Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Two years ago ... TLR
.
Two years ago today, The Legislature Raids first appeared. The Basi Virk trial was scheduled to begin on June 5, 2006 ... and Judge Bennett told us: "but not later than December 4, 2006".
This is TLR's 631st posted item. With some items containing multiple news items, that's fresh news almost every day. All posts arise from the police raids on the B.C. Legislature or about people and events relating BC Rail.
NOTHING CAN COMPARE TO BC RAIL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPc85XO5UKQ&NR=1
"The final lap on the Squamish Sub"
For 75 years BCRail (first as PGE) was a legendary part of our history. Our experienced mountain trainmen brought BCRail trains safely through our wild, upended terrain.
Readers can click on the dates in the left column to review any week from our first 2 years. Type the name into the SEARCH box to see any TLR post on a person or event. We've taken on every aspect surrounding BCRail and its wide influence as a BC icon.
This web-site has become a useful archive. In addition, at least twice TLR has brought news to the public which they might otherwise not have known:
1) the CN head-on train wreck on the banks of the Fraser River at Prince George,
2) the "Bait-and-Switch" maneuver in Supreme Court on May 2, 2008.
Item #1 illustrated that big corporations can bamboozle the media. We told the story that the head-on collision couldn't have happened in the downtown CN railyard as they said because Citizen Journalists had actually videoed the CN trainwreck showing contaminants spilling into the Fraser River.
Item #2 illustrates that mainstream journalists can work with bloggers like us to real advantage. As these two items show: sometimes we can find out things faster and better; sometimes they can. Sometimes, too, we can say things that Big Media can't or won't say. It's a bonus for the public.
TLR's general news focus has gradually shifted away from allegations of drugs trafficking because the charges against Dave Basi were dropped -- a mistake, I believe, given the early reports that Jasmohan Singh Bains was overheard on wiretaps phoning his cousin Dave Basi at the Ministry of Finance. Basi was allegedly trying to get Bains a government job, and police believed Bains at the time was Mr Big on the West Coast.
Let's not forget that two years ago, Bill 23 was being rushed through the Legislature, designed to maintain secrecy on the findings of any Public Inquiry. Bill 30 was also rushed into law, designed to maintain secrecy over agreements made between government and corporations. Both these new laws could have a disastrous effect on this important case.
Our focus has swung around to the premier's office because defence lawyers for Basi-Virk seem convinced that any premier would know if a major public asset like Canada's 3rd largest railway was being privatized and sold; it would have been his decision to do so; He'd know why, how, when, and to whom. He would vet every detail. Be that as it may ... whatever Gordon Campbell does know is, he says, "privileged" information which he cannot discuss with us. TLR keeps returning to that.
Right now, we are working on questions like: Was B.C. ever paid that $1Billion? If so, when? How? Has CN fulfilled all its contractual obligations, such as the purchase of 600 new railcars and repair of 1500? If not, has a formal complaint been laid? Because failure to upgrade the railcars is a major deal-breaker.
The Legislature Raids will continue to ask questions and to gather information as best we can. But we hope to be reporting on the trial of Basi, Virk, Basi before another year goes by. That's where we'll find the best answers to our questions about BC Rail.
And yes, I say "we" because others have given generously of their expertise, advice, and information. They are a very important part of TLR and they are much appreciated.
- BC Mary.
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Two years ago today, The Legislature Raids first appeared. The Basi Virk trial was scheduled to begin on June 5, 2006 ... and Judge Bennett told us: "but not later than December 4, 2006".
This is TLR's 631st posted item. With some items containing multiple news items, that's fresh news almost every day. All posts arise from the police raids on the B.C. Legislature or about people and events relating BC Rail.
NOTHING CAN COMPARE TO BC RAIL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPc85XO5UKQ&NR=1
"The final lap on the Squamish Sub"
For 75 years BCRail (first as PGE) was a legendary part of our history. Our experienced mountain trainmen brought BCRail trains safely through our wild, upended terrain.
Readers can click on the dates in the left column to review any week from our first 2 years. Type the name into the SEARCH box to see any TLR post on a person or event. We've taken on every aspect surrounding BCRail and its wide influence as a BC icon.
This web-site has become a useful archive. In addition, at least twice TLR has brought news to the public which they might otherwise not have known:
1) the CN head-on train wreck on the banks of the Fraser River at Prince George,
2) the "Bait-and-Switch" maneuver in Supreme Court on May 2, 2008.
Item #1 illustrated that big corporations can bamboozle the media. We told the story that the head-on collision couldn't have happened in the downtown CN railyard as they said because Citizen Journalists had actually videoed the CN trainwreck showing contaminants spilling into the Fraser River.
Item #2 illustrates that mainstream journalists can work with bloggers like us to real advantage. As these two items show: sometimes we can find out things faster and better; sometimes they can. Sometimes, too, we can say things that Big Media can't or won't say. It's a bonus for the public.
TLR's general news focus has gradually shifted away from allegations of drugs trafficking because the charges against Dave Basi were dropped -- a mistake, I believe, given the early reports that Jasmohan Singh Bains was overheard on wiretaps phoning his cousin Dave Basi at the Ministry of Finance. Basi was allegedly trying to get Bains a government job, and police believed Bains at the time was Mr Big on the West Coast.
Let's not forget that two years ago, Bill 23 was being rushed through the Legislature, designed to maintain secrecy on the findings of any Public Inquiry. Bill 30 was also rushed into law, designed to maintain secrecy over agreements made between government and corporations. Both these new laws could have a disastrous effect on this important case.
Our focus has swung around to the premier's office because defence lawyers for Basi-Virk seem convinced that any premier would know if a major public asset like Canada's 3rd largest railway was being privatized and sold; it would have been his decision to do so; He'd know why, how, when, and to whom. He would vet every detail. Be that as it may ... whatever Gordon Campbell does know is, he says, "privileged" information which he cannot discuss with us. TLR keeps returning to that.
Right now, we are working on questions like: Was B.C. ever paid that $1Billion? If so, when? How? Has CN fulfilled all its contractual obligations, such as the purchase of 600 new railcars and repair of 1500? If not, has a formal complaint been laid? Because failure to upgrade the railcars is a major deal-breaker.
The Legislature Raids will continue to ask questions and to gather information as best we can. But we hope to be reporting on the trial of Basi, Virk, Basi before another year goes by. That's where we'll find the best answers to our questions about BC Rail.
And yes, I say "we" because others have given generously of their expertise, advice, and information. They are a very important part of TLR and they are much appreciated.
- BC Mary.
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Comments:
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Regarding the 1500 railcars for repair is there anyone out there who ca shed lite on the subject. Such as did a company get hired to do the repairs and when they went to tell CN it would be a waste, was another company hired to wreck all 1500 cars even with some repair estimates as low as 5000 dollars.
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# posted by 
: May 7, 2008 at 9:28 p.m.
: May 7, 2008 at 9:28 p.m. << Home
