Thursday, February 28, 2008
BC Mary in The Globe and Mail
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Riding Bill Tieleman's coat-tails
To the sound of (my own) trumpet being blown ... and despite the insults, which I graciously accept because Robin Mathews once told me that people in Show Biz say, "a pan is as good as a rave" ... and Bill says "any publicity is good publicity" and a couple of other quotes are: "Mary, we must be getting to them!" ... here is BC Mary's entry into The Globe and Mail (if you scroll way, way down) :
_________________________________________________
THE LEGISLATURE RAID
For this blogger, this case has just about everything
Covert photos. Mysterious witnesses. A billion dollars. 'We just need to add some sex and it would be perfect'
TOM HAWTHORN
Special to The Globe and Mail; tom hawthorntomhawthorn@gmail.com [sic]
February 27, 2008
VICTORIA -- The click-clicking of computer keys could be heard on the other end of the telephone line.
"I'm posting a Basi-Virk blog item as we speak. No rest for the wicked," Bill Tieleman said. He paused. "Four years without rest."
Sure enough, another 1,000-word item popped up on billtieleman.blogspot.com. Most of it was the draft Hansard text of a statement in the legislature in which several newspaper articles were cited, as well as Mr. Tieleman's blog. {Snip} ...
"It's a frustrating case to cover," Mr. Tieleman said. "It's very complex. At times it moves at a glacial pace and other times it's an avalanche."
Mr. Tieleman, 51, is one of the regulars. The other reporters frequently in attendance are Neal Hall of the Vancouver Sun, Camille Bains of The Canadian Press, and Mark Hume of this newspaper. Robin Mathews, a retired professor notorious for his long-running battles with the Canadian literary establishment, writes incendiary postings from the court for ViveleCanada.ca, which are reprinted at "The Legislature Raids" blog by a tireless champion of the case known by her online pseudonym of BC Mary. This week, Mr. Mathews suggests the Gordon Campbell government may be an illegitimate rogue state. He also called for the removal from the case of Madam Justice Elizabeth Bennett.
Mr. Mathews's cynicism about the judiciary is never far from the surface and BC Mary's conspiratorial musings about the motives of CanWest journalists are pointlessly distracting. Still, this is a case where even so sober a commentator as Vancouver Sun columnist Vaughn Palmer warned the Premier earlier this month about avoiding "suspicions of cover-up." {Snip} ...
[Bill Tieleman] has been a columnist for nine years, including stints with the National Post and the Georgia Straight. Before that, he worked the morning shift at the Vancouver Sun back in the days when it cranked out three editions for afternoon sales. He remembers city editor Jack Brooks, a Fleet Street refugee, pointing at his wristwatch while barking, "Chop, chop, mate, where's the bloody story?!"
Mr. Tieleman knows a good story. He was born into one. His father, who fought in the Dutch resistance, was the navigator aboard the fabled RCMP schooner St. Roch on its final crossing of the Northwest Passage in 1954. [Bill corrects this, on his blog. It was the final-ever voyage of the St Roch. - BC Mary]
In between bouts of journalism, Mr. Tieleman worked as communications director for then-NDP-premier Glen Clark for six months and handled communications for the B.C. Federation of Labour for six years. He will mark the 10th anniversary of launching his West Star Communications consultancy later this year.
Mr. Tieleman was on holiday in Seattle in the last days of 2003 when his cellphone began ringing like a fire bell. The RCMP and Victoria police had raided offices at the legislature. A quick Google search of the principals involved brought up a Tieleman column from the Georgia Straight in which he described the connections between Paul Martin's federal Liberals and Mr. Campbell's provincial Liberals. Every reporter in the country wanted background for a story that, as we say in the business, has all the elements.
"It's got everything you'd want if you cover politics. Massive amounts of money. A billion-dollar privatization. Allegations of cover-ups reaching right into the premier's office. Missing notes, missing hard drives, secret witnesses. It has the potential to bring down a government.
"We just need to add some sex and it would be perfect."
When the court debates lag, Mr. Tieleman allows himself to be amused by imagining what would certainly be a highlight of a trial - former finance minister Gary Collins in the witness box testifying about a meal with railway executives at the posh Villa del Lupo restaurant, during which he unknowingly was watched and photographed by RCMP investigators.
"That alone is worth waiting for," he said.
In another bizarre twist to a story with no shortage of them, Mr. Tieleman went to work one day in December only to discover his office had been ransacked. Bookcases had been tipped over and papers strewn, but nothing was missing. To top it off, a press kit for the self-published novel The Raid, written by a retired military officer in Metchosin and featuring on its cover a photograph from the 2003 police raid, had been left in a conspicuous place.
That startled someone not given to conspiracy theories.
Another casualty of the never-ending case has been Mr. Tieleman's other blog in which he posts as the Wine Barbarian, an oenophile (which I believe is ancient Greek for wino) who helps discover "good, quaffable wine at reasonable prices." The blog's philosophy can be summed up in a single paragraph in one of the only two entries he has had time to post: "Enough talk - let's have a drink!" That could serve as a motto for those die-hards following the strange case.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080227.BCHAWTHORN27/TPStory/TPNational/BritishColumbia/____________________________________________________________________
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Just a thought: while it may not have been regular sex between consenting adults, many British Columbians certainly figure they were screwed by the "sale" of BC Rail. - BC Mary.
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Riding Bill Tieleman's coat-tails
To the sound of (my own) trumpet being blown ... and despite the insults, which I graciously accept because Robin Mathews once told me that people in Show Biz say, "a pan is as good as a rave" ... and Bill says "any publicity is good publicity" and a couple of other quotes are: "Mary, we must be getting to them!" ... here is BC Mary's entry into The Globe and Mail (if you scroll way, way down) :
_________________________________________________
THE LEGISLATURE RAID
For this blogger, this case has just about everything
Covert photos. Mysterious witnesses. A billion dollars. 'We just need to add some sex and it would be perfect'
TOM HAWTHORN
Special to The Globe and Mail; tom hawthorntomhawthorn@gmail.com [sic]
February 27, 2008
VICTORIA -- The click-clicking of computer keys could be heard on the other end of the telephone line.
"I'm posting a Basi-Virk blog item as we speak. No rest for the wicked," Bill Tieleman said. He paused. "Four years without rest."
Sure enough, another 1,000-word item popped up on billtieleman.blogspot.com. Most of it was the draft Hansard text of a statement in the legislature in which several newspaper articles were cited, as well as Mr. Tieleman's blog. {Snip} ...
"It's a frustrating case to cover," Mr. Tieleman said. "It's very complex. At times it moves at a glacial pace and other times it's an avalanche."
Mr. Tieleman, 51, is one of the regulars. The other reporters frequently in attendance are Neal Hall of the Vancouver Sun, Camille Bains of The Canadian Press, and Mark Hume of this newspaper. Robin Mathews, a retired professor notorious for his long-running battles with the Canadian literary establishment, writes incendiary postings from the court for ViveleCanada.ca, which are reprinted at "The Legislature Raids" blog by a tireless champion of the case known by her online pseudonym of BC Mary. This week, Mr. Mathews suggests the Gordon Campbell government may be an illegitimate rogue state. He also called for the removal from the case of Madam Justice Elizabeth Bennett.
Mr. Mathews's cynicism about the judiciary is never far from the surface and BC Mary's conspiratorial musings about the motives of CanWest journalists are pointlessly distracting. Still, this is a case where even so sober a commentator as Vancouver Sun columnist Vaughn Palmer warned the Premier earlier this month about avoiding "suspicions of cover-up." {Snip} ...
[Bill Tieleman] has been a columnist for nine years, including stints with the National Post and the Georgia Straight. Before that, he worked the morning shift at the Vancouver Sun back in the days when it cranked out three editions for afternoon sales. He remembers city editor Jack Brooks, a Fleet Street refugee, pointing at his wristwatch while barking, "Chop, chop, mate, where's the bloody story?!"
Mr. Tieleman knows a good story. He was born into one. His father, who fought in the Dutch resistance, was the navigator aboard the fabled RCMP schooner St. Roch on its final crossing of the Northwest Passage in 1954. [Bill corrects this, on his blog. It was the final-ever voyage of the St Roch. - BC Mary]
In between bouts of journalism, Mr. Tieleman worked as communications director for then-NDP-premier Glen Clark for six months and handled communications for the B.C. Federation of Labour for six years. He will mark the 10th anniversary of launching his West Star Communications consultancy later this year.
Mr. Tieleman was on holiday in Seattle in the last days of 2003 when his cellphone began ringing like a fire bell. The RCMP and Victoria police had raided offices at the legislature. A quick Google search of the principals involved brought up a Tieleman column from the Georgia Straight in which he described the connections between Paul Martin's federal Liberals and Mr. Campbell's provincial Liberals. Every reporter in the country wanted background for a story that, as we say in the business, has all the elements.
"It's got everything you'd want if you cover politics. Massive amounts of money. A billion-dollar privatization. Allegations of cover-ups reaching right into the premier's office. Missing notes, missing hard drives, secret witnesses. It has the potential to bring down a government.
"We just need to add some sex and it would be perfect."
When the court debates lag, Mr. Tieleman allows himself to be amused by imagining what would certainly be a highlight of a trial - former finance minister Gary Collins in the witness box testifying about a meal with railway executives at the posh Villa del Lupo restaurant, during which he unknowingly was watched and photographed by RCMP investigators.
"That alone is worth waiting for," he said.
In another bizarre twist to a story with no shortage of them, Mr. Tieleman went to work one day in December only to discover his office had been ransacked. Bookcases had been tipped over and papers strewn, but nothing was missing. To top it off, a press kit for the self-published novel The Raid, written by a retired military officer in Metchosin and featuring on its cover a photograph from the 2003 police raid, had been left in a conspicuous place.
That startled someone not given to conspiracy theories.
Another casualty of the never-ending case has been Mr. Tieleman's other blog in which he posts as the Wine Barbarian, an oenophile (which I believe is ancient Greek for wino) who helps discover "good, quaffable wine at reasonable prices." The blog's philosophy can be summed up in a single paragraph in one of the only two entries he has had time to post: "Enough talk - let's have a drink!" That could serve as a motto for those die-hards following the strange case.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080227.BCHAWTHORN27/TPStory/TPNational/BritishColumbia/____________________________________________________________________
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Just a thought: while it may not have been regular sex between consenting adults, many British Columbians certainly figure they were screwed by the "sale" of BC Rail. - BC Mary.
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Comments:
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I notice the redoubtable Tom Hawthorn himself (or someone purporting to be him) has weighed in at The House of Infamy...
I was quite pleased with his contribution there.
Wake up guys and gals, there are signs a lot more people are starting to get 'interested' in this here little raid case....
I hope Justice Bennett still reads the Globe and Mail.
Serenity now.
I was quite pleased with his contribution there.
Wake up guys and gals, there are signs a lot more people are starting to get 'interested' in this here little raid case....
I hope Justice Bennett still reads the Globe and Mail.
Serenity now.
# posted by 
: February 28, 2008 at 9:42 a.m.
: February 28, 2008 at 9:42 a.m.
"We just need to ad some sex and it would be perfect"
There were some wiretapped cellphone conversations wherein Erik Bornman complained about his sex life to David Basi. There also some communications between Erik Bornman and Mark Marissen that the crown refused to discuss in court because of their "personal" nature.
Maybe some sex will emerge out of this story after all.
There were some wiretapped cellphone conversations wherein Erik Bornman complained about his sex life to David Basi. There also some communications between Erik Bornman and Mark Marissen that the crown refused to discuss in court because of their "personal" nature.
Maybe some sex will emerge out of this story after all.
# posted by : February 28, 2008 at 9:51 a.m.
: February 28, 2008 at 9:51 a.m.
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Hey, 9:51, you're not allowed to make stuff up, OK?
But I suppose that if Mr Lobbyist confided something lewd to Mr Ministerial Aide, it could be embarrassing enough to prompt anybody to ... um, er ... ('ow do you say in henglish?) cover up?
But I'm pretty sure those wire-tap records are among the stuff which hasn't been disclosed. You'll see requests for their disclosure mentioned over and over on the Court Listings for pre-trial hearings.
Me, I still think the unhappy partner in this affair is the BC public.
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Hey, 9:51, you're not allowed to make stuff up, OK?
But I suppose that if Mr Lobbyist confided something lewd to Mr Ministerial Aide, it could be embarrassing enough to prompt anybody to ... um, er ... ('ow do you say in henglish?) cover up?
But I'm pretty sure those wire-tap records are among the stuff which hasn't been disclosed. You'll see requests for their disclosure mentioned over and over on the Court Listings for pre-trial hearings.
Me, I still think the unhappy partner in this affair is the BC public.
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Kudos to your name in lights, BCMary - I'll listen to your "musings" & diligence with the facts on this trial any day! Did I detect a little gender issue seeping into the G & M LOL!
It's obvious that you have pushed some hot buttons here LOL!
Congrats to Prof Robin & Mr. T for your contributions here.
You have brought it all together under one roof - I have no doubt much to the chagrin of some people!! This cover up needs all the opinions & questions vs the pablum that gets doled out in the MSM.
The public deserves to hear EVERYTHING.
It's obvious that you have pushed some hot buttons here LOL!
Congrats to Prof Robin & Mr. T for your contributions here.
You have brought it all together under one roof - I have no doubt much to the chagrin of some people!! This cover up needs all the opinions & questions vs the pablum that gets doled out in the MSM.
The public deserves to hear EVERYTHING.
# posted by : February 28, 2008 at 12:23 p.m.
: February 28, 2008 at 12:23 p.m.
It's taken a while Mary but your tireless work has finally gone National. Congratulations on the reward for your hard work. And Thanks to Bill, Robin, Kootcoot, Ross K, and all the others who have taken the time to dig out or comment on information on this subject.
Along with the National thing. I notice that there seems to be a lot of talk around timing of Government Information and the Actual Raid itself. I'm speaking to the situation where someone had mentioned the protocal vs the actual raid and the fact that the deal had not been finalized. I'm looking into the timing of when this deal was sent to the federal government for ratification. That may be what was meant by "not finalized". I think it had to go through the Federal MOT and a couple of other committees. If I'm correct in what I think the timing is, then that will open another Pandoras' Box.
Along with the National thing. I notice that there seems to be a lot of talk around timing of Government Information and the Actual Raid itself. I'm speaking to the situation where someone had mentioned the protocal vs the actual raid and the fact that the deal had not been finalized. I'm looking into the timing of when this deal was sent to the federal government for ratification. That may be what was meant by "not finalized". I think it had to go through the Federal MOT and a couple of other committees. If I'm correct in what I think the timing is, then that will open another Pandoras' Box.
# posted by : February 28, 2008 at 1:09 p.m.
: February 28, 2008 at 1:09 p.m.
This is also a revealing aspect of timing: Gordon Campbell announced on Wednesday, November, 19, 2003 that CP Rail had withdrawn from the bid to buy BC Rail, complaining the process was unfair.
Later, on December 2, 2003 (a.m.) hansard records Joy MacPhail asking these questions in the legislature:
J. MacPhail: When did cabinet meet?
Hon. J. Reid: The proposal was presented to cabinet Wednesday, November 19. There were still a number of unfinished segments, so cabinet gave its approval subject to satisfactory completion of a number of outstanding issues.
J. MacPhail: So cabinet didn't approve the final deal?
Hon. J. Reid: Cabinet gave the negotiating team the authority to seek a deal, subject to very clearly defined parameters.
J. MacPhail: Boy, you know, it's very interesting. They claim there was no final deal made until the Monday. They made a big deal about the fact that the fix wasn't in and that Monday was crucial. That's the way this government presented it. That Monday was crucial, and cabinet didn't even approve the final deal. You can't have it both ways. Government can't have it both ways — that no, the deal wasn't done until the Monday, and yet cabinet didn't approve the final deal.
Oh, I feel so confident as a taxpayer that cabinet didn't even approve this final deal — or else the fix was in. It's got to be one or the other. It can't be both. Cabinet didn't approve the final deal, or they certainly didn't approve it before the great hoopla. The public can't see the transaction agreement. Some backbenchers saw the transaction agreement and some cabinet ministers, but otherwise, in all those second reading speeches that these government caucus MLAs were making, they had no idea what's in the deal — no idea.
When was it approved? When was the final deal approved by cabinet?
later down the hansard record.....
J. MacPhail: Oh, the minister is not going to answer the question, because here's what happened. Well, there are two scenarios. The government was misleading the public when they said the final deal was done November 24, and it was done much before then, and we'll never know when. Or cabinet hasn't approved the final deal, or they approved it after the announcement was made.
In either case, the minister…. Actually, it's not the minister. She's just the front person. The Premier misled the public on one of those two scenarios — on one of them — or perhaps cabinet still hasn't approved the final deal, which would make them in exactly the same cloud of fluffy non-information as the rest of the public. Doesn't that give great confidence.
If indeed, as the minister says, there were just a few factors to clear up, what were they after? What took place between November 19 and the final deal being made on November 24? What were the aspects that needed to be resolved?
Later, on December 2, 2003 (a.m.) hansard records Joy MacPhail asking these questions in the legislature:
J. MacPhail: When did cabinet meet?
Hon. J. Reid: The proposal was presented to cabinet Wednesday, November 19. There were still a number of unfinished segments, so cabinet gave its approval subject to satisfactory completion of a number of outstanding issues.
J. MacPhail: So cabinet didn't approve the final deal?
Hon. J. Reid: Cabinet gave the negotiating team the authority to seek a deal, subject to very clearly defined parameters.
J. MacPhail: Boy, you know, it's very interesting. They claim there was no final deal made until the Monday. They made a big deal about the fact that the fix wasn't in and that Monday was crucial. That's the way this government presented it. That Monday was crucial, and cabinet didn't even approve the final deal. You can't have it both ways. Government can't have it both ways — that no, the deal wasn't done until the Monday, and yet cabinet didn't approve the final deal.
Oh, I feel so confident as a taxpayer that cabinet didn't even approve this final deal — or else the fix was in. It's got to be one or the other. It can't be both. Cabinet didn't approve the final deal, or they certainly didn't approve it before the great hoopla. The public can't see the transaction agreement. Some backbenchers saw the transaction agreement and some cabinet ministers, but otherwise, in all those second reading speeches that these government caucus MLAs were making, they had no idea what's in the deal — no idea.
When was it approved? When was the final deal approved by cabinet?
later down the hansard record.....
J. MacPhail: Oh, the minister is not going to answer the question, because here's what happened. Well, there are two scenarios. The government was misleading the public when they said the final deal was done November 24, and it was done much before then, and we'll never know when. Or cabinet hasn't approved the final deal, or they approved it after the announcement was made.
In either case, the minister…. Actually, it's not the minister. She's just the front person. The Premier misled the public on one of those two scenarios — on one of them — or perhaps cabinet still hasn't approved the final deal, which would make them in exactly the same cloud of fluffy non-information as the rest of the public. Doesn't that give great confidence.
If indeed, as the minister says, there were just a few factors to clear up, what were they after? What took place between November 19 and the final deal being made on November 24? What were the aspects that needed to be resolved?
# posted by : February 28, 2008 at 5:10 p.m.
: February 28, 2008 at 5:10 p.m.
Does anyone hear from Joy McPhail? She and Jenny Kwan must be pretty knowledgeable and interested. I hope so. They did an amazing job back then.
# posted by : February 28, 2008 at 7:04 p.m.
: February 28, 2008 at 7:04 p.m.
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Bill T. is the one to ask about Joy MacPhail as he has a recent photo of her on his blog.
I've seen Joy on CTV quite regularly, speaking as part of political panels.
The NDP could surely benefit from her participation. I wonder if anybody asks her?
Anybody know her future plans?
.
Bill T. is the one to ask about Joy MacPhail as he has a recent photo of her on his blog.
I've seen Joy on CTV quite regularly, speaking as part of political panels.
The NDP could surely benefit from her participation. I wonder if anybody asks her?
Anybody know her future plans?
.
A comment on your thought at the end of this article.
I certainly didn't consent to being screwed by Campbells' government at any time. Do you think I could charge them with Rape?
I certainly didn't consent to being screwed by Campbells' government at any time. Do you think I could charge them with Rape?
# posted by : February 28, 2008 at 10:07 p.m.
: February 28, 2008 at 10:07 p.m.
Mary, I just finished reading the GlowBalls article half an hour ago! I think Tom Whosits is trying for a job with the Sun, with those shots at you and Robin and the sniffing about all sweetness and light at Palmer's shoes. While I did learn a lot about Bill, I figured he had to be dutch with that name. Yay for the dutch. Tom mostly floats about the island here writing obits. On well, some one has to do it. If it were me I'd like get their name or their dates wrong.
I just think you and Robin should get way more kudo's and appreciation than you do. And you do it every day!
lynx, hansard person. You blow me away too. I get lost in there. Wonderful timewaster. But you come up with gems.
I shall go back to lurking again.
Thanks again, Geo
I just think you and Robin should get way more kudo's and appreciation than you do. And you do it every day!
lynx, hansard person. You blow me away too. I get lost in there. Wonderful timewaster. But you come up with gems.
I shall go back to lurking again.
Thanks again, Geo
gary e,
This is a quote from your comment (above):
"... I'm looking into the timing of when this deal was sent to the federal government for ratification. That may be what was meant by "not finalized". I think it had to go through the Federal MOT and a couple of other committees. If I'm correct in what I think the timing is, then that will open another Pandoras' Box."
Anything new on that?
.
Post a Comment
This is a quote from your comment (above):
"... I'm looking into the timing of when this deal was sent to the federal government for ratification. That may be what was meant by "not finalized". I think it had to go through the Federal MOT and a couple of other committees. If I'm correct in what I think the timing is, then that will open another Pandoras' Box."
Anything new on that?
.
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