Friday, February 22, 2008
Rich Coleman 'intervened' with RCMP
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Someone on The Tyee mentioned a web-site which looks well-run and informative. Here is a sample from their collection. - BC Mary.
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Solicitor-general ‘intervened’ with RCMP, court told
Mark Hume, Globe and Mail - May 4, 2007
The solicitor-general of British Columbia “intervened” in a politically explosive RCMP investigation by heading off police before they could interview one of the most powerful members of cabinet, the Supreme Court of British Columbia was told yesterday.
Defence lawyer Michael Bolton said an RCMP investigative team was set to fly to Hawaii to track down Gary Collins, then finance minister, the day after police raided the B.C. Legislature on Dec. 28, 2003.
The police wanted to tackle Mr. Collins with questions about his trusted ministerial aide, Dave Basi, as soon as possible after the raid, which generated massive news coverage in B.C.
Police, who at the time were investigating alleged breaches of trust by Mr. Basi and two other civil servants in the privatization of BC Rail, also intended to interview transportation minister Judith Reid, who was holidaying on the islands.
But Mr. Bolton said police decided not to go, even though they had cleared their Hawaii visit with the FBI attaché in Vancouver, after solicitor-general Rich Coleman’s office contacted senior officers.
“The government is concerned that Collins and Reid could inadvertently expose cabinet confidences,” said an RCMP briefing note on the solicitor- general’s concerns, which Mr. Bolton read in court.
“The solicitor-general intervened,” Mr. Bolton said. “The solicitor-general has become very involved in the investigation. … [He’s] making investigative decisions such as when to interview Mr. Collins.”
Mr. Bolton said police didn’t take a statement from Mr. Collins until some two months later.
Mr. Coleman, who is now forests minister, rejected the allegation. “I’m not going to comment on what’s before the courts, but I can tell you at no time during my time as the solicitor-general of this province did I influence any police investigation,” Mr. Coleman told CTV in Victoria.
But in court, Mr. Bolton read parts of a statement Mr. Collins gave police in which he said one of the first people he called when he heard about the legislature search was Mr. Coleman.
“I am politically astute enough to know that this is a really, really, really bad thing,” Mr. Collins said of the search. “So I managed to track down the solicitor-general … [who said] it had something to do with organized crime.” {Snip} ...
The trial, which is giving glimpses into the backroom operations of the Liberals in B.C., has produced numerous allegations of political dirty tricks being directed by Dave Basi with the approval of Mr. Collins and top officials in Premier Gordon Campbell’s office.
Yesterday, a new assertion was made, that Pilothouse paid the mayor of Quesnel to attack CN in the local media. Mr. Bolton said Pilothouse, on behalf of OmniTRAX, paid Stephen Wallace $1,000, by writing a cheque to Wallace Driving School.
Court heard that Mr. Wallace, who is no longer mayor, said in a statement to police that he was paid $500 a day “to sample public opinion.”
Mr. Bolton said a Pilothouse note to OmniTRAX states: “Our friend understands where this originates from and is grateful. He went to the local media … and said CN will close the [BC Rail] line.”
The case is expected to continue until the fall.
http://www.rcmpwatch.com/solicitor-general-intervened-with-rcmp-court-told/#more-252
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Someone on The Tyee mentioned a web-site which looks well-run and informative. Here is a sample from their collection. - BC Mary.
___________________________________________________________________________
Solicitor-general ‘intervened’ with RCMP, court told
Mark Hume, Globe and Mail - May 4, 2007
The solicitor-general of British Columbia “intervened” in a politically explosive RCMP investigation by heading off police before they could interview one of the most powerful members of cabinet, the Supreme Court of British Columbia was told yesterday.
Defence lawyer Michael Bolton said an RCMP investigative team was set to fly to Hawaii to track down Gary Collins, then finance minister, the day after police raided the B.C. Legislature on Dec. 28, 2003.
The police wanted to tackle Mr. Collins with questions about his trusted ministerial aide, Dave Basi, as soon as possible after the raid, which generated massive news coverage in B.C.
Police, who at the time were investigating alleged breaches of trust by Mr. Basi and two other civil servants in the privatization of BC Rail, also intended to interview transportation minister Judith Reid, who was holidaying on the islands.
But Mr. Bolton said police decided not to go, even though they had cleared their Hawaii visit with the FBI attaché in Vancouver, after solicitor-general Rich Coleman’s office contacted senior officers.
“The government is concerned that Collins and Reid could inadvertently expose cabinet confidences,” said an RCMP briefing note on the solicitor- general’s concerns, which Mr. Bolton read in court.
“The solicitor-general intervened,” Mr. Bolton said. “The solicitor-general has become very involved in the investigation. … [He’s] making investigative decisions such as when to interview Mr. Collins.”
Mr. Bolton said police didn’t take a statement from Mr. Collins until some two months later.
Mr. Coleman, who is now forests minister, rejected the allegation. “I’m not going to comment on what’s before the courts, but I can tell you at no time during my time as the solicitor-general of this province did I influence any police investigation,” Mr. Coleman told CTV in Victoria.
But in court, Mr. Bolton read parts of a statement Mr. Collins gave police in which he said one of the first people he called when he heard about the legislature search was Mr. Coleman.
“I am politically astute enough to know that this is a really, really, really bad thing,” Mr. Collins said of the search. “So I managed to track down the solicitor-general … [who said] it had something to do with organized crime.” {Snip} ...
The trial, which is giving glimpses into the backroom operations of the Liberals in B.C., has produced numerous allegations of political dirty tricks being directed by Dave Basi with the approval of Mr. Collins and top officials in Premier Gordon Campbell’s office.
Yesterday, a new assertion was made, that Pilothouse paid the mayor of Quesnel to attack CN in the local media. Mr. Bolton said Pilothouse, on behalf of OmniTRAX, paid Stephen Wallace $1,000, by writing a cheque to Wallace Driving School.
Court heard that Mr. Wallace, who is no longer mayor, said in a statement to police that he was paid $500 a day “to sample public opinion.”
Mr. Bolton said a Pilothouse note to OmniTRAX states: “Our friend understands where this originates from and is grateful. He went to the local media … and said CN will close the [BC Rail] line.”
The case is expected to continue until the fall.
http://www.rcmpwatch.com/solicitor-general-intervened-with-rcmp-court-told/#more-252
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Comments:
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How can anyone believe this den of thieves over in Victoria when they can't even get their stories straight.
# posted by 
: February 22, 2008 at 7:53 p.m.
: February 22, 2008 at 7:53 p.m.
Does anyone have a background article on Coleman? I mean is he just a dirty cop or what is the story?
With the shady Tree Farm License deal on Vancouver Island and now this, shouldn't this guy be facing a lot of scrutiny?
I'd say any FOI request that involves anything that Coleman has touched should be released by government officials as being in the public interest. We have a very [EDITED FOR POSSIBLE LIBEL] politican who must be exposed [EDITED]. I want to know his paper trail of [EDITED BY SITE MODERATOR. PLEASE BE MORE CAREFUL IN WHAT YOU SAY ABOUT PEOPLE.] while he was in office in BC.
With the shady Tree Farm License deal on Vancouver Island and now this, shouldn't this guy be facing a lot of scrutiny?
I'd say any FOI request that involves anything that Coleman has touched should be released by government officials as being in the public interest. We have a very [EDITED FOR POSSIBLE LIBEL] politican who must be exposed [EDITED]. I want to know his paper trail of [EDITED BY SITE MODERATOR. PLEASE BE MORE CAREFUL IN WHAT YOU SAY ABOUT PEOPLE.] while he was in office in BC.
# posted by : February 22, 2008 at 8:12 p.m.
: February 22, 2008 at 8:12 p.m.
Hi Mary, how about just editing those comments with something more like "[I feel] he is a corrupt politician"
# posted by : February 22, 2008 at 9:43 p.m.
: February 22, 2008 at 9:43 p.m.
I won't accuse Mr. Coleman of anything in particular, but his greasy fingerprints do seem to appear in relation to many questionable actions of Campbell and Company Ltd.
As the heavily edited anon-o-mouse above points out he seemed to be the public face of government in their response to peoples' concerns about the currently fashionable trend of forestry companies trying to go into real estate development.
He was of course Solicitor-General at time of the raids and during the early stages of this investigation or cover-up. His patronizing tough cop sneer crowned with his boar bristle old school RCMP hairdo when confronted by critically curious questions doesn't inspire much confidence in his "answers." Answers that generally seem to be supported by the logic of "That's the way it is because I SAY SO." He radiates the attitude that we MUST accept his explanation since nobody else could ever KNOW what he knows.
The public should be able to have confidence in the impartiality of the Solicitor-General and Attorney General of their government! They are in positions that make it much too easy to provide cover for members of their own team. Thus should act in a manner that would eliminate even the appearance of any such abuse of our trust!
These ministers swear an oath of allegience to the Queen and the public trust - not to Gordon Campbell and the BC Lieberal Agenda. Well, at least that's the theory.
As the heavily edited anon-o-mouse above points out he seemed to be the public face of government in their response to peoples' concerns about the currently fashionable trend of forestry companies trying to go into real estate development.
He was of course Solicitor-General at time of the raids and during the early stages of this investigation or cover-up. His patronizing tough cop sneer crowned with his boar bristle old school RCMP hairdo when confronted by critically curious questions doesn't inspire much confidence in his "answers." Answers that generally seem to be supported by the logic of "That's the way it is because I SAY SO." He radiates the attitude that we MUST accept his explanation since nobody else could ever KNOW what he knows.
The public should be able to have confidence in the impartiality of the Solicitor-General and Attorney General of their government! They are in positions that make it much too easy to provide cover for members of their own team. Thus should act in a manner that would eliminate even the appearance of any such abuse of our trust!
These ministers swear an oath of allegience to the Queen and the public trust - not to Gordon Campbell and the BC Lieberal Agenda. Well, at least that's the theory.
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Anonymous 9:43, you're not suggesting that I begin putting words in commentors' mouths, are you??
The rule is: an editor can remove text but cannot ethically add to someone else's text.
OK?
But commentors can always write again, if they avoid the libelous accusations there's no problem.
.
Anonymous 9:43, you're not suggesting that I begin putting words in commentors' mouths, are you??
The rule is: an editor can remove text but cannot ethically add to someone else's text.
OK?
But commentors can always write again, if they avoid the libelous accusations there's no problem.
.
I had a police problem that I took to the then sol/gen Rich Coleman. He told me that 'it's a case of police investigating police' and that I was not a subject of and FBI probe. What I didn't tell Coleman (because I didn't and still don't trust him), is that I had a conversation with a US Marine. Who told me that 'they' had 30 specially trained agents in BC to investigate terrorism! This was July 2003. Dec 03??? Involves police corruption, political interference and terrorism! MY POINT IS, faslified documents! The Arar scandal continues...
# posted by : February 23, 2008 at 7:37 a.m.
: February 23, 2008 at 7:37 a.m.
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Anonymous 7:37,
So you have seen Rich Coleman right up close, eh. Talked to him and all.
I do know how careful you must be, when discussing personal events like this, but if you could tell us just a bit more, it would help us to know just what you are getting at.
Like, especially the line beginning Dec 03???
Thanks, if you can explain more.
.
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Anonymous 7:37,
So you have seen Rich Coleman right up close, eh. Talked to him and all.
I do know how careful you must be, when discussing personal events like this, but if you could tell us just a bit more, it would help us to know just what you are getting at.
Like, especially the line beginning Dec 03???
Thanks, if you can explain more.
.
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