Tuesday, May 01, 2007
May 1 hearing confirmed: 10:00 AM Vancouver Supreme Courtroom 54 ....... 800 Smithe Street. Be there, eh?
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This trial concerns the public interest: citizens in every corner of B.C. want to know how public assets are sold; was it beneficial to the province to place B.C. Rail in private ownership? was due process followed? is our government clean?
Must it be repeated and repeated, that British Columbians have a right to know these things? Apparently so.
Many of us feel that the public interest isn't strongly felt in that courtroom. How could it be? The judge presides. The defence team pleads for disclosure. The prosecution team seems to ... well, just be there. Even the media has a visible presence there, for all the good they do (I mean, when they return to their newsrooms and decide to say nothing!).
But the public? There were 11 in the public gallery last time. That's not enough to remind the judge, the lawyers and the media that there is a province-wide hunger to understand the B.C. Rail story.
It's also up to us to be visible. To be there in court, if we possibly can. That's 800 Smithe Street, Courtroom 54. Hope to see you there. - BC Mary.
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May 2nd. On today's Supreme Court Listing there is no sign whatever of Case No. 23299-1 or of Basi, Virk or Basi. Nor is Courtroom 54 shown. But ... there are news reports coming out of there. So once again, what are we? Yes, apparently the public is chopped liver.
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This trial concerns the public interest: citizens in every corner of B.C. want to know how public assets are sold; was it beneficial to the province to place B.C. Rail in private ownership? was due process followed? is our government clean?
Must it be repeated and repeated, that British Columbians have a right to know these things? Apparently so.
Many of us feel that the public interest isn't strongly felt in that courtroom. How could it be? The judge presides. The defence team pleads for disclosure. The prosecution team seems to ... well, just be there. Even the media has a visible presence there, for all the good they do (I mean, when they return to their newsrooms and decide to say nothing!).
But the public? There were 11 in the public gallery last time. That's not enough to remind the judge, the lawyers and the media that there is a province-wide hunger to understand the B.C. Rail story.
It's also up to us to be visible. To be there in court, if we possibly can. That's 800 Smithe Street, Courtroom 54. Hope to see you there. - BC Mary.
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
May 2nd. On today's Supreme Court Listing there is no sign whatever of Case No. 23299-1 or of Basi, Virk or Basi. Nor is Courtroom 54 shown. But ... there are news reports coming out of there. So once again, what are we? Yes, apparently the public is chopped liver.
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