Sunday, December 27, 2009
Full disclosure for Gordon Campbell in 2010 for the Basi Virk trial
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December 28, 2009 is the 6th anniversary of the historic police raid on the BC Legislature. Such a breach of parliament had never happened before in the British Commonwealth of nations.
By Dec. 28, 2007, it was common knowledge that the Basi Virk Basi trial was being bungled. The normally mild-mannered Paul Willcocks headlined his 4th anniversary column this way: "Police, prosecutors look bad in raid case". Read Paul's column HERE.
Voice-on-Line was more blunt: "Basi-Virk case: Does the prosecution know what it's doing? The prosecution seems to be screwing up big-time in the so-called BC legislature raid case ... which was supposed to start June 5, 2006 ..." Read that HERE.
The thing is, journalists and bloggers have had to be cautious. If we spoke openly about our doubts and fears in the BC Rail Case, we risked being sued for libel if we couldn't show proof. Well ... how could we show proof? The old laws seemed designed to keep us quiet.
Certainly we knew Gordon Campbell's government lost a big railroad, crippled a dazzling Hydro corporation, dealt off ownership of the BC Ferries corporation, and much more.
Most of us knew that the media let Gordo get by without scrutiny ... their excuse being that they might be sued for "libel" but also because we believe big media protected the Gordo Gang.
That's what has always made the Basi Virk Basi trial so important ... yes, it's all about BC Rail ... but yes, it's also all about things we couldn't talk freely about. Hearing the evidence under oath, will be our first opportunity to hear how BC Rail actually slid from our hands and into private pockets ... nobody could charge us with libel for reporting that.
But with the New Year 2010, it gets better. All that fear is brushed aside.
Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that the media does owe better service to the public by providing information even on doubts they cannot prove yet. Go here to see the Reasons for Judgment. Here's one small quote:
In determining whether a publication is on a matter of public interest, the judge must consider the subject matter of the publication as a whole. The defamatory statement should not be scrutinized in isolation. To be of public interest, the subject matter must be shown to be one inviting public attention, or about which the public, or a segment of the public, has some substantial concern because it affects the welfare of citizens, or one to which considerable public notoriety or controversy has attached.
Does that spell "BC Rail" or what.
Terrace Daily Online explains that now, for the first time, they can expose a certain letter (now before the courts) showing that Gordo was at work on a backroom deal intended to double-cross the Haisla Nation, BC Hydro and the watchdog BC Utilities Commission. It is part of a court case ongoing in Terrace, B.C. It's good to read the Terrace daily online info here. I recommend it.
And so, from New Year's Eve 2010 onward, the media big and small, should feel free to do better work.
From Day One, 6 years ago, I had no doubt that Gordon Campbell himself -- in charge of British Columbia's government -- got rid of BC Rail on terms which caused police to come running. Nor was I surprised that Organized Crime was part of this police alarm ... not with 135 Organized Crime groups in B.C. (900 identifiable crime groups in Canada).
I haven't the slightest doubt that Gordo exerted strong personal influence over the decision to sell BC Rail, and continued to exert his influence over the way in which BC Rail was sold.
Therefore, my New Year's wish for British Columbia 6 years later, is that as the Basi Virk Basi trial gets to the truth of that transaction, the presiding judge and/or the defence team will force full disclosure.
My New Year's wish for British Columbia under the new libel ruling, includes Gordon Campbell himself becoming the proper subject of full disclosure as the trial goes forward. Enough with the sheltering protection. No public figure is more deserving of cross-examination.
There's much more to Gordo's giveaway of BC Rail than meets the eye. And once we know what happened to BC Rail, we'll know what happened in every other major loss which befell BC Crown corporations in the past 9 years.
It's in the public interest to be fully informed of that. - BC Mary.
.
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December 28, 2009 is the 6th anniversary of the historic police raid on the BC Legislature. Such a breach of parliament had never happened before in the British Commonwealth of nations.
By Dec. 28, 2007, it was common knowledge that the Basi Virk Basi trial was being bungled. The normally mild-mannered Paul Willcocks headlined his 4th anniversary column this way: "Police, prosecutors look bad in raid case". Read Paul's column HERE.
Voice-on-Line was more blunt: "Basi-Virk case: Does the prosecution know what it's doing? The prosecution seems to be screwing up big-time in the so-called BC legislature raid case ... which was supposed to start June 5, 2006 ..." Read that HERE.
The thing is, journalists and bloggers have had to be cautious. If we spoke openly about our doubts and fears in the BC Rail Case, we risked being sued for libel if we couldn't show proof. Well ... how could we show proof? The old laws seemed designed to keep us quiet.
Certainly we knew Gordon Campbell's government lost a big railroad, crippled a dazzling Hydro corporation, dealt off ownership of the BC Ferries corporation, and much more.
Most of us knew that the media let Gordo get by without scrutiny ... their excuse being that they might be sued for "libel" but also because we believe big media protected the Gordo Gang.
That's what has always made the Basi Virk Basi trial so important ... yes, it's all about BC Rail ... but yes, it's also all about things we couldn't talk freely about. Hearing the evidence under oath, will be our first opportunity to hear how BC Rail actually slid from our hands and into private pockets ... nobody could charge us with libel for reporting that.
But with the New Year 2010, it gets better. All that fear is brushed aside.
Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that the media does owe better service to the public by providing information even on doubts they cannot prove yet. Go here to see the Reasons for Judgment. Here's one small quote:
In determining whether a publication is on a matter of public interest, the judge must consider the subject matter of the publication as a whole. The defamatory statement should not be scrutinized in isolation. To be of public interest, the subject matter must be shown to be one inviting public attention, or about which the public, or a segment of the public, has some substantial concern because it affects the welfare of citizens, or one to which considerable public notoriety or controversy has attached.
Does that spell "BC Rail" or what.
Terrace Daily Online explains that now, for the first time, they can expose a certain letter (now before the courts) showing that Gordo was at work on a backroom deal intended to double-cross the Haisla Nation, BC Hydro and the watchdog BC Utilities Commission. It is part of a court case ongoing in Terrace, B.C. It's good to read the Terrace daily online info here. I recommend it.
And so, from New Year's Eve 2010 onward, the media big and small, should feel free to do better work.
From Day One, 6 years ago, I had no doubt that Gordon Campbell himself -- in charge of British Columbia's government -- got rid of BC Rail on terms which caused police to come running. Nor was I surprised that Organized Crime was part of this police alarm ... not with 135 Organized Crime groups in B.C. (900 identifiable crime groups in Canada).
I haven't the slightest doubt that Gordo exerted strong personal influence over the decision to sell BC Rail, and continued to exert his influence over the way in which BC Rail was sold.
Therefore, my New Year's wish for British Columbia 6 years later, is that as the Basi Virk Basi trial gets to the truth of that transaction, the presiding judge and/or the defence team will force full disclosure.
My New Year's wish for British Columbia under the new libel ruling, includes Gordon Campbell himself becoming the proper subject of full disclosure as the trial goes forward. Enough with the sheltering protection. No public figure is more deserving of cross-examination.
There's much more to Gordo's giveaway of BC Rail than meets the eye. And once we know what happened to BC Rail, we'll know what happened in every other major loss which befell BC Crown corporations in the past 9 years.
It's in the public interest to be fully informed of that. - BC Mary.
.
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Comments:
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I guess now I have a base to revisit a email from a certain lawyer refusing permission to publish information they gave. That information was the sole piece for opening my mind as to what is going on in this trial. And I am definitely going to need some help here.
Hi Gary E., and Happy New Year to you and your family,
Can you tell us what the topic was? I do recall the long-ago incident and it seems to me that your question was fairly innocent ... was it something about courtroom schedules?
I'd think she might be more forthcoming now, even without the Supreme Court of Canada ruling.
Good thing you remembered that, though. It will test the new ruling.
.
Can you tell us what the topic was? I do recall the long-ago incident and it seems to me that your question was fairly innocent ... was it something about courtroom schedules?
I'd think she might be more forthcoming now, even without the Supreme Court of Canada ruling.
Good thing you remembered that, though. It will test the new ruling.
.
The Pope and Gordon Campbell were siting in the front row. The Pope said to Campbell" I can, with a simple wave of my hand make many people very happy, in a way that will last for a very long time and they will continue to be happy.
Campbell said 'I don't believe you. Show me."
The Pope gave Campbell a backhander.
Campbell said 'I don't believe you. Show me."
The Pope gave Campbell a backhander.
# posted by 
: December 27, 2009 at 5:51 p.m.
: December 27, 2009 at 5:51 p.m.
Mary, your perseverance is so appreciated. Your blog is a source of daily inspiration.
We too are "intimately" involved with the BC Supreme Court, regarding an issue of seniors health care (one of many, we hear). The Ministry of Health has repeatedly stone-walled release of information, as have doctors and the care facility.
There are so many parallels between our case and that of BC Rail, except for one big difference. We, as citizens, are footing the bill ourselves as we watch the courts, lawyers, the police, the bureaucracy, even the so-called watchdogs, etc. consume our taxpayer dollars to protect themselves and their peers, and to cover up sundry wrong-doings.
It's a secret in the media, but not to those of us who have tried to get help for loved ones who are being harmed in care, that the "helping" professions (especially those self-regulated professions (e.g. lawyers, doctors) are above the law. And the mainstream media just blithely keep saying "There are no stories to report."
Just tell that to the 86-year-old woman who was raped in Surrey Memorial Hospital. This story was reported a couple weeks ago, but what the media didn't focus on was that she was raped six months ago. The hospital "investigated" the matter themselves, and did nothing. Only when family started to object loudly and publicly, did the police become involved. Six months later.
And, since when does a hospital get to investigate serious crimes by themselves (ones that happen on their own property for which they could be partially culpable? Since when? Since Gordon Campbell gave free rein to the health care "authorities" to act with impunity, that's when. And the courts won't touch the care facilities or doctors. No sir.
God help us all, it's a nightmare for seniors once they set foot in "care."
So, let's hope we can crack the protective shell masking the rot that has set in the very institutions that we need to rely on to ensure we are not all "fair game" for those who would simply strip us all of our assets and our rights.
You are making a difference, BC Mary. Don't for one minute, think of letting up. Please. Keep shining a light in those dark corners.
All the best for the New Year.
We too are "intimately" involved with the BC Supreme Court, regarding an issue of seniors health care (one of many, we hear). The Ministry of Health has repeatedly stone-walled release of information, as have doctors and the care facility.
There are so many parallels between our case and that of BC Rail, except for one big difference. We, as citizens, are footing the bill ourselves as we watch the courts, lawyers, the police, the bureaucracy, even the so-called watchdogs, etc. consume our taxpayer dollars to protect themselves and their peers, and to cover up sundry wrong-doings.
It's a secret in the media, but not to those of us who have tried to get help for loved ones who are being harmed in care, that the "helping" professions (especially those self-regulated professions (e.g. lawyers, doctors) are above the law. And the mainstream media just blithely keep saying "There are no stories to report."
Just tell that to the 86-year-old woman who was raped in Surrey Memorial Hospital. This story was reported a couple weeks ago, but what the media didn't focus on was that she was raped six months ago. The hospital "investigated" the matter themselves, and did nothing. Only when family started to object loudly and publicly, did the police become involved. Six months later.
And, since when does a hospital get to investigate serious crimes by themselves (ones that happen on their own property for which they could be partially culpable? Since when? Since Gordon Campbell gave free rein to the health care "authorities" to act with impunity, that's when. And the courts won't touch the care facilities or doctors. No sir.
God help us all, it's a nightmare for seniors once they set foot in "care."
So, let's hope we can crack the protective shell masking the rot that has set in the very institutions that we need to rely on to ensure we are not all "fair game" for those who would simply strip us all of our assets and our rights.
You are making a difference, BC Mary. Don't for one minute, think of letting up. Please. Keep shining a light in those dark corners.
All the best for the New Year.
# posted by : December 27, 2009 at 6:26 p.m.
: December 27, 2009 at 6:26 p.m.
I see anon 5:51 has visited my site.
I can say this much here Mary. There was a difference of opinion as to what was going on between the prosecution and defence.
We'll talk.
I can say this much here Mary. There was a difference of opinion as to what was going on between the prosecution and defence.
We'll talk.
.
Jan,
Thanks so very much for your message of encouragement ...
and what a battle you're waging against the same Dark Forces.
I won't give up, or let up, I promise you that.
For the life of me, I can't understand the cruelty which runs through Gordo's policies -- cutting back on services people need -- then shoveling money wastefully into Olympic games and convention roofs.
Anytime you want to tell people about your work, please feel welcome to use the comments section here, as you did today.
If it's something you'd like kept private, just write NOT FOR PUBLICATION across the top.
Meantime, very best wishes for your New Year. I'm absolutely humbled to learn of what you're doing.
.
Jan,
Thanks so very much for your message of encouragement ...
and what a battle you're waging against the same Dark Forces.
I won't give up, or let up, I promise you that.
For the life of me, I can't understand the cruelty which runs through Gordo's policies -- cutting back on services people need -- then shoveling money wastefully into Olympic games and convention roofs.
Anytime you want to tell people about your work, please feel welcome to use the comments section here, as you did today.
If it's something you'd like kept private, just write NOT FOR PUBLICATION across the top.
Meantime, very best wishes for your New Year. I'm absolutely humbled to learn of what you're doing.
.
Does this mean that the BC NDP can tell Patrick Kinsella's mouth piece to shove his threatended lawsuit where the sun doesn't shine?
# posted by : December 27, 2009 at 8:19 p.m.
: December 27, 2009 at 8:19 p.m.
Jan Courtney. What do you expect the hostpital to do about the rape? There you have mentally ill and demented elderly patients. Try them and put them in jail?
Is it the Provinces fault everytime some family decides they cannot look after their own family memeber and so that person is put in so called state care and that care goes horribly wrong.
How suprising. NOT!
Is that the states fault? Would the care be even worse at home?
I would betcha that the care home is privately run, and not run by the Province. Am I right? If so, charges shuould be laid, more jails opened and all those part of this thrown in jail.
Is it the Provinces fault everytime some family decides they cannot look after their own family memeber and so that person is put in so called state care and that care goes horribly wrong.
How suprising. NOT!
Is that the states fault? Would the care be even worse at home?
I would betcha that the care home is privately run, and not run by the Province. Am I right? If so, charges shuould be laid, more jails opened and all those part of this thrown in jail.
# posted by : December 28, 2009 at 7:55 a.m.
: December 28, 2009 at 7:55 a.m.
What would I expect from a hospital holding one of my elderly parents as a patient? I'd expect the highest levels of patient safety, which is one of their stated objectives. They failed. Miserably. And the patient paid the price for their ineptitude, and the ignorance that followed by trying to bury another "incident." There is NO excuse for this, there is NO reason for this. They failed. Period.
Having once been a patient at Surrey Memorial Hospital, I wouldn't take my cat there for treatment.
Having once been a patient at Surrey Memorial Hospital, I wouldn't take my cat there for treatment.
# posted by : December 28, 2009 at 9:33 a.m.
: December 28, 2009 at 9:33 a.m.
Hello, Jan Courtney:
Would you let us have the URL so that people may visit your web-site to say more, learn more about Seniors Care in BC these days?
.
Would you let us have the URL so that people may visit your web-site to say more, learn more about Seniors Care in BC these days?
.
Jan,
I've just rejected two very unpleasant comments directed at your topic ...
it saddens me no end, that people can be so cruel and insensitive.
but I wish you courage in your work. I know how much time and effort is involved, and wish I could be more helpful.
.
I've just rejected two very unpleasant comments directed at your topic ...
it saddens me no end, that people can be so cruel and insensitive.
but I wish you courage in your work. I know how much time and effort is involved, and wish I could be more helpful.
.
does anyone know the legal costs to date associated with this trial? what exactly has this cost the people of bc? what is the Defence's legal bill to-date? the Prosecution costs?
much thanks.
much thanks.
# posted by : December 29, 2009 at 8:06 a.m.
: December 29, 2009 at 8:06 a.m.
.
Anon 8:06,
What are the costs of NOT pressing forward to find the facts of this case? HUGE, beyond all reckoning.
It's unthinkable that we could say, at this late date, that finding out how damage has been done to this province, is too expensive ...
which implies that it's preferable to allow more and more damage to continue destroying British Columbia. It wasn't just BC Rail, you know, which was high-jacked. Other Crown corporations followed a similar pattern.
Part of the plan by which the Forces of Darkness might be hoping to get away with further (and add it up, enormous corruption) would be to have us "forget" about BC Rail.
As you may know, I'm not particularly concerned with the guilt or innocence of the three accused ... BUT
what we need to know is how BC Rail slid from public ownership into private pockets ...
and how those details can continue to be kept secret. We desperately need to look into that.
Yes, it's costing too much. But it's too easy to let the cost-factor become an easy "out" for the truly guilty parties in this case.
It's not for nothing that this BC Rail Case has been called the most significant trial in BC history.
.
Anon 8:06,
What are the costs of NOT pressing forward to find the facts of this case? HUGE, beyond all reckoning.
It's unthinkable that we could say, at this late date, that finding out how damage has been done to this province, is too expensive ...
which implies that it's preferable to allow more and more damage to continue destroying British Columbia. It wasn't just BC Rail, you know, which was high-jacked. Other Crown corporations followed a similar pattern.
Part of the plan by which the Forces of Darkness might be hoping to get away with further (and add it up, enormous corruption) would be to have us "forget" about BC Rail.
As you may know, I'm not particularly concerned with the guilt or innocence of the three accused ... BUT
what we need to know is how BC Rail slid from public ownership into private pockets ...
and how those details can continue to be kept secret. We desperately need to look into that.
Yes, it's costing too much. But it's too easy to let the cost-factor become an easy "out" for the truly guilty parties in this case.
It's not for nothing that this BC Rail Case has been called the most significant trial in BC history.
.
"Does this mean that the BC NDP can tell Patrick Kinsella's mouth piece to shove his threatended lawsuit where the sun doesn't shine?
The current version of the BC NDP doesn't have the balls to say anything of the kind, indeed they seem to be accomplices more than "loyal opposition," unless of course the "loyal" part means loyal to Gordo for some crumbs. They had more balls when it was just Joy and Jenny and were more effective.
The current version of the BC NDP doesn't have the balls to say anything of the kind, indeed they seem to be accomplices more than "loyal opposition," unless of course the "loyal" part means loyal to Gordo for some crumbs. They had more balls when it was just Joy and Jenny and were more effective.
By the way, over at the Powell River Persuader's (the Straight Goods on Mary's links) there is a great recent post that points out how ALL the current provincial Liberal regimes are doing the same thing as Gordo (Ontario and New Brunswick) privatization run amok - they are trying to emulate the ugly parts of Amerika - Home of the Greedy!
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