerleading show.As I don't often read his articles past the headline I don't think he's written about it. And on the few shows I've heard he hasn't mentioned it. Unlike The Fast Ferries or the Deck.

Brown's buddy

Lynn: Did you know that Martyn Brown was weaned on Vanderzalm's sleazy shenanigans? Remember when VanderZalm resigned amid shame & scandal? Brown became the former disgraced Premier's Research Assistant when he landed as B.C. Reform leader 'for a day' LOL.

Little wonder things are in such chaos when this link is controlling all things 'political' in the Campbell regime? What a Circle! History will repeat itself.

RickyBarnes: 'Mr. Delete those Emails'was none other than Mr. Fixit, Ken Dobell. Are we getting the picture of how incestuous this Circle is? They prop each other up & keep the Circle tight but when the links are broken . . .

Interesting to read tonight that Dobell has not provided specific information regarding the Raid to the Defense lawyers.

RickyBarnes

That was Ken Dobell, chief sleaze of the RAV line getting out from his responsibilities to keep the taxpayers that pay his salary informed. Back in September 2003 he was knocked, I think by David Loukidelis for it, but perhaps nothing has changed.

But it was standard practice as noted by Michael Smyth in a Province column December 2, 2005 where he points out that bureaucrats received direction from the government to delete e-mails and use the phone instead, so as to prevent disclosure of embarrassing documents to the media.

I agree, Lynn. Masterful logic. All the strands of the web lead back to the Head Spider himself.

Some refer to the media

Some refer to the media "shitting themselves" because they have been lied to on this matter.

Not by a long shot. Nice to see Jim Beatty has recovered some guts to ask Gordo the hard questions. But unfortunately, IAMC is right, although for the wrong reasons (as usual). Despite how much people care about ethics in this province, the MSM will ensure this dies a natural death a week Friday.

Don Gutstein wrote an excellent article on exactly how the media, particularly BCTV played into this game right along with the Premier's office in 2005:

http://thetyee.ca/Mediacheck/2005/06/06/CanwestCampbell/

'Member that? Tony Parsons, trying to look Morley Safer-ish, if a bit dyspeptic, and signifying that BC Teachers were in the midst of an al-Queda plot to bomb democracy in BC by blowing up little kids....

Too late, Tony! You were already spun by Bob Virk! Suckahhh!

And that's only one more reason why I haven't watched BCTV in years.

Dark cloud hangs over

Dark cloud hangs over Government
Apr, 24 2007 - 11:50 PM

VICTORIA/CKNW(AM980) - Allegations of a media manipulation campaign stemming from the trial of three former Government aides dominated Question Period Tuesday.
Premier Gordon Campbell refused to answer any questions about the claims that his staff orchestrated fake calls to talk-shows to praise the Premier or bash the NDP. But Opposition House Leader Mike Farnworth didn't buy Campbell's argument that he can't comment without jeopardizing the trial, "I didn't mention the term courthouse, I didn't mention the term trial, I didn't even ask if these employees came from the firm of Haldemann, Erlichman, Dean and Mitchell Mr. Speaker."

The Premier says he won't answer any questions related to the trial until the court proceedings are over.

Boycott

You want the media to change, boycott not only Global TV/Asper Press, CORUS Radio, but the advertisers! Write the advertisers letters that you refuse to buy their products and tell them why!

I have done so already and to my surprise received two replies. One, basically telling me to go to hell and do not involve them in politics (Um, remember Imus in the states, he was fired after major advertisers pulled the plug), the second one was almost desperate, telling me that they have forwarded my concerns to CORUS.

This is a government that lives and will die by money. This all that they believe in. Cut the cash flow and the knives will come out!

Bill Tieleman, former Glen Clark shill...

It's a bit rich, Tieleman condemning the tactics of the Glen Campbell govnerment... I wonder, was it he who came up with the lie that Clark had actually balanced the budget before the 1996 election, only to find - surprise! - months later, that this was all an accounting trick (this is when the left was ok with accounting tricks, apparently...)

just wondering

mcdull

I can't tell you for sure about the Basi/ Virk deal, but Smythe's column yesterday was about the many hats that Ken Dobell is wearing and the possible conflict of interest. He didn't sound like he was happy about it, which was a surprise to me. You're right, the man's a cheerleader. Never answers his email either, unless you're rooting for his team.

maestro

"Galveston oh Galveston....!!!"

"Just a rhinestone cowboy...!!"

Funny I don't recall a premier with one of those cool studded jackets...

How are ya today maestro?

qui?

Maestro - that applies to cousin James, I think... y'know Maestrobator.

Who are you in bed with?

It’s interesting how the anti-Campbell crowd will align themselves with weasels like Basi and Virk in their rush to smear the government……

our own Marcos?

Years ago there was a book "Waltzing with a Dictator" about Ferdinand Marcos, the infamous dictator of the Phillipines.

He stayed in power buy paying people to demonstrate as communists and then declared martial law due to the "insurrection".

Gee with the alleged set up phone calls to radio shows, paid demonstrators outside Safeway, the payouts etc. and lets not forget the devastation of Eagleridge Bluffs, the craziness called The Gateway Project, the environmental disaster of the proposed Delta Port expansion-is the real Campbell story "Dancing with the Devil"?

NoBalls sorry no nuts or

NoBalls sorry no nuts or nuts. Don't you think Virk and Basi are aligned with the Premier of the bull crowd. After all they got the jobs through his office. I know another right is good after all the left is bad. Win at an cost even from a guy who has broken more Promises than Lying Brian

Hey arbg have you been asleep for the last 20 years

There was a court case on that issue remember and the judge ruled there was no budget fudged. She said something like revenue projections are a guess at best. You can blame Clark for not over estimating expenditures and underestimating revenue. Of course then it would have been fudged and a lot like the current government.

By the way, Glen Campbell was a singer.

Swear truthfully: Is there a paid Media Monitor here?

It seems so obvious ... yet quite a few people seem to miss the point ... that the public is paying these "Media Monitors" and has every right to expect a government employee to work for the people, not against them.

Is it even legal to secretly ambush citizens? I mean, can I go down to the Parliament Bldgs and hire some guy to disrupt Wally Oppal the next time he publicly opens his big mouth? (And how much would that cost me, please?)

And is it OK if my hired guy -- let's call him Dave -- is already being paid by my government to do a demanding job like assisting the government house leader and/or Minister of Finance?

And is it normal for Dave to do this secret work at mid-day when he's appearing to be labouring in the service of the people he's about to disrupt??

Game over, kiddies. Anybody who says this behaviour is normal because "everybody is doing it" has imo fully accepted an environment of corruption as being normal.

And that's the tragedy of the Basi, Virk, Basi, BCRail affair. It's about all of us.

.

arbg

I've been asleep for twenty minutes, but the case in question took place less than ten years ago.

The judge didn't rule on whether the NDP lied, which it clearly did. The court simply said it had no competence in the jurisdiction.

weasels?

nutso

passing judgement are we? Selective aren`t we?

Whats with this argument " The NDP did this and that" so whatever we do is ok?"

with you all the way, bc mary

BC Mary, I was just reading through the posts and I was going to write the same thing that you just wrote. So I will re-emphasize it. These guys and the people who hired them were on the government payroll while they were trying to defraud the people who were paying their salaries/contracts. According to the Memo Lynn remembered being published in the Dec. 31, 2003 Charley Smith, Georgia Stait article, all senior administrative staff were under the direct control of Premier Campbell. If this is what we get under Liberal leadership and our premier, it is time to throw the bums out.

I watched the news again (flipping through all channels) between 11:00-12:00 PM, and both Global and CTV didn't show anything about this until deeply into the newscast - not until after Letterman and Leno were on. I watched Global again for 45 minutes this morning, and there was nothing that I could see. This is huge! I heard the local right-wing radio broadcast a short editorial about it and the main line was sadly dismissive, it is sad but common in politics. What a shame!

with you all the way, bc mary

BC Mary, I was just reading through the posts and I was going to write the same thing that you just wrote. So I will re-emphasize it. These guys and the people who hired them were on the government payroll while they were trying to defraud the people who were paying their salaries/contracts. According to the Memo Lynn remembered being published in the Dec. 31, 2003 Charley Smith, Georgia Stait article, all senior administrative staff were under the direct control of Premier Campbell. If this is what we get under Liberal leadership and our premier, it is time to throw the bums out.

I watched the news again (flipping through all channels) between 11:00-12:00 PM, and both Global and CTV didn't show anything about this until deeply into the newscast - not until after Letterman and Leno were on. I watched Global again for 45 minutes this morning, and there was nothing that I could see. This is huge! I heard the local right-wing radio broadcast a short editorial about it and the main line was sadly dismissive, it is sad but common in politics. What a shame!

committed a crime ?

James Burns,

Please tell me what the 'crime' is:

in using a rent-a-crowd?

in stacking friendly phone calls to talk shows?

in barring away known hecklers?

Mcdull

EDITED FOR POSSIBLE LIBEL - TYEE EDITOR

Mr Evil – not passing judgement but I am more inclined to believe the prosecution’s case. I never raised the issue of the NDP in this thread…….

who pays?

It seems so obvious ... yet quite a few people seem to miss the point ... that the public is paying these "Media Monitors" and has every right to expect a government employee to work for the people, not against them

Thank you for that, Mary Master of the Bleeding Obvious. This paying to be abused is too sordidly sadomaschist to sit well with most people. More like Media Manipulation than monitor but the latter euphemism is imbued with inherent rights. Plus the pragmatic problem of how this is an obstacle for the civic participation of us activist types, (on top of the obstacle of finding some way to pay the basic food and rent,) which adds injury on top of the insult of hypocrisy, and perhaps this is the source of so many pissed off people.

France had 85% of eligible voters turn out to keep the far right from getting back in power; we should be taking notes. Not just on the election issue but also more generally in how to activate high percentages of the public. The French are early adopters of net technology, and have used it in the past as an effective coordinating tool for getting people out to demonstrations, I assume that they have gotten better at it since then.

It's getting to the point that labour is almost the entire cost for a media portal, and capital control is less of a factor than ever. Volunteer labour, and a little bit of fundraising, would get us a Tyee like site devoted exclusively to a mainstream media (CanWest) watchdog, which could be a popular news source. A half dozen with skills and time on their hands would be enough of a core group to seed this. Think about it.

Shhhhhhh....pass it along......tsunami warning

You're right, Sharing is Good, this is a tsunami of a story with a lot of the media trying very hard to make it look like just another day at the beach.

On BC Mary's blog where she has so diligently and effectively been posting her own pieces as well as others by Robin Matthews and Bill Tieleman, ( and, of course, many other reports on the trial of the century), the very real and powerful impact of this story on the state of democracy in this province becomes keenly evident:

http://bctrialofbasi-virk.blogspot.com/

...and secondlook, thank you for that very interesting piece of information. I did not know that.

haven't read through the forum yet, but....

While reading bill's article - only slogged through some of the forum so far - the question that begs asking is "who are the Liberal media manipulators posting in Tyee forums". No doubt the Tyee's staff are maybe/hopefully checking name-IDs behind our various psuedonyms to see who might be a "Liberal operative"........don't tell me it's not going on, either.

France?

When was the last time the "far right" was in power in France? BTW, the candidate on the right earned the most votes......

Media?

When it comes to CanWest global as a news source you are seriously mistaken. Global is more of a disinformation channel for the Provincial and Federal Liberals than anything else. Anything else in this case is a bad day time soap. Even their reporters are taking CanWest to task for over editing. You would think the same type of over the top reporting which was applied towards Mr. Glen Clark and his NDP would also go for Mr. Gordon Campbell and his Liberals. That I would like to see.

..

Hey arbg

"The judge didn't rule on whether the NDP lied, which it clearly did. The court simply said it had no competence in the jurisdiction."

You obviously never read either the "charge" or the judgment.

Centre right

The Wiki definition places the centre right this side jack boots and explicit fascism, and Harper's Conservatives didn't rate far right, and not even the Likud, just to give you an indication of how polite the Wiki gatekeepers are on this issue. So I'll concede noballs complaint on the far part of right.

Whatever brand of Right you attribute to Sarkozy the extra number of voters that are turning out are primarily to keep him from being elected.

I did a google news and top of the list was this article from Embassy: Canada's Foreign Policy Newsletter, and couldn't help noting the strong centre right bias, which would be acceptable for a private publication but not if this is government financed. For example the following point, dear to the heart of any Work Less Party member, is one of the things that the French are trying to preserve.

The French economy is antiquated. It has far too many over-protected workers who work just 35 hours a week and take long holidays. Its civil servants, of whom there are far, far too many, typically retire at 50 on three-quarters of their final salary. . . . . .preferred solutions are constantly being called for by commentators. That the French must accept the market system and globalization or, as they call it "the Anglo-Saxon system."

Yup, at least the French public is smart enough to know that the London Solution is more like a cultural pandemic than it is a solution. I wish them well in standing up to this power grab. Whether neo-liberal economic domination is far right or a little bit towards the center is an entire debate all on its own.

Lying

A premier lying about a budget means he should be in jail? You mean like this?

http://thetyee.ca/Views/2005/04/20/CampbellMisledPublic/

running scared?

EDITED FOR POSSIBLE LIBEL. TYEE EDITOR

Government staff being used to make political-agenda calls, protests, etc etc? With the Premier in the know?

*R*E*S*I*G*N* Gordo; it's the right thing to do. It's the only way to save the considerable face you've had the makeup plaster onto your nerdy mug to make you TV-friendly.....

missed a word

"It's the only way to save the considerable face you'd had thte makeup department plaster onto your nerdy mug...."

Back to Bill's article - this and the set of questions in the Sun a month ago, and so much else, all point at several more criminal investigations or other investigations ns that seem obviously in need of launching.

Among so many - was Pilothouse connected to the endless stream of Liberal-flavoured government commercials in advance of the last election call; "the Best Place on Earth" and all that cheesy crap??? And what were those consulting/advertising contracts worth, and to who, and - sponsorship-scandal-style - has anybody audited such govt marketing spending and who gets the pork from it?

Does the federal Auditor-General have jurisdication over provinces? If not, who does?

I have a question too

What's in that mysterious affidavit filed with the Law Society of Upper Canada againt the time when Little Erik can stand before the benchers and make the case that he's suitable to practice law in Ontario? And was it actually sent by a member of the board of the GVRD?

I still think the most interesting thing about the Dec 23 2006 column that Gary Mason wrote in support of the Basi boyz was the fact he mentioned an arrangement of flowers having been sent to Dave Basi's house by little Erik Bornman(n).

What do you suppose was behind that little gesture?

Murdock

What are you retarded? This is a criminal trial.

It's Oviously over

What on earth are you talking about OV?

Royal is enamored with the Blair and the UK system, has been for a while and Sarko is further to the right.

"Royal aide says Blair is her inspiration

By Peter Allen in Paris-24/04/2007

Segolene Royal, the Socialist candidate for the French presidency, sees Tony Blair's policies on crime as a key to electoral success, key party allies have revealed.

Royal aid says Blair is her inspiration
Miss Royal has constantly battled to play down her association with old-style state Socialism

With law and order a dominant issue in the election, she views Blairite slogans including "Tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime" and "Education, Education, Education" as the way to win over moderate voters.

Jean-Pierre Chevènement, a former interior minister and now a spokesman for Miss Royal, told The Daily Telegraph that cultivating an "authoritarian image" was crucial for a Left-wing candidate in a country which has not elected a Socialist president for 19 years. Nicolas Sarkozy

"She's very keen on Tony Blair's proposals in certain fields," said Mr Chevènement.

"She's come to agree very strongly on Blair's approach to crime, for example. She's tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime."

R/Man

Is that the 2nd or 3rd time you've posted that old piece from the Telegraph?

Sego is much more popular in the Banliues than Sarko who, from everything I've read, appears to be far too closely tied to 'American' ideas. Btw, ASBOs are not the big success they were billed as being in Britain either.

I still think the French 85 - 90 percent turnout indicates a much more vital democracy than we have here in Canada.

And, to my way of thinking, Gordon Campbell's contempt for the integrity of the parliamentary process - something that has been characteristic of his 'politics' from his days with the NPA - can no longer be ignored. This man is no better than Tom Reitsma.

Campbell should resign. He should resign now. People should be calling for his resignation in the streets.

Anybody but Sarkozy

is the motivation behind the 85% rate of voter turnout. Still lots of votes in the middle but without the large turnout it would have been a done deal for the neocons.

Anybody but Campbell is a feeling I can relate to.

I know its an idealistic pipe dream but it would be nice if 85% of the GVRD got out and voted to kick out this bunch of bandits and take back all the stuff that has been recently stolen, and tell whoever took it that we won't press charges for possession of stolen property provided they cooperate with the right of return.

So it was that little bit of inspiration that I was talking about.

House of Blues ;-)

kootcoot has written a great "saxy" piece of political analysis on his "House of Infamy" blog. You can also find it on BC Mary's blog.

First time Mr West

Actually GWest you are wrong again, it was the first time, it was published in London yesterday.

Much as OV seems to think that UK policies are an anathema to Segolene Royal, au contraire, she is enamored with them and on top of emulating Blair's policies she also has a strong law and order bent.

If you two prefer her to Sarkozy that's fine with me because I don't really care who wins. Whatever France votes for the change will be interesting.

Cappy

So was Clark.............but that didn't stop the rightistas. And all they (you) could nail the NDP with then was cost overruns on fast ferries - which the Libs have easily matched with their trade centre. Bingo-gate you say? Well, I'll match that with this here trial going on...

High turnout

was what interested me. I haven't followed French politics enough to defend any of their politicians. These days, the right wing and the neo-liberal globalists are synonymous, and thats the basis I use for viewing the French experience. Elected officials may have similar motives as anywhere else in the free market, but what counts is how many people stand up and object to this. Seems like the French are way ahead of us in that department.

R/Man

You're right, but it was so similar to another article you posted (or linked to) about Sego and her affaire with Tony Blair a few weeks ago that I thought it was the same piece.

I'm pleased to acknowledge this is the FIRST time you've ever been right (with the exception of a disputed word definition that wasn't in my copy of the OED) in a dispute between the two of us. Well done!

For someone who doesn't care about the French and French politics, you seem to bring them up a lot. I think you must be British.

Actually, I'm much more concerned with the growing stain around our own Premier and his Cabinet, aren't you?

I think there’s more than enough material for a significant discussion about that subject and we can take up the situation in France sometime after May 6.

Campbell has been cleared of wrongdoing - NOT

On the contrary, I don't think Campbell has been cleared of anything. As a matter of fact, I think he's running scared because he knows damn well the house of cards is going to burn down around him and leave him standing naked in the public square. I think, unless the trial stops soon, that he'll be gone before summer.

From the Sun, mirabile dictu

Vaughn Palmer
OKAY, WHO DO CAMPBELL AND OPPAL THINK THEY'RE FOOLING BY STONEWALLING?
VANCOUVER SUN - Wednesday, April 25, 2007

VICTORIA - ... The premier also maintained that "as far as I know this is an isolated incident."

Does he still think it was an isolated incident? Has he checked? Are his current staff involved in these kinds of things?

"I expected the premier would want to clear things up," Opposition leader Carole James said following question period.

"But he can't tell us whether his own staff is involved in political activities."

Won't tell, is more like it. The premier isn't about to comment on a proceeding he doesn't control.

The allegations of dirty tricks had some Opposition members harking back to the gold standard of political scandals, the Watergate case.

House leader Mike Farnworth cracked that maybe the Liberals had been recruiting office staff from "the firm of Haldeman, Ehrlichman, Dean and Mitchell," all figures in the imbroglio that brought down their boss, U.S. president Richard Nixon.

When Campbell got up to speak at one point, New Democrat David Chudnovsky, heckled a line from Nixon: "I am not a crook." (The Speaker of the legislature directed him to withdraw, and he did.)

The deliberately unresponsive strategy also recalls the Nixon administration's way of stonewalling irksome queries from reporters, critics and others.

"Stonewalling: Saying 'no comment,' hanging tough -- a strategy based on those actions," former Nixon speechwriter William Safire wrote in his definitive Political Dictionary.

"The word was popularized during the Watergate investigation," he continued. "To stonewall is to impede ... usually through silence, sometimes through delay."

(snip)

Read Vaughn Palmer's complete column for April 25 at:
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/columnists/story.html?id=52002e4f-3e17-4021-9ad3-bcf1e0786b57
-----------------------------------------------

Emphasis mine

A Bit Thin - OV

If you expect to be taken seriously OV then try and do a teeny weeny bit of research before slagging the British system.

Your point that French voter participation is very high is a valid one. Why ours is abysmal is something that should be explored. Are the people content or overly cynical? Should we have obligatory participation as Australia does?

West, perhaps ov is a French national and bought this subject up because they are permitted a vote in the next round.

London

I was slagging the London Solution, laid down in the mid 18th Century, an international system that has been exploiting the other ever since. It really doesn't have much to do with the British with the possible exception of the aristocrats.

The reason that I brought up the high voter turnout in France, was because I thought it was a public reaction to prevent the right wing from rough trod over our rights and infrastructure, and that it would be nice if BC could do the same thing to kick out our bunch of right wing thieves.

I'd still like to get back to Campbell

He's the defiled royalty here: Collecting all the decision-making power in his own office; appointing his own deputy minister for strategic planning to investigate; give me a break.

Jessica McDonald - originally appointed under OIC 1038 on Oct 31/03 - later rescinded by OIC 1077 Nov 16, 2004 which put her in her current position.

As Vaughn Palmer points out above, Mr. Campbell has to be in control.

Now Jessica McDonald thinks KPMG should take up the investigation. KPMG of all firms.

Give me strength.

And ov, if moving elections to Sunday would get turnouts up to the levels the French experienced last weekend - well, I'm all for it.

More Info. S.V.P.

Cannot say I'm familiar with the London Solution ov. After a bit of research I only came up with this colourful quote from the British Library, "The wealthy and the middle-classes mingled in pleasure gardens, like Vauxhall and Ranelagh, elegant shops and the numerous theatres. The great estates (Mayfair, Portman and Portland, Bedford and Grosvenor) were developed and have remained prestigious. By 1746 London had overtaken Paris as Europe’s largest city, its wealth buttressed by profits from the City. But still looking enviously from the grime and stench of the rookeries were the destitute, gin-sodden and short-lived poor." Plus ca change.

An elaboration would be appreciated.

Elections BC does show that in 1985 there was a 70% turnout, this went down to 58% in 2005, in Federal Elections. Quite a drop.

Still nothing about Campbell

I think the silence speaks volumes.

staff, what staff?

Mike smythe was interesting this evening as he was covering Mr. Campbells lack of answers. The more he denies, the more poeple wonder what he is hiding. Not my words, it was on the radio so must be right.

local coverage by major media

I searched "basi virk campbell"

in the Vancouver Sun I got 7 hits in total;

in the Globe and mail I got 40 hits.

The local Media is avoiding the issue, the Sun showed no hits on the three names since the 21st. What a travesty! I am willing to put money toward buying some sort of ad. I am not gloating on this horrific news as I think it is the sadist of times for BC; but, it is now truly time to throw the bums out. It is time to put the Tyee on the news stands across the province with a special edition. This deserves front page headlines.

Campbell Hired

Larry Campbell helps Ontario inquiry into child pathologist

Keith Leslie, Canadian Press
Published: Wednesday, April 25, 2007

TORONTO (CP) - Ontario's public inquiry into at least a dozen possible wrongful convictions in cases involving questionable pathology will be headed by an Appeal Court judge and assisted by a former coroner who inspired TV's 'Da Vinci's Inquest.'

The Ontario government's probe into the work of former Toronto pathologist Dr. Charles Smith will be led by Justice Stephen Goudge of the Ontario Court of Appeal, Attorney General Michael Bryant announced Wednesday.

"Justice Goudge will deliver a report with recommendations within a year from today, the goal of which is to enhance public confidence in pediatric forensic pathology,"

Wrong Campbell Realisticman

You're as bad as Gordon Campbell when it comes to staying on topic

Why pay to sway?

If a government policy or decision (for example the decision to sell BC rail) was truly the right one to make for the citizens of BC and both the government and citizens genuinely thought so, then why the necessity to pay someone to "sway" public opinion?

I think he's a paid media monitor, GW

It is interesting how a number of the regular pro-cambellites are silent on this thread. Perhaps they are paid and don't want to be caught. As far as Realisticman's comment, it sounds like something a paid media monitor would do - anything to confuse the issue and find something nice to say about a Campbell.

Gordon has nothing to say? He is not the one being charged in (a BC) court, yet! But his memo tells us whose in charge of the Ministry of Misinformation, and all the Ministries for that matter.

Hey secondlook - where are the "facts" you promised

I'm still waiting; all you've done so far is pretend there's another side to the story, without living up to your promise to deliver "the facts". To me this would seem to be just dissemination on your part; claiming that what I said was unfounded and claiming the "truth" is something you know; but nobody ever knew the truth about backroom shenanigans; all we knew was the questions that had been asked (and left unanswered).

Your response to the facts of Miniwac's constitutional and political-morals integrity I'm also waiting for; Vander Zalm only took advantage of a situation, and a set of powers and practices, put into place and developed by his predecessor.

But you were probably a McCarthy loyalist, right? Slagging Vander Zalm is just so old-guard Socred.....

dissemination/dissembling

Hmmmm; just looked back at that 3 hrs later and wonder if "dissembling" might not be more applicable than "dissemination", which is more like "to spread something around". Although I suppose it applies to political cheesiness as well as regular cheese; but dissembling is more to the point.

Still waiting for your take on Nan Hartwick, secondlook. And (if she's still around) it might be interesting to refer your account of it to see what she has to say about your version.

What a great way to get this case back in the headlines......

Sun's editorial, a joke -

"Dirty tricks the sad reality of politics in practice". Craig McInnes, Vancouver Sun
Published: Thursday, April 26, 2007

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/editorial/story.html?id=d0b084ed-0f3c-47b7-b0d5-966fcbf46839

Craig McInnes, editorial is a joke. It mentions the Liberals 4 times and NDP 3 times. It talks about what if when many people haven't heard what is. Can't they ever stay on topic at the Sun. Can't they ever just air the Liberals soiled laundry without trying to smear the NDP with the same fecal matter? They unjustly demonize the NDP, and they downplay the evils of the current bunch. What a crock!

Skookum1

Secondlook has responded - after a fashion - on the other Basi/Virk thread.

Campbell the Writer

Why don't Mexicans Drink Molson?

http://www.andreamandelcampbell.com/

James Burns

No I am not retarded. Thank you so much for keeping this a civil discussion.

Yes it is a criminal trial.

It is the job of the defence lawyer to creat doubt in the mind of the judge/or jury.

It is the job of the best defence lawyers to find fault in the prosecution's case.

It is the job of the elite defence lawyers to lay the blame for the actions at the feet of others, so that the 'prosecution' will have something to work with later once their current attack fails.

Courtroom tactics 101, my uninformed interlocutor.

You are reading wayyyy to much into these defence 'alegations'.

By the way, the trial is about BCRail and the sale to CN with OmniTRAX complaining.

I maintain that the actions I listed are not criminal in any way whatsoever.

IF they were, the NDP should have been charged with them long ago. Dirty tricks they may be, but criminal? No.

OV

How can you tell if the French voter turnout is in favour of, or against, either side of the political spectrum?

How about Campbell the mute

When we reach the point where political disinformation and Mau-Mauing are being directed out of the Premier's office and done for pay, I think we've reached a very low pass in this society.

This is not, despite certain editors’ compromised vision, business as usual.

And it’s nothing new. Gordon Campbell has been doing this for years and he’s finally been caught. The only question now is whether the Justice system has the strength of character to follow the tracks to the wolf’s lair.

Delete, delete, state of the art as practised by professionals

RickyBarnes said:

'Mr. Delete those Emails' was none other than Mr. Fixit, Ken Dobell. Are we getting the picture of how incestuous this Circle is? They prop each other up & keep the Circle tight but when the links are broken . . .

Also:

Defence lawyers say there's a wire-tapped telephone conversation in which Dave Basi is explaining how to delete a recorded phone conversation (I think) by punching 67 afterward. "Freedom of information requests," he says, "are for the puritanical."

ov ... is this what you mean by the "bloody obvious"?

Where would paid Media Monitors be without CanWest?

Sharingisgood:

Agreed, I thought that Vancouver Sun editorial was appalling in its hypocrisy. (Politics bad, always will be bad, enjoy.)

I wrote to them about it and I hope others did too. No, they won't publish our letters -- don't be silly, we're not certified Media Monitors -- but you can be doggone sure that each letter is read, tallied, and adds up to something.

That very same godawful editorial appeared in today's Victoria Times Colonist too. Enough to give editors a bad name.

I mean, if it's always been like this -- couldn't the editor have written a fresh, uplifting reminder of what integrity means?

Why get down and roll in the stinkin' mess we've got now -- and purr that things are just as they should be?

Oh. Now I remember.

Hath Thou No Shame?

GWest, I would have thought that you would have opted for a low profile during this little kerfuffle, since you are the one that self-confessedly stacked this site with multiple personality diatribes against the present government.

Bill Tielman said today that stacking letters-to-the-editor is wrong. There can be no difference to a news/blog/information/web site.

Please confess now and get it off your chest if was indeed you that extended your talent to radio-show call-in segments.

When I write letters to the editor, I use my own name

stacked this site with multiple personality diatribes against the present government.

Never multiple R/Man: Just one voice, one point of view, expressed perfectly in keeping with the rules here under two different labels. As you well know.

And exactly as I pointed out earlier in response to something you wrote yesterday, as a matter of fact.

The story's right here:
http://thetyee.ca/Views/Teacherdiaries/2007/02/27/BoyTrouble/

Exactly as I posted here yesterday on this very thread in response to your post making the self same incorrect allegation one day ago; you can look it up if you happen to have missed it.

Or are you into repeating the same thing over and over and over again like the Premier?

Nevertheless, let me not be churlish and thank you once again for the priceless publicity.

Defence counsel

As I understand it, the "allegations" made by defence counsel which have attracted the most attention from the press were made during the course of a pre-trial application for further disclosure from the Crown. The "allegations" consist of excerpts of wiretap evidence already produced. To characterise them as the desperate wailings of a lawyer trying to get his guy "off" is based on a misconception of the current proceedings. In any case, even if this were the actual trial, a lawyer who makes haphazard allegations but cannot later support them with credible evidence will not only be viewed as an idiot by the judge, but will be doing a disservice to his or her client. This is real life, not "Shark" or "My Cousin Vinny".

settebello

You’ve made an excellent and very cogent point.

In fact, much of this information - including some transcripts and logs of telephone calls and emails - has been "partially" released in one of several discovery 'phases' (that's the Special Prosecutor's term I believe) that have been held to date.

I'm at work right now so I can't provide the details of exactly how attenuated this process has been since the charges in this case were actually laid in late 2004, I will post a précis later though.

In fact, the political nicety of referring to this information as merely 'alleged' is marginally appropriate at best. What was going on in the run up to the sale of BC Rail is quite clear, as is the allegation (and here 'allegation' is appropriate) that these matters involved a number of highly placed individuals both appointed and elected within the upper echelons of the Campbell government.

At bottom, this case, exactly like Watergate, may be about a lot more than a 3rd-rate effort by a brace of political aides and one bona fide lobbyist. It is, potentially at least, clear evidence of planned and paid political manipulation and obfuscation to the benefit of a politically-favoured few and the expense of the citizens of this province.

Premier Campbell’s continual refusal to recognize that his repeated claim of paying service to some kind of ideals in this matter comes far too late in the game to be convincing to anyone who has watched the unfolding of his “Plan” for this province from the moment he became BC’s ceo.

PAUL REITSMA/GORDON KAMPBELL...

these KLOWNS are made from the same stuff...

you have to remember HERR KAMPBELL took care of REITSMA constituency ,when he CANNED REITSMA for unethical behaviour...

SOMETHING ABOUT WRITTING LETTERS UNDER A FICTITIOUS NAME AND TOOTING HIS OWN HORN AND BASICALLY LYING THROUGH HIS TEETH...

SOMETHING THE LIEBRALS ARE REALLY GOOD AT !

so ,HERR KAMPBELL.stating he cannot COMMENT on a case before the courts...TAKE IT FOR WHAT IT IS...PURE BUULLSH!T !!!

the KAMPBELL KLANS DICTUM...LIE TO THE MASSES TIL SOMEONE BELIEVES,AS LONG AS YOU CAN CONVERT ONE,THE OTHERS WILL EVENTUALLY FALL IN LINE...THEY HAVE NO CHOICE IN A CORRUPT SYSTEM.................

not SHARK or MY COUSIN VINNY...GREAT QOUTE!

no...it's not entertainment...IT'S WORSE

it's our pathetic JUSTICE SYSTEM!!!!!!!!!!!!

Murdock

I think some of these lefties think that because this is a "criminal" trial that lawyers only offer factual evidence. Much like an arbitration.

Defense lawyers present theories, which are often strung together by individual pieces of evidence. Obviously, they are creative in drawing lines between individual pieces, which may or may not be related at all.

It is the name of the game. Lawyers are not independent. Think about when they call in the experts....each side has its own credible expert testifying that the same evidence tells an entirely different story.

I know lawyers and i've been involved in litigation. I know it was civil, and there are many differences, but there are also many similarities. The biggest difference really, is the outcome (prison vs. some form of compensatory judgment) and the burden of proof.

In civil litigation you don't need to prove a case beyond a reasonable doubt.

Just because their DEFENSE lawyers, who by nature are an extension of these two crooks, say-so, doesn't mean anything. We have to place faith in our justice system. If they figured Campbell betrayed the public's trust, he'd be charged.....

..

...or there isn't sufficient evidence to charge him -- either scenario is possible. In any case, the defense is requesting more documents related to the sale, who knows what that will turn up.

I'd like to know why Campbell refuses to answer simple questions on wether there are paid government employees CURRENTLY engaged in "media manipulation". The answer to that question has no barring on the current Basi-Virk trial.

Verso mentioned that Gordo

Verso mentioned that Gordo won't answer if present staff are doing dirty tricks right now. Two possible reasons. The opposition have some facts up it's collective sleeves, or they are fishing. If Gordo says no and they drop one on him, he would be charged for misleading the house. If they are fishing, well Gordo still looks defensive. Wally jumps in quite often and lets us know he was a judge, senior at that and on and on. Denial works for awhile.

public official

I say that once a person is elected to a provincial or federal office, he or she gives up the right to refuse to answer questions unless he or she steps down. We are the stock-holders of this province who put the current CEO in power (of course, I didn't personally) and we have a right to know what our CEO is doing with our money. We deserve to have a right to having these very serious "allegations" answered - and in a very timely manner! He should not have to think about his answers, he need only tell the truth.

We need some better laws governing this kind of behaviour. We need laws against people who break the criminal code (even if done in Hawaii with a girlfriend - not wife) governing our province. We need a constitution that is voted on by referendum, and can only be changed through referendum, governing the behaviour of our MLAs. The longer I live with this bunch in power, the more shame I feel for not getting rid of them. It is time they started acting like public servants - not some bunch of Enron execs flying off here and there with everyone else's money.

www.vivelecanada.ca/article.p

http://www.vivelecanada.ca/article.php/2007012422395590/print

unbalanced Media

I was totally disgusted by the 'everybody does it' article by McInnes in the Sun today. It's an example of one of the biggest obstacles to Democracy, when reporters are required to represent the political persuasion of Newspaper owners in order to keep a job. I read the "Globe British Columbia" paper now. They tend to deal more with fact over personal opinions and really strive to stay in the middle of the political spectrum, similar to the CBC. The far right and to a lesser extent the NDP have accused them of being biased, so they must be doing something right.
Democracy desperately needs a 'media check' with a STRONG presence, to ensure that the public is properly informed

Enron?

Dear SharingIsGood;
It's an interesting sidelight, considering Campbell's recently been avoiding questions by staying with California's Swartzenneger, that during the Enron aftermath BC Hydro was sued by the state of California for participating in the Enron pricegouge festival that nearly bankrupted the state.

California complained that while Enron was dismantling the electricity production of California to produce artificially high prices based on 'shortages, BC Hydro was right in the front of the pack savaging their economy by charging enormously inflated prices on the spot market, forcing Californians on fixed incomes into bankruptcy as well.

After Enron was reduced to a single prosecution of a dead defendent of course, Campbell sold as much of Hydro as he could to the unindicted remnants of Enron, now renamed Accenture.

The attitudes we are seeing here; ruthlessness, arrogance, bribery and economy looting, we've seen all these before, haven't we?

Yes, Bailey

Yes, Bailey,

We've seen it before, but how do honest working people who really have no great interest in these sorts of things get informed if the mainstream press/media avoids keeping it in the fore-ground, excuses it actually?

Then the msn has in actual

Then the msn has in actual fact committed treason against the people of BC and Canada as we are at war?
We are there to fight terrorism, right, While at the same time WE are being muzzeled by OUR courts!
3.5+ years for this travesty to come to print?
http://bctrialofbasi-virk.blogspot.com/
http://billtieleman.blogspot.com/
http://houseofinfamy.blogspot.com/

"If the citizens neglect

"If the citizens neglect their Duty and place unprincipled men in office, the government will soon be corrupted; laws will be made, not for the public good so much as for selfish or local purposes; corrupt or incompetent men will be appointed to execute the Laws; the public revenues will be squandered on unworthy men; and the rights of the citizen will be violated or disregarded.": Noah Webster - (1758-1843) American patriot and scholar, author of the 1806 edition of the dictionary that bears his name, the first dictionary of American English usage
Our so called esteamed Justices seem to be powerless against these dispicable, greedy vermin!

Mr. Beers?

Given that these proceedings suggest that the earlier Liberal practices of gang-lying to media to derail debate and prevent truth from being told have apparently continued on an industrial mass production level, what are the chances that certain posters here, who operate by offensively distracting serious posters, have been in fact part of this same scam?

Would there be any way of retroactively tracing the dozen or so obvious trolls who have worked our nice Tyee here over the past years?

It would be very interesting if several of them turned out to be the minions of this Liberal operation working together to subvert thetyee's ability to pursue topics.

Several times in the past, I felt strongly that productive debates had been prevented from proceeding by odd pointless personal attacks from posters who then contributed no argument whatsoever.

This tyee always struck me as an idea with tremendous potential to act as a sort of unofficial opposition. The Liberals would clearly have thought it very dangerous to have people freely speaking the truth, based on the trouble they went to to wreck the mainstream news outlets that existed before.

I wonder if it could be backchecked? I'd think Mr. Beers would really want to know, and it might help make sense of some otherwise senseless things that have happened here.

Hear, Hear

I couldn't agree more and second the motion, Bailey.

Enron

Oh yes, Bailey, that was that company that went bankrupt in 2001. BC Hydro reports to the Minister of Energy and Mines and any dealings with Enron would have been done during the NDP government and with those responsible reporting to the NPD minister. Campbell came into power and had to sort the mess out!

Sharing Is Good, would you also have politicians required to answer questions even if that could jeopardize court cases? This could be an easy way to get people off; as case comes up and a friendly reporter asks a question of a Minister regarding that case and they answer. Bingo, mistrial or Case Dismissed. Have you really thought this through?

Realisticman

You need to do a little more research into the folks behind Terasen Gas.

Here's a leg up for you my friend:
Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P. was formed as Enron Liquids Pipeline, L.P. in August of 1992 by Enron Corp. The company was taken public as a Master Limited Partnership (MLP) on the New York Stock Exchange under the "ENP" ticker, which has since been changed to "KMP."

The principal assets at the time KMP was formed included natural gas liquids (NGL) pipelines, a CO2 pipeline, a rail-to-barge coal terminal and an interest in a NGL fractionation facility. On Feb. 14, 1997, Richard D. Kinder (the former president of Enron Corp.) and Bill Morgan (a former Enron Corp. pipeline executive) jointly acquired all of the stock of Enron Liquids Pipeline Company, the General Partner of the MLP.

I have a strong suspicion that's the connexion that Bailey's talking about.

As for your last point, it's a red herring.

The questions the Premier is refusing to answer have nothing to do with the BC Rail case - something you'd be aware of if you actually read Hansard.

Furthermore, this is not, repeat NOT, a jury trial. The decision about guilt or innocence - or whether the evidence will be admissible or not will be made by a judge alone.

There is no jury pool to corrupt and Madame Justice Elizabeth Bennett has assured counsel several times that she is scrupulously avoiding the press on these matters.

Let's move on.

Is West right Bailey

Were you wrong?

Let' be realistic, man. If

Let' be realistic, man.

If the minion gets off to catch the master - hell yes!

Basi, Basi, Virk didn't sell the railways, the boats, give our right to our hydro at a price we set, and sell off our natural gas and the transmission lines to multinationals.
-They didn't increase the sale of whole logs again.
-They didn't privatize the flow of water in our rivers.
-They didn't turn every smooth running government operation into a shambles.
-They didn't give huge bonuses to the people working at ICBC just because we had good weather one year and there were fewer weather-related accidents.
-They didn't vote themselves a huge pay raise then fire trained and useful people who worked in hospitals for less than $30,000 a year.
-They didn't claim they were helping everyone with lower taxes then increase user fees on everything, thereby increasing the tax on the poor and the middle class.
-They didn't change the mining act to allow any Juan, Yuan, or Henrik ( not meant as a racist slur) from any country to slap a claim on any land they desire over the Internet.
-They didn't sign into law, TILMA.
-They didn't continue to support the Fraser Institue.
-They didn't reduce services to special needs students.
-They didn't promise they would have a transparent government with filmed cabinet meetings then set about creating one of the most secretive governments this side of the Kremlin.
-They didn't reduce question period to one-half hour, then refuse to answer simple questions like: "Do you have knowledge of people working as media monitors at this point in time?".
-They didn't fork out cash for a RAV line that promises not to be successful.
-They din't build a highway to their properties (in Whistler and nearby) under the guise of an Olympics.
-They didn't get drunk in Hawaii and get arrested then con people into believing that they were fit to govern this province.

Accenture

Accenture is another one of Campbell's favourites - the remains of Arthur Anderson which was Enron's audit firm as a matter of fact.

Terasen(Kinder-Morgan)has sold its natural Gas business to Fortis Inc of St John's for $3.7 billion but kept its pipelines and the petroleum business.

It has also just acquired the North Vancouver bulk facilities of the Port of Vancouver on a long-term lease from the ghost of what was once the 3rd largest railroad in Canada.

All thanks to the province's CEO.

Kinder-Morgan is currently in the process of taking itself private. Nice result for assets that formerly belonged to the people of British Columbia.

references:
http://www.cbc.ca/money/story/2007/02/26/terasen.html

http://www.workopolis.com/servlet/Content/fasttrack/20070404/RKINDER04?gateway=work

http://sev.prnewswire.com/oil-energy/20070302/DAF01402032007-1.html

-They didn't send the

-They didn't send the control of our private health and mental health data to multinational corporations thereby making it so US-based companies (and therefore the FBI) can hold that data.
-They didn't treat some of the province's finest people - teachers, social workers, and mental health workers like they were scum just because they wanted to make a reasonable living.
-They didn't build leaky condos.
-They didn't allow poor people to be thrown out in the street because some rich developers wanted the property where they had been living - when they were mayor of Vancouver.
-They didn't oversee the exponetial growth of gambling facilities that act to launder cash for grow-ops in the province.
-They didn't make it law that people could drink longer hours and make booze easier to get to.
-They didn't remove photo radar - a very cost effective way for the province to slow people down and reduce deaths and ICBC costs. Photo radar has since been adopted in other jurisdictions.
-etc. there is more...

Basi/Virk have admitted to lying to the public. They say they did it because that is what they were paid to do. They didn't have the authority to aquire large amounts of bribery money from the coffers on their own. If they were given that kind of power and authority, then the people who gave it to them were either inept or corrupt (or both). One must look to who ordered things done and who signed the cheques to pay for those orders. One must follow the money.

I see we were thinking the same, G West

Thanks for rounding out some of my data.

Here's some more from someone else.

http://www.bcfiberals.com/blog.html

bc gambling receipts

BC Provincial revenues from gambling in at fiscal year-end 1999 were:

$1,261,494,000

By 2005/06, the revenue soared to
2,261,000,000

-almost exactly a 1 billion dollar increase under the Liberals watch.

mostly from the pockets of poor and addicted Canadians hoping to strike it rich. (and some is quite probably money laundered by drug dealers.)

https://www.bclc.com/cm/aboutbclc/corporatereports.htm
https://www.bclc.com/documents/annualreports

bc gambling receipts

BC Provincial revenues from gambling in at

Fiscal year-end 1999 $1,261,494,000

By 2005/06, the revenue soared to
2,261,000,000

https://www.bclc.com/cm/aboutbclc/corporatereports.htm
https://www.bclc.com/documents/annualreports

[Almost exactly a 1 billion dollar increase under the Liberals watch.

Mostly from the pockets of poor and addicted Canadians hoping to strike it rich. (and some is quite probably money laundered by drug dealers.)]

settebello

As promised, here is a list of the 'phases' of evidence disclosure which had already taken place prior to April 18.

"Each of these phases has contained significant and relevant disclosure. The phases were disclosed as follows: Phase 1 - January 19, 2005; Phase 2 - September 16, 2005; Phase 3 - December 8, 2005; Phase 4 - May 30, 2006; Phase 5 - July 7, 2006; Phase 6 - December 22, 2006; and Phase 7 - February 15, 2007." (source - Notice of Application for Disclosure, February 26, 2007)

So, as you can see, the assertions of the Defence are not created out of whole cloth; they are based upon disclosed evidence, knowledge of which evidence the presiding judge has stated publicly is vitally in the public interest.

The pretense of caring about the integrity of activities within the courtroom from a point of view of shielding the process is absurd and willfully obtuse. This information is and should be in the public realm. The Premier is not talking for reasons that have, in my view, absolutely nothing to do with the sanctity of the judicial process.

Now Now

I worked at Andersen in the 90s. We had a consulting business called Andersen Consulting, which because of regulations, and the fact that the consulting arm was more profitable than the public accounting arm, was spun-off, taken public and renamed Accenture.

All of this happened prior to Enron and prior to Andersen's collapse. By 2001, Accenture was its own publicly traded company specializing on IT consulting and outsourcing.

It was not formerly Enron, nor did it ever own utilities or oil and gas assets. Not that I know of....

Kinder was a former executive of Enron. He left Enron and bought a bunch of Enron's assets. Enron was moving in a different direction - focusing on energy trading.

Mr. Kinder and Mr. Morgan are known as highly ethical and accountable executives. Far from the Enron breed. Both draw a $1 salary and make all their money off the appreciation of their stock.

You guys are really fishing here.

cappy's nose.................

is so far up KAMPBELLS BUTT he can't see the world around him...

that's why he spends so much time here DEFENDING HERR KAMPBELLS KLAN...

ITS HIS JOB..........................

BCMary...

Are you out there, my lady? I just wanted to say thanks for your efforts,as well as Robins,Kootcoots, Bill T., in pushing this forward into the publics awareness, no matter how hard some try to hide it.
Keep it up!!!!!!
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!

HAPPY FRIDAY, da pitbull... Ellie

I disagree

I do know that our minister of Energy, tricky Dickie Neufeld, has been in conversation with Kinder Morgan executives who were pressing him to increase the price of electricity to British Columbia consumers in order to convince more of them to convert to natural gas to heat their homes.

I also know that one third of the operations and services of BC Hydro, our most profitable public company, has been outsourced to Bermuda-based Accenture. And,
BC Medical Services Plan and Pharmacare are in the hands of an American firm called Maximus while the ceo of BC Ferries, David Hahn also hails from the US, where he presided as vice-president of Covanta Energy, which filed for bankruptcy protection in 2001.

I'm certainly not convinced the Kinder Morgan boys or that anyone who has ever been associated with Accenture are ethical but I am sure that the current gang of stonewallers in power in Victoria DO have a lot of questions to answer for.

And, Cappy,

If you're still convinced the Kinderfellas are such good guys you might want to have a look at this and remember that Terasen, although it has sold the natural gas business to Fortis, still runs BC's petroleum pipelines.

http://osfm.fire.ca.gov/pdf/pipeline/WCFinalReport/KMWCInvRep.pdf

G

Kinder Morgan is a business. Business, like unions, poverty groups, environmentalists are ALL special interest groups.

They are businessmen and they are looking to profit. You should be skeptical of all businesses - that is fair. Kinder Morgan couldn't care less if BCers could heat their homes for cheap. They are trying to make money. This is why we have regulators to protect the public.

What you can count on Kinder Morgan to do is operate openly, with accountability. They report all this stuff in their Proxy's and public filings. They operate within the boundaries, follow the rules and have been recipients of awards for their business ethics.

You were somehow trying to link Andersen (in Houston) and Enron - to Kinder Morgan. Then trying to link Kinder Morgan to Campbell. Therefore, tying them together.

You guys are fishing. You are drinking far too much kool-aid.

Fisherfolk

Desperately flailing around looking for something to grab on to. David Hahn is from the USA, must be bad. As I said, the attempt to link the present government with any contracts written during the NDP reign of mismanagement is classic disinformation. These guys think they are at war and all is fair. No Geneva Convention recognized here. Terasen, Kinder Morgan, Arthur Anderson, Anderson Consulting, Accenture, Enron, anyone who ever went near them is a neo-con criminal, according to the whackos. Just like the Taliban, if you haven't got a beard we will eviserate you! Comspiritists gone ballistic!

cappy me thinks your

cappy me thinks your aggresive protests for the Corporate greed just makes G West's blogs ultimitly true!

"Cowardice asks the question: is it safe? Expediency asks the question: is it politic? Vanity asks the question: is it popular? But conscience asks the question: is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular- but one must take it simply because it is right." : Martin Luther King Jr. 1929-1968

If G Campbell is dirty then R Klien presummidly is also dirty, back room deals?

I was not linking Arthur Andersen to anything

The links between the Kinder executives and Enron are plain and well known as is the reputation of the firm relative to California energy brown outs and pipeline safety issues.

This article is about ceo Campbell and his failure to live up to both his promises and his duty to protect the public interest.

The Energy minister of BC is not acting in the public interest when he entertains the idea that what's good for Terasen Gas is also good for the consumers, businesses, industry and future of British Columbia.

You need to read a little more carefully. It's not me who has embroiled Campbell in this god-awful mess. If you think this isn't a problem for both the government and the people of this Province then I'm afraid you're the one who's drinking something stronger than sugared water.

What's the point in having regulators to protect the public interest if, as in the case of the recent BC Utilities Commission relative to Alcan/BC Hydro, a decision in favour of the public interest is not accepted by the government and has been appealled.

As for that information about the Houston conversations between Dickie Neufeld and the executives, it didn't come from a regulator - it was the result of a conscientious journalist filing a FOI request.

If Ken Dobell had his way, from some to the reports I've read, all the public business conducted by this government would be done over the telephone and in person so that there would be no paper trail.

Carry on drinking my friend. And try to read a little more carefully in the future - you're wasting my time.

SharingIsGood 11 hours ago A

SharingIsGood 11 hours ago
A great blog and as you state that's just the begining!

IAMCluess, greedy cappy, etal
As so often before, liberty has been wounded in the house of its friends. Liberty in the wild and freakish hands of fanatics has once more, as frequently in the past, proved the effective helpmate of autocracy and the twin-brother of tyranny: Otto Hermann Kahn - Speech at the University of Wisconsin

Actually

Many of these Whackos are apologists for Bin Laden and the terrorists. James Burns is the most appauling example of this.

Rosie O'Donnell called US Christians a bigger threat to American safety than the Taliban and other terrorist groups. Of Course Rosie!

These cookoo's will defend the actions of Hugo, Castro and even Saddam Hussein - yet rail, endlessly on our respectable business leaders. Funny isn't it!

realisticman 17 minutes

realisticman 17 minutes ago
You call us socalled lefties a bunch of consperitors, WHY?
The only consperitors are those in power as they give OUR Province and OUR Country away to the corporations, WHY?
GREED and Power.
A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly. But the traitor moves amongst those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself. For the traitor appears not a traitor; he speaks in accents familiar to his victims, and he wears their face and their arguments, he appeals to the baseness that lies deep in the hearts of all men. He rots the soul of a nation, he works secretly and unknown in the night to undermine the pillars of the city, he infects the body politic so that it can no longer resist. A murder is less to fear: Cicero Marcus Tullius

funny isn't it?

"...our respected business leaders." ROTFLMAO

Not synonymous

Greed and Power are not synonymous with giving. If it's giving then you could say that it's generosity or magnanimity. It's also a loss of power, not something one does to gain power. In the case of a crown corporation it's called privatization and it can bring benefits. For example, does anyone still seriously think parcel delivery should again be the exclusive domain of the government and FedEx should be nationalized? How about the Vancouver Airport. Was that a better place when it was run by the government in Ottawa?

realisticman and Cappy

Why do you keep changing the subject?

The problem here is the behavior of elected officials and their order in council appointees relative to the public interest. These people were not hired for merit, remember, and they did not get their jobs because of an honest and open competition under the Public Service Act. They got their jobs because Gordon Campbell signed his name to a document as the Presiding Member of the Executive Council. Who do you think these people owe their loyalty to?

Trust me, it is not to the taxpayers and citizens of British Columbia that these appointed individuals owe their loyalty. They will do, and have been doing, the bidding of their ‘Master’ and their master is – in every sense of the word – CEO Gordon Campbell.

These matters are really not very different from what happened in the early 70s in the United States.

We are now relying upon the quality of our judiciary and the ethics of a system that is meant to operate INDEPENDENTLY of political manipulation to deal with a set of circumstances created by a man who has declared himself the CEO of this province and who has been, and is, acting as if he his no obligation or duty to behave in a way that ensures the public interest and the future of this province are not compromised. In fact, quite the contrary – as has been demonstrated in virtually every area in which the public interest plays an important part.

This man behaved this way when he was the mayor of Vancouver; he used similar tricks to accede to the leadership of a political party and he has been exercising exactly the same kind of suzerainty over the affairs of the province ever since.

We can only hope that the justice system has the character and resilience to deal with this situation.

I have little confidence, on the basis of what I've read to date, that the News Media have the stomach for the kind of analysis necessary to get to the bottom of the way 'business' has been transacted in this province for the past 6 years.

Who me?

I was chatting with BC Dude.

Oh, Oh! teacher caught us talking.

Grasping

Cappy you funny bunny. Are you still having a tantrum over my pointing out your ignorance of Israeli history? You're the only one who defends terrorism, Chuckles. I do find it amusing, however, that in a thread on the problems the Campbell government is having in the press, you try to sidetrack the topic not just with lies, but with a completely different topic.

Come on, you can do better than that, can't you? Instead of changing the subject and grasping a fictional straws, why not say something coherent?

A bouquet to brighten a Friday afternoon.

Blonde Pitbull ... Ellie ... you bet I'm out here! And smiling too!

Many thanks for your bouquet which brightened a Friday afternoon. Same right back atcha.

There are wonderful people contributing to The Tyee: good to see you again.

cappy da funny bunny...

dats so funny...........

and yes cappy will talk about ANYTHING...check out his previous postings...he's one of the biggest apologists around for the KAMPBELL KLAN and friends...

most of whom seem to be unknow to us but know to cappy...

ergo...cappy must be an insider...HUH???

and iffin he's not...well!he still is a really funny bunny...the likes of IAMC and others....

Throw the traitors out now

Throw the traitors out now along with Herr G Campbell and UnderHerr R Klien! They are destroying all that makes CANADA a Sovereign Peace Keeping Nation along with OUR Reputation!
If that isn't treasonous then what the hell is?
How screwed up is this?
Parliamentary immunity protects top Mountie from perjury, court hears. Parliamentary immunity = "Get Out of Prison Free"
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=0d5b064b-b195-4017-b48f-4526130cdf20
But don't be a voice for OUR PLANET!
http://sisis.nativeweb.org/sov/allnahan.html
Oops, I forgot these are the real criminals
http://harrietspirit.blogspot.com/ MAY SHE RIP
Betty Krawczyk
http://bettysearlyedition.blogspot.com/2007/02/bettys-final-submissions-to-madam.html
10 months in jail?
A cop who was caught for Luring two young girls (12 and 15) for the purpose of supposedly taking pics, gets ONE DAY IN JAIL
Harper is now a War Criminal
http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2007/04/24/afghan_torture_allegations_hit_canada_defense_ministry/

The King and his Self-Appointed Court...

Keep that that infamous memo in mind as you read part of an excellent article written by Russ Francis in February 24, 2004. Suddenly it becomes very clear how what redrivergirl used to call our "pretend government" really works:

They each got a package of perks as well, including an annual $6,969 car allowance and a publicly funded extended health plan. This was necessary to attract the very best, Campbell said, coming to their defence.

He also threw in a little incentive package. Meet certain performance standards and you get bonuses of up to 10 per cent of your pay.

Now, performance incentives are hardly a new or unwelcome idea. But these bureaucrats were given an unusual set of standards to live up to first.

Not that it was widely known; there was no public discussion of the bonus criteria at the Liberals' open cabinet meetings. Nor did the party issue a press release.

But after twice requesting access to information and having engaged in several exchanges with officials, I found copies of the deputy ministers' "performance agreements" and bonus payments on my desk.

Some of the requirements were routine enough: Each deputy minister must have "performed acceptably" in areas such as providing overall leadership to the ministry and in supporting and developing [ministry] employees.

But other bonus criteria smacked of the unusual: Deputy human resources minister Robin Ciceri was to get a $15,400 bonus if she reduced the growth rate in disability assistance by two per cent. As well as cut the number of welfare recipients by two per cent during her first year.

Usually, welfare cost efficiency involves cutting off those who don't deserve it -- a move most citizens would support. But Ciceri's task was to cut the numbers -- regardless of demographics, eligibility or the economy. And she did! There were 123,000 fewer people on assistance last Dec. 1 than when the Liberals took office in June 2001, a 22 per cent drop. Ciceri's total salary and bonus: $169,400."

And on and on it goes....Democracy where art thou?

Thank you, Lynn

Thanks, for saving this oxymoronically wonderful article. It keeps my blod at just below the boiling point - where I think best. I think the CEO in question is pretty good at creating life-long enemies. Just keep them rolling, the more people who read these sorts of things the better. We have an election in just a few years...and we must not let people go to the polls uninformed.

One has to wonder

One has to wonder what bonus criteria Jessica McDonald has with respect to her employment.

She started out, under OIC 1038 (Oct 31/03), as Deputy Minister, Special Projects, Office of the Premier; switched on Nov 16, 2004 under OIC 1077 to Deputy Minister, Strategic Planning, Office of the Premier; and finally, June 1, 2005 under OIC 443 she became Deputy Minister to the Premier and Cabinet Secretary.

You'd think someone as decisive as the Premier could make up his mind, wouldn't you?

Next Provincial Election

Let's all remember to keep the truth out there for more people to read or hear about on various programs. We can also call into the Bill Good show and others to remind them that we would like to hear more about the trial and other issues. They can't hold out on all of us forever. Phone, write letters, go to meetings, etc. It will work and must be done as it is our best way to be heard. But most of all, let's work towards turning the ocean liner around and getting as much integrity and honesty back into the system as we can. Democracy can and will have life breathed back into it if enough people work at it.

RE: Where would paid Media Monitors be without CanWest?

Uh, well, lemme see here....

...I think it's worth explaining that media monitoring, though ostensibly a passive activity - unlike public relations/information washing/spin doctoring which is decidedly an aggressive one - couched in passive language, usually...and is a different set of consultants/firms, not the media monitoring outfits, although they're all interconnected and p.r. firms have media monitors on staff.......how do I explain what I mean here?....hmmmm?

Well, what clued me in about the two-way street is from having worked as a media buyer for a certain large Vancouver firm for several months; making sure ad copy was in on the day it was supposed to be - in print, on air - and making sure the text/quality was right and so on, and keeping copies (I only did print) for the clients, as well as doing all the clerical work of Media Depts within ad firms, i.e. costing, broadcast strategies, etc (can't remember the terminology).

What I mean by connecting this to the role of a media buyer at and ad firm is that media monitors, either on staff, have the same relationship to p.r. firms and p.r. departments. In media monitoring a lot of the contracts would seem to have to do with keeping track of infomercial-type news, coverage of press releases, i.e.how the news networks themselves flavoured it i.e. [i] making sure that the copy that's been paid for, and the tone of coverage that's been paid for (by advertising contracts for products/p.r. campaigns as well as backroom stuff) is what's being followed. Not just how the issues are hitting the public, or what the columnists are saying; but making sure that the editors and publishers are following suit on their end of the deal, just like a media buyer checks the copy that's been paid for...them that has the money makes the rules, everybody knows that; so that those who have even more money have even more say etc.

Especially here.

So now, finding this parallel parasitical relationship, it helps me realize who aggressive media monitoring actually is; it's the visible, tactile end of the business of manipulating information; not monitoring its random flow, but making sure that the desired/paid-for "copy" is what's on air and in print....

But.....

...if media monitors are also the people who are making friendly phone calls and other political activities, that's one conflict of interest to start with in terms of quality of reportage; taking part in an observed phenomenon is as we all know a way to skew the results, because observed phenomena behave differently if observed; at core that's in quantum physics only but it seems to work on public consciousness and sociopolitical behaviour/awareness as well, although not in the same way and without being mathematically definable as it is in quantum physics (Asimov claimed it could be, but I after I read it I thought the Foundation Trilogy's calculations of human history modelling/planning was poppycock and too "shallow", there was no meat, no explanation, more like a prophecy being fulfilled that you didn't even get to wsee the original text/design of, only referred to in the eighth person.......I was hoping for something even a little more theoretically "tangible" like spindizzy theory in Blish's Cities in Flight....)

OK, OK, never mind warpfield theory or transhistorical momentum problems and get back to BC politics, even if it's not as much fun......

Point is, somewhere back there in the other universe, that media monitoring isn't as passive as I'd ad first thought; depends on the contract and the client - and actual event-fiddling is obviously downright "aggressive" - if it's the media monitoring people who are also participating in the news copy, y'see, that's the whole point - skewing the timeline, altering events by taking part of them instead of only observing them which is the scientific process; in some, even most cases media monitoring could be inherently docile - but not when you mix in active participation in politics with the people doing the monitoring.... But you can bet your booty that for political parties it's not an innocuous thing. Especially not if government employees are either the media monitors on behalf of the political parties, or whether or not media monitors are lobbying on behalf of the political party or a particular politician while on the public payroll, rather than the party's......

Oh - but it's "politics as usual", as it's being rationalized, isn't it? Well, even according to our half-baked Constitution (and I do think it's half-baked Constitution, as is also the British Columbia Act or whatever it is that Etienne-Cartier drew theboilerplate up on that was passed by Parliament to admit BC...ironic it was a Quebecker who drew up the rulebook for BC, huh? Not that anybody is apparently paying much attention to it, and there hasn't been one Premier who hasn't rewritten aspects of it, by convention, although not all for their own purposes....)

The stench out of the capital can no doubt be smelled in Seattle and Portland right now; anybody been monitoring the Seattle and Portland papers? Denver's?

finishing sentence...

...which I wouldn't have noticed until now even if I had used "preview comment":

...this kind of thing is not supposed to be allowed, and a senior politician directly involved with it should long ago have resigned. But I said that before, quite a few times, didn't I? Sorry to be repetitive, but so's "politics as usual" and the wondrous "I won't comment on what's before the courts"....

Tell ya what, Gordo, if only the use of government staff to manipulate media events/interviews was before the courts.....as it should be.

Where's the federal Solicitor-General concerning this anyway? isn't that federal law and not provincial law that's involved? Or would it be in the jurisdiction of BC's Solicitor-General and/or Attorney-General (are they separate now? weren't they the same portfolio here for a while, if not still, outside the cosntitutional/cabinet norms elsewhere?)

And who's got that job again?? Oh yeah.....

Hope none of that's libellious, Mr Editor Sir; I'm saving a copy of this in case you decide it might get your little webrag in trouble with people with bigger lawyers than you've got.....oh, I forgot, that's the problem; who we're talking about largely are lawyers.....

The Premier finally found his voice

And "this" is what he said (in the house on April 25):

L. Krog: The Premier has now had two days to denounce political dirty tricks. He's had every opportunity in this House, through numerous questions, to denounce political dirty tricks, but instead he's continuing to stonewall. Sadly, the Premier's silence on this issue is starting to sound a lot like he's prepared to condone political and partisan trickery.
My question to the Premier is very simple. Does he condone blatant partisan political manipulation occurring in his office? Is he going to be prepared in this House today to stand up and condemn it?

Hon. G. Campbell: I appreciate the opportunity to respond to this.
Let me be clear. I encourage people to be involved in public life. I encourage people to have ideas about how we can make this province better. I encourage people to serve. I encourage them to serve in elected office. I encourage them to serve in public service. It's a rewarding occupation. It's something, frankly, all members of this House should be encouraging people to do. I intend to continue doing that, and I intend to continue serving the people of British Columbia.

This sounds more and more like Watergate every day.

adding the subtext

*I encourage people to have ideas about how we can make this province better for the Liberal Party.

*I encourage people to serve the Liberal Party.

*I encourage them to serve the Liberal Party while in elected office.

*I encourage them to serve of the Liberal Party in public service.

*It's a rewarding occupation for the Liberal Party.

*It's something - serving the Liberal Party - frankly, all members of this House should be encouraging people to do for the Liberal Party.

*I intend to continue doing that for the Liberal Party

*I intend to continue serving more repetitive bullshit like this to the people of British Columbia.

It's sounded like Watergate to me for a long time, which is why I've been calling it Ledgegate. But the above bits, with additional translation of the arcane doublespeak that is Liberal-ese provided for those still under the spell of the propaganda machine, sounds a lot more like Kim Jong-Il or Qiang Qing than it does Tricky Dick.

just noticed the Angus Reid google ad.....

That was on the version of the Tyee page that came up to display my post, just to the right of it; a good example about how polling companies - and Angus Reid is a big-L Liberal one isn't it? - manipulate opinion by asking loaded questions, or questions designed to get the desired answer.

Why not ask instead:
*Do you think Gordon Campbell is a crook?
*Do you think Gordon Camnpbell is being honest about what's allegedly been revealed by the evidence in the Basi-Virk Affair?
*Do you think Gordon Campbell used government staffers for personal political ends?
*Do you think Gordon Campbell should resign over Ledgegate?
*Do you think Gordon Campbell should be charged for violating the public trust?

Hmmmm. Do you think Decima - the Tory polling firm, I think - do you think they'd do that poll? Do you think Global will do that poll, or the Sun or Province? No, it's a friendly poll, and via googlestats targeted at people posting negative commentaries on Campbell. Such is the nature of media massaging......the polling firms are themselves a form of media monitoring - see above about massaging the public mind under the guise of supposedly passive "scientific" activities.....

There used to be this thing called scientific socialism.....I guess the best term for what we're seeing here is scientific Liberalism.....

echoes of Watergate part 1

A certain paraphrase just came to me:

(to the editors of the Sun and [/i]Province[/i]:

"I knew the Washington Post, sir, and you are not the Washington Post."

I know that's over some people's heads, but who cares? So's everything else....

Scientific neo-liberalism maybe?

There's a Naomi Klein piece in The Nation about Wolfowitz with some interesting echoes along the lines of what you're hinting at just above Skookum 1.

Here's a link:
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070514/klein

This little passage has real resonance when one looks at our Premier's idea of what amounts to public service. At least it seems so to me:

skookum1 - orwell

Well, Skookum One, I really "enjoyed" your most-fitting transposition of Mr. Campbell's reply into Orwellian prose.

With his last line:
"I intend to continue doing that, and I intend to continue serving the people of British Columbia."

I imagined ourselves (the citizens of BC) as Rocky Horror Eddys while the demented doctor was carving me up.

Please NO......!!!

The image of Gordo in fishnets and corset and high heel boots.....No, no, NO!.....the horror, the horror!!!

Somehow I can see the Liberal caucus/cabinet doing the Time Warp though:

"It's just a jump to the left, and then a step to the right. Put your hands on your hips, it'll all be all right"

meant to add

Just not the same without the choreography though.

Afterthought: if the Liberal caucus put on a production of the Rocky Horror, who would the cast members be?

Riffraff, the butler - ??
Olympia, the maid - ??
Rocky? - guess that would have to be Coleman, but the thought of him in gold lame briefs and gold-speckled runners is too much to take.

I guess Keith Baldrey could put in an appearance as the doctor/commentator ("BORE-ing") and who was the guy in the wheelchair again?

Brad would have to be Gordon Wilson, if they could call him out of retirement. Jenny Kwan would need a dye job but she'd make a much better Janet than Penny or Joy....

LOL - the image has gone too far

Skookum1, you're on a roll today! I think the parody of the parody must be produced.

Wheelchair guy - Harcourt, certainly not Sullivan.

"Brad and Janet"

When I mentioned them I meant to say they should be played by NDPers or at least ex-Grits. Gordon Wilson would best be accompanied by Judy T.; a NDP-ite pairing for Jenny/Penny/Joy I haven't given time to think of....Mike Harcourt?

World Bank/IMF

Not just the fight against corruption, but also the fight against evironmental ruination....

It's worth bearing in mind that the IMF/World Bank weren't the first on the scene of the crime, they bankrolled the crime in the first place via shoring up the various corrupt regimes that govern most of the planet....

And the IMF is really only about 10 people, or less (who own or control well over 50% of the world supply of capital....), and the World Bank is a proxy with a puppetry governance selected by the corrupt regimes the IMF shores up....

Olympia, the maid....

Although she certainly couldn't take part in a political production, for some reason I can see Iona in the get-up of Olympia the maid. Her Honour has too much class to be a vengeful, jilted lover, outrage over Frank N. Furter's passion for Rocky, but theatre is theatre, and she is a trooper......

If only she were Premier instead of L-G.....

I'v heard that the IMF is

I'v heard that the IMF is not really a legal system?
I've tried to find the answer but to no avail!

IMF is the legal system

Money makes the rules, money is the law. It's the only truly international law, in fact, and governance of currency movement/controls is their game. Literally, them that has the dough prints the money, remember? That's why banknotes are issued by banks......

AFAIK they are not chartered under any particular country's legal system, and there is no international legal system per se, other than the emerging criminal-law and laws of war/the sea etc bodies of precedent. They are, as such, a country in their own right, in legal terms; beholden to none, governable by no one; and any country the IMF's constituent zillionaires are citizens of most likely already has a bought-and-paid-for government......

G West, what do you know about this - is the IMF officially mandated by the League of Nations or the UN or what?

IMF mandate

imf mandate
http://www.un.org/Pubs/ourlives/imf.htm

imf about
http://www.imf.org/external/about.htm

Rocky Horror

I was thinking Shirley Bond, the education minister, would have to have a role too - she seems to be into discipline in a big way.

I think the IMF was set up formally as an agency of the World Bank after a conference in Jamaica in 1976. I'll post something a little less cryptic later.

img mandate/about

Yeah, that's the press kit for sure. But it wasn't the way it was explained to me in the business lounge in Jakarta airport by a guy who worked for UNESCO.....

IMF

The original idea, set up at Bretton Woods in 1944, was very Keynesian. Which isn't surprising since Keynes and Harry Dexter White essentially created the both the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund between the two of them. It was, primarily, the extension of local banking principles on an international basis and it started to function as a means of post-war reconstruction through things like the Marshall Plan in May of 1946. Because of the stable American dollar as an international means of exchange the worldwide economic growth for the 25 years from 1948 onward averaged 5.6% per year, successively sustained.

I found an interesting statistic about this period of growth in a historical context.

In the period 1705-1971 (266 years for which reasonable records are available) world industrial production rose 1,730 times and well over half of this increase has come about in the 25 years since 1948.

The situation since 1971 - in no small part as a result of conditions created by and in the United States has been very different and the changes made to the IMF since the Jamaica conference have a lot to do with it. I'm sure Ed could give us a quick summary of why that'd be far better than anything I might write.

And a little more from Vaughn Palmer

VICTORIA - The B.C. Liberals are refusing to answer any and all questions so long as they see a connection to the court proceedings arising out of the raid on the legislature.

"We act on principle," says Attorney-General Wally Oppal. "We know that it is totally wrong and improper to discuss issues that arise out of a Supreme Court trial."

Premier Gordon Campbell takes refuge in the same principle. "I do not intend to respond to questions that arise from that court case," he told the legislature this week. "I believe that would be wrong."

Both criticized the Opposition for daring to take the view that generalized questions could be asked and answered.

Campbell: "At least on this side of the house, we believe in the rule of law."

Oppal: "This is all about respect for the integrity of the criminal justice system. It is obvious that that side of the house don't understand the independence and the workings of the criminal justice system."

But neither Campbell nor Oppal has been able to cite any hard and fast rule that would preclude them from answering many of the questions they've been asked.

Questions about current practices in the premier's office. General inquiries about the sale of BC Rail. Whether the premier allows taxpayer-funded staffers to get involved in media manipulation and political dirty tricks.

Emphasis mine
(snip)

Methinks the Premier and Stonewally are feeling the heat a little bit.

Read the whole thing here:

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/columnists/story.html?id=9ae68f88-5470-45c4-b7ed-569f5b1c892a

rocky horror casting

I think all the Liberal MLA's (cabinet included) has been relegated to the chorus.

Democracy my butt, Why is

Democracy my butt, Why is the dishonorable gordo along with his gang still at the helm of OUR seriously wounded Province?
All Legislation and cuts brought in and rammed through by this despicable Lout should be null and void including 2010 Winter Olympics as everything he and his cronies have touched are suspect in criminal activities!
Now WE the People of British Columbia will find out if WE have a Real Justice System WE can look up to with Pride and Respect once more?
Can WE as the People of Canada ever look at OUR RCMP with Pride again?
G Campbell is dirty!
Now is the time for the RCMP to get some of their honour back by investigating this bunch and if it means taking some of their own down then so be it! "The Mounties Always Get Their Man" I grew up with that.

Null & Void

Which Baptist church will you be a preachin' from Dude? Sounds like you'se a revivalist bro'. Didn't Glen Clark and the NDP bring us the 2010 Winter Olympics?

Skookum, you're just a bit out of date. The League of Nations was disbanded in 1946. 61 years ago. The World Bank came into being in 1944.

Resign

Yes when there was even a hint of scandal who was the first to call for a resignation' why it was snow-balled us gordo. Followed closely by our intrepid reporters. Step down , step down until it proven true or false. Drunk why the reporters scream forgive him he gave a few crocodile tears. Still they blame it on the ndp for not letting the courts follow it through. Well I have little faith in BC judges they seem to be a little too willing to do the Governments dirty work and put little old ladies in jail and letting the government change the rules without challenging them. Bow to the all mighty GORDO.

Liberal spin doctoring

I get it, Realisticman,

The Liberals have it made with the Olympics. If things begin not working well, blame it on NDP/Clark. If things go well, take full credit - a win, win!

Never mind, that the NDP probably wouldn't have changed the highway and would have kept and upgraded the train instead.

Never mind, that the NDP probably would not have attempted to build a skating complex over top of silty lowland.

Never mind, that the NDP would have probably built light rail instead of the RAV line.

Never mind, that the NDP would not have:
torn holes into the education system,
sold the railway,
sold the oil and gas,
sold the courthouses,
taken away the right to an attorney for
many poor people accused of criminal
offences,
reduced services to poor and helpless
children,
removed hospitals from communities,
etc.
to pay for these Olympics.

Talk about fudget budgets, the Liberals sell off all the assets, and reduce all the services and claim they have helped the people of BC. When the Liberals got in, the books were balanced (there was a substantial surplus actually) and the economy was moving in the right direction: commodity prices were ready to jump as the Asian slump was over. The only people the Liberals have helped are the wealthy. Everyone else has taken a hit. I am middle-class, and I have less in my pocket than I had when I was earning less and the NDP was in power. My spending habits have not changed: I live a simple life, but all of my expenses have risen, especially my utility costs.

Still nothing about Campbell and his methods

You need to read a lot more carefully my friend.

The IMF info is in clear view.

Still nothing on the subject at hand. Perhaps we could return to a discussion of a recent editorial in the Province. It's much more interested in the kind of phony equivalence arguments that seem to appeal to Campbell apologists.

The Premier should resign, he has disgraced the office and the very idea of democratic principles in running his government like a private corporate fiefdom.

the railway....

This more relates to my comments about the Olympics/Whistler on the Bold Allegations thread but since you mentioned this here, it continues to irk me (and me not alone) that in the same month - week, even - that it was announced that it wasn't worth the government's time or money to throw $30 million to keep the old Dayliner passenger service on the BCR going, the budgeting for the Hwy 99 "improvements" was announced; with more than that amount being spent on the Porteau Bluffs alone; ironically de-utilizing the railway right-of-way and turning it, temporarily for the Olympics anyway, as a spare set of lanes for 99. Also in the same week the feds announced $3 billion for a new high-speed rail service between Windsor and Quebec City.

You can just ask the mayors of Lillooet, 100 Mile etc how much money the loss of that rail service cost them, and if it were marketed properly (which it wasn't being - being made inviable cost-wise through deliberate neglect) how much potential it had to benefit their economies; particularly Lillooet - the first large non-native town in the Interior, before Barkerville even - which has gotten the short end of the stick ever since the Cariboo Road was routed around it via Ashcroft (granted, largely for engineering reasons).

I've always suspected that unloading the passenger service was part of the "prep" for selling off the railway; investors would not want a line saddled with a non-freight schedule, even a subsidized one. But add on top of that the point that it seems like the money that could have gone into keeping that lifeline for the smaller towns northwards from the mega-resort was spent instead only on a small and only temporary rerouting of 99 in order to make Whistler more viable for the Olympics.

I also remember when the Olympics were previously floated, that it wasn't a Skytrain line to/from the airport that was suggested, but a fullscale highspeed line connecting Vancouver/YVR, and even Seattle, with Whistler, in order to take the burden of moronic passenger traffic on Hwy 99 and appeal to European travellers, who are accustomed to good rail travel to/from their resorts, and aren't as class-bitchy about not using cars as North Americans are (anybody who's travelled in First Class in European train systems knows what I'm talking about).

(cont...)

the railway....cont.

Whistler's at build-out, and quite likely in twenty years or so isn't even going to have snow, even its glaciers are disappearing (like everywhere else). So why was so much money is being thrown at infrastructure on a temporary event for a resort whose lifespan is questionably short, vs towns which have hung on for dear life for over a century, in the hope that the provincial infrastructure might eventually/actually acknowledge their needs?

It's also no accident that the highway improvements end at Green Lake; during the post-M Creek debates on opening a "back door" for Whistler, several Whistler Inc. types stood up at the public meetings and were point-blank about not wanting to encourage tourists to explore the rest of the SLRD because "we want them spending their money here, not there". How's that for neighbourliness, huh? First you block highways that serve the communities of the area the new highway will pass through, instead of really only benefitting your own (which is the case with the Duffey Lake routing of 99), then you get their passenger rail service cut off so as to make sure their tourist trade doesn't have a hope in hell of getting off the ground. To add insult to injury, Whistler hotels and tour companies ferry people over to Lillooet to fish, ride, raft etc but don't spend any money in Lillooet, nor book rooms (as if there were any available, as hotels won't build there because there's no rail or bus service....)

I've got one more question that I'll save for the next post in case our trusty but cold-footed editor feels it needs to be censored....

GW

Did you see Micheal Smyth's piece in todays' Province? Headline is "in politics, what comes around goes around"?

dangerous question, perhaps .... (?)

OK, so this is what's also been bugging me, never mind the obvious influence-engineering behind the abuse of the passenger rail line and the lockdown on the the tourism aspirations and amazing potential of the Bridge River-Lillooet:

Since we already know that there were "payments" concerning the bidding process from Omni/TRAX, it's pretty clear that it was a "dirty process". And if Omni/TRAX, the losing bidder, paid so much for special considerations......how much digging will it take to find out if there were "similar arrangements" between government/political/lobbying operatives and CN??????

Sounds dangerously libellous; but I'm not accusing, just asking how it is that, given the obvious moral corruption of the insiders in the Liberal regime, that there was no footsie going on with the winning bidder? And are there any connections between the new owners of CN and the Liberals and/or did CN contribute anything to the Liberal Party or individual Liberal campaigns????

Blonde Pitbull - yep

That's the one I mentioned to R/Man up thread here a bit.

http://www.canada.com/theprovince/columnists/story.html?id=c3e58814-3248-48b8-9728-82875fd4ccf2

Seems like a pretty blatant attempt to shift the focus by damning all politicians with the same crap - I also wondered if it was a pre-emptive shot against Gordon Wilson stepping into this debate.

He left a voice comment on CBC AM 690 one day this week making the point that this (the Dobell and Media manipulation/monitoring thing) out of the Premier's office was quite new, wrong and insidious.

I wonder why Smyth would suddenly bring up Wilson so recently after his first public comment in, what's it been? Years.

Skookum1 - your question:

The answer is yes at least partly.

I thought so

There was a Tyee feature on the connections between Campbell and CN.

Here's the link:
http://thetyee.ca/News/2005/05/09/DavidMaclean/

Wilson...hmmm, seems like

Wilson...hmmm, seems like the PR machine is shifting into high gear. Makes you wonder whats next...

"The Premier can't recall..."

from the article you just linked: the Premier couldn't recall if he met with McLean during the sale/bidding process, huh? And he promised to find out when he did meet with him, but like so many other promises he hasn't followed through with that?

Is or is not the Premier's Office appointment schedule part of the evidence now in court?

And since Joy's not in the Ledge anymore, it would seem beholden on another NDP MLA to raise the same question again, since the Premier promised to produce that information.

"I can't comment on anything in court"

It's not in court, Gordo. Not yet anyway.

You know what I find

You know what I find ineresting about MS's column this morning is the difference in "tone" of it. Not nearly as scathing as his NDP stuff but not with the same...I dunna...reverence, maybe....

Neo-sovietism

I think it's distracting to concentrate too much on the strictly partisan parts of this story. Liberal or NDP or Conservative or anybody else for that matter.

Certainly crooks should be punished on an individual basis, and the termite nests they call home, whether left or right or sectarian, should be fumigated. But it seems to me that the elephant we're looking at is actually a new paradigm for corporations in society.

The growing ease of transport and communication has permitted multi-national companies to grow so large that they now have filled the niche that was once filled by Soviet style communes.

-They control the means of production.
-They tend to grow into functional monopolies, if not legislated ones.
-They are collectively owned, though the owners now are voluntary participants.
-They're run by money mad fools who set their own rules and take no personal risk or responsibility to higher principles. Their advancement mechanisms actually seem to select for ruthlessness.
-They can change their names and addresses at the drop of a writ, making them immune to meaningful prosecution.
This is a very attractive situation if you have any criminal tendencies.

And since they got themselves declared 'persons under the law', they have been accumulating so much capital and controlling so much unregulated industry that nobody is safe or out of their grasp.

No politician, hell, no human short of Mother Theresa could possibly resist the lure of all that dough. Especially when there's a philosophical argument behind it that allows for truly massive rationalizations.

Even though the philosophy in question, Objectivism resembles a religious cult more than a business philosophy. And it's bastard daughter, trickle-down theory, has been well and truly tested to failure time and again. If you doubt this, look up the US national debt before and after Ronald Reagan had his kick at the can.

As long as these childless 'persons', with no hearts, no families, no nations, loyalties or hope for the future, who accept no duty to society are allowed to operate on the scale they do, they will continue to corrupt our leadership whatever it's stripe.

Bailey

I think you're absolutely correct, but, given the fact that this case currently before the courts actually provides a kind of window into the way 'business' is being done here in BC it is an opportunity to whittle away at the superstructure that permits and enables the system you've mentioned to exist, grow and thrive, pursuing it is vital.

I think the counter-effort to diminish and downplay the damage already inflicted on the main enablers has begun in earnest.

There is a rumour - which so far I can't confirm - that the Special Prosecutor's stand in requested a publication ban during the Court session Friday morning.

If that's true, and I emphasize I can't prove it is, then such a request (given the fact that the judge in the case has already stated the importance of openness and the public interest) seems very 'interesting' given what went on in the Legislature last week.

Gee, Bailey....

Just wondering if you spoke with the same nonpartisan equivocation during Casinogate an the Glen Clark fiasco? Lately the Sun's editorials have made a point of featuring the NDP name in nearly every lead line to do with this scandal; your little blurb above strikes me as much the same kind of thing.

Amazing to me how Harcourt and Clark could be brought down by "trial by media" on much lesser problems while the media (and various equivocators in the Tyee and the Sun's letters/op-ed columns) right now are taking part in the laundering of this scandal - while still trying to point the finger at the morals of the NDP. Were they pointing the same finger at the Liberals during the Harcourt and Clark fiascos?

Of course not.

great posts GW, Sk1, Bailey

I am humbled by the depth of your "collective" knowledge and your absolute caring for this province. It seems to me that a good number of Tyee writers could serve as good MLAs; and if in power, they would run a fine government.

Let's get together and build a platform. I'd give it away to anyone who would wish to follow it - except the Liberals: they've already proven not to follow what they write.

Re: IMF: The IMF came about as a result of the major world players wanting to continue the empire-building without the distasteful and wasteful need for going to war and then policing the ground that was hard-fought. Though the League of Nations closed in '46, there had been much debate about how to slow down people like Hitler without having to actually fight them. The more educated and sated a citizenry becomes, the less likely they are going to want to go to War. WW1 and WW2 were one thing, but a WW3 could be unthinkable; and once the bombs were dropped in Nagasaki and Hiroshima, it became clear that it would be only a matter of time before those sorts of things could not be controlled if too much coercion is used. Economic bullidom took over, and the masses would be fed pablum on TV to make them believe that the world is being protected by Western Europe and North America. Further, we'll help you get some banana plantations going and here's a Coke machine for your employees.

I believe that to be true Bailey, but lately (I may be wrong - here), I have also noticed a subtle trend toward private ownership of huge grocery chains and lion's shares of food distribution networks, railways, fuel... It's as if many of the exceedingly wealthy are ridding themselves of the things that will be of little use when the next big economic collapse hits. I fear that as soon as pension funds are spread out to their highest state of risk, the old boys network will say it's time to pull the corporate pins. The resulting collapse will allow them to wring the last few sheckles out of the hapless baby-boomers (and their fund managers) with their 401-Ks and their pensions; and, the exceedingly wealthy will be able to start a brand new monopoly game! This is all conjecture on my part, as I like to be optimistic, but...

postscript to previous

re my post just above sharingisgood's:

It's not really partisanship and partisan details that are the issue here in the Tyee; it's the partisanship of the major media that's the problem.....

Soviet-style capitalism

See some of my more recent posts on the Bold Allegations thread about Whistler being a "centrally-planned economy run by oligarchs".

Bailey: I just re-read your post and realize you weren't equivocating as I first reacted to it as. I've often "gone after" the NDP in these forums on stuff like electoral reform/FPTP vs alternatives and overall I'm ardent that our constitutional system is a piece of twaddle that needs to be undone, as it's allowed madnesses like what's going on to be gotten away with WAY too easily.

But how to change it? That's the problem. The NDP are no more interested in changing it than the Grits or Tories, because it's helped make them what they are (such as that is).

As for G West's observations about the legal manoeuvres being tried on the court by the Crown......where's a Law Lord when we need one? i.e. someone with the clout and dignity to police politicians who abuse their clout, and shamelessly flout the diginity of their office with shenanigans of the kind we're finding out about (and can expect to find yet more, too).

I'm not sure they're really scared yet.

Temember this one:

http://thetyee.ca/News/2005/06/15/BigContracts/

One would have thought it would be enough to clue people in as to how our leader can talk out of both sides of his mouth.

And maybe now, that people are starting to pay attention

We can move along to examine a tiny bit more 'the past is prologue' stuff too:

http://pacificgazette.blogspot.com/2004/08/eirin-airtons-corrections.html

For those Accenture/Arthur Anderson/Enron lovers, neo-liberal columnists and others.

Let's leave no stone unturned.

qoute from the Big Contract article

How do I get one of those? Whose ass do I have to kiss, and how sweetly? Or do you have to be in the "in group" to even know they're in the offing.

The answer is obvious.

At least under absolute monarchies the legal rational for nepotism and cronyism was inherent in dynastic politics. Buying and selling votes, and government influence, exactly what the opponents of democratic reform in the 18th-19th Century were warning about...I'm starting to think Metternich was right.....

This says a lot, in my view:

Political Donations
On or before March 31st each year, registered political parties in BC must file an annual financial report with Elections BC. The reports for 2006 are interesting because they capture the financial activities of the parties for the first full calendar year since the last election; as such they don't have the distortions of campaign financing.
In 2006 the BC Liberals had income of $5,694,076; the NDP had income of $3,300,228. While the NDP had $2.3 million less in income, it raised $1,041,601 more than the Liberals from individual donations, and when donations of less than $250 are examined, the NDP raised $1,136,095 more than the Liberals from small donations. The BC Liberals raised 25% of their income from individual donations; the NDP raised 75% of their income from individual donations. Of course, it is no great surprise that the Liberal party is beholden to business.
The names of those who donate $250 or more are disclosed. It is interesting to see whether BC's 79 MLAs put their money where their mouth is. Only 5 of the 46 Liberal MLAs donated more than $1,000 (keep in mind that donations refer to the total amount donated over the calendar year, so 12 donations of $100 require disclosure of $1,200). Dave Hayer (MLA for Surrey-Tynehead) was the most generous in supporting his party with $1,576 in donations; half of the Liberal MLAs donated less than $515, and no disclosure could be found for 8, meaning that they donated less than $250. The average annual total donation from a Liberal MLA was $569.58.
All NDP MLAs are found in the disclosure statement. Only 10 NDP MLAs donated less than $1,000, the smallest donation being $650 (ahead of more than half of the Liberals). Adrian Dix (MLA for Vancouver-Kingsway) was the most generous in supporting his party with $4,745 in donations. The average annual total donation from an NDP MLA was $1,274.88.

The Liberals rely so heavily on business to finance their party that they don't make much effort to personally contribute. As far as the leaders go, the disclosure statements show that Gordon Campbell donated a total of $800 during 2006; Carole James donated $1,200.
© 2007 David D. Schreck. All Rights Reserved.
Source:
http://www.strategicthoughts.com/record2007/donors.html

alcohol consumption up 5.3% per adult

Perhaps the premier won't think we notice because the citizens of BC have followed his lead.

Alcohol consumption up 5.3% per adult under this government's lead. I think that this is doubly significant as the population has been aging - and I would presume less likely to drink as much due to health reasons.
http://www.carbc.uvic.ca/con-data-BC.html

Fast Train

Skookum, could you elaborate on this , or give a reference. I must have missed this announcement.

By the way, I don't read The Province.

Gee, where are all the klieg lights now?

On March 5, 1999 a letter of complaint against BCTV with respect to their handling of the story on the RCMP raid on Glen Clark's house was written to the CRTC's Vancouver office and forwarded to the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council, BC Regional Council.

The letter of complaint is well worth reading. (I'll post the link at the end of this comment.)

Below is an excerpt from the letter of response from the News Director of BCTV to the letter of complaint. It is most interesting to read and especially to compare in light of the present "reporting" (or lack of reporting) on the raid on the BC Legislature.... as well as on the subsequent court proceedings now in process. And the raid on our legislature was a historical first... with a very tangled and complicated web....that makes a mere deck pale in comparison.... as it should.

And yet why is there so little light being shed now? Makes one wonder....doesn't it?

Here is an excerpt from the response by the News Director of BCTV to the complainant’s letter on March 31, 1999:

The issue here is not privacy alone but how it balances against the principle of public scrutiny. It is a basic principle of a free press in a democratic society that we shed light where there might otherwise be darkness. We in the media keep watch over the actions of the police, judges and other public institutions so what they do is not done in secret. Search warrants involve a judicial process and police powers. The late Chief Justice Dickson of the Supreme Court of Canada said; "Initial secrecy surrounding the issuance of warrants may lead to abuse, and publicity is a strong deterrent to potential malversations"; and added, " As a general rule the sensibilities of the individuals involved are not basis for exclusion of the public from judicial proceedings.."

Both the letter of complaint and the response from BCTV can be read here:

http://www.cbsc.ca/english/decisions/decisions/1999/991014a.htm - 31k -

Talk about stonewalling....

From the CBC, March 4, 1999:

He says the premier must explain what police were looking for.

Lynn, Pure Genius

Lynn, are you going to the CRTC and BCTV with this? I think that in this case what was good for the last gander (before his goose was wrongly cooked) has to be good for this gander. I prefer my gander well-done, thank you.

Information Clearing

Information Clearing House
http://www.ichblog.eu/text/
I wouldn't call it fascism exactly, but a political system nominally controlled by an irresponsible, dumbed down electorate who are manipulated by dishonest, cynical, controlled mass media that dispense the propaganda of a corrupt political establishment can hardly be described as democracy either: Edward Zehr

Windsor-Quebec rail spending

Gee, it's been a while - it was within a week or two of the final announcement of the closure/failure of the government to re-fund the BCRail passenger service; it was a huge p.r. thing for the feds; I don't know the name of the project; it was VIA certainly and it involved diversification subsidies as well as "infrastructure support for the most populous part of the country". Which of course helps it remain the most populous....

I don't know where to look for a cite; was in either the Globe or Sun, and also got a lot of national attention while BC Rail was being shoved under the carpet....

$3 billion, not

I say Skookum, you're sounding like a politician. 'Can't remember'. Ain't real man, just an idea that has yet to fly. If there were truly a plan to build high-speed rail in this country and $3 bil was going into it we would know about it.

anybody who knows me well here...

....knows that I have eidetic memory; I don't forget details that I make a point of remembering, and the 30 million vs 3 billion ratio is something I rememher well; in fact it could have been the same issue/date of the paper(s) that the cancellation of thd Dayliner was mentioned in; it was that up-close-and-in-your-face, albeit not in the same article. And yes, it's been a while - since the BCR passenger service got nixed - and there's been a lot of water under the bridge then; I don't think I remarked on the name of the federal project, only its budget and strategy, as I was more interested in the travesty that the BCR was getting away with.

I may have something written from the time in my computer somewhere that might give clues as to the date or name of the other project; but I'm packing to move right now and don't feel like hunting it down. Here's the easy clue - what month and year did BC Rail passenger service end in? And what federal rail infrastructure programs, specifically for a Windsor-Quebec highspeed corridor, were in that same year.

You're so smart realisticman; if you're so interested and more up on rail affairs than I am, it should be easy to find. If not, then it's been buried, or you're just accusing me of fabrictating it because you can't think of any better way to attack me for saying it.

Money has been thrown at Lower Mainland-geared infrastructure (which incluedes 99 to Whistler, even though it's not in the Lower Mainland, at least not geographically) grossly in comparison to the rest of the province; as similarly federal infrastructure money gets slobbered into the piggy trough that is the Great Lakes-Saint Lawrence while nothing else gets done.

BTW someone - how much money did Ottawa plunk into Toronto's budget to help it prep itself for its failed Olympic bid, in comparison to how much Ottawa has kicked in for the 2010 Olympics; this in the context of Ottawa refusing to commit to Vancouver's proposal and infrastructure needs until Toronto's failed....

That's one hell of a memory my friend

July 8, 2003
Miscellaneous
Time to get on board
The news that construction of a high-speed rail link between Quebec City and Windsor could begin this fall is promising for Canada. It comes on the heels of a spirited debate among federal Liberal leadership candidates about how to carve up the proceeds of the federal excise tax on fuel. Both of these issues have important implications for the sustainability of our current surface transportation system.

Transport Minister David Collenette announced yesterday that the $3 billion high-speed rail proposal he committed to last fall will go to cabinet later this month. That proposal is the realization of a 1991 Quebec-Ontario study that argued that investment in high-speed rail travel would ultimately be less expensive than spending on new highways and airports.

Twelve years later, conditions are even more conducive to high-speed rail. The prohibitive costs associated with the earlier electrified French-style version of high-speed rail are off the table; congestion in the Quebec City-Windsor trade corridor is costing Canadians an estimated $3.3 billion annually; air travel has become less attractive since September 11, and governments have become more conscious of the fiscal costs associated with ever greater car use and highway fatigue.

Quebec Windsor rail improvements

this article was written in July 2003

By CHRISTOPHER JONES

The news that construction of a high-speed rail link between Quebec City and Windsor could begin this fall is promising for Canada. It comes on the heels of a spirited debate among federal Liberal leadership candidates about how to carve up the proceeds of the federal excise tax on fuel. Both of these issues have important implications for the sustainability of our current surface transportation system.

Transport Minister David Collenette announced yesterday that the $3 billion high-speed rail proposal he committed to last fall will go to cabinet later this month. That proposal is the realization of a 1991 Quebec-Ontario study that argued that investment in high-speed rail travel would ultimately be less expensive than spending on new highways and airports.

full story at:

www.railcan.ca/sec_new/en_new_details.asp?newId=475

GWEST

wins the google race!

:-)

thanks stump

anybody got a recipe for crow pie that realisticman can try out?

Are you going to apologize for insinuating/claiming I made it up?

Eiditic memory

Good word. I agree with you that Ottawa overly favours the St. Lawrence corridor but I can assure you that, although Bombardier has lobbied successive governments to fund a high-speed rail link between Quebec and Windsor, it has not been approved nor funded.

Wikipedia:

The Quebec-Windsor Corridor is the most densely-populated and heavily-industrialised region of Canada. With over 16 million people, it contains over half of Canada's population, the national capital and three of the four largest metropolitan areas in Canada (Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa–Gatineau). It is already the focus of most VIA Rail service. Currently the area is served by Highway 401 in Ontario and Autoroute 20 in Quebec, VIA Rail, commuter and local transit, and several airports. There have been proposals for a high-speed service, such as VIA Fast, but no action has been taken so far. However, the leader of the Liberal Party, Stephane Dion has said that he is in favour of developing a high-speed rail system as a way to fight climate change.

3 billion vs how much for "our" Olympics

Not that that 2003 project was connected to Toronto's failed (repeat, failed, just to rub it in) Olympic bid, but how much have the feds allocated to their share of Olympic spending here?

And how much of the comparative shortfall would it have taken to avoid what's been done to the improvements to Eagleridge Bluffs (and to Betty and Harriet...)? Why wasn't even 1 billion allocated for a (much shorter) Seatac-YVR-Whistler rail service. After all, it's not like the Great Lakes-St Lawrence (the heartland of Imperial Canada) doesn't already have rail service....

Off topic of Mr. Campbell and media scams..

Anything to take us off topic. Here' what i found about the high speed train back East. Though 4 routes have been proposed for Canada.

The first article come from the High Speed Rail News Archive:

http://eriksrailnews.com/archive/hst2.html

The second article comes from Wikipedia (though fallible - I found other articles that said similar things)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-speed_rail_in_Canada

Good info surfacing

Lots of good information coming out here and I hope that every couple of weeks there is a new topic on this so we can keep the material fresh.

Yes, BC Mary stuff like that, stuff that once it is pointed out there shouldn't be any need for more explanation, or for apologies, or for anything else except the critical question of how do we go about kicking these bums out as soon as possible, and then how do we put them behind bars until everything that has been stolen is returned.

dunno about eating crow, but I remember from my Mother

This recipe for HUMBLE PIE:

1 part humility (admit you were wrong)
1 part civility (learning not to get on your high horse)
Add a dash of apology (being sorry you were so full of yourself in the first place)

Mix together thoroughly and serve to the offended party with a promise to yourself not to be so hard headed again.

We shouldn't have lost the railway.

I have taken trains from two different companies out of Montreal: to Ottawa to Niagra Falls and to Quebec City and NYC. What a wonderful way to travel - no traffic, just keep moving for long stretches seeing backyards, nature and industry like you never can see while driving or flying. Regular speed is faster and cheaper in the end for distances of 300km or less. 300-500km it's comparable for speed and cheaper. One needn't be two hours ahead of schedule to check in to take a train, and trains are usually tied with public transit/subways/light rail right in major cities - so travel time to and from the airport is not part of the deal either.

clarification

i.e. as an alternative to sinking yet more money into the geotechnical black hole of Highway 99, which will always be the built-in-place-target of the terrain between here and Function Junction? How much MORE money is Highway 99 going to consume in the long run, at the expense of more needed infrastructure in the rest of the province (never mind the upper SLRD)??

And given the years of denial on the culture/economy of the car, it's pretty clear that the Age of the Automobile is going to come to a screeching, nightmarish halt in the next few years; this was warned of long before the Olympics were planned, and the decision to override earlier promises (broken promises again) to develop highspeed rail on the Sea to Sky Corridor re the Olympics only, although Mayor Shirley Henry of Pemberton, back during the M Creek debates, did mention it - via Harrison Lake/Lillooet River, and then to the North via Railroad Pass to Williams Lake and beyond (she was a visionary, no doubt, like many who live in Big Country and so get to see the bigger picture, as opposed to looking at things only on land maps and development plans....).

The nitty-gritty here is that the corporate/government elements which have been enthusiastically expanding - at huge expense (think Gateway II) - the automotive infrastructure as opposed to all the much more viable alternatives that have been proved to be superior elsewhere? Whistler like all other new development in BC continues to be oriented around subdivisions you need a car to get around in, without densities or even right-of-ways set aside for rail or other alternatives (granted, Whistler does have the Valley Trail bike network....); this was folly, sheer folly, and one of the consequences of the misrule of those who are entrenching the "high carbon economy"; that it would be too costly to switch over, and too time-consuming. The scientific revelations of the last few years, compounded by the mounting evidence of the climate disaster that our collective civilization has inflicted on its host organism (the Earth, but I don't mean to speak like a Gaean) have now got the politicians at least talking a different tune; but not changing it - highway building, coal mining, oil drilling, suburbanization et al. proceeds as never before, and consuming more and more of public agendas and budgets......

Well, in the next twenty years I submit the real costs of those decisions are about to be borne home, and more than time will have been consumed by then....

Never Approved

No pie for me. I was never approved nor funding secured.

On October 24, 2003, federal Minister of Transport David Collenette announced $700 million (CAD) in new funding over the next 5 years. This funding was far below the $3 billion (CAD) needed to implement a high-speed rail proposal in the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor nicknamed VIA-Fast, however the funding was intended to 'provide for faster, more frequent and more reliable passenger service across Canada.... [preserving] the option for higher speed rail, such as the Via Fast proposal' said Collenette.

This is what earned you the pie

Remember that?

Enjoy!

Lighten up time West

Don't be so hard on Skookum, he remembered a proposal that was made, it just wasn't implemented, yet. He's said he was unable to remember exactly. Why not leave him alone.

I'm talking to you R/Man

But let's get back to the subject at hand.

http://www.opengovernment.ca/pdf/campbell.pdf

Perhaps Gordon Campbell's forgotten this letter. Do you think?

Can't you bother to red it West?

West

Skookum

West are you now suggesting that the funding for this HAS been approved? I don't think so.

Who's wrong?

Excellent find Gwest

I would think this man would be reduced to tears and pleas for forgiveness. He seems to me without conscience - totally lacking character. It seems any pain he might feel is not for the people of BC; it would be entirely for himself.

Quote:Quote from

Also in the same week the feds announced $3 billion for a new high-speed rail service between Windsor and Quebec City.

West are you now suggesting that the funding for this HAS been approved? I don't think so.

Yeah, but did I say it was approved[i]?? I said [i]announced. Gee, realisticman - you're sounding like a politician, rewording what others say so you can dismiss what they were saying...(and ignoring all the other points I raised in the course of how that particular subject came up).

I didn't know it wasn't approved - I don't make a point of following Eastern news, unless it's forcefed me - I only said it was announced; but also - 700 million relative to how much federal largesse in BC in the same period???

This actually has to do with the subject at hand; cronyism, nepotism, influence-hogging and influence-peddling [/i]ad nauseam[/i]. The pork barrel is part of that whole organism - government spending and vote-buying being the same thing (as with MPs and bagmen....)

The disingenuous words were yours, R/Man, not mine

Just as these words, from the man who spent all last week avoiding openness and responsibility, accountability and the truth behind a stream of obfuscation clash mightily with what the man who is now our Premier said just a few short years ago.

Letter to Mr. Daryl Evans,

I am writing to express my enthusiastic support for The Campaign for Open Government.

Open government is the hallmark of a free and democratic societies(sic).

Access to government information helps us, as the Official Opposition, and others hold the government to account, and accountability enhances democracy. When government does business behind closed doors, people will invariably believe that government has something to hide. Secrecy feeds distrust and dishonesty. Openness builds trust and integrity.

But FOI is not just a tool of Opposition. The fundamental principle must be this: government information belongs to the people, not to government. This means, among other things, that all citizens must have timely, effective and affordable access to the documents which governments make and keep. Governments should facilitate access, not obstruct it.

Moreover, information rights are meaningless if disclosure timetables cannot be met because there aren’t enough staff to do the job, or if fees become and obstacle to access.

With these principles in mind I am writing to assure the members of the Campaign for Open Government that the BC Liberal caucus is strongly committed to:
• Maintaining and enhancing the rights and protections enshrined in BC’s Freedom of Information and Privacy Act;
• Ensuring that resources are available so that all provincial public bodies are able to meet their statutory disclosure timetables, and;
• Ensuring that no search or photocopy fees are charged to any citizen requesting copies of their personal records.
Regrettably, the NDP have abandoned their commitment to open government. Expenditure cuts, the threat of fee increases, and the excessive reliance on FOI as the only way of obtaining routine government documents are all the evidence of a government which prefers the practice of concealment to the culture of openness. This is unacceptable. We have spoken out against these NDP policies. We will continue to speak out. I applaud your vigilance in protecting open government in British Columbia and I look forward to any opportunity that I or my caucus members may have to work with you in this worthwhile cause.

Signed:

Gordon Campbell.

How soon they forget.

Save a helping of the humble pie for the Premier, okay?

and on the core subject of "Campbellgate"

Why don't we just call it that now? Catchier than Ledgegate doncha think?

But on that subject, while I know the Eastern media have had more articles on this than our oh-so-wonderful yellow press here in BC, but given all the softnews on CBC National and the Fox-style news on Global National etc - how much coverage of "Campbellgate" has the rest of the country seen? Is anybody in Alberta even aware of it (as if they'd care)??

Seems to me CBC Sunday and the Journal and such should be covering corruption here more than in other countries, or all the soft-soap news they tend towards nowadays....I didn't have the patience to sit through the sop on the Journal tonight, which is I suppose a technique to cultivate disinterest so nobody's watching when they actually DO have; a three-minute - and highly "washed" - bit of coverage on the most noxious scandal in Canadian history, and some of the most obvious political buffoonery yet seen. But the national press is still talking about the petty sponsorhip scandal - from how long ago?

This is bigger than inflated consulting bills....bigger than Airbus, bigger than nearly anything you can name, except maybe human rights things like the Arar case. This is, however, about political and democratic rights - the rights of people to be governed by politicians who don't violate the rules in order to help their friends rob the country blind (and the government payroll and on government time, as it's turned out perhaps).

Amen

And I see Rafe has just set up his next column to pooh pooh it as well.

What a mess!

Skookum1: Hartwick/Callaghan Valley Cover-up response

Skookum1

YES - indeed. The answers are out there - just suppressed for public consumption. However there is a large network which knows the truth over this scandal.

Tut, tut, Skook, I don't want people to think I am a slacker in my responses to you re: your original post on the Nan Hartwick/Callaghan Valley 'derailment' Cover-up, on another thread!:

Key facts from my sources are posted on Tielman's story: "Basi/Virk Defense Bold Allegations."

O.K. Skook? We share the same perspective as do many, but some clarifications are required e.g. . . . .

I got whiplash reading your comment about Grace McCarthy's role - Huh!!!! Reality: Having sat in court hearing the evidence, McCarthy was cozy with VanderZalm on this scandal - complete abuse of due process for her friend:

it was her former running mate/Cabinet buddy AND former Attorney General & co. that VanderZalm directly injected into the Hartwick's exclusive, legal. proponent status re: the Callaghan Valley ski resort.

I understand this case IS current & overdue for a public airing of the truth. Many high senior bureaucrats are up to their hips in this dirty deal connected to the Campbell Govt.

You are right to parallel the Powder Mountain/Callaghan cover-up with actions re: the Raid on the Leg.

Different details; same old, same old GARBAGE.

Apology Accepted

Ok Skookum, you don't follow news from Central & Eastern Canada, you say. Then it's easy to understand how you can make such mistakes. I also will remember that when you write the word 'announced' it don't amount to a hill of beans, since you say that's how we should interpret it. OK. So we should really ignore the following because these items mentioned were merely 'announced'. Thank you for the clarification.:

Quote from Skookum

West, you can really be a nasty piece of work, can't you.

Not really, I just have an affinity for the truth

Moreover, I find it amusing when people say the kinds of thing you do rather than actually debating the issues.

Still, I don't think it's nasty to point out others' nastiness at all.

Nevertheless, you're entitled to your opinion.

In the end, you haven't written a single word about the actual subject of this thread. I find that strange, but I wouldn't call it nasty. I think it's kind of funny.

In addition, when you apologize, I'll accept it graciously.

Subject at Hand

Haven't followed it, too busy. Stories like this tend to be rife with speculation, denial and inference. Following this is a sport I cannot currently indulge in. I'll wait for the final score.

Now that really is a confession

Nevertheless, it also happens to be one I just can't accept at face value.

I think you know exactly what premier CEO is and has been up to since day one. And I think you know that he's had far more persuasive and compelling reasons to resign than any of the large handful of BC Premiers who HAVE resigned in the past for far less damning activities.

The fact you'd pretend to ignorance is funny.

Reallistic huh man huh Are

Reallistic huh man huh
Are you sure you aren't cappy?

So tell me why its

So tell me why its Skookum1's fault that his quote did not happen? Isn't that (making false-ish announcements) is typical for gov'ts? The Fibs do the same or similar such activities on a regular basis. It's not like they make a big effort to correct it when they change their minds.

Pitbull

You'll have to ask the Federal Liberals why they didn't go ahead with the high-speed train. Check VIA's annual reports and see that ridership declined severely in 2003, maybe that had something to do with it. It was probably also the fact that the plan was to have Bombardier go ahead with the TGV train they had licensed from the French manufacturer and giving that much money to Bombardier was not considered practical or politically correct. Another problem could be that the biggest expense would be the track and in the harsh eastern Canada climate any variation in the track could have disastrous effects for a 300km train.

West. How would I, or you, know?

R/Man

Look at what he's done; what he's said; what he's failed to do; what he's refused to answer. Where his financial support comes from and who his close personal friends are.

Look at who's benefited from his political action; look at who supports him; look at how he came to power.

Be awake, be alive, be responsible. Trust no one.

Cup's more than half full

Told you before, as Clarence Louie would say, 'stop dwelling on the negatives'. The history will be written in the affirmative.

http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060511/d060511a.htm

Sorry R/Man

I'm much more aware of a certain not-long-dead politician whose major claim to fame was the phrase - "I am not a crook."

Like Nixon, events and a lifetime of compromise with the truth and a continual record of pandering to his friends are catching up to our premier.

Not everyone has such a problem with recall as you appear to have.

Ken Dobell's repeated claim that : "There is no conflict of interest" to the Legislative Press Gallery just now was utterly unconvincing.

This is the same Premier who arranged for and stage-managed the downfall of a previous premier over a deck. He gets no grace period, no mulligan - he's used all the good will years ago.

He needs to resign. Now.

Dobell/MacDonald in the Sun

The only coverage to do with anything about the mounting politica stew in today's Sun was a length puff-piece on Dobell, plus the statement of the "head of the Civil Service" - without saying that she is married to a key Liberal organizer. Sure, of course she is going to say that. She's paid to, and is part of the same influence-cabal that's currently running this province. But the Sun quoted her as if it was coming from the Ombudsman or Pope, without mentioning her office was a political appointment or who she was married to and his relationship to the Basi-Virk Affair.

There was lots of coverage of the Pickton Trial, though.....just shows you were Global's priorities are, as if we didn't already know.

I remember Mike Morton's

EDITED TO REMOVE ACCUSATIONS AGAINST NAMED PEOPLE THE TYEE DOES NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES TO VERIFY. TYEE EDITOR

The most meaningful dialogue I have ever read as to the role of World Bank, WTO et al in the theft of the assets of BC is in The Best Democracy Money Can Buy: The Truth About Corporate Cons, Globalization and High-Finance Fraudsters by Greg Palast. In it he interviews Joseph Stiegliz a former chief economist for the World Bank. Stiegliz says that politicians are happy to sell off their nation's assets and " . . . you should see their eyes light up when they realize they can collect a 10% fee payable to a private Swiss bank account" (or words to that effect) for inking the deal.

If that is is the case the Maximus deal worth $800 million for turning over private medical records to the US military industrial complex was worth $80 million to the BC Liberal party.

Treason.

Shameful

DELETED FOR POSSIBLE LIBEL. TYEE EDITOR

WE HAVE THE POWER, IT IS US,

WE HAVE THE POWER, IT IS US, WE CAN TAKE OUT THESE GREEDY WARMONGERING FEW DOWN FINANCIALY, JUST DON'T BUY IN BIG BOX CANCERIOUS COUMMUNITY BUSTERS. www.cfr.org/publication/10104/2006_cfr_corpor
CanWest is maybe comming round,not.

gordo is a cowardly,

gordo is a cowardly, corrupt, loser who puts greatgrandmothers in jail for greedy corrupt corporations who are enviromental criminals. How do you feel Dishourable Gordon Campbell, is your family proud of you and your ill gotten/dirty wealth?
Single mothers trying to make endsmeet, and crying at night because you stole the the few bucks they might have had.
How are you going to answer at the END of your time?
http://bettysearlyedition.blogspot.com/2007/02/what-kind-of-criminal-mind-trumps.html

Anyone who sticks up for him on these blogs are also guilty of consperacy to this dispicable lil excuse of Gods creation!

Was ashamed, now I'm confused

Does anyone know what I said that could have been construed as "possible libel" a couple of hours back? I thought I stayed within the realm of decorum. I believe I spoke truthfully and from the heart. I think I used enough "I" statements as my beliefs/observations so as to let people know this is what I thought to be true.

Certainly, our premier did his share of name-calling before getting ellected.After getting elected, according to this and the recent Basi/Virk article it seems as though government employees have been hired/contracted to besmirch those whom the Liberal party has found threatening by telling a truth different than what they want the public to hear. I don't believe I name-called. Perhaps something slipped out of my subconscience (my superego may have momentarily taken over) - I am certainly filled with ever-increasing amounts of disdain for the goings on in Victoria.

If you know, please restate my offending comment in a way so as not to get yourself deleted. And if you are reading, nameless deleting Tyee editor, could you please help me as I like to be able to dance the line without tripping over my tongue.

Libel chill at work, eh? Stomp on it.

Well, I'm going to try making two accusations.

1) Against CanWest. There was NOTHING reported today in Vancouver Sun or The Province about yesterday's hearing of the Basi, Virk, B.C. Rail session in B.C. Supreme Court. NOTHING about the Prosecution's attempt last Friday to obtain a publication ban (can you believe it? - The Prosecution wants a ban, the Defence is fighting to get the evidence out?!). And NOTHING about yesterday's start of the trial known as Her Majesty the Queen vs Basi, Virk, Basi in which the first witness was sworn in, and who started giving evidence about threats allegedly made against him by Kierans on behalf of then-Minister of Finance, Gary Collins. But there's a worthwhile summary by Neal Hall in today's Times Colonist.

2) Ancient history: I still (as a registered, bona fide human being) resent the organized assault on two decent people: Gordon Wilson (then Leader of the B.C. Liberals) and Judi Tyabji M.L.A. which drove them out of the Legislature and out of politics ... creating a job vacancy which was swiftly filled by Gordon Campbell. This was a double loss to the province, triple, maybe 50-fold loss. We need to remember these things.

. . . ditto, BCMary for the t.v. coverage.

I noticed the same disgusting non coverage on the t.v. news last night. They jumped on the decoy of using the Canucks ownership trial in place of reporting the Raid on the Leg dramatic unfolding events that truly impacts all British Columbians.

We are not living in a democracy when the news is being tailored to protect high profile reputations.

Gee, alot of libel editting

Gee, alot of libel editting going on on this thread. I read those comments that are now editted but nothing said stands out enough to jog my memory ...Must of gotten a little too close to some ones toes, though. Gotta wonder who is and why are they so nervously watching our words here.

PAUL REITSMA/GORDON CAMPBELL ...

both are DIRTY TRICKSTERS but only one really holds any kind of POWER...

why?????????????????

cause the KAMPBELL KLAN is fearless when it comes to lying...and fearless when it comes to having two faces..........

This site is a Great and

This site is a Great and popular site for "Democracy and Freedom of Speech"!
If they posted the "DELETED FOR POSSIBLE LIBEL. TYEE EDITOR" but black out the possible offending/libel part, that would be the more Democratic way, I think, (maybe I'm wrong)!
A very worried Lawabiding, Taxpaying, Citizen of this "ONCE" proud (Not) Beautiful (anymore = dirty) Province of British Columbia before "fascism" entered it's very ugly, greedy, head!

Aren't there any Liberal

Aren't there any Liberal Government Ministers who are having trouble cow toeing to this Dictator "TILMA" what great treasures await you in "The Race to the Bottom"?
You actually believe this treacherous G Campbell will come through with his promised gifts for you! I don't for one millisecond, as you will be DUMPED like so much baggage now that you've done his dirty work ! Just think about that and about his total dictator hold over you!
Now (for the paid shills lurking, skulking on, bearing false witnesses on this great site do you not have brain of your own?)The only one with the fortitude (to stand against this tyrant) and compassion for her Fellow British Columbians US was Assistant Health Minister (first name alludes me) Bellem and she couldn't stomach the casteration of OUR Public Health Care system and had to quit and in steps deadfaced lieing
(hey) A-b-b-b-ot

The Canamera S Harper's 2nd

The Canamera S Harper's 2nd try (I wonder how long he lasts) Enviroshill now (5:30pm 05/01/07) on CPAC giving kudos to the TILMA Twins gordo and puppydog ralphie.
Canadian Premiers meeting about eviro? Yeh right more like the treasonious act of turning OUR CANADA over to the warmongering leaders of America!
Are there any taxpayers there to see what's really going on?

Bravo to Maurine Karagianis.

Bravo to Maurine Karagianis. She has been fearless in her questioning of Wally Oppal in Question Period re: the terms of the "investigation" and the Privacy Commissioner's role.

She is clear and direct and able to put her point across effectively and forcefully.

She'd get my vote to lead the Opposition.

CBC News Blackout on this Case

We're being subjected to the RCMP-bungling hearings on Air India, rehashes of the sponsorship scandal and sooner or later either Walkerton or Kashechewan, Rex Murphy ranting about something-or-other without actually being either entertaining or coherent, and panel debates about whether or not the Tories can pull off a majority because of this-or-that latest tactic.

But the CBC isn't interested in covering apparent ministerial and first ministerial diddling with public process and abuse of the public payroll, apparent RCMP bungling combined with apparent conflicts of interest by senior RCMP, questionable warrants, warrants which are questionable for not having been obatained (i.e. for the Premier's Office), and more and more and more. But apparently word is the CBC isn't going to start covering this until the "actual trial" begins - not even CBC Vancouver, with its transplanted and oh-so-plastic drone-anchors, has bothered to cover the case. I wonder if they'd be as indifferent if a similar situation were unfolding concerning raids on Queen's Park or on the Grande Allée or on Parliament Hill....perhaps indeed they might, huh? But surely if it were No. 10 Downing that were involved, the BBC would be a in race with Fleet Street to dig up the facts and lambaste the politicians for wheedling; but if it were No. 10 they'd already have been summoned to the palace for a dressing-down, and been shamed into resigning....

I went to http://www.cbc.ca searched "David Basi"+"Aneal Virk" and got only one hit with both names, from January 12. JANUARY TWELFTH?????

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2006/01/12/bc_basi-virk20060112.html

It had two other links on it:

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2005/01/26/bc_basi20050126.html (from January 26 2005)
http://www.cbc.ca/bc/news/060112_indictment.html (from January 12 2006)

"Basi" got a number of hits (58), only one from this year:
http://www.cbc.ca/cp/national/070423/n0423140A.html

"Virk" is going to turn up Reena Virk also, obviously, but
http://www.cbc.ca/cp/national/070423/n0423140A.html (same article as above)

Yeah, and when they cover "western alienation", they only talk about Albertan points of view.....

What else CBC covers INSTEAD

Thiere a list generated by http://www.cbc.ca/canada/more.html which is the CBC's current headlines; note that the only mentions of BC concerns street racing and the Pickton trial, an ex-Vancouver cop was a witness at the Air India Trial.

I originally tried placing the list here; it's too long and would take several posts, so you'll have to read it from the site. But once you have, it's pretty clear Clearly British Columbia does not exist except as the home of terrorist, street racers, and serial killers....

Anybody here care to rate the importance of the above items relative to the importance of the Basi-Virk Affair and the associated and increasingly complicated muck?

I'd say it's time to sue the CRTC for the right to split BC's portion of the CBC off and make a BCBC (British Columbia Broadcasting Corporation), since they're obviously NOT doing their job as far as this province is concerned..........but then I think Confederation is a crock to start with.

Political power

This nothing compared to NDP hack Moe Sahota and his gang, spending about $200,000 just to intercept private conversations of Attorney General Bud Smith (some time ago) or Ujal Dosanj enetrtaining journalists and persuading them to support his party, or Dave Stupich with his Commonwealth Bingo Scam in Nanaimo and elsewhere, stealing millions from charitable organizations, from widows and disabled children.
From that ill-gotten money election campaign of Premier Harcourt was run. he said that he did not know who paid his Campaign Manager. It is like Chretien and Martin who did not know about a grand theft of taxpayers money to enrich their "sponsors." Like piano player in a brothel who says that he does not know what ladies are doing upstairs.
Thanks to Stephen Harper who cut it all out with a new election rules. No contributions from Corporations or Unions. Nobody can contribute more than $1000, no cash donations, only traceable checks. Liberals and NDP take heed!

Latarnik = Liberal dissembler

Yet another one who wants to talk about the old NDP regime instead of the current Liberal regime. Do you guys EVER get it, that that's all over and done with and there is NO comparison to the current case. I'm surprised you didn't mention Fast Ferries, too....

Moe Sihota wasn't trying to sell off a Crown asset through a "managed" process, nor was Stupich or Oppal.

ooops

Brain fart- I meant Dossanjh of course.

Latarnik you are Yet Another

Latarnik you are Yet Another brain dead newbie or old brainless new name still trying to bring back the dead. BYE
Isn't this a real zinger, arrogant, slap-in-the-face grand theft of hardworking law-abiding taxpayer’s money, and no money to help poverty? Is there no way to stop these scum who think they are above the law, and it seems to be true in BC?
http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/story.html?id=13c2a66f-f34f-4497-98c7-30f3f8558484&k=25273

Diversionary tactic No.25: MLA Pay Increases

It's obvious as hell; there haven't been so many MLAs in TV in weeks, and Global is treating it like it's big news; but it's been on the order paper for a while, hasn't it? That the Liberals are posturing about, apparently, wanting even more than what the NDP have already turned down, says something all by itself: the idea is to draw the public's attention from Ledgegate/Campbellgate, and seems to have been prepared ahead of time....the scheduling of this report's reading in the Ledge vs the rescheduling of the case might be worth looking into, I'd say......

Angus Reid Poll

The question asked: Is Gordon Campbell doing a good job? So far, it is 47 yes - 53 no. I wonder how many media monitors are voting and how often?

http://rm.angusreidforum.com/?cid=1870&rs=PBCEnGGt

Grumpy, every thing this

Grumpy, every thing this traitor has done to the great people of BC should as you say be stricken null and void! As far as I'm concerned everyone who is involved with the dirty tricks should have all Privileges, pensions, every share they own to do with the dirty tricks criminal scandal taken, stripped away from them.
Damn I'm steamed!
What about this evil TILMA done by a couple of criminals in secret that whole thing should be "NUL AND VOID"?
The loophole that G Campbell used to push this draconian TILMA through OUR Legislature should be closed and an amendment added to safeguard the people against tyrants like this who sneak through with the help dastardly media!
This is what happens to people who sleep with GREEDY Corporations!
Next go after CanWest Global Media with complacency with and to commit a conspiracy against the People of British Columbia!

What about all his

What about all his outsourcing to Accenture and I'd investigate the People's Health Care (dirty tricks P Martin took at least 45+ billion from Canadadian's Health System)
Bring back “The Bank of Canada”! Why should the big six (as they like to be called) get away with this theft of $19,000,000,000. (probably after expenses) from hard working Canadians, just think of the Health Care and Education systems we could have?
Who knows how much money in subsidies we give them?
Look at those Mayors from around BC who took that free? trip to Asia for a week there is nothing free today to those Mayors just watch your backside somehow you’ll be asked (told) what to do!
Come on wake up we are working for the man and he still isn’t satisfied!
Stop the criminals in OUR BC Courts, lawyers, and FREE BETTY!
BYE Hockey "GO CANUCKS GO"

www.bcfiberals.com/

http://www.bcfiberals.com/

arbg's argle-bargle

The judge didn't rule on whether the NDP lied, which it clearly did. The court simply said it had no competence in the jurisdiction.

Gee, I just have the wrong calendar, as I thought it was 2007, not 2013. The current court case has nothing to do with the NDP, least of all, and it doesn't seem to be anyone in the NDP who's been lying, at least not about the Grand Shebang known as the Ledge Raids et alia.

I'd say it's you who have no competence in this jurisdiction.

What's your Liberal Party membership number, by the way?

I've got a Fat Cop Theory

first you get your self elected then make sure you have a few key people on board say a bookkeeper,a finance minister even better yet and then have the law in your pocket and make the fat cop your top cop minister and when something goes wrong you'll be the first to be tipped off. It could work it really could.

Sums it up, morechatter

Quite the recipe isn't it, morechatter. By George - you've 'got it'.