Friday, July 03, 2009
Show us the secret BCRail-CN deal. Let the people decide on best options. Injunction now!
It surprised me yesterday when the comments of two old friends of The Legislature Raids indicated that they had gone up a side-trail and got lost. They thought the need for an injunction asking to see the BCRail-CN Agreement has a connection to the Basi Virk trial. No, it doesn't.
Even if there had been no raid on the B.C. Legislature and no trial of Basi, Virk and Basi, the secret BC Rail Agreement would still be in place, and would still mature on July 14, 2009.
To allow the secret BCRail-CN Agreement to mature - unchallenged - means that it will trigger a whole new set of issues, including options for the people of B.C. to decide ... and including fabulous bonus-gifts for CN.
The BC Rail Agreement will still be with us 990 years from now.
But we get this one brief opportunity to choose among several options, including the re-possession option. One brief opportunity. Then poof! it's finished for almost a thousand years. Yes, it's hard to believe. But don't let us be confused about the need to act now.
We want to see the BCRail-CN agreement. We believe that democracy is suited to such moments in history where secret deals can have far-reaching effects upon the population; where secret deals absolutely must be challenged.
We believe that an injunction is the quickest, cleanest way to call for a "time-out" so that democracy can return to this equation.
We believe that the injunction should best come from the B.C. Opposition, because the injunction should be presented to the court on behalf of all British Columbians. Then we'd know what happened to BCRail, once owned by all British Columbians.
Leonard Krog, a lawyer and the Opposition Critic for Justice, is the person to contact. He must take the initiative to get this injunction. This is an emergency. There's no time to lose. Show us the deal. Let the people decide on best options. That's what the injunction must demand. What court could refuse that?
- BC Mary
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I am still playing hop-scotch with blogger-world, and although I see everybody's comments arriving in the "Comment Moderation" file, I can't access the comment section myself. All I get is a blank page. So I will continue to keep the discussion going by re-posting some comments onto the main page, at this critical time in the BC Rail affair. As follows:
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Contact Leonard Krog today on BC Rail secret deal":
Krog is a small time, backwoods lawyer. Westlaw hasn't published any of his cases. During the Barrett years, the party attracted heavy hitters - like Alex McDonald - from the legal community. Now, the NDP is happy to get Neighbourhood Watch goofs like Mike Farnsworth and Jenny Kwan (Criminologist).
I saw a poster in Vancouver yesterday, asking activists to "restore' the NDP. I don't know who those people are, but only the brain dead believe that Carol James is a winner.
Krog is certainly not a vehicle for meaningful change. Too bad the party doesn't have a good replacement.
BC Mary: We saw that poster too, which was their announcement of a meeting being held on July 7 on the topic of TAKE BACK THE PARTY. So obviously there is serious uneasiness about the listless Opposition, and in fact about the current NDP itself. I agree that Krog isn't the vehicle for meaningful change. But with time so short, let's keep our focus on the injunction needed ... it should come from the B.C. Opposition ... and it should come from Krog. He can do it, if we push him hard enough. So please, if you made a call or sent a message to him yesterday, send it again today, with a cc to Carole James, and to your local MLA.
Can't they see that they have nothing to lose and everything to gain if they step up now, to champion the people's right to see that secret BCRail-CN deal which is still clawing away at BC's public assets to give to CN? (With Bill Gates the largest CN shareholder.)
_________________________________________________________
Even if there had been no raid on the B.C. Legislature and no trial of Basi, Virk and Basi, the secret BC Rail Agreement would still be in place, and would still mature on July 14, 2009.
To allow the secret BCRail-CN Agreement to mature - unchallenged - means that it will trigger a whole new set of issues, including options for the people of B.C. to decide ... and including fabulous bonus-gifts for CN.
The BC Rail Agreement will still be with us 990 years from now.
But we get this one brief opportunity to choose among several options, including the re-possession option. One brief opportunity. Then poof! it's finished for almost a thousand years. Yes, it's hard to believe. But don't let us be confused about the need to act now.
We want to see the BCRail-CN agreement. We believe that democracy is suited to such moments in history where secret deals can have far-reaching effects upon the population; where secret deals absolutely must be challenged.
We believe that an injunction is the quickest, cleanest way to call for a "time-out" so that democracy can return to this equation.
We believe that the injunction should best come from the B.C. Opposition, because the injunction should be presented to the court on behalf of all British Columbians. Then we'd know what happened to BCRail, once owned by all British Columbians.
Leonard Krog, a lawyer and the Opposition Critic for Justice, is the person to contact. He must take the initiative to get this injunction. This is an emergency. There's no time to lose. Show us the deal. Let the people decide on best options. That's what the injunction must demand. What court could refuse that?
- BC Mary
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
I am still playing hop-scotch with blogger-world, and although I see everybody's comments arriving in the "Comment Moderation" file, I can't access the comment section myself. All I get is a blank page. So I will continue to keep the discussion going by re-posting some comments onto the main page, at this critical time in the BC Rail affair. As follows:
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Contact Leonard Krog today on BC Rail secret deal":
Krog is a small time, backwoods lawyer. Westlaw hasn't published any of his cases. During the Barrett years, the party attracted heavy hitters - like Alex McDonald - from the legal community. Now, the NDP is happy to get Neighbourhood Watch goofs like Mike Farnsworth and Jenny Kwan (Criminologist).
I saw a poster in Vancouver yesterday, asking activists to "restore' the NDP. I don't know who those people are, but only the brain dead believe that Carol James is a winner.
Krog is certainly not a vehicle for meaningful change. Too bad the party doesn't have a good replacement.
BC Mary: We saw that poster too, which was their announcement of a meeting being held on July 7 on the topic of TAKE BACK THE PARTY. So obviously there is serious uneasiness about the listless Opposition, and in fact about the current NDP itself. I agree that Krog isn't the vehicle for meaningful change. But with time so short, let's keep our focus on the injunction needed ... it should come from the B.C. Opposition ... and it should come from Krog. He can do it, if we push him hard enough. So please, if you made a call or sent a message to him yesterday, send it again today, with a cc to Carole James, and to your local MLA.
Can't they see that they have nothing to lose and everything to gain if they step up now, to champion the people's right to see that secret BCRail-CN deal which is still clawing away at BC's public assets to give to CN? (With Bill Gates the largest CN shareholder.)
_________________________________________________________
Comments:
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I felt it was necessary to comment on parts of DPL's comment from the previous post, but the issues are still relevant to this currently front page top post.
"Maybe just maybe the Opposition has a few tricks up their sleeves. "
Well if they are good at anything, it might be at not showing their hand, or maybe they either don't have one, or are COMPLICIT!
"Governments often put land up for sale, both federally and provincially. I'm not that sure that even Gordo would hand over all the land to CN for little or no money."
No body said that "no one" was profiting from these deals - undoubtably Gordo and his "friends" find this makes business sense FOR THEM! Meanwhile the great majority of the people of BC take a GIANT LOSS!
"In the military there used to be an expression about folks who were couch lawyers and instant legal experts. They were called Barrack Room lawyers."
This is verging on a "concern troll" contribution (or distraction). Perhaps you could have used the term "Jailhouse Lawyer" to greater effect, but then that wouldn't have implied military experience, I guess.
"Drop a few eamils off to the Liberal team players, they may or may not respond but even they can count."
I'm sure a BC liaR would take our concerns directly to the Capo. Perhaps you should ask Paul Nettleton how well that works, you know, the LAWYER and former MLA that had to leave the province after crossing the Capo and the BC liaR MOB!
Privatize Profits, Socialize Risks
from the gospel according to Thatcher/Reagan
"Maybe just maybe the Opposition has a few tricks up their sleeves. "
Well if they are good at anything, it might be at not showing their hand, or maybe they either don't have one, or are COMPLICIT!
"Governments often put land up for sale, both federally and provincially. I'm not that sure that even Gordo would hand over all the land to CN for little or no money."
No body said that "no one" was profiting from these deals - undoubtably Gordo and his "friends" find this makes business sense FOR THEM! Meanwhile the great majority of the people of BC take a GIANT LOSS!
"In the military there used to be an expression about folks who were couch lawyers and instant legal experts. They were called Barrack Room lawyers."
This is verging on a "concern troll" contribution (or distraction). Perhaps you could have used the term "Jailhouse Lawyer" to greater effect, but then that wouldn't have implied military experience, I guess.
"Drop a few eamils off to the Liberal team players, they may or may not respond but even they can count."
I'm sure a BC liaR would take our concerns directly to the Capo. Perhaps you should ask Paul Nettleton how well that works, you know, the LAWYER and former MLA that had to leave the province after crossing the Capo and the BC liaR MOB!
Privatize Profits, Socialize Risks
from the gospel according to Thatcher/Reagan
Hey Kootcoot...I'm seriously beginning to wonder about complicity too! I can tell you they get right testy on a phone when you try to corner them on it :)) Which I consider a challenge, and amusement. But, I just have a sense that there's something in the background they're not wanting to be open about. It's like they're caught up in it somehow - now to find out "how."
That the NDP has to "work" on this issue (as stated), or "study it further" is BS! Krog was ready and tried to debate this in the Legislature 4 years ago! Unless the contract has changed so dramatically that it requires another 2 weeks of reading, or their memories are failing them...no further excuses or delay are tolerable for this kid. Quite simply...they're appearing to drag their feet, making excuses for their unwillingness to tackle this subject (exactly like TILMA)...and running us out of time.
That's something I'll not forget, nor forgive, come the next election. They either remove Carole as leader (and put some fire back in their political bellies) or the NDP will become a political relic of the past.
That the NDP has to "work" on this issue (as stated), or "study it further" is BS! Krog was ready and tried to debate this in the Legislature 4 years ago! Unless the contract has changed so dramatically that it requires another 2 weeks of reading, or their memories are failing them...no further excuses or delay are tolerable for this kid. Quite simply...they're appearing to drag their feet, making excuses for their unwillingness to tackle this subject (exactly like TILMA)...and running us out of time.
That's something I'll not forget, nor forgive, come the next election. They either remove Carole as leader (and put some fire back in their political bellies) or the NDP will become a political relic of the past.
# posted by 
: July 3, 2009 at 9:45 a.m.
: July 3, 2009 at 9:45 a.m.
I'm having trouble understanding how the 1,000 (actually 990) year lease will effect me, or my children, or my children children, or my children children children children children children children children, provided each generation lives 100 years (especially with a Health Minister that we now have under Kevin Falcon spouting off about a two tier health system)...........
For example:
There was this antique dealer in West Vancouver who had a good laugh when he sold a chinese vase to a collector. The price tag was steep but the gentleman was glad to be in possession of it. The joke was that the collector thought that he OWNED the vase because he paid $4,000. The reality is that he was but a custodian of the chinese vase.
We can't take it with us. The house we are sitting in to type on our computer will be here long after we've gone, and in some cases the house has been here longer that we've been alive.
The BC Rail signs maybe no more but we all know who owns the tracks and the land beneath it, and long after July 14th, 2009.
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For example:
There was this antique dealer in West Vancouver who had a good laugh when he sold a chinese vase to a collector. The price tag was steep but the gentleman was glad to be in possession of it. The joke was that the collector thought that he OWNED the vase because he paid $4,000. The reality is that he was but a custodian of the chinese vase.
We can't take it with us. The house we are sitting in to type on our computer will be here long after we've gone, and in some cases the house has been here longer that we've been alive.
The BC Rail signs maybe no more but we all know who owns the tracks and the land beneath it, and long after July 14th, 2009.
# posted by : July 3, 2009 at 8:05 p.m.
: July 3, 2009 at 8:05 p.m. << Home
