Opinion

'I Want Everything Released': Basi

Convicted Railgate figure says 'Who's your daddy' wiretap comment was a joke, not about procuring sex.

By Bill Tieleman, 22 Feb 2011, TheTyee.ca

Robert Basi and David Virk

Robert Virk and David Basi.

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"Sex is full of lies." -- Jim Morrison, The Doors

Lurid headlines suggest that sex, lies and videotape starred in the B.C. Legislature Raid case, according to selected new police evidence released by the courts last week.

But an exclusive 24 hours/The Tyee interview with David Basi -- one of two ex-B.C. government aides who pled guilty of breach of trust and fraud charges -- and a separate exclusive interview with a man Basi allegedly procured sex with a young woman for -- paints a very different picture.

The newly disclosed wiretap evidence gives a distasteful view of Basi and Bob Virk, the other ex-ministerial aide who made a surprise guilty plea last October after only two witnesses testified.

In obscenity-filled transcripts released only to B.C. Supreme Court accredited journalists, they discuss providing confidential government information on BC Rail to lobbyists Erik Bornmann and Brian Kieran, who represented losing bidder OmniTRAX.

But in the most widely-reported passage, Basi appears to have procured a woman to have sex with another man as part of a request to obtain "membership lists" for "my guy," as Basi puts it.

"She'll be putting out like you wouldn't believe, pal.... Let me put it this way. She is so crazy, you'll be going home tired," Basi is taped as saying, and adding later in a subsequent call: "Who's your daddy? Do I come through?"

But the man Basi is speaking to -- who agreed to an interview with 24 hours/The Tyee on the condition his name not be used because he is in public life -- says reports on the conversation are completely misleading.

And so does Basi, who says he and his friend were merely joking, in admittedly bad taste.

"There were no prostitutes procured for anyone, for gosh sakes!" an exasperated Basi told me Sunday. "How completely and utterly ridiculous this is that people can't joke on the phone."

'Let's get it all out'

Basi says the selective release of only a small portion of the millions of pages of evidence, including more than 7,000 intercepted phone conversations, is wrong.

"I want everything released, all the transcripts of the wiretaps -- not just snippets -- let's get it all out," Basi said. "I have consistently called for all documents in this case to be released and for a public inquiry, which I will fully cooperate with."

"Christy Clark and all the other B.C. Liberal leadership candidates refuse to hold a public inquiry -- what do they have to hide?" Basi asked. "That speaks for itself."

The other man on the wiretapped conversation told me he was already having a brief sexual relationship with the woman at the time of Basi's call.

"Conversations that were taped, transcribed and edited can create an impression that diverges from the reality," he said. "It was not 'procuring a prostitute.' It was a jocular conversation, albeit in poor taste."

Regardless of the situation, the wiretap transcripts of that conversation and many others appear to have no bearing on the charges Basi and Virk pled guilty to, and received a two-year house arrest sentence for.

The need for a public inquiry

Basi and Virk also had their $6 million legal fees in the marathon case paid for by government, even though they admitted guilt, a decision that stopped the trial before dozens of possible witnesses -- like Basi's boss former finance minister Gary Collins or Christy Clark -- could have testified.

Why were these pages released by police and the Crown in negotiations with CTV news and the Globe and Mail newspaper in response to their court application, and not other documents -- like those obtained by the defence that might tell another side to this important story?

We will never know what really happened in this complex and confusing case unless, as the New Democrat opposition is demanding, a public inquiry is held into the $1 billion deal in 2003 that saw publicly-owned BC Rail sold to CN Rail.

Please join my group Basi-Virk Public Inquiry on Facebook and demand accountability. [Tyee]

Bill Tieleman is a regular Tyee contributor who writes a column on B.C. politics every Tuesday in 24 Hours newspaper. E-mail him at weststar@telus.net or visit his blog at http://billtieleman.blogspot.com.

28 Comments:

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  • zalm

    1 year ago

    I dunno

    I kind of resent being drawn into only one side of this whole sordid mess. I find it hard to believe that Basi and Virk need to be making excuses for some "jocular" telephone conversation when I'm a lot more insulted by the cavalier way they and many others in political parties of all stripes start to feel pretty self-important, and begin treat the public they're supposed to be working on behalf with utter contempt.

    Witness the mass signups in both political parties of thousands of South Asians. This is more of the same arrogance manifested by Vasi, Virk and many others.

    Bill, I suppose these questions need to be asked, and I would support the mass release of information, Wikileaks-style, of the court evidence and the transcripts of the phone conversations, but not in any measure to mete out justice.

    There's no such thing in this whole sordid mess. There are only people with less shit on their faces than Bobby Virk and Dave Basi - but they all smell the same.

    For the kinds of individuals attracted to this type of power and manifesting this type of behaviour, I'm for bringing back the stocks. Right there in the park off Belleville St., punishments of three hours to three days, with round the clock coverage by the Legislative Bureau reporters of the various MSM, and guaranteed amnesty to anyone who shows up with a bag of rotten food and a good throwing arm.

  • BC Mary

    1 year ago

    Find them, charge them, jail them

    From the get-go, I have been hoping that either Dave Basi or Bobby Virk would come out on the side of the people ... and tell us everything.

    Has it really taken them this long, to realize the depths of the double-cross perpetrated by the Campbell Gang? Did they really imagine that there's honour among thieves?

    If only Basi or Virk had become furiously angry SOONER, rather than 7 years and $6million later! But OK, if Dave Basi is sufficiently angry now, to spill the BCRail beans ... that'll do nicely.

    The new BC government, in my opinion, will be made up of MLAs who guarantee an immediate police investigation into the BCRail actions, fully prepared to charge the key figures they find implicated up to their armpits. Find them out, charge them, jail them.

    Guarantee what Dave Basi has finally asked for: a full public airing of the evidence. In this upside-down, bass-ackward situation, it seems only natural justice that the Special Crown Prosecutor and his team should not be representing the people who previously owned BC Rail. It's finally time for The Accused to have their say.

    It's long past time for British Columbians to hear the whole truth of who let a vital railway slip into private pockets. And how we almost lost the Roberts Bank spur line. And the real estate ...

  • Barryeng

    1 year ago

    All along I have had very

    All along I have had very little respect for, or agreemnent with Dave Basi. This time I do agree with him. The purient details of a phone conversation about sex has absolutely nothing to do with the BC Rail machinations. Pimping is illegal. So is trafficking in cocaine, and obviously he could be charged with offences in either case. However, these issues have very little to do with the selling of BC Rail or with cabinet corruption.

    Sex sells stories, but if the most important issue to come out of the released documents relates to the procurement of sexual favours, then let's also get some details in the open [UNSUBSTANTIATED INSINUATION REMOVED. -MODERATOR]

  • off-the-radar

    1 year ago

    go read Alex Tsakumis' blog for a better understanding

    Mr. Tsakumis succinctly lays this non-story about Basi wide open and also soundly criticizes mainstream media commentators. Thank goodness for the internet and independent bloggers.

    (Sorry Bill, I'm a fan but your take on this is overly complicated).

  • deeby

    1 year ago

    There's more

    At AT's place. Bill's source contacted AT as well.

  • dorothy

    1 year ago

    Could someone

    please explain to these two clowns what 'pleading guilty' means? It means we will hear no more argument from them - on anything. Their case is done, and it is closed. If they don't like that now, they can only regret they weren't grown up enough to tough it out before and take the battle. We may all never hear the Truth of this, but then so be it. The nonsense now from these people is in extremely bad taste. They could have had their day in court, They chose not to. End of story. Could we all please get on with our lives now?

  • deeby

    1 year ago

    Notwithstanding agreements with the Crown....

    ....these two clowns have a right to free speech, and they can argue and maintain their innocence as often as they wish. Guilty pleas have been entered from economic necessity before.

    If you wish to get on with your life Dorothy, by all means do so, but some of us are still interested in their side of the story, and will continue to discuss this as others dig for information.

  • Skywalker

    1 year ago

    Of course he wants everything released.

    He wants to prove the Nurenberg defense.

  • freebear

    1 year ago

    We were just following orders Herr Prosecutor

    What would Basi and Virk be saying if they hadn't got a sweet plea deal? And had to pay back the $6 million loonies?

  • Gustav

    1 year ago

    Smoking Gun

    Alex Tsukamis is disclosing documents [LINK AND ALLEGATION REMOVED FOR LEGAL CONCERNS. -MODERATOR.]

  • lynn

    1 year ago

    The revealing cover-up

    Let Everything Everywhichway be released.

    Let Basi and Virk speak for themselves.

    Unless their silence has been bought?

    It's amazing, with the trial stopped in its tracks, before the train even got to leave the station, if all these elected officials are so innocent, why, why, why wouldn't they want....indeed demand, all the evidence and documentation be brought forward and made public?

    Why aren't they leading the call for a Full Public Inquiry?

    We know why.

    Why the fear over the 'rest of the story' being told?

    Why only selected chapters being released?

    Also, enough of only so-called selected/accredited journalists who work for news 'entertainment companies' ( as one commentor on BC Mary's blog aptly put it) receiving selected documentation and vetting it for the public.

    Aren't they special?

    We, the public paid the millions of dollars in legal fees, it's our info, we have a right to it. Hand it over and let us decide for ourselves where the real truth lies.

    If you're afraid to do that, you tell us who you really are.

    A Full Public Inquiry, nothing less.

    (While we're at, federally, why 'not', let Bev Oda, speak for herself for once. Let the people judge for themselves....if Ms. Oda acted all on her own or 'not'.

    What are you afraid of, Stevie? Surely 'not' the truth?)

  • G West

    1 year ago

    dorothy - why would you take that attitude?

    I'm a bit surprised at you too.

    Why wouldn't anyone, as a member of the conscious and intelligent public, want to have a broader understanding of the circumstances and the evidence (all of which are normally and usually part of the public record) surrounding this case?

    I'm mystified.

    Furthermore, I'm troubled by the 'appearance', the inescapable appearance moreover, that some members of the media family (who ought by definition to be interested in 'investigating' the circumstances surrounding the expenditure of more than $10 million for this particular case) are, instead of pursuing the whole truth, adopting a stance which can hardly be seen as anything other than incurious at best and, at worst, culpable.

    One’s possible and quite understandable aversion to the prurient aspects of the activities of these two individuals should not encumber anyone’s realization that at this stage the idea of the public interest, the concept of public service, and the operations of an impartial justice system at all levels has been degraded to a point where every member of the conscious and intelligent electorate ought to be outraged.

  • manuel

    1 year ago

    Basi and what is connection to Rich and Steve Coleman

    During the BC Rail event [UNSUBSTANTIATED CHARACTERIZATION REMOVED. -MODERATOR.], why have reporters forgotten about the deal Rich and brother Steve Coleman created to remove the Tree Farm Status from land around Sooke and Victoria? Wasn't it Basi that got it removed from ALR status? Tax payers lost about 100 million on that deal. How many hospitals and schools that would have built? (Is that why Rich dropped out of the leadership race?, worried that deal is about to be remembered?)

  • frank2

    1 year ago

    Do the full files provide

    Do the full files provide any insight as to why C. Clark, Collins and Reid resigned?

  • lynn

    1 year ago

    Public interest, public service, impartial justice system.

    "One’s possible and quite understandable aversion to the prurient aspects of the activities of these two individuals should not encumber anyone’s realization that at this stage the idea of the public interest, the concept of public service, and the operations of an impartial justice system at all levels has been degraded to a point where every member of the conscious and intelligent electorate ought to be outraged."

    Well said, G West.

  • morechatter

    1 year ago

    Whose your premier

    At the very least a full inquiry is needed it is irresponsible to do anything different. I am very interested in what Basi has to say, and know so are many others. And of course a disclosure of the documents. You wouldn't want a bunch of liars and crooks running your government would you? At the very least it would make a great story, "Whose Your Daddy".

  • morechatter

    1 year ago

    Zalm

    Why would Basi want to capture the Asian vote, and who do you think his Daddy was? It is the very reason this story needs to come out. Basi was taking orders from headquarters and it appears he fits the bill.

  • dorothy

    1 year ago

    Yeah, but...

    "Why wouldn't anyone, as a member of the conscious and intelligent public, want to have a broader understanding..?"

    I guess to me 'intelligent' is the key word here. You would have to be screamingly poor in that commodity to not understand that the timing of the deal and the way it happened was to save the appearance and public standing for some parties. Whatever the proceedings would have revealed had they not been stopped is long gone, as in having been mopped up and shredded. The two are speaking up now, because they dare. Because their part of the deal has been carried out, and their economic disaster averted in return. At yours and my cost as taxpayers. This means that whatever can be said/found/'revealed' now will be lacking, doubtless in substance, and certainly in credibility.

    Therefore, from a pragmatic point of view, I think we have this bad piece of fruit in our mouth, a spittoon nowhere in sight, and so the best we can do is chew it minimally so as to spare our digestion, swallow it quickly, and - yes - get on with our life. This is so f@$4H^* up now, so in tatters that anything else would be kidding ourselves mightily and a waste of resources.

  • G West

    1 year ago

    Yeah, but...NO

    If intelligent people don't start getting up on their hind legs and screaming about what's been going on NOTHING will ever change except to get worse.

    What wastes resources is continuing to ignore this bullshit while the same gang of thieves pretends that they're actually DOING something for anyone but themselves.

    I don't care why these two are speaking out - I just care that they, and others are.

    Pretending we can't do anything is giving up and I don't think YOU'RE ready for that either.

    I know I'm not.

  • BrianWhite

    1 year ago

    They signed a non disclosure agreement, lets see that document!

    I don't care about Basi hiring a girl for some guy. There are adverts in newspapers for that so big deal. However,
    To get their legal fees paid, Basi Verk, probably had to sign a non disclosure agreement.
    I do not know what the legal rules about non disclosure agreements with criminal governments are. If you signed an agreement with jack the ripper would you be bound to secrecy? Are there higher rules?
    Why is non disclosure limited to one side? Surely if the government releases a smear, it is fair that Basi should release something about Collins, or Clark or Campbell?
    One thing that should be available to the public to help us deal with our loss of $6 million is the terms of the non disclosure deal itself. Lets see it, maybe it has loopholes.

  • People Matter More

    1 year ago

    6 million guilty plea

    The public has paid 6 million. For that kind of money we should at least have the right to view all the documents, phone transcripts, everything, especially as the accused have no objection.

  • lynn

    1 year ago

    Hopefully there are 'higher rules'

    If a deal is made in order to force non-disclosure.....and

    If it is determined that the deal made is nothing more than a veiled threat or bribe to buy guilty pleas and silence....

    Does that make the public, (through our funding), unknowingly, party to a deal we know nothing about, and that we have not given our consent to?

    And as this was all accomplished 'without public knowledge' and 'without public consent'....but through the non-consensual use of our tax dollars....to pay the legal fees of those now pleading guilty....

    Then how can a deal made on those kind of terms ever be considered 'legally' binding?

    And wouldn't we, the public, then be victims of a crime ourselves? What right do they have to make us party to a deal we have not consented to?

    And what does that make ALL those who were involved in allowing this kind of deal to be made?

    Surely we have the right to know the details and....

    Surely we have the right to demand this deal be annulled and that ALL those involved in the making of it be held both morally and legally accountable?

  • G West

    1 year ago

    6 million is just the cost of Basi, Basi and Virk's lawyers

    When you consider the other costs the total bill is more than twice what their lawyers were paid.

    Don't forget that the special prosecutor and his team were being paid too - virtually none of this work (excluding George Copley who is a 'regular' employee) was done in house.

    The system which was meant to ensure impartiality and lack of political interference has failed utterly.

  • Gary Cameron

    1 year ago

    If Basi really wants all the files from his trial released...

    ...he should just instruct his lawyers to give them to reporters. My understanding is that the defense gets full disclosure of ALL the crown's evidence obtained during the investigation. However, given what we've seen so far, I'm guessing these two criminals probably wouldn't like to see ALL of the documents from their case released. Prove me wrong.

  • crankypants

    1 year ago

    Never ending story

    The BC Rail saga along with the Basi-Virk-Basi subplot will be BC's "Never Ending Story" unless there is a full, unrestricted inquiry into all aspects.

    Every time some scribe or reporter insist they have definitive proof of this or that, we soon find out that we are being fed more fantasy than fact, which leads to more questions than answers.

    We have a court that states that they are releasing a certain amount of evidence to the public. I guess the courts must have a special dictionary because I doubt I could find one that shows the definition of the word "public" as being a handful of accredited court reporters. More questions than answers.

    There is also a question about how well the investigators have transcribed wiretap material. According to a well known blogger, who seems to have many contacts, at least one or more transcribed conversations differ from the audio upon which it was based. If true, again more questions than answers. What other evidence may have been misconstrued?

    I could go on indefinitely, but as long as we get more questions than answers, we will forever have BC's version of "THE NEVER ENDING STORY"

    We need that final chapter, and nothing to date has come close to providing it.

  • brg61

    1 year ago

    Sooner or later.....the truth.

    Basi insists that he wants everything...all the transcripts, the wiretaps and documents... released unedited. From the start he wanted a public inquiry "which I will fully cooperate with."
    Basi isn't alone in thinking Christy Clark and the rest of the leadership candidates have something to hide as they refuse a public inquiry; but his plea bargain lets them hide.
    Clark, Falcon, Abbott and De Jong served without question in Campbell's government. As he is forced to vacate his office to one of these four it's certain their silence will continue.
    Scandal and corruption is the Campbell legacy. Sooner or later the facts will expose what was happening behind closed doors and just who this government was working for.

  • dorothy

    1 year ago

    "We need that final chapter,

    "We need that final chapter, and nothing to date has come close to providing it."

    Nor will anything ever, considering the salespeople involved. The thing that keeps mystifying me is how anyone can ascribe any credibility to anything these two people could come up with. The moment for them to be heard was in court. They made a deal we are compelled to perceive was dirty, in order to not have to pay the consequences of their own hubris, but instead have that cost dumped on you and me. I for one don't care what they have to say now. Give up? nah, I intend to take this to the voting booth, but sadly, most will not do that, or it would have already happened. That a government up to its neck in this kind of muck could get re-elected twice can only be explained by even greater fear among the electorate, of the 'commies' on the other side of the room. This is what we get for making World History an elective in school. Give Up? No, but picking battles carefully and not sending good money after bad? Absolutely!

  • zalm

    1 year ago

    more chatter

    "Why would Basi want to capture the Asian vote, and who do you think his Daddy was?"

    Do you mean "deliver" the Asian vote? THat's the comoment I made. He did that to gain power for personal ends.

    I have no idea what "Daddy" means and I don't care. I have much more concern about how he traded influence for favours, who to, and for what.

    I think we agree on the need for disclosure. I just think the language sucks as it serves only to obscure, with Puritanical intent, the real crime here - influence-peddling.

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