The Legislature Raids

Information blackout by BC Government “Nixonian” says FIPA
Posted on June 24th, 2009
FIPA has asked Information and Privacy Commissioner David Loukidelis to investigate the destruction by the BC government of years of Cabinet emails in contravention of the Document Disposal Act...

snip
According to FIPA, this incident and the recent revelation about suppression of welfare statistics during the last election are the latest and most outrageous examples of how far the BC Liberals are prepared to go to keep embarrassing information from becoming public.

“It seems there is nothing this government will not do to keep British Columbians in the dark about what their government is really doing,” said FIPA Executive Director Darrell Evans. “Richard Nixon got into trouble for an 18-minute gap on an audiotape. Gordon Campbell’s government has created a four-year email gap and thereby has severely limited public hopes of accountability at the highest level of government. The political interference with the flow of information has got to stop.”

You must read the page
http://fipa.bc.ca/home/

Eva

YIPEEE
 

Follow up to my last comment, following the link at Foippa, the May 2009 review
FAILING FOI:
How the BC Government flouts
the Freedom of Information Act and stonewalls FOI requests an analysis of the BC Government’s response to
freedom of information requests, 2006 – 2008
----
Gordon Campbell, Leader of the Official Opposition, 1998

The fundamental principle must be this: government information belongs to
the people, not to the government. This means, among other things, that all
citizens must have timely, effective and affordable access to documents
which governments make and keep. Governments should facilitate access,
not obstruct it.
— -------
I would laugh if I wasnt busy gagging.
Eva

http://fipa.bc.ca/library/Reports_and_Submissions/Failing_FOI-May_2009-FINAL.pdf

Dont need to publish the below info.
PS Mary, I found something interesting, but havent known how when to bring it to your attention. Comp Bureau website (links available at your request)
Ex-Post Merger Review
Following a RFP (Request for Proposal) process, the Bureau hired Charles River Associates International Ltd. in 2006 to undertake a post-merger review project. The objective of the study was to consider a merger that had raised material competition concerns, but where the Bureau's final conclusion was that the transaction did not merit a challenge before the Competition Tribunal.
Not sure how to find this report by CRA,or if it is the CN/BC Rail Merger.
if You want more info on this you can email me.
Eva
 

Eva,

Many, many thanks for this reminder.

I am frequently surprised, when I do a search on this blog, just how much information is on tap here. So when I typed "Competition Bureau" into the search box at top left of this page, I got a fresh look at a big post which is very relevant to this critical time right now.

So I've I've re-posted it.

Thanks for the reminder.

.
 

Mary,
You may want to give Laila's blog a quick peek...if what she's saying (as it appears to be to me) is true...our window actually closes July 2nd, not July 14th. What do you think?
 

Leah,

It may very well be July 2 ... or it may be July 14, or July 15 ... take your pick.

I think it's July 14. Bill Tieleman thinks it's July 15 ... the Opposition thinks it's July 2 ... the point being:

WE DON'T REALLY KNOW

and so, do we give up ASAP (on Thursday)? Or do we keep going as long as there's hope?

.
 

We go until hell freezes over.
 

Well, if it really is the 2nd, or sometime before the 15th which is soon enough already....then the thing to do is to write a letter to Stewart Phillip via http://www.ubcic.bc.ca/ and link the post of their letter to the Competition Bureau, and ask him if he intends to act on it before it's too late.

Native politicians don't like to have white people tell them what to do or to set their agenda for them, so I'm thinking only one really persuasive letter. Remind him the NDP aren't taking action and that the UBCIC statement outlines the clearest rationale for the needed injunction. It would be nice to think that the interests of the common British Columbian hordes were sufficient to warrant an interdiction, but that doesn't seem to be the case. The legal weight is on the side of the First Nations here; but if they don't act to stop this before it takes place, that legal weight becomes weightless and "without carriage". Power is only retained through using it, not from citing the decisions establishing it.

They may also be able to get an injunction forcing the government to disclose the full contract, since it clearly involves their interests.

But it won't help if forty white people write them wanting something; maybe two or three really well-spoken ones, if one seems too few......

The "moccasin grapevine" is pretty extensive and works real fast; I'm not sure which native webzines or newspapers e.g. First Nations Drum (www.firstnationsdrum.com) might take an interest, but I'm thinking the Assembly of First Nations or one of the major national native leaders might want to weigh in on this as well....though it really is the business of the Squamish, Lil'wat/St'at'imc, Sewcepmec, etc in particular....and their main colelctive spokesgroup is, I'm pretty sure, the UBCIC.

Because the 1st is the holiday, or would be for court anyway, this injunction would have to come down by the 30th....
 

Mary, I think I've found the perfect motto for you regarding this "deal", it just took me a while to be able to find the author for citation:

"How long should you try? Until."

-- Jim Rohn

'nuf said :)
 

PS.

Neither paper that I sent my letter to have printed it as yet - big surprise as this is a Liberal bastion with 2 MLA's. No explanation either as to why either.

I also added this to Carole James site on Facebook:

My immediate concern is getting an injunction placed against any further transfer of assets (28+ miles of waterfront property in Howe Sound, North Van to Squamish) from BC Rail to CN for the sum of $1.00, on July 14th. To that end I've emailed Mr. Krog, and Carole twice as have a number of others I know...to get the ball rolling. As none of us have...been acknowledged, our concern is growing. This injunction must take place!! I believe this xfer is the least of our worries with this deal. Is there a word on this yet Carole?

(I'm just looking for more pots to stir :) )
 

.
Many, many thanks, Leah.

If everyone did as much as you have done, we'd have no more worries.

.
 

Everyone that reads your blog is doing at least as much as me, you do more. It's not about how much, it's about doing what we can...and I'm pretty confident that most of your readers are doing all they can. We know this is keeping you awake at night!

Thanks to Everyone! :)