Friday, March 14, 2008

 

Transcripts may be available next week

.
It has been 3 or 4 days since Madam Justice Elizabeth Bennett "released" the Basi-Virk Affidavits regarding the requests for disclosure from the government. But those who are awaiting copies of court transcripts may have another week's wait.

The helpful and courteous lady at Criminal Registry explained to Robin that Crown counsel has to come down and go through it all to decide what is meant and what can be released.

She says it's a good idea to telephone ahead, before visiting Criminal Registry, to make sure the documents have been readied.

She said "Call in the middle of next week ..." that is, March 19 or later.

- BC Mary.


""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

Comments:
If the trial is to go ahead without glitches, one must believe the folks handing out the papers don't accidentally hand out the wrong ones. I can wait, so can the rest of us. The judge is being cautious. DL
 
Well the rate this trial is going, if anybody winds up doing time, they might be locking up caskets with perps in them.
 
Hi mary,

these quotes were released by the ndp.Most are relevant to your blog.



NEWSWIRE

In Quotes: What they're saying this week


The breath-taking insensitivity of Liberal MLAs

On residential schools

"I don't believe for a moment that every child that went to a residential school was abused; I think a lot of aboriginal people benefited greatly from the residential school system, but we never hear from them."
- Bulkley Valley--Stikine MLA Dennis MacKay (Hansard), March 12, 2008

On the ethical breach in the Premier's office

Incompetent or corrupt: pick one

"Dobell was paid $250 an hour to advise government. Yet, his defense lawyer, Terence Robertson, said, 'Dobell held an honest but mistaken belief throughout that his activities were lawful.'
"I have to ask, why do we pay a guy $250 an hour who, by his own admission, doesn't know what he's doing?"
- Former SoCred cabinet minister Bruce Strachan (Prince George Citizen), March 13, 2008

Arrogance, thy name is Campbell (Part 1)

"One minute Dobell could be providing Campbell with policy advice under his government contract. The next, he could be lobbying Campbell for more money for housing in Vancouver, part of his job under a contract with the city.
"So far, the government has failed to acknowledge the problems and its errors in judgment. It risks the appearance of arrogance -- a belief that its actions are not governed by the rules and standards of accountability that it would apply to others."
- Editorial (Times Colonist), March 12, 2008

Arrogance, thy name is Campbell (Part 2)

"It speaks to the arrogance that is wrapped around the upper echelon of this government. Increasingly, you get the impression that the place is run by a little club of people -- the Premier, his hand-picked deputies, chief of staff and people like Ken Dobell who are above everyone else. It gave the impression that certain rules weren't that important because we know what's better, we know what's best."
- Keith Baldrey (CKNW), March 14, 2008

It would be funny, if it wasn't so outrageous

"Let me get this straight: Gordon Campbell's closest friend and political adviser is accused by a special prosecutor of influence peddling, he pleads guilty to provincial lobbying charges and he also runs afoul of federal lobbying regulations. But the NDP are the ones who should apologize? Now I've heard everything. Sorry, but the Liberals don't get the last laugh on this one."
- Mike Smyth (the Province), March 14, 2008

The rules are different for the friends of Campbell (Part 1)

"Ken Dobell, a friend of the premier can plead guilty to a violation of the Lobbyist Registration Act, but still keeps lobbying, all because he is a good ol' boy."
- Former MLA Gordon Wilson (letter to the editor, the Province), May 13, 2008

The rules are different for the friends of Campbell (Part 2)

"If the Liberals really cared, they would call an inquiry into the disquieting relationship that seems to have developed in Victoria between lobbyists and senior civil servants.
"If nothing else, it would establish that the rules matter and ethical behaviour is mandated. Then smart guys like Dobell will know the law applies to them as well.
"The current situation is a bad way to run a railroad."
- Ian Mulgrew (Vancouver Sun), March 12, 2008

Hail to the Control-Freak-in-Chief

"Classic Campbell. He loves the muddled chain of command, the platoon of advisers reporting directly to the control-freak-in-chief."
- Vaughn Palmer (Vancouver Sun), March 14, 2008

Just a few choice quotes from StoneWally Oppal

"The federal law is not any more applicable than the law of Argentina."
- Wally Oppal (Hansard) March 12, 2008

"Oh, he's guilty. Yes, we know that. He pled guilty."
- Wally Oppal (Hansard) March 12, 2008

"There's Mr. Dobell, there's Mr. Basi, and there's Mr. Virk. I guess they're all before the court, so that's something common there."
- Wally Oppal (Hansard) March 11, 2008

On the BC Rail corruption trial

Who would play Voldemort, we wonder?

"If you're a Harry Potter fan, this case is to the hallowed halls of the legislature what Moaning Myrtle is to Hogwarts, a ghost that is shrieky, ever-present, and spilling uncomfortable home truths."
- Shachi Kurl (Vancouver Sun), March 13, 2008

On health care privatization

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Privatization

"As a result, one would think the premier and his purported band of Shaolin MLAs could come up with something better than feigned incompetence when it came to the encroachment of the private sector into the Canada Health Act.
"But a dullard's shrug seems to be the government's response whenever the NDP points out another firm of medical mercenaries is taking shelter in B.C."
- Rodney Venis (Prince George Citizen), March 14, 2008


*************************************************************************
 
Anon-0-Mouse at 8:40 AM, just above.

An excellent collection of quotes, may I dub thee either the "QuoteMaster" or the excellent "Quote Collector?"

Talk to Mary (or maybe I should speak for myself, me at the House)
about a weekly post of classic quotes. Your selection is awesome!
 
"but a dullard's shrug seems to be the government's response whenever the NDP points out another firm of medical mercenaries is taking shelter in B.C."

I call the "dullard's shrug" the "Bobblehead Abbott Premium Head Bob," guaranteed to soothe even the most highly aroused of pit vipers. But, I like the "dullard's shrug" also - it fits!
 
.
Reminder:

Tomorrow (March 19) is the day to begin phoning the Supreme Court Criminal Registry to ask if those Basi-Virk transcripts are available to the public yet.

.
 
Hi Mary,

Hi kootcoot, thank you, but I cannot take any credit for putting the quotes above together as they were e-mailed to me from the ndp.
I’m not a member but I did sign up for there mail out, as I like to hear the other side of the story, and not just believing the Gordon Campbell spin. We all know how the truth is hard to source in this province. I wrote Mrs. James and told her I thought these collections of quotes were an excellent idea. The quotes are mailed every week or two. And yes a weekly quote collection would be great!

Mary,

You mentioned to your readers that the lawyers, prosecution, and judge would determine if cameras would be allowed in the courtroom. I’m wondering if you have any ideas as to how the average British Columbian could contact the judge or prosecution to let them know, we the people need to understand what happened to OUR railroad?

The public can no longer trust the media to deliver the truth in this trial or anything else that has to do with this Campbell government.

There would be nothing better then listening to the evidence yourself to determine the truth.
 
.
Hi Anonymous 11:43,

It's the judge who decides whether or not TV cameras will be allowed to film the courtroom proceedings.

And as I understand things, the attending lawyers must make the request for such a ruling.

The defence lawyers are probably the ones most interested in having the proceedings seen more widely. But in any case, I'd cc each of them, defence and prosecution alike. You'll find their addresses by googling the Law Society.

In fact, I did that: I e.mailed the only one with a published e.mail address, then I mailed hard copies to each of the other lawyers, asking if they would make this request for TV cameras.

No response yet.

So I am wondering if it would be a good idea also to ask:

* your own M.L.A., and
* Leonard Krog, the justice critic who has attended some pre-trial hearings
* Attorney General Wally Oppal.

I hope you will give it a try. If enough public interest is shown, it could make all the difference ... and watching this trial unfold could become a reality. We have a right to that, when you think what this investigation and trial is costing the people of B.C.

.
 
The documents still weren't available when I checked this afternoon.
 
.
Robin says that he was busy all day and when he did phone the Registry, the documents WERE ready but there wasn't enough time for him to get there to pick them up.

So it's Tuesday (after Easter weekend) for the next working day for pick-up.

.
 
.....looks like I may have have two boxes going simultaneously at work on Tuesday....one for actual work....and for Mary's place.....

.
 
Post a Comment



<< Home