Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Paul Martin - G. Campbell Connections
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Political Connections
RAIDS PROMPT REVELATIONS OF MARTIN-CAMPBELL CONNECTIONS
Georgia Straight - January 8, 2004
By Bill Tieleman
Information obtained exclusively by the Georgia Straight raises new questions about the drugs, money, and organized-crime investigation that led to police search warrants being executed last week at the B.C. legislature and the homes and offices of several key provincial and federal Liberals.
The information also shows the extensive links between the Paul Martin federal and Gordon Campbell provincial Liberals. It includes: a list of more than 11,000 Indo-Canadian federal Liberal political supporters in British Columbia obtained by the Straight that indicates the potential extent of Liberal membership sign-ups done by the Martin leadership campaign; confirmation that the federal Liberal party in B.C. privately chartered an airliner to fly more than 200 Young Liberals from Vancouver to the November leadership convention in Toronto at a cost of almost $90,000; and extensive links between a money-losing telecommunications company, many of those who were subject to police search warrants, and key provincial and federal Liberal party insiders and supporters.
A key Paul Martin leadership organizer was David Basi, the ministerial assistant to B.C. Finance Minister Gary Collins who was fired in late December after his office and home were searched by police in connection to the investigation. Neither Basi nor anyone else had been charged in that probe at press time, but Victoria police constable Ravinder Dosanjh has been suspended with pay in connection to the investigation.
Others connected include: Mark Marissen, husband of deputy premier and Education Minister Christy Clark; Bruce Clark, Christy's brother and federal B.C. Liberal executive member for party finances; Erik Bornman, a provincial lobbyist and federal B.C. Liberal executive member for communications; and Bob Virk, ministerial assistant to Transportation Minister Judith Reid. The offices of Bruce Clark, Bornman, and Virk were searched by RCMP and Victoria police officers, while Marissen was visited at home by the RCMP and asked to turn over documents of interest, which he says are unrelated to the Martin leadership campaign.
The anonymous source who provided the Straight with the federal Liberal list of Indo-Canadian supporters said it is not a membership list but does include many prominent members, such as Basi. Federal Liberal membership in B.C. skyrocketed from about 4,000 in February 2002 to more than 37,000 today, with most new members coming from the South Asian community. Adult membership in the party costs $10, meaning the Liberals collected more than $300,000 in dues. {Snip} ...
This is a valuable summary, well worth re-reading many times. - BC Mary.
http://www.straight.com/article/raids-prompt-revelations-of-martin-campbell-connections?#
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Political Connections
RAIDS PROMPT REVELATIONS OF MARTIN-CAMPBELL CONNECTIONS
Georgia Straight - January 8, 2004
By Bill Tieleman
Information obtained exclusively by the Georgia Straight raises new questions about the drugs, money, and organized-crime investigation that led to police search warrants being executed last week at the B.C. legislature and the homes and offices of several key provincial and federal Liberals.
The information also shows the extensive links between the Paul Martin federal and Gordon Campbell provincial Liberals. It includes: a list of more than 11,000 Indo-Canadian federal Liberal political supporters in British Columbia obtained by the Straight that indicates the potential extent of Liberal membership sign-ups done by the Martin leadership campaign; confirmation that the federal Liberal party in B.C. privately chartered an airliner to fly more than 200 Young Liberals from Vancouver to the November leadership convention in Toronto at a cost of almost $90,000; and extensive links between a money-losing telecommunications company, many of those who were subject to police search warrants, and key provincial and federal Liberal party insiders and supporters.
A key Paul Martin leadership organizer was David Basi, the ministerial assistant to B.C. Finance Minister Gary Collins who was fired in late December after his office and home were searched by police in connection to the investigation. Neither Basi nor anyone else had been charged in that probe at press time, but Victoria police constable Ravinder Dosanjh has been suspended with pay in connection to the investigation.
Others connected include: Mark Marissen, husband of deputy premier and Education Minister Christy Clark; Bruce Clark, Christy's brother and federal B.C. Liberal executive member for party finances; Erik Bornman, a provincial lobbyist and federal B.C. Liberal executive member for communications; and Bob Virk, ministerial assistant to Transportation Minister Judith Reid. The offices of Bruce Clark, Bornman, and Virk were searched by RCMP and Victoria police officers, while Marissen was visited at home by the RCMP and asked to turn over documents of interest, which he says are unrelated to the Martin leadership campaign.
The anonymous source who provided the Straight with the federal Liberal list of Indo-Canadian supporters said it is not a membership list but does include many prominent members, such as Basi. Federal Liberal membership in B.C. skyrocketed from about 4,000 in February 2002 to more than 37,000 today, with most new members coming from the South Asian community. Adult membership in the party costs $10, meaning the Liberals collected more than $300,000 in dues. {Snip} ...
This is a valuable summary, well worth re-reading many times. - BC Mary.
http://www.straight.com/article/raids-prompt-revelations-of-martin-campbell-connections?#
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Wrong story but the ex Cheif was written about on this blog beforeHigh-profile Victoria police chief quits, discipline hearing cancelled
Last Updated: Wednesday, August 13, 2008 | 4:28 PM ET The Canadian Press
Victoria Police Chief Paul Battershill resigned Wednesday after being on paid administrative leave since October. The reason for his leave has not been made public. (CBC)The chief of Victoria's police department has resigned effective immediately under mysterious circumstances.
Paul Battershill has been on paid administrative leave since last October and was facing a disciplinary hearing next Monday, but what prompted the leave has never been made public.
Mayor Alan Lowe said Wednesday that Battershill's resignation means the hearing has been cancelled. Lowe wouldn't give details about what's behind Battershill's departure.
"We are bound by the settlement agreement at this time," Lowe told a news conference. But he added: "I believe we had no other choice."
An RCMP investigation found no wrongdoing by Battershill, Lowe said, but an investigation under the Police Act by the B.C. Police Complaints Commission is still underway.
Battershill will receive $15,000 to cover his legal expenses but is getting no severance pay.
Deputy Chief Bill Naughton will remain as interim chief, Lowe said.
Battershill, a 20-year Vancouver city police veteran, became Victoria's chief constable in 1999. He was known for supporting innovative policing techniques and led high-profile reviews on the use of Taser stun guns by police and an investigation into alcohol-related incidents at the West Vancouver Police Department.
Police complaints commissioner Dirk Ryneveld ordered the RCMP to conduct an investigation under the Police Act but refused to disclose the reason.
The entire matter was under a news blackout until a sensitive legal document was leaked to the media last November.
Victoria lawyer David Mulroney said at the time he wrote a letter to the law firm that represents the police department suggesting possible conflicts of interest surrounding the police chief and his knowledge of freedom of information requests involving himself.
Mulroney said he represents a client who filed several freedom of information requests that name Battershill and suggested a link between his client's information request and the RCMP's investigation.
The access requests targeted four areas, including the Victoria police department's dismissals without cause, suspensions with pay, expense accounts and employment contracts involving pay equity.
One package of documents Mulroney's client received revealed Battershill had credit card expenses of more than $90,000 since 2004. The documents also show the city paid up to $600,000 in severance to former police department members and officials.
The request also asked for all expense and accounting records of the two high-profile reports compiled by Battershill. Mulroney has yet to receive those documents.
He asked for all expenses and accounts from the Taser Technology Review conducted by Battershill and its preliminary recommendations in September 2004.
It also asked for all expenses and accounts relating to Battershill's investigation of Const. Lisa Alford of the West Vancouver Police Department on behalf of the B.C. Police Complaints Commissioner.
© The Canadian Press, 2008
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Last Updated: Wednesday, August 13, 2008 | 4:28 PM ET The Canadian Press
Victoria Police Chief Paul Battershill resigned Wednesday after being on paid administrative leave since October. The reason for his leave has not been made public. (CBC)The chief of Victoria's police department has resigned effective immediately under mysterious circumstances.
Paul Battershill has been on paid administrative leave since last October and was facing a disciplinary hearing next Monday, but what prompted the leave has never been made public.
Mayor Alan Lowe said Wednesday that Battershill's resignation means the hearing has been cancelled. Lowe wouldn't give details about what's behind Battershill's departure.
"We are bound by the settlement agreement at this time," Lowe told a news conference. But he added: "I believe we had no other choice."
An RCMP investigation found no wrongdoing by Battershill, Lowe said, but an investigation under the Police Act by the B.C. Police Complaints Commission is still underway.
Battershill will receive $15,000 to cover his legal expenses but is getting no severance pay.
Deputy Chief Bill Naughton will remain as interim chief, Lowe said.
Battershill, a 20-year Vancouver city police veteran, became Victoria's chief constable in 1999. He was known for supporting innovative policing techniques and led high-profile reviews on the use of Taser stun guns by police and an investigation into alcohol-related incidents at the West Vancouver Police Department.
Police complaints commissioner Dirk Ryneveld ordered the RCMP to conduct an investigation under the Police Act but refused to disclose the reason.
The entire matter was under a news blackout until a sensitive legal document was leaked to the media last November.
Victoria lawyer David Mulroney said at the time he wrote a letter to the law firm that represents the police department suggesting possible conflicts of interest surrounding the police chief and his knowledge of freedom of information requests involving himself.
Mulroney said he represents a client who filed several freedom of information requests that name Battershill and suggested a link between his client's information request and the RCMP's investigation.
The access requests targeted four areas, including the Victoria police department's dismissals without cause, suspensions with pay, expense accounts and employment contracts involving pay equity.
One package of documents Mulroney's client received revealed Battershill had credit card expenses of more than $90,000 since 2004. The documents also show the city paid up to $600,000 in severance to former police department members and officials.
The request also asked for all expense and accounting records of the two high-profile reports compiled by Battershill. Mulroney has yet to receive those documents.
He asked for all expenses and accounts from the Taser Technology Review conducted by Battershill and its preliminary recommendations in September 2004.
It also asked for all expenses and accounts relating to Battershill's investigation of Const. Lisa Alford of the West Vancouver Police Department on behalf of the B.C. Police Complaints Commissioner.
© The Canadian Press, 2008
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: August 13, 2008 at 3:43 p.m.
: August 13, 2008 at 3:43 p.m. << Home
