The Legislature Raids

Within hours of landing in Victoria, BC Mary began phoning around the B.C. Court system asking if the trial of Basi, Young, and Duncan would begin on 29 June.

I learned that UDHE BASI and the two land developers DUNCAN and YOUNG were scheduled to appear in B.C. Provincial Court, 850 Burdett, in downtown Victoria, that very morning, June 28.

"But it's only an Election to Proceed," explained the nice Court Registrations Lady in Sooke (long story), "that is, they decide how, when, and where to hold the actual trial."

Confident that the Judge's decision would appear in the newspapers for June 29 at the latest, I pressed on for Salt Spring Island, picked up my car, then drove up to Parksville. Like, I never can get it through my head that this Basi affair isn't working out that way. How I wish that you could prove me wrong, when I tell you that nothing -- absolutely nothing --has appeared in print as to the next step in the side-issue concerning charges of bribery regarding the removal of land from the Sooke Agricultural Land Reserve.

I do not want this blogspot to take on a partisan slant. This whole issue is far too important for that. But it is very hard to forget the relentless news reports which swirled around a certain home-made back porch alleged to have had alarming criminal implications. Is it too much to ask, now, that trial dates should be published, and judges' decisions reported, when charges actually do come before the courts about things like BC Rail?

July 4. BC Mary tries again. Beginning with Victoria Court Registry enquiries: 250.356.1478. When the nice lady says "May I help you?" I reply that I need to know the date for the trial of Basi, Young and Duncan re a criminal charge that land was removed from Sooke ALR because of a $50,000 bribe. "The election was held on 28 June," I added helpfully.

"I'm sorry," she said, sounding suddenly weary. "That information can't be given over the telephone. You must go to the Court House and use their computer." Mary: "I'm in Parksville." Nice weary lady "Then you should go to the Parksville Court House."

I look it up in the Parksville blue pages. Sure enough, this lovely patch of sandy beach boasts a squat, red brick building at 198 Morison Street. I am suddenly shaky but, remembering that a Canadian soldier never shrinks from duty even when he/she damwell should, I approach the almost-hidden door with the sign in its window. The door is locked. The sign says:

Hours: 9:00 AM - 12:00 noon, 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Monday to Friday.

I look at my watch. It is almost 2:00 PM. It seems par for this course.

I am not giving up. But I really do need help on this issue. It seems that any British Columbian anywhere in B.C. can, in theory, access this information. You ... or you ... or you could dredge up this info: 1) when and where do Basi, Young, & Duncan go to trial? 2) exactly when do Basi, Virk & Basi go to trial,? and 3) when does the interrupted trial of former Constable Ravinder Dosanjh get under way again?

Post the info in the COMMENTS sections here ... and it will speed others in their search.

I had an interesting and disturbing conversation with a bright young woman today who told me she didn't want to hear anything about The Legislature Raids because, she said, "All politicians are corrupt. All governments are the same. I don't even vote anymore. Etc Etc." So I said to her, "None of the people charged in The Legislature Raids were elected, so there's no point saying you won't vote for them. Nor were they civil servants, so firing a few workers won't solve the problem. These guys were selected, and hired, by B.C. Cabinet Ministers. They are part of the provincial infrastructure. If we all turn away, refusing to look, who will ever know what went wrong? Who will correct it?"

This poor, beautiful province. We absolutely have to care about it.