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Basi, Virk 'Hung Out to Dry': Lawyer
But Crown says aides acted on their own.
Robert Virk and David Basi
Two key documents in the B.C. Legislature Raid case are missing, according to defence lawyers. And perhaps it's not surprising in such a politically-charged trial that one piece of evidence is connected to the federal Liberal Party of Canada, while the other relates to the B.C. Liberal party.
David Basi and Bob Virk are the two former B.C. Liberal ministerial aides charged in B.C. Supreme Court with breach of trust and fraud for allegedly leaking confidential government documents to OmniTRAX, a bidder in the $1 billion privatization of B.C. Rail.
About the BC Legislature Raid Case
What is the B.C. legislature raid case?
Also known as "Basi-Virk," it stems from an unprecedented search of the B.C. legislature on December 28, 2003, that police at the time ominously linked to drug dealing, organized crime and corruption said to extend to the highest levels of government.
Subsequently it became clear the search was in fact connected to the $1 billion privatization of BC Rail by B.C. Liberal Premier Gordon Campbell.
Two former ministerial aides -- David Basi and Bob Virk -- now face charges of breach of trust and fraud for allegedly passing confidential government documents on to lobbyists representing OmniTRAX, one of the corporations that bid for BC Rail. Aneal Basi, a former government communications aide and cousin to David Basi, faces money laundering charges.
The case has exposed the extensive political connections between the B.C. and federal Liberal parties, provincial lobbyists, the leadership campaign of former Liberal prime minister Paul Martin and even the RCMP.
The B.C. legislature raid case is currently in the pre-trial defence application stage at B.C. Supreme Court. The trial itself is expected to last six months or more and call dozens of witnesses, including powerful former B.C. Liberal cabinet ministers, political staff, lobbyists and many others. -- Bill Tieleman
And both Basi and Virk were not only government political staff for the B.C. Liberals but also worked heavily on the federal Liberal leadership campaign of Paul Martin, the former prime minister. Aneal Basi, who is charged with money laundering for allegedly passing bribes to his cousin David, was also a federal Liberal party supporter.
The missing federal Liberal Party of Canada BC evidence is from an RCMP "tip file" consisting of Liberal membership and donor databases seized by police in a spring 2005 visit to LPC BC headquarters and donor lists for the Paul Martin Liberal leadership campaign, the defence says.
The missing provincial BC Liberal party document is the so-called "media monitoring" contract between the party and David Basi, who was allegedly paid $20,000 for stacking talk radio and televisions shows with paid callers, including himself, and for organizing dirty tricks such as phony protests with paid attendees all to prop up the B.C. Liberals.
Not just defence concerned
And it wasn't just the defence upset about lost documents. Justice Elizabeth Bennett made clear her own views.
"The concern is that despite checks and balances, a number of documents have gone missing in this case," she said May 9.
Both documents will likely resurface under defence pressure. The B.C. Liberal contract was supposed to be provided to the defence late last week and may be discussed when the case resumes Tuesday, May 15, at 9:30 a.m.
But the fact that evidence linked to the two separate parties went astray draws attention to the intensely political nature of the trial.
Political connections
The court proceedings are also making clear the strong political connections that abound in this case.
For example, the key Crown witness against Basi and Virk is Erik Bornmann, a provincial lobbyist and past federal Liberal party executive member in B.C. Bornmann worked closely with Basi and Virk in both provincial Liberal party campaigns and on the federal leadership campaign of former prime minister Paul Martin. Bornmann was also an aide to Martin when he was finance minister.
Defence lawyer Michael Bolton, acting for David Basi, had no hesitation in drawing attention to the myriad of political connections between the accused, Crown witnesses like Bornmann and his Pilothouse Public Affairs co-owners Brian Kieran and Jamie Elmhirst, who will also testify, and others related to the investigation.
"All of the principle players in this case, including the three Pilothouse partners, Basi and Virk were all very, very active in the Paul Martin leadership campaign," Bolton told media outside the court on May 1. "At the same time of the B.C. Rail bids, the Paul Martin campaign was going on. You'll see a great deal of the connections between the Paul Martin leadership campaign and the B.C. Rail bidding process."
'Who's scratching whom?'
Kevin McCullough, defence lawyer for Virk, also raised the political connections in relationship to what's termed: "Tip 3756 B.C. Federal Liberal Party."
McCullough said the tip was missing from the RCMP project room of documents and criticized senior Special Prosecutor Bill Berardino for telling the defence in a letter inquiring about the evidence that it was "not relevant" and therefore not disclosed.
"The membership list that they go seize of the Liberal donors -- who's scratching who and the vast sums of money some of them give is not relevant?" McCullough asked incredulously. "That, milady, makes absolutely no sense."
McCullough argued that Berardino has abdicated disclosure of evidence to the RCMP instead of taking charge of it.
"It's the RCMP controlling the disclosure. The Paul Martin campaign donor list and the federal Liberal party donor list. How can Mr. Berardino say it is not relevant when Mr. Bornmann was communication director for the Paul Martin leadership campaign [in B.C.]? Mr. [Mark] Marissen ran the campaign in B.C. and Mr. Basi was the key political operative."
"Mr. Collins at the time was thinking about running for the federal Liberals," McCullough alleged.
"It's important to understand the interconnectedness of the parties," he said. "It's all about a bunch of federal Liberals who are involved provincially and the double dealings that are going on."
Collins told of pro-Martin tactics
Bolton furthered the argument in court on May 2. "Basi and Virk are tied to Erik Bornmann not only because of his lobbying for OmniTRAX but because Bornmann was heavily involved in the campaign to select Paul Martin as leader of the Liberal party and Mr. Basi was a key political operative in gathering support for that party in communities where he had influence,"
Bolton used an intercepted police wiretap on a cell phone call between Basi and Gary Collins on December 3, 2003, to demonstrate how the federal party campaign tied in with provincial politics.
Basi: "Hi boss."
Collins: "Hi."
Basi: "We took over a [federal] Victoria riding association."
Collins: "You did?"
Basi: "We took 14 of 18 positions. We killed them. They only had 20 people and we had 60. We didn't take out the president or vice-president but we took everyone else out."
Collins: "Okay, great!"
Bolton said the call shows how Basi was used by Collins for "all sorts of political matters."
"Collins was very much behind the manipulations or activities of Basi and Virk to maintain the optics of the B.C. Rail freight division sale," he said.
Masters and servants?
"The case of the defence is that at no time did the accused do anything that was not explicitly or implicitly authorized by their political masters," Bolton said, arguing the defence thesis that Basi and Virk were merely the agents who facilitated a government-wide strategy to keep OmniTRAX in the bidding to legitimize an already-criticized privatization process.
Bolton also says Basi and Virk became fall guys for politically more important or more connected players, the soldiers taking the bullet for the generals, in effect.
"What they did was critical to the survivability and elect-ability of the [provincial] government," Bolton said. The botched Coquihalla highway privatization had been "a bit of a disaster for the Liberals."
"The B.C. Rail freight division sale was therefore critical. Northern MLAs had concerns about that privatization and how it would be handled," he continued. "In certain circles it was a fait accompli, a certain fact, that CN would be the winning proponent in that auction."
As a key player for Finance Minister Gary Collins, who was lead minister handling the privatization, David Basi was under enormous pressure, Bolton said.
"There were concerns about the appearance of a real and contested auction for the freight division. CP left the auction, asserting it to be a fixed process."
"Mr. Collins said he considered Mr. Basi to be his eyes and ears, appropriate to meet lobbyists for proponents, including OmniTRAX," Bolton said.
"OmniTRAX was widely believed by insiders in the Liberal party and cabinet to be being used as a 'stalking horse' -- deployed in effect as a bidder where there would appear to be a competitive bid."
"There's nothing wrong in law in using a corporation as a stalking horse in this way -- but the RCMP seemed to think otherwise," Bolton said, which led to the investigation and subsequent arrest of the defendants.
"Basi and Virk, in my respectful submission, have been hung out to dry," Bolton concluded.
The Crown fights back
But the special prosecutor's team was not about to shed legal tears for Basi or Virk.
Special Prosecutor Janet Winteringham, taking the lead for senior Special Prosecutor Bill Berardino, who is inexplicably absent from the entire hearing to date, gave for the first time a detailed accounting of what documents the Crown says were leaked by Basi and Virk to Bornmann and Kieran of Pilothouse Public Affairs, the lobby firm retained by OmniTRAX for nearly $300,000.
"Basi and Virk provided Mr. Bornmann with information from May 2002 to December 2003," Winteringham began and then outlined what else RCMP say they found and where:
- "Found in both Virk's office and the Pilothouse office was a letter from CN to Judith Reid."
- "And an e-mail sent to Virk from Mahoney of CN with a draft communications strategy." [*]
- "May 20, 2003 -- legal advice from Borden Ladner Gervais located at Pilothouse." [Borden Ladner Gervais were legal counsel to the B.C. government on the B.C. Rail deal.]
- "A [government] briefing note on bids located at Pilothouse."
- "A confidential memo from Ms. Illington to Judith Reid located at Pilothouse and Basi's residence." [Joy Illington was secretary to the Cabinet in 2003.]
- "One of the documents was the first round of indicative bids from CN, CP, OmniTRAX, Rail America and Genesee & Wyoming. Virk supplied the indicative bids to Bornmann."
- "A guide to negotiations for cabinet, a draft was found at Basi's house and Pilothouse."
Did Basi and Virk act on their own?
Winteringham also worked hard at connecting Basi and Virk -- and them alone -- to the leaking of government documents.
And in an interesting twist, Winteringham said neither Basi nor Virk were the major players in the B.C. Rail deal that the defence has claimed, suggesting a Crown argument that they merely took advantage of access to government information for their own gain.
"It will be the Crown's submission that Mr. Basi did not have that significant a role," Winteringham told Bennett. "Virk's role in the sale was far less significant than what's been described by defence counsel."
She added that Basi was not involved in the cancelled sale of the B.C. Rail Robert's Bank Port Subdivision, another privatization worth up to $70 million that the defence has alleged was a "consolation prize" that OmniTRAX was supposed to get for staying in the bidding process.
The defence alleges that Gary Collins approved of the "consolation prize," an assertion strongly denied by Collins.
"It's anticipated that you'll hear Mr. Basi had no significant participation in the sale at the Port Subdivision and that Mr. Basi had no reason to have information related to that sale," Winteringham concluded.
Winteringham also refuted earlier defence allegations that RCMP Insp. Kevin Debruyckere had steered the police investigation towards Basi and Virk and away from Collins because Debruyckere's brother-in-law is B.C. Liberal Party executive director Kelly Reichert.
In fact, Winteringham argued, Debruyckere himself believed Collins was under investigation, while other RCMP investigators felt he was not.
Both sides hitting hard
But like a professional tennis match, both sides volleyed hard back and forth at length.
Bolton particularly attacked Special Prosecutor Berardino for allowing key Crown witnesses Bornmann and Kieran to continue their high-priced business lobbying the provincial government even after allegedly admitting their role in bribing Basi and Virk to get secret provincial documents.
Bolton and Virk's defence lawyer Kevin McCullough were particularly exasperated May 10 after Winteringham told them that no written immunity agreement exists with Erik Bornmann.
McCullough had previously argued at length that Berardino had left a voice mail for Bornmann lawyer George McIntosh canceling the immunity agreement after Bornmann had "self-exonerated" himself by telling the media he was neither charged nor under investigation back in 2004.
That allowed Bornmann and Kieran, McCullough argued, to continue his lucrative lobbying business and also to attend law school at the University of B.C. in his attempt to become a lawyer.
Justice Bennett asked about the immunity agreement.
"The only question I had -- was there an immunity agreement as outlined in Crown policy and the answer is there was not. But there's no written agreement signed by Mr. Bornmann?" Bennett said.
"No, there's not," Winteringham replied.
McCullough asked what kind of immunity agreement must exist if it isn't in writing.
"If they don't have a signed agreement, then is it on the down low, on the QT?" he asked.
Bolton said the situation creates yet more questions for the defence.
"What were the inducements in this deal to Mr. Bornmann to change his [original police] statement and give the statements he gave in April implicating my client? I need that in order to properly defend my client," he said.
And he served notice that the defence would demand Berardino explain the deal.
"There's got to be full disclosure of the deal between Mr. Bornmann and Mr. Berardino on immunity. In my respectful submission, Mr. Berardino is going to have to make a statement on this." Bolton concluded.
Winteringham said she will fight that.
"Just so it's clear, the Crown opposes an order to have Mr. Berardino make a statement on this issue," she said. "I've spoken to Mr. Berardino, since he can't be here, and that is his position."
Missing political party evidence, missing Crown witness agreements and missing special prosecutors. Anyone missing the Basi-Virk trial is clearly missing a lot.
*[CORRECTION: I was informed Monday by CN that Kevin Mahoney has never been employed by the company. Mahoney was in fact B.C. Rail Vice-President Corporate Affairs at that time and is now B.C. Rail President and CEO. I apologize for the inadvertent error.]
Related Tyee stories:
- Wiretap Said to Tie Collins to Media Tricks
Allegations pile up as legislature raid case unfolds. - Premier Alleged to Know of Paid Media Scam
Phony hecklers, fake protesters paid by BC Libs, says Virk defence. - Basi-Virk Defence: Bold Allegations
Premier tipped off? Collins investigated pre-raid? RCMP 'bad faith'?
![[Tyee]](http://thetyee.cachefly.net/ui/img/ico_fishie.png){kind=small}
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47
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Grumpy
5 years ago
The stench, Oh the stench
It seems the stench from the BC Rail-Basi/Virk trial is now fouling the provincial and federal Libs. 'Dirty is, as dirty does!'
Our FOI Premier is hiding behind the thick wall of DUI and his henchmen, including Dobel, are now getting all they can from the taxpayer as they see the end is near.
The rats are beginning to look for their life-jackets.
Gary
5 years ago
Grumpy, if that's true....
then it better happen real fast. At the rate they are giving away the province there will be nothing left at the next election. Thay have gone from secrecy to contempt of the judicial system, and I may even agree with others on the Treason angle. I'm working on it.
And I am sure that they are banking on the people sitting on their hans all the while this goes on. For God's sake people, stand up and be counted, before it's too late.
G West
5 years ago
Disclosure - not
Last November the trial judge ruled 'that basic disclosure has not been met.'
Further, Madame Justice Elizabeth Bennett followed up with this order: "...it is a appropriate in this case to permit defence counsel to accompany the Crown and the police to the Project Room to verify the contents of the documents." (para 49 of judgment)
Nevertheless, just to mention a couple of the things the defence subsequently concluded as a result of their time in the Project Room:
a) Although the Crown told the court all hardcopies of BCRail documents WERE in the project room and that they had twice been reviewed by the Special Prosecutor and/or his staff, however, these and other hard copies of documents "were completely missing from the Project Room..."
b) Despite the fact that defence counsel had repeatedly requested the first and second round bids by the final three proponents for the Freight Division of BCR and the first and second round bids for the Port Subdivision of BCR. [First requested March 15, 2006]
These documents had not yet been provided to the defence as of February 26, 2007.
In fact, the last 120-odd paragraphs of the 32 page Notice of Application for Discovery is literally full of examples of non-compliance, sloppy record-keeping and haphazard indexing, discontinuities between what the Crown has provided or undertaken to provide and statements (especially relative to the notes and records of the investigating officers) that had not been provided at that time and which - given Bill's and others' reports from the court since April 18 - have still not been provided.
Anyone who has seen the Notice of Application will recognize that I've only mentioned a couple of examples.
The document is FULL of them.
It would not be surprising if the public began to think the reluctance of the Crown to provide full Court-ordered disclosure is somehow related to reticence on the part of government MLAs to even acknowledge some of the factual material that HAS been disclosed in court. In it’s final session last week, the trial judge sounded as though she may finally be getting ready to issue further orders to the Special Prosecutor. Both the people and the accused can only hope so.
Gary
5 years ago
Treason
Just so we're absolutely clear:
trea'son [z] n. violation by subject of allegiance to sovereign or state; treachery; disloyalty.
Jeffrey J.
5 years ago
Rule of Law at an end?
The most disturbing trend in cases like this is to see a blurring of the lines between the Rule of Law and political interference. The Rule of Law, and the complete independence of the RCMP from our politiicians, is at the heart of our democracy. If that begins to fail, it will be a very, very sad day for Canadians. Thank you SO MUCH Bill Tieleman and the Tyee for serving the interests of British Columbians.
G West
5 years ago
errata
Second last sentence of my post above the 'it's' should be replaced with 'its'.
Sorry.
Grumpy
5 years ago
There is no rule of law in BC
When Campbell voided wage contracts, he voided rule of law. Contract law is extremely important and when a government passes legislation to reverse contract law, it voids 'rule of law'.
Now we see a developer voiding contracts because he can't deliver new housing at a contract price. what is a point of a contract, when no one honours it? Defacto, there is no rule of law, but dictatorship of the majority.
What would happen if a future BC government void the BC Rail/CN Rail deal?
Campbell and is ilk, by voiding contract law, voided rule by law. We now live in anarchy, where the 'gun' seems to be the rule of law now!
BC Mary
5 years ago
This is a great piece of journalism ...
This is a great piece of journalism which would never have seen the light of day without this enlightened publisher.
I bet there are journalistic teeth being gnashed throughout the Lower Mainland and all up and down Vancouver Island by scribes who undoubtedly concur with what Bill has written -- but whose employers will never accept their stories for publication.
One of them told me -- one time during the 3-year wait for a Basi Virk Basi trial to begin -- that the whole case was too "radioactive" to touch, and how dearly he'd love to write it up. He also predicted the long, discouraging entry-period of hearings and arguments and challenges just as we're seeing now.
So it's big huge thanks not only to Bill Tieleman, who has never faltered in reporting the B.C. Rail story ... but also big huge thanks to The Tyee who are providing British Columbians a place where we can see such factual report on things we pretty much guessed but desperately needed to know for sure about how our province works.
Could this be the start of a healthier trend?
Lucinda? Lucinda! Why not take the Times Colonist into this news field? Or Wayne Moriarty at The Province? Or Kirk Lapointe at Vancouver Sun? Surprise us. We can handle it.
Skywalker
5 years ago
Right on BC Mary!
The strategy at work here is the same one being used in the U.S. regarding the question of WMD in Iraq. If you can maintain the doubt in some people's minds then they might forget. Deny, deny and if you have the support of the media, even if it is in the form of Bill O'Reilly or Coulter, some people will always believe there were WMD's.
So it is with this trial. There will be die-hard liberals who will never believe Campbell and Collins did anything wrong and if the media keeps ignoring this issue then that will just mean there will be more of them falling for the message they put out. There will come a point where they will be exposed thanks to people like Bill and BC Mary.
I have not bought a Vancouver Sun, Province or Times Colonist for many years. I rarely listen to BCTV or CTV unless I can verify the important issues via the Tyee and other sites. I have no expectation that any of the best known columnists in any of the mainstream media will ever change.
Way to go Bill!
G West
5 years ago
Stuart or 'David' Chase
According to the AG - (question period in the house today) this individual is in court to help the public and the media understand and appreciate the complexities of the process taking place before Madame Justice Elizabeth Bennett.
He's a member of the so-called Public Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Finance - seconded to the Attorney General. I’ll check later and find out which OIC covers his appointment. Suffice to say, he’s apparently a political hire who wasn’t brought on as a regular member of the Public Service. OIC 656? Perhaps.
It's not clear he's even a lawyer and the AG says that he's never met the individual or read any reports or analysis from him.
What do you suppose ‘David’ Chase is actually doing there? Sean Holman says his name is actually Stuart Chase.
And to whom do you think he's delivering his reports, if any? The reports he told Sean Homan (you can check his column at 24 Hours) he filed directly with the government twice a day when the court was in session.
I'd also be interested to hear from Bill if he's found Mr. Chase's services a great help in filing his invaluable articles from Court Room No 54. Or not.
G West
5 years ago
Correction
The information about 'Chase' was in Bill T's column at 24 Hours - not Sean Holman's.
Apologies Bill.
DPL
5 years ago
Funny how the Finance
Funny how the Finance Minister who gets to pay the guy sitting in court to educate the media and the other tax payers who show up, tells us he is there at the request of the AG's Ministry. Wally tells us a number of things today in Hansard. He got a bit flusterd and suugest after telling us the fellow writes reports that to get them the opposition should go the FOI route. So much for the guy being there to advise the media and the other citizens in the room. He reports to government plain and simple. Wally even tried to tie the guy to observing the Picton case. A opposition memeber reminded Wally that another fellow, who the member named was doing the Picton case. It appears that Wally got sort of used to the lawyers quietly listening to him when he had on the robes. The opposition can and are attaching him I would suggest Hansard for today is worth reading. But even more interesting to watch.
THis trail should get very interesting as folks try to clear their names.
Jeffrey J.
5 years ago
Finance Minister Gets Taxpayer Funded Lawyer
While many in the Liberal party have stated BC's former Finance Minister has been "cleared", "exonerated" and "not under investigation," why has a taxpayer funded lawyer (& former counsel to the Liberal party) Clark Roberts been hired to "sit in" on the Basi-Virk trial, there to "represent" Collins? For details see:
http://thetyee.ca/News/2007/05/04/CollinsWiretap/
If he "sits in" day in and day out, at say $3,000 to $5,000 per day, thats $60,000.00 per month, times how many months. That's a lot of money being spent on an ex cabinet minister who has been cleared. Is there something I'm not getting?
I too salute BC Mary and Bill for their hard work. In answer to BC Mary's query about BC's media monopoly and its failure to cover this trial, you have hit the nail on the head. It's not about the columnests and reporters. Its about their EMPLOYERS. No matter who you are, it is very, very difficult to write stories in direct conflict with the ideology of your employer. It is not the fault of reporters. They have very little choice. Most people are unable to quit their jobs. The issue of course lies in the extremely narrow ownership interests of CanWest Global, David Black and the consortiums that own media.
The solution that worked very, very well in early in the last centuryt and would work very well now is restiction on media ownership. It worked for the oil industry in the US (can anyone say Rockefeller--they broke up his oil empire (Standard Oil) into no less than 34 separate entities and sold them to the highest bidders. This is the only way to retain democracy and avoid the abuses of monopolies.
We in western Canada have been subjected to a perfect example of media monopoly, much to the detriment of civil society and democracy.
BC Dude
5 years ago
Come on let's put these
Come on let's put these treasonous rats where they belong in prison doing hard time!
Then if WE still have a Real Justice system (Release Betty Krawczyk, 10 months for exercising her rights to "Freedom of Speech") and a National Police Force that WE can be proud of again!
start following the wide money trail and start taking down those Corrupt, treasonous criminal bunch of corporations who are behind this fascist BC/Alberta secret
TILMA!
As WE, OUR People are at war and dying for the Afghan people's Democracy and Freedom of Speech!
While here in BC OUR rights are being taken away by this greedy Gordo Campbell bunch of criminal traitors, 3.5 years to finally get close to bringing this to trial, Why? Where is/was Democracy? Where was the CanWest Media?
A lot of players, but this house of cards is showing big cracks, thanks to Bill T, BC Mary, House of Infamy, and all others who kept a vigilant eye on this dispicable bunch!
"Oh What A Wicked Web We Weave When We Practice To Decieve"
BC Dude
5 years ago
All those "Bearing False
All those "Bearing False Witness" in this corrupt gaggle of nimrods.
http://www.vivelecanada.ca/index.php
I hope this is the beginning of the ENDfor these acts, as I still believe BC was/is the battle ground for OUR Democracy, but the dumbasses got too greedy too quick.
Now We go after CanWest as an Accomplice in the conspiracy to commit treason against the people of BC and Canada as the BC's Public Corporations paid taxes to the Feds.
This shows you what Corporations think of US hardworking law abbiding citizens, WE are only commodities to be shuffled around as slaves!
G West
5 years ago
And more on Sturat Chase
I can't think the Attorney General will be too happy to see the message about Stuart Chase and his role in Courtroom # 54 that was just posted by an observer over at Mary's Place: http://bctrialofbasi-virk.blogspot.com/
In fact, it's so interesting and informative that I think I'll post the whole thing right here:
I just hope Wally reads Tyee.
I see from a certain correction made to Bill's text a little while ago that the people at CN certainly read his columns.
You can check it out for yourself right here:
http://billtieleman.blogspot.com/2007/05/basi-virk-case-missing-evidence-missing.html
Once again, Mr. Tieleman distinguishes himself for his accuracy and attention to detail as well as his willingness to acknowledge and correct his occasional errors.
G West
5 years ago
errata
That's STUART Chase
Wallace
5 years ago
deliberate tactics
With the corporate controlled press and electronic media ignoring this case, we are being set up for the case to be thrown out of court. At some point the Judge will say that the withholding of evidence, the lost evidence, and the continuing delay has deprived the defendants and the right to a fair and speedy trial, and the case will be thrown out. The small fry, Basi/Basi/Virk, will walk and the big fish will continue to be protected by Canwest, Global, et al. Think not? This is the same media that went ballistic over a neighbour building a deck, but now ignore the real scabs on our democracy. The more things change...
Elliot
5 years ago
so much fun to see the
so much fun to see the lefties working up a lather over this silly little case. much ado about nothin' guys. sorry. move on.
secondlook
5 years ago
Your silly little comment . . .
Elliot, surely you must have received one of the Campbell 'Media contracts' to have made such a silly little comment . . .
alive
5 years ago
Silly little case, EH?
Elliot, any other government would have been hung out to dry by the media over this silly little case.
Of course there are always people like you, who will put up with anything.
That even happened with a few prisoners in the concentration camps!
Just happy that some strong leader tells them what to do!
Luckily most people have some spine!
Out of curiosity: why are you posting here?
your opinions can be read in the daily papers, so why bother?
G West
5 years ago
I see even Canwest is in on the 'Chase' this morning
Better late than never I guess.
Liberal official monitors corruption case
Miro Cernetig, Vancouver Sun
Published: Tuesday, May 15, 2007
VICTORIA - The B.C. Liberal government quietly appointed a full-time information officer to monitor legal proceedings in one of the biggest alleged political corruption scandals to hit B.C. in years, it was disclosed in the legislature Monday.
On Feb. 15, as the trial into corruption charges against three former Liberal government workers was gearing up, Premier Gordon Campbell signed a cabinet order posting a junior public affairs officer, Stuart Chase, to Vancouver's courts, to report on various court cases for the Ministry of the Attorney-General. His job includes sitting in on the trial into a series of corruption charges against former Liberal staffers stemming from the $1-billion privatization of BC Rail four years ago.
The New Democratic Party attacked the government in the legislature Monday for placing a political appointee in the public gallery of the controversial case.
"The reality of the situation is that Mr. Chase is not a public information officer of the courts, he's a political appointee of this government and a spin doctor for the Liberals," said NDP MLA Shane Simpson, who criticized Attorney-General Wally Oppal.
Both Oppal and Finance Minster Carole Taylor, who oversees the public affairs bureau, defended the presence of a politically appointed information officer to monitor court cases.
"What he does is sits in the courtroom, prepares articles and assists members of the media or anyone else who is interested in the progress of trials," said Oppal.
© The Vancouver Sun 2007
SharingIsGood
5 years ago
times colonist: article, editorial - for elliot
Here you go, Elliot; we even main stream press reporting on and editorializing about what you are denegrating. It is quite obvious that things are being hidden from tax-payers/citizens of BC. The only things lacking are front page headlines and lead story airing on the nightly news.
Kudos to the Times Colonist, Lindsay Kines and Les Leyne for helping keep the public informed.
"B.C. political staffer reporting on trial at 'taxpayer expense'
Attorney general says public affairs officer is merely helping out"
Lindsay Kines, Times Colonist
Published: Tuesday, May 15, 2007
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=4fedc346-926a-44e2-8614-866fb627f802&k=61390
"Oppal fumbles, misleads on trial-watcher
Government has an operative in court, but his reports aren't for everyone"
Les Leyne, Times Colonist
Published: Tuesday, May 15, 2007
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/comment/story.html?id=85803e28-8a2c-499c-a3b5-5ce07cccf0fe&p=2
SharingIsGood
5 years ago
correction
we even main stream
should read:
we even [have the] main stream
Working Man
5 years ago
The Usual Suspects
I find this thread very amusing, mostly because of the lack of political knowledge being displayed and seeing the squealing of the usual posters. We also must remember who the author of the article works for presently and from whom he worked for in the past.
None of the silly "IT'S TREASON!" posts here amount to a hill of beans. Virk and Basi are known in the business as "baggage handlers." [Content removed for possible legal concerns] The rewards for a baggage handler [Edited here for the same reason] come later on in the form nice appointments to boards, etc. They way to assure your future as a baggage handler is to keep out of the public eye as much as possible.
There really be only one outcome from this trai; the BC Liberal party will now be very careful whom they enlist from the Sikh community in the future. See the crackdown on the farm labour vehicles and inspection decals on said vehicles? Don't think for one second that they are not associated with this trial.
What is so lost on the posters here is they they object of politics is to get elected. The timing of this trial is perfect. The verdict will happen in summer when most people are more interested in steaks and beer than anything else, and it is half way through the present government's mandate. Two years from now it will be long forgotten.
Gordon Campbell, love him or hate him, is about as good at this job as politicians get. He knows how to get elected. His main rival party is basically in complete disarray and at 31% in the polls. With the way the economy is rolling along and the fact that his treasury is over flowing, he will sail into an even bigger majority than he has now. The NDP's "Gordo is lucifer and so many are left behind" mantra is politically useless and it is time they realised that.
Too bad they won't. I, for one, would like to see an effective opposition. My riding has a pretty good chance of getting a Green member and they are getting my vote.
Frank
5 years ago
Bullshit
EDITED FOR POSSIBLE LEGAL CONCERNS -- TYEE EDITOR
G West
5 years ago
Working man
That sounds a lot like the sort of comment that got deleted the last time you slammed Bill Tieleman here at Tyee. You used to run a construction company, right! Does that mean you indulged in the kind of thing that’s been slashed across front pages in the lower mainland lately?
C’mon!
Can't you find a way to actually deal with the facts and implications of this case without shooting the messenger?
I guess not.
Moreover, that bit about an effective opposition. I think that's just your style, I doubt it's actually reflects your true feelings either.
Bill Tieleman is one of the most responsible, unselfish and conscientious journalists working in British Columbia today.
And he makes, I'm told by sources who aren't interested in obfuscation, slight of hand and character assassination, a very good living at it.
Good for him.
The Tyee and its readers are lucky to have him.
BC Dude
5 years ago
Workingkid How much is Gordo
[Deleted as offensive --Tyee Editor]
Working Man
5 years ago
It's easy....
The answer is easy; because more people vote for them than other parties.
verso
5 years ago
Political interference?
This just keeps getting better:
http://billtieleman.blogspot.com/2007/05/more-stunning-allegations-in-basi-virk.html
verso
5 years ago
...
Basi involved in dumping manure on Sinclair's lawn, how low will this bunch go?
North of Hope
5 years ago
Why in Power?
Quote:
"I still [sic] am in awe as to why the BC Fiberals are still in power? Can anyone answer that?"
If the media told the truth about the performance of the BC Fiberals in their first term, they would have lost the election.
DPL
5 years ago
Question period today should
Question period today should interest folks like "Working Man" Seems the Liberal big wig talked to Gordo and the cops.He wanted to cops not to let anyone know what he had said. The comments were not supposed to come out. They were discussed in QP but stonewally kept to his lines. The Minister Of defence, MIke DeJong got in a few licks about those awful opposition folks who wanted to know , who knew what. and when. The desk thumping was hot and heavy. Worth watching the repeat on TV later today
Skywalker
5 years ago
It was too concentrated on at the liberal offices.
"Basi involved in dumping manure on Sinclair's lawn, how low will this bunch go?" That's an easy question and the answer is as well. I couldn't help wondering if the "manure" was so concentrated in the Campbell offices that they just had to find a place for it. Working man was not able to spread enough here.
Now I do recall that Mike Harcourt got some dumped on his front yard which his wife had to clean up. I don't know it it was the same guys but it does make you wonder how lacking in class some people can get. Then too I wonder if the RCMP ever worried about embarrassment a government when they turned themselves inside out on a bleeding deck.
Cynic
5 years ago
First of, Id like to
First of, Id like to complaiun about all thoes who don3 proovread there posts! I mean, some of them re hiffen slie incohernt! Please have som e consideration for your reederz.
Working Man
5 years ago
How about the Campaign?
"If the media told the truth about the performance of the BC Fiberals in their first term, they would have lost the election."
Muffy the poodle could have beat the Liberals in the last campaign. Fact is, the NDP ran a bad election. Personal attacks rarely if ever work, nor does preaching to the choir. Go to the NDP website and you will still see the same things that lost them the last election
To win an election, a party has to convince enough voters who usually don't vote for them to actually do so. The NDP continually fails to do this and contiunes to not form governments.
They can talk about "those left behind" and "Campbell is lucifer in a suit" but such blather is useless. Joe and Josephine Blow voter wants to know what a government can do to improve THEIR lives, not somebody on Hastings St who smokes crack.
You can't put foward your policies if you don't win elections. I have made this point over and over here but it is completely lost on the faithful.
Frank
5 years ago
Because
Yes, if the NDP became a right-wing party they would win more elections since most voters in the province are to the right of the NDP.
So what? Parties exist because the members of that party share some common views about society and the party is simply a vehicle to bring that message to the wider population.
If a party has to change its ideology in order to win and winning is all that matters then there is no reason for the party to exist.
This is the point that is continually lost on you.
Frank
5 years ago
Demonizing your opponent works
As for personal attacks, I'm not sure which country you grew up in but elections held in Canada, both provincially and federally, are full of personal attacks and that's because they work.
Few people even know the name of their finance minister so trying to discuss issues on a campaign is a waste of time with a population allergic to indepth analysis.
To win an election, demonize your opponent. Ask most Liberal voters what policies of Clark's they really hated and they'll give you a blank stare before they trot out the fast ferries. All they know is they hated Clark and that's all they needed to know.
BC Dude
5 years ago
Fascism's first bed-buddy is
Fascism's first bed-buddy is the Media, then, well "WE" in BC know!
BC Dude
5 years ago
When you wallow with pigs,
When you wallow with pigs, expect to get dirty.
Elliot
5 years ago
anyone see carole james'
anyone see carole james' performance in the legislature today? wow!! she should write a manual on how not to run a political party. i'm sure the libs are very appreciative of this very nice ladies' lack of political skills.
BC Dude
5 years ago
For once I agree with you
For once I agree with you Elliot, she is a disgrace to all people of good character and conscience!
So where does that leave people who still believe in a just society?
Just look at the BC Rail/BC Legislature scandal, now a 2-week adjournment delay, delay the sound of more dirty tricks!
Try this for some worriesome answers?
http://www.vivelecanada.ca/staticpages/index.php/20060830133702539
lynn
5 years ago
Censorship by omission
There is no doubt that media monopolies have severely impacted freedom of the press. However, reporters are just as accountable, as any other responsible citizen in the maintenance of that essential freedom. Indeed their professional code of ethics should make them more so.
Almost everyone finds it very, very, difficult to confront their boss on issues of disagreement.
Everyone has a choice. Some people would just rather not make that choice.... and yup, you're right most people are unable to quit their jobs but people quit their jobs out of principle everyday. What makes reporters so special in that regard?
John Pilger, one of the most respected investigative reporters in the world:
"During the Cold War, a group of Russian journalists toured the United States. On the final day of their visit, they were asked by their hosts for their impressions. “I have to tell you,” said their spokesman, “that we were astonished to find, after reading all the newspapers and watching TV, that all the opinions on all the vital issues were, by and large, the same. To get that result in our country, we imprison people, we tear out their fingernails. Here, you don't have that. What's the secret? How do you do it?”
What is the secret? It's a question now urgently asked of those whose job is to keep the record straight: who in this country have extraordinary constitutional freedom. I refer to journalists, of course, a small group who hold privileged sway over the way we think, even the way we use language.
I have been a journalist for more than 40 years. Although I am based in London, I have worked all over the world, including the United States, and I have reported America's wars. My experience is that what the Russian journalists were referring to is censorship by omission, the product of a parallel world of unspoken truth and public myths and lies: in other words, censorship by journalism, which today has become war by journalism.
For me, this is the most virulent and powerful form of censorship, fuelling an indoctrination that runs deep in western societies, deeper than many journalists themselves understand or will admit to."
BC Dude
5 years ago
Come on where are the real
Come on where are the real investigative reporters?
I watched the documentry on "Walter Cronkite" now that's a real man as I was one who watched his news cast every night religiously!
So who will be our next great "Walter"?
G West
5 years ago
Russian journalists
Journalists in Russia have been absolutely fearless in confronting Putin and his enablers Lynn. And many of them have died for it.
A dedication I can't imagine from the profession here in Canada - with the possible exception of Arthur Kent who now works out of London.
http://dir.salon.com/story/news/feature/2003/03/17/scud_stud/index.html
lynn
5 years ago
Much agree, G
Much agree, G West.
Journalist Charles Glass speaking at Columbia U. on investigative journalism said that "the professional ethic of the journalist has become the victim of a business culture....that they have become content or service providers to customers.... that their moral obligation to tell the truth is too often over-ridden by the commercial concerns to do what the employer wants."
Certainly we see evidence of that practice here in Canada as too many journalists swallow and use the same language and the same terms of reference that corporate governments intentionally feed them with. For example, all the "corporate-approved" and "suggested" language (eg. use of words like "out-sourcing" etc.) and terms of reference used around the privatization of our assets and our resources here in BC was taken up and repeated endlessly by reporters. Look how terms like "sustainability" have been perverted by corporate governments and then far too many of the press instead of questioning the terminology repeated it ad nauseum without question....helping to make it all appear quite benign in the end, normalizing it... in fact, legitimizing the corruption through the complicity of the language they used, the questions they didn't ask, and the information they chose not to reveal.
"Independent green power energy" presently falls into the same category. Our rivers are being sold off by "green" spin...where is the analysis by those columnists and reporters about how the word "green" is now being perverted and used as a Trojan horse by corporations and corrupt governments to enter previously closed.... and once environmentally-protected gates?
Are journalists only taking risks in Canada when there is no risk left to take? ....only after the fact, when it is too late to change the course of events, when there is no country or autonomy left for us to defend?
BC Dude
5 years ago
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Campbell