Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Basi-Virk, a case that points to rot at the very core of the Campbell government
Noted in passing, this letter-to-the-editor which indicates that the Basi-Virk Trial is slowly but surely integrating its dubious values into the substance of British Columbia life. It's disturbing, it's destructive, it's gone on far too long and it must stop. Opposition critic for the Attorney General, Leonard Krog, said yesterday that there may not be time to launch the trial before another provincial election in May 2009. It's a safe bet, however, that the people of BC -- as they step into the voting booths -- will be thinking of Basi, Virk, Basi, Campbell, Collins, Elmhirst, Kierans, Bornmann, Berardino, and a dozen other players, and asking themselves if they want another 4 years of that. - B C Mary.
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Cone of silence is disturbing
A letter to the editor,
SurreyLeader.com - September 30, 2008
What a sorry state of affairs when the first words out of an aspiring politician’s mouth are, “I can’t comment. The matter is before the courts.”
But that is exactly the line we are getting from Conservative candidate Dona Cadman in Surrey-North. Where did she learn the trick? Stephen Harper and his advisors of course.
Tory party flaks used it last Wednesday to explain the bully-boy tactics at the Sheraton Guildford and now Dona Cadman is using it to fend off questions about an alleged bribe offered to her late husband.
Politicians have jumped on this argument as if it were manna from heaven. What better way to avoid commenting on issues than to throw the issue before the courts and then refuse comment. We have seen this tactic from Gordon Campbell on numerous occasions in order to avoid comment on the Basi-Virk trial, a case that points to rot at the very core of his government.
And now Stephen Harper has responded to serious allegations about money offered to Cadman by his staff.
So what does Harper do? He launches a lawsuit against the Liberal Party of Canada, then has the proceedings delayed because of a federal election. An election which just happened to be called by him. What better way to fend off questioning from the media and more particularly from defense lawyers when under oath.
Now the Tories are using the RCMP to make sure the national media don’t have access to one of the key players in the “Cadman Affair,” and Mrs. Cadman is responding to local reporters with the standard “no comment.”
In the United States there are Constitutional provisions that protect the rights of freedom of speech even when matters are before the courts.
In Canada, the tradition developed around criminal cases where the right of the accused to due process of law might be subverted but now we see the courts being used as a shield in civil cases to prevent elected politicians from having to answer tough questions.
The cone of silence now surrounding the “Cadman Affair” is beginning to make me feel extremely uneasy. Like the “Watergate Scandal” of the 1970s, will the truth only come to light long after the damage has been done.
It is small wonder that the public has little trust in our elected leaders. They don’t deserve it.
Norman L. Nichols
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