Thursday, June 05, 2008

 

Campbell aides in new controversy

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"The inner circle" is an understood reference to political players in the governing style of Premier Gordon Campbell. Michael Smyth provides an inside look at that powerful group. See also Bill Tieleman and Sean Holman in 24 HOURS. - BC Mary.

SENIOR LIBERAL AIDES IN NEW CONTROVERSY

Michael Smyth,
The Province: Thursday, June 05, 2008


Another day, another lobbying controversy to rock Premier Gordon Campbell and his government.

Last time, it was Campbell's right-hand-man, Ken Dobell, getting rung up on a guilty plea for secretly lobbying Campbell on behalf of the city of Vancouver. (Dobell is the only lobbyist I know who actually had a desk in the premier's office!) {Snip} ...

Patrick Kinsella was the co-chair of the B.C. Liberal election campaign in 2001 and 2005. Mark Jiles was Campbell's personal campaign manager in Vancouver-Point Grey in 2005.

Now the two men are in business together at the Progressive Group, a powerful government-relations company in Vancouver. And according to documents newly released by our neighbours in Washington state, they're doing very well for themselves.

Kinsella and Jiles have been paid by the state government to help the Americans cash in on our Olympic Games by boosting cross-border tourism and business deals. They had to supply the state with a detailed resume, obtained by hard-digging Internet blogger Sean Holman under Washington's freedom-of-information law.

It turns out the duo's long list of clients include companies that have cleaned up with huge government deals and contracts in British Columbia: Accenture (which landed a $1.45-billion privatization contract with B.C. Hydro), Alcan (which won B.C. approval for an expanded smelter and power deal), the B.C. Motion Picture Production Industry Association (which scooped $65 million in government tax breaks) and many others.

The resume unashamedly brags about Kinsella's and Jiles' ties to B.C. politicians and their parties.

The resume says the pair have "strong relationships" with B.C. cabinet ministers Colin Hansen, Kevin Falcon and Olga Illich and with federal cabinet minister David Emerson.

The resume details a glowing list of accomplishments over the past six years. It notes, for example, the motion picture association hired the Progressive Group "to convince the provincial government to extend foreign tax credits" to the organization. Companies such as Alcan and Accenture hired them to "promote and educate" the B.C. government on behalf of their clients. [Remembered: David McLean. Use the SEARCH box at top left of this page; type in the name of David McLean, CN boss at the time of the BC Rail deal, to read more about him. -BC Mary]

Just one problem with all of this: Just like Dobell, Kinsella and Jiles did not publicly register as lobbyists working in B.C.

Under the law, lobbyists must register and publicly disclose their activities. Failure to do so can bring a fine of $25,000.

Kinsella has never registered as a lobbyist. Jiles registered on behalf of several clients beginning in December but did not register for any of the clients listed on the resume.

Kinsella and Jiles did not return my phone calls yesterday. But NDP Leader Carole James said she will launch formal complaints about their activities with both the provincial and federal lobbyist registrars.

"You'd think the premier would have learned by now," she said. {Snip} ...

They clearly get the concept of power, however: It's an insiders' game.

msmyth@direct.ca

http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/story.html?id=4b44e6e1-dbef-4e04-9d83-7c9d2e626313

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Then Express Collision Shop left a comment:

SCRAP YOUR BEATER AND GO GREEN. WHO'S GETTING ALL THE GREEN ?

From the "Friends of Friends of Friends File"

Mary you can't make this stuff up. After reading Smyth's article this morning(Wow) I could not believe my eyes. The Province has an article about the new Scrap it program.

"It's going to provide rewards on the basis of greenhouse-gas reduction," said Scrap-It director Glen Ringdal, CEO of the New Car Dealers Association of BC.

Wow!!! Now there is some good stuff here and it is early however in the last 40 minutes I have recieved three phone calls from dealers not on the program and they are pissed. Yes the Scrap-It director is Glen Ringdal. Guess who Glen hired to "educate" the liberals on going green "New Car Dealer Style" ? None other than the "Sports Marketer" of the year Mark Jiles. Mark started working on this enviromental issue with the dealers Jan. 1, 2008. You don't have enough memory or space to see who Mark has met in government since then, a total of 38 plus liberals. Go to BC gov then search Lobbyist registry- new car dealers.

Now cars and pollution, there's something I know a little about. I and a few armchair quarterbacks are going to do some environmental and steer the work to me research. Do you all remember from the leaked Paul Taylor/Brian Kieran emails and something about a "Used Car Registry" and the New Car Dealers wanting to administer this program ?

It looks like the Scrap-It program has an address very close to the Richmond Auto Mall, how about that ?

From the Scrap-It website,
Q: How do the vehicle incentives work ?
A: Call us today to find out what incentive you qualify for. You will be provided with a list of participating dealers once your application has been approved. Wow! Provided with a list, scary.

Mary, these "Sports Marketers" sure do educate this government, a lot, all the way to the bank. Much more later on our green team.


Comments:
Resume written by Mark Jiles, included:

As requested, here is some information about myself and my partner, Patrick Kinsella and our business in British Columbia. With an office in the heart of downtown Vancouver, a hand in British Columbia's provincial capital Victoria, and a foot into the 2010 Organizing Committee (VANOC) our organization is the only public affairs, Olympic affairs and sport marketing firm in the province.

Note: 24 Hours published version of the quote, via Sean Holman's FOI in Washington state, uses the word "presence" in lieu of "hand".

Is there two versions of the same resume?

heart, hand, foot????

Should another "pig farm" investigation be done by the RCMP, but this time on the BC Liberals back room boys Progressive Group's property, where they collectively failed to register as lobbyists?

Nah! The courts will rule that they were only bragging, trying to win contracts....... or did Kevin Falcon sit down with Mr. Jiles and Mr. Kinsella who were acting on behalf of Washington state?
 
Express Collision Shop Said,

SCRAP YOUR BEATER AND GO GREEN. WHO'S GETTING ALL THE GREEN ?

From the "Friends of Friends of Friends File"

Mary you can't make this stuff up. After reading Smyth's article this morning(Wow) I could not believe my eyes. The Province has an article about the new Scrap it program.

"It's going to provide rewards on the basis of greenhouse-gas reduction," said Scrap-It director Glen Ringdal, CEO of the New Car Dealers Association of BC.

Wow!!! Now there is some good stuff here and it is early however in the last 40 minutes I have recieved three phone calls from dealers not on the program and they are pissed. Yes the Scrap-It director is Glen Ringdal. Guess who Glen hired to "educate" the liberals on going green "New Car Dealer Style" ? None other than the "Sports Marketer" of the year Mark Jiles. Mark started working on this enviromental issue with the dealers Jan. 1, 2008. You don't have enough memory or space to see who Mark has met in government since then, a total of 38 plus liberals. Go to BC gov then search Lobbyist registry- new car dealers.

Now cars and pollution, theres something I know a little about. I and a few armchair quarterbacks are going to do some enviromental and steer the work to me research. Do you all remember from the leaked Paul Taylor/Brian Kieran emails and something about a "Used Car Registry" and the New Car Dealers wanting to administer this program ? It looks like the Scrap-It program has an address very close to the Richmond Auto Mall, how about that ?

From the Scrap-It website,
Q: How do the vehicle incentives work ?
A: Call us today to find out what incentive you qualify for. You will be provided with a list of participating dealers once your application has been approved. Wow! Provided with a list, scary.

Mary, these "Sports Marketers" sure do educate this government, a lot, all the way to the bank. Much more later on our green team.
 
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Anonymice,

You are the best.

Thanks,

Thanks,

Thanks again.

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Express Collision Shop Said,

THE LIBERAL'S NEW CAP(ITALIZE) AND TRADE PROGRAM EXREMELY SUCCESSFUL for friends of friends of friends.

Enviromental research ongoing, however, I can't keep up with all the directing of work to friends. Sean Holman, check out some of those Washington state companies on the lobbyist registry and see if you can connect the dots. Can you say sub kontracting ?

Mary as you can see we have a very small province at times. The cozyness of the lobbyists seems to be thier downfall. I have ranted plenty about ICBC and ex CEO's and lobbyists for quite awhile now and I hope all can see why. I still can't believe how dumb some of these slimeballs are. The ICBC mess is still ongoing. ICBC has been in complete info lockdown the past three weeks however, you can't stop canaries from singing. There have been plenty of job sharing and management transfers. The RCMP are in full investigative mode and lets hope they get to the bottom of this mess.

Footnote: One of the office workers has just bought a good(2004) clean-greenish car. She is selling her older 1994 Honda civic to a 20 year old for a song. This car is air cared, safe and runs incredibly clean. The air care numbers are unbelievable. The hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide readings are 30 percent lower than the average passing readings. This little car still has a good 7-10 years left of clean affordable driving left if mantained properly. It would be a shame to see this car stripped down and sold for parts to a recycler that's trade association has lobbyist's closely connected to the government. It would be a real shame if these recycled parts were shipped(more emmissions) to other states and provinces for resale if they could'nt sell them here due to lack of good old clean affordable cars for those who need them right here in B.C.
 
From the Prince George Citizen NDP calls on privacy commissioner to investigate BC Liberal insiders
 
Calendar shows planned meeting
By SEAN HOLMAN, 24 HOURS



Remember when Mike Harcourt, as Premier, did the honourable thing and resigned in the wake of Bingo-gate revelations. Mr. Harcourt was not involved in Bingo-gate (involving the skimming of charity funds for use by the ruling NDP), but as leader of the NDP he thought it best to resign.

Here we have Premier Gordon Campbell with his backroom election team organizers fiddling .... lobbying without a licence.... and now its being revealed that they are deeply involved in BC Lottery with their own Casino operations. It can't be said that they have been skimming charity funds, but has the BC Liberals been in receipt of donations from Patrick Kinsella's casino operations?


Casino-gate?
 
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Thanks, n.v.g.,

Wish I knew how to present the URL the way you did it.

http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/20080605135041/wire/bc-news/ndp-calls-on-privacy-commissioner-to-investigate-bc-liberal-insiders.html

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Its easy BC Mary.

Here is a link to Blog help on this specific topic.

Where it says "text" in Blog Help put in the name of what you want to highlight like I did with "link" above.

"Prince George" would do nicely for the example you have given or even better, the title of the article that they wrote. Once you go to the end of the link the reader will quickly ascertain for themselves that they are in the "heart" (Prince George) of British Columbia and not have their "hand" deep in the pockets of the politician in Victoria or finding themselves now as a "foot" note on every current columnist's articles about insider trading of information without first having registered as a lobbyist.
 
Here is an article from the Vancouver Sun written by Lori Culbert.

Farmland probe enters next stage (involving former Solicitor-General of British Columbia who now sits on the Legislature's back benches)

I have't had time to find the list that the Vancouver Sun has of the 176 addresses listed in the ALC investigation, but maybe someone else could.

Its amazing what one can do if one takes the addresses and pops them into Google Earth for an overview.... which of course would include the three Christian school built upon ALC property.

Think about this: If the members of the Schools were so glad to have "their" property expanded would they feel obligated to vote for the person who arranged to have them in the enviable position they found themselves (before the investigations) of having what others never could achieve by legal means.

Organized school groups are a force to be reckoned with at the voting booth when they are all united under a common cause (the same "flag" and "pole" that BC Liberal Wally Oppall likes to use) to do it right, for the sake of their good children!
 
Mary, I just figured out one of Gordo's 'hold on to power at all costs' strategies.

Just keep the corruption at full speed ahead. There are so many instances of dirty backroom goings on, that the public and the media just can't keep up! The voters head is spinning, and will want to sit down and give up just to feel better.
 
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Hi, all:

I used to think that there should be legislation which says people may complain ALL THEY WANT but that with each complaint they must include a solution. Even one little baby-step toward a better way of doing things, would have to be included with each complaint. BC Mary's Law.

We dare not give up or give in. The UN warned (around the time of the raids on the BC Legislature) that once Organized Crime gets its hands on the controls of a nation, there is no 2nd chance, no going back.

So it's like our Mothers told us: an ounce of prevention is worth a kilo of cures. She was right.

Take the concept of Premier Campbell having control over corruption. Well, for a brief moment in time, corruption might have worked in his favour. But me, I think he probably can't control it now. Faustian Principle.

But he could certainly steer the ship of state in a better direction. Fact is, I think it takes a whole lot of recruits as well as a corrupt leader, to control a whole big province.

Which makes our task a bit easier. We as citizens can make a multitude of choices about, OK, very small things. Every day. And before anybody flies off the handle with a well-aimed boot, why not give it a try.

The danger is (imo) that complaining drags us down, drains our strength, and turns us into victims before we even know it.

Now ... I don't know about you ... but I feel a whole lot better each time one of you shares important information which (you know it, we all know it) is being kept from us.

Call it our Citizen News Service. [Cue that lovely YouTube of BC Rail at the top of the page, hear the horns echoing ... and you can hear it calling.]

The Citizen News Service is a BIG step forward. And I'm running hard, just trying to keep up with you.

MANY thanks, all.

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P.S.

I owe much better replies to some of your excellent contributions. I'm doing what I can, but it's slow going.

Maybe, now and then, you can see something you've said reflected in something I've posted on T.L. Raids.

I hope so.

I hope others who see your comments will be picking things up and working on them too, because you really are helping.

Now I must get back to tracking that National Post story ...


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Express Collision Shop Said,

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY.

2010 OFFICIALS LOOK FOR ONE GOOD LAUNDRY. VANCOUVER 2010 IS LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO WASH THEIR DIRTY LINEN.

from the Province today. That header cracked me up this morning after all the news lately on this blog. "In a separate tender, Vancouver 2010 is looking for someone to supply about 2,000 flags in different sizes for more than 100 countries." The bid committee should just ask the "Sports Marketers" to get the flags from their international customers. Quick and easy.

Hey the Sun did an article on the marketers and a very good one on the children of the cornfields. Aside from Fowlies remark on a giveaway newspaper, they did do something.

Talking with a few fellow tradesfolks one of them came up with a good idea. LOBBYWATCH B.C. I think we brought it up last year here and I think it's a good idea. Let's get Holeman,that Mary Ellen Turpel(don't know how to spell her entire name), Shiela Fraser(maybe), David Baines and a few other butt kickers and give them the clout to overhaul the lobbyist mess in this province. I will still donate my airmiles for the sleazy ones. Now to be fair there are many good, necessary lobbyists working for charities and other good causes in B.C.
 
Express Collision Shop Said,

SPEAKING OF BROKEN GREASED WHEELS-CHECK OUT ARTICLE ON RECALL OF FAULTY WHEELS ON CN AND CP RAILCARS DERAILING IN BC. from todays Globe.

Now that is living up to their commitments to the Competition Bureau of Canada over the BC Rail "Merger"
 
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Hi ECS,

The broken greased faulty CN wheels item has been posted some hours ago, for those keeping watch over "Deal-Breaker Issues" which entitle us to review and re-possess BCRail (as I understand it).

Just type CN + Wheels into the search box at top of this page.

I keep wondering if those faulty wheels helped to cause the train-wrecks at Lytton (which killed Don Faulkner and Tom).

Thanks.

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P.S.


... train wrecks at Lytton ... and at the Cheakamus River which devastated the fish there.

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Express Collision Shop Said,

KROG BUSY WITH COMPLAINTS ABOUT LOBBYISTS-FARNWORTH COMPLAINING ABOUT HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA "ANTHEM" from NDP website.

Some interesting names on meeting notes from Holman's digging. Check out all lobbyists connected to "Sports Marketers". The sub kontracting out of lobbyists is rampant. The 2010 Legacies and BC Canada pavillion one kills me. Seems Jiles is now saying he had nothing to do with the Creative Group and their designing of the invest in BC building in China. The FOI materials say otherwise.

I do have one question about the marketers.

How did all these people from the Olympic Secretariat, O. Secretariat procurement committee, Premier Gordon, his assistants, Colin Hansen, his assistants, Vanoc(too many to list), Ken Dobell, David (find a party in the spotlight) Emerson, V. Green and about 100 other government types possibly not know that the "Sports Marketers" were not registered lobbyists ?

There was months of media on the Dobell mess, court case and all. There was the Bruce mess, plus many others I have forgotten. Kinsella and his non registering were in the media at least once a year going back at least till 2002. These guys met pretty well every one in government and at Vanoc. I remember Vanoc having to explain the Dobell mess many times in the media. Ken is a director of Vanoc, on the finance committee and a director of the 2010 Legacies Now Society. I can not fathom all those people not doing their due diligence and not knowing these guys were not registered, or maybe they did know. Many of the connections between the marketers and the sub Kontracters has me a wondering again. Check out the lobbyist registry again and you will see a few other lobbyists working with some of the same companies named in Sean's FOI's. Weird.

Also remember that the S. prosecuter Robertson wanted to nail Dobell for influence peddling. Can you imagine the nightmare for Vanoc if Dobell was nailed ? The calender shows the Marketers meeting with Dobell and that raises even more questions. More later on the BC/Washington Canada Pavillion.
 
ECS,

You're appreciated ... thanks!!

I haven't had the extra time, either, so it's been good to have your comments.

Something I've been thinking about ... it started after a friend mentioned having some sort of battle on another blog with commentors who seemed to be PR types or "one of the Public Relations Flaks who work for the government."

Suddenly it came clear: is it legal, is it morally correct, to have people on the government payroll who I'm sure are sworn to pledge allegiance to H.M. the Queen (that's us, I believe), and whose wages we pay with our taxes trusting that OUR work gets faithfully done ...

... is it even legal, do you think, to assign them to undermine the public interest?

More about this tomorrow.

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Did you know that while Kinsella was a Director of the Board for Canada Payphone, wait, wait, wait.... Erik Bornman was working there too in the field of "Investors Relations" via Associations. And the year was 2004
 
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N.V.G.,

There is truth in what you say, and I hope you will understand why your comment has been rejected.

No matter where on the political spectrum, my readers stand, I believe we're ALL in this together. We ALL want to know what happened to BCRail, who decided, how it happened, who gave the orders, everything.

There are a few culpable politicians we may yearn to smear with honey and tether them to an ant-hill. But maybe later. Right now, imo we must put up with them until the BCRail Trial provides the proof of Whodunnit.

I applaud your goal. But right now, I designate you as the planner who will work out ways for people of all political persuasions to ... well, like show up at BC Law Courts tomorrow, June 9, and picket the secret session with placards saying "Secrecy is Unjust!" or ... well, just keep writing your comments here ...

OK?

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The trial of Basi/Virk will only decide if the two of them were guilty as charged, or innocent of all charges. If found by the Courts to be innocent, then in all likelihood there will be lawsuits launched by Basi/Virk.

By the time the trial is over (we can only hope that there will eventually be a trial) these two gentleman will have lost five years of pay .... that's well over $500,000 each.

Their trial isn't about "Whodunnit". Its about whether they breeched the public's trust.

If it was someone higher up, then that requires an inquiry (or a more thorough police investigation with a really cold audit trail to follow), and do you really think that a Gordon Campbell government is going to start that ball rolling in an election year, even with a gag law in place to protect them from voters questioning?
 
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N.V.G.,

Did I say that you spoke truth? Yes, I did say that.

But didn't I also say that I want people to come to this web-site, much as we expect of a jury ... to listen to the evidence and opinions with an open mind ... and to decide AFTER hearing the evidence on who gets the honey-and-ants treatment.

I said I hoped you would carry out your idea ... only not here.

"Whodunnit" was used as a kind of shorthand; you must've known that. I recall Dave Barrett used to say that we needed to know "who's in bed with whom, and what they're doing to each other."

I've maintained a non-partisan basis for this blog -- not always easy when a sitting government is under the microscope.

But I do believe that being non-partisan is the reason why we have so many excellent commentors here, yourself included.

Also, I have spoken up for a Public Inquiry to be launched immediately after the Basi Virk trial ends "no matter how it ends" and that still stands.

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