Friday, March 19, 2010

 

Three Letters from Robin Mathews on the BC Rail Scandal

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This is the first part of a four part series.  Three letters are to “officials” I believe are in dereliction of their responsibility to law and the administration of justice.  The fourth part is an overview placing the BC Rail Scandal and the Gordon Campbell government in relation to the present, persistent attack on democratic accountability across the Western World.

The first – to Gary Bass, RCMP Deputy Commissioner (BC) and Commanding Officer of “E” Division. Copies sent by surface mail and e-mail to Gary Bass.

Dear Deputy Commissioner Bass:

Earlier I wrote to you to ask you to undertake criminal investigation of the actions of Gordon Campbell and his associates in the corrupt transfer of BC Rail to the CNR. 

I pointed out to you that a mass of evidence has been brought forward to the Supreme Court of B.C. by the disclosure applications of Defence counsel, and that they – in open court – have repeatedly claimed that evidence exists that the accused in the Basi, Virk, and Basi case were following the policy of their seniors, and/or were acting as mandated to do, and/or were directly instructed by seniors. 

In the material I have referred to – and more that would be available to your organization – I believe evidence rests to allege criminal breach of trust and perhaps more, by the Gordon Campbell group.

Further, reasonable investigation by the RCMP of BC Rail matters would almost certainly bring to light more evidence – despite the destruction of key materials by the Gordon Campbell structure – almost two years of key e-mail materials – without satisfactory explanation or any investigation by the RCMP, your Force.

An investigation, moreover, into the dessication of BC Hydro would, I believe, also reveal criminal behaviour by Gordon Campbell and his associates.  I formally ask you for an investigation of the separation of BC Hydro into parts, the move to prevent it from expanding energy generation,  the agreements involving the participation of Accenture in formerly BC Hydro work, and all other aspects of the de facto privatization of what were traditionally BC Hydro activities.

Beyond making here a formal request for criminal investigation of the BC Hydro matters, I will confine the subject of this letter to the BC Rail Scandal.

You have refused to conduct the criminal investigation I have asked for in the BC Rail Scandal matter – the corrupt transfer of BC Rail to CNR.

I remind you that the B.C. RCMP – at the instigation of people connected to the Gordon Campbell constituency office [you being a highly placed BC RCMP officer at the time] - undertook a criminal investigation of long duration and at high cost to determine if then-B.C. premier Glen Clark had criminally received benefit from eight to twelve thousand dollars worth of sun-deck work he had done at his private residence in Vancouver’s East End. [But you will not investigate Gordon Campbell and his associates in the corrupt billion dollar transfer of BC Rail to the CNR.]

After 136 days of expensive Supreme Court trial presided over by Madam Justice Elizabeth Bennett – despite the concentrated efforts of your B.C. Force -  Glen Clark was acquitted of all suspicion of wrong doing.  Madam Justice Elizabeth Bennett would grant no considerations of false or faulty procedure though the whole case bristled with suspicious activity.

You will, of course, remember well some of the suspicions aroused by the case against Glen Clark.  I refer you, for instance, to the Globe and Mail, January 7, 2002 – front page.  The story there reminds us that the chief investigating RCMP officer on the Glen Clark case was a political ally of Gordon Campbell and was asked by Campbell – on more than one occasion – to run for office. Peter Montague played out his role while you were, at least, a senior RCMP officer. 

You will know, too, that the investigation I requested into the (generally accepted) dubious investigation techniques of the RCMP in the Glen Clark matter was shut down by experienced RCMP officers.  The Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP reported the investigation I requested was wrongfully shut down.  I wonder if you ordered the wrongful closing of that investigation?

Peter Montague was a bizarre choice as chief investigating officer in the Glen Clark case.  In the earlier “Gustafsen Lake stand-off” in 1995, he was deeply involved in what has been (with mountains of supporting evidence) repeatedly alleged to have been an RCMP, B.C. government, Canadian Army, B.C. Supreme Court, and Mainstream Press and Media “operation” in defiance of all Canadian law to subdue some twenty or more Native people attending and attempting peaceably to protect a Sun Dance celebration.

Peter Montague is alleged to have lied to CBC in order to get special radio time.  He is alleged to have taken part in the falsification of documents to the Department of National Defence in order to justify a military presence at Gustafsen Lake.  In the Vancouver Province of January 21, 1997, Holly Horwood refers to the RCMP’s “disinformation and smear campaign” at Gustafsen Lake.  Sgt. Dennis Ryan admits to using the terms.  Horwood goes on: “On the tape, parts of which are missing, RCMP information officer Peter Montague says with a smile that : “Smear campaigns are our specialty”.

In an interview with Arthur Topham of The Radical in November 2000, John (“Splitting the Sky”) Boncore, deeply involved in the events, tells of the false story about armed Natives.   Boncore says “they [RCMP] had forgot to shut the camera off and so we had the footage which showed that the statements make by Peter Montague of the RCMP and subsequently reiterated by Attorney General Ujjal Dosanjh, that the two men jumped out of the truck with AK-47s and were shooting at the police and which precipitated the whole shooting incident where thousands of rounds were fired into the [Native] camp was nothing but fabricated lies”.

[One has to ask if that kind of behaviour is not echoed in the Globe and Mail Editorial of December 9, 2009.  The Editorial reads, concerning Robert Dziekanski: “The RCMP brutally killed a new-comer to Canada, put out fake information into the public sphere while investigating themselves, then refused to correct the record….” That was done with you as top RCMP officer in the Province, and one has to ask if you sanctioned the false information provided to the public, referred to in the Globe editorial?]

The Basi, Virk, and Basi case, I believe, is a cover-up action – whatever the guilt or innocence of the accused – bleeding attention away from the alleged criminal activity of Gordon Campbell and his associates in the corrupt transfer of BC Rail to the CNR.

Defence counsel repeatedly has claimed that the RCMP was delaying, stalling, responding inadequately, providing chaotic materials … and more in the Basi, Virk, and Basi pre-trial hearings.  A reasonable Canadian watching that process, as I did, might well believe your officer Force, the B.C. RCMP, was deliberately attempting to confuse and obstruct the administration of justice.

The trial of the three accused cabinet aides which is to begin on May 3 cannot have, I insist, credibility.  The Special Crown Prosecutor was appointed, I allege, in violation of the prosecutor legislation.  The RCMP responded to disclosure requests, I believe, in a way which casts suspicion on their intentions.  And – of key importance – from the beginning of investigation, RCMP appears to have (and is alleged by Defence counsel to have) carefully cut and fitted the investigation activities, “targetted” them, in order to avoid charges being laid against anyone senior to the aides accused.

When I suggested in my last letter to you that racism may have been involved in the charges against the accused, you expressed alarm and consternation.  If, however, as many believe, some “White” people were protected in the investigation and three Sikhs were charged … who can dictate what conclusions will be drawn?

All of those anomalies can only be corrected by a full, publicly announced criminal investigation of Gordon Campbell and his associates in the corrupt transfer of BC Rail to the CNR. I formally request you to undertake that investigation without any further delay.

                                                                    Respectfully,

                                                                    Robin Mathews

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Comments:
MONDAY, JUNE 26, 2000

Afternoon Sitting

Volume 20, Number 15

Oral Questions

EX-PREMIER SLANDER CASE AND POLICY
ON LEGAL EXPENSES FOR GOVERNMENT MEMBERS

Source: http://www.leg.bc.ca/HANSARD/36th4th/H00626p.HTM

"Hon. P. Ramsey: Oh, okay. I will be brief, hon. Speaker. That member, should she ever find herself on government benches, will be very glad that this indemnity policy is in place."


The "her" here is C. Clark, who left office as a BC Liberal Minister shortly after the BC Legislature was raided.

Hon. P. Ramsey was defending the reason why the BC NDP put an indemnity policy is in place.......


If there are any questions on who will be picking up the legal bill on behalf of those who did leave the BC Liberals shortly after the raid, and the sale of BC Rail, look no further than Hansard and the NDP Government.
 
If I was an uninformed visitor to British Columbia (or just a typical uninformed BCer, thanks to the ASSper Empire of Diversion and PAB) it would have to conlude the the BC Railway is just a model train that Glen Clark had set up and running on that Deck in East Van that dominated the news all all local media for MONTHS.
 
Peter Montague was a bizarre choice as chief investigating officer in the Glen Clark case.

I can't remember which columnist it was who reported it, but it was fairly mainstream - at least the Straight if not the Sun:

Montague was tied to, maybe a partner in, a parallel, competing casino application that was seeking approval at the same time as Pilarinos' casino at the NBI: the Montague-related casino was in the Brentwood/Lougheed/Boundary area and was for a club ("charitable foundation") that provides for RCMP officers in retirement.....a social club, I gathered from the article, where illicit card games were already a staple...

Glen Clark let his kids play with the kids across the alley, and got to know their folks at the parent-to-parent level. And he never actively lobbied for the kids' Dad's casino application, pointedly refused to do so....

Gordon Campell was clearly playing games too, as was Montague. Musta been an interesting evening or two around the poker table that led to the raids on Clark's house huh?
 
Robin's writings often leave me speechless. No exception here as I have thought over the past day or so about the courage and content of this letter and of letters and comments past. If Robin's perceptions are accurate, which I fear they are, history is being written on this website and we are learning the answer to the kinds of seemingly unanswerable questions I always asked myself as a kid learning about ugly times in history. How could whole countries allow evil people to take power, I used to wonder. The answer is that the evil people know exactly what they are doing and are therefore able to plan it carefully, using legal, information, and justice systems, while the good people prefer to bask in good and don't take easily to the level of scheming required to thwart the evil ones before or after they have sunk their roots in too deeply to be removed. The schemers too frequently seem to win, at least here on Earth. Although I'm not a church goer, I can take some small comfort in the Bible quote to the effect that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. I hope that there is such a thing as infinite justice, especially given the tendencies towards self righteousness often embodied in the rich and powerful.

In the meantime I hope important information here is being securely saved for future use by those who are more interested in truth, honor and fairness than in money.
 
concerned citizen. dont be so naive. That Mathews can say a thing doesnt make it so.
 
Anonymous @8:52

"That Mathews can say a thing doesnt make it so."

What you say doesn't constitute PROOF of anything either, though what you DO SAY would indicate you really have nothing to contribute but would like to muddy the waters.

The destruction of documents, the resistance to disclosure, the suspicious replacement of the judge (in such a lengthy, complicated case) and many more issues that at least present the "appearance" of conspiracy, breach of trust, illegal destruction of not only public records BUT potential evidence in an ongoing trial would, in an open and just system, require AT LEAST enough investigation to demonstrate that Robin's suspicions are not justified. It's quacking, don't you think we can suspect that it is a duck?

I would think that the PABlum Brigade could afford to hire more effective spokepersons, considering they were one of the rare agencies to actually get an increase in the recent budget.
 
Anon 8:52...don't sound so PAB'ish even if you are one of their propagandists...and own your opinion - get a name!
 
Leah and Koot, the reason BVB were charged and no one else is becuase THEY were the only government employees involved, for which I suspect the wire tap evidence and the bank records, will make crystal clear.

As for the case of Basi and YOung and Duncan, neither Young nor Duncan are east indian. But if they were, you would be suggesting that the prosecution there too was racially motivated.

Now go lie down and get some sleep. Your visions and imagination are far too wild, imho.
 
Connie,

You came close to the line there, with your bullying comments toward others.

They have opinions. You have opinions. Yours are no better than anyone else's so no grounds for your air of superiority.

Next time: deletion.
 
sorry bout that; the last part was in jest ;)
 
Conflict-drone: the reason BVB were charged and no one else is becuase THEY were the only government employees involved, for which I suspect the wire tap evidence and the bank records, will make crystal clear.

For one thing, you're walking all over the publication ban with that comment; did you clear it with Lara first or did she suggest that's what you say? Because you're drawing conclusions as to the evidence, and making suggestions that you know what's in the evidence (i.e. the wiretaps). The rest of us, who aren't just p.r. mules like you, know that the Finance Minister's calls were wiretapped. Of course he's not an employee, he's an elected official, in the scheme of things an employer.

Also there is NO indication at all that they were the only government employees involved; they are simply the only ones the RCMP, in their alleged forelock-tugging wisdom, saw fit to lay charges against. Given that their doings were under the supervision of the Premier and his Personal Assistant-cum-Deputy Chief of Staff-cum-Head of the PAB, and that the BC Rail dealings overall are known to have been closely under the thumb of the Premier, it's highly unlikely that no one else in the Premier's office knew what they were doing. Maybe you're making a distinction between employee and appointee??

You also suggest that you know what the bank records will show. What you're suggesting is that you know more than anyone else, including people who have been actively following this case for six years....and you show up in the last few months and say "all you people are stupid, this is what's going to go down".

Quack, quack, quack....
 
What's the deal reConflict, or shall I call you BC_Gurl or maybe CKDA or what, today?

This must be a small scale variation on the theme of how many monkeys with typewriters would it take before they randomly created a Shakespeare sonnet. In this case they've locked a number of PABlum_chimpanzies in a somebody's mom's basement to see if they can come up with ignorant crap taking turns on one keyboard. (mission accomplished - it's ignorant crap)

Although Skookum above explained more than any of your personae is likely to comprehend - as to:

"Leah and Koot, the reason BVB were charged and no one else is becuase THEY were the only government employees involved, for which I suspect the wire tap evidence and the bank records, will make crystal clear.

As for the case of Basi and YOung and Duncan, neither Young nor Duncan are east indian. But if they were, you would be suggesting that the prosecution there too was racially motivated.

Now go lie down and get some sleep. Your visions and imagination are far too wild, imho.
"

Basi and Virk HAD NO power to affect the result of the so-called bidding process, and therefore anybody bribing them for an advantage was dumber than BC_Gurl, reConflict and the gang all put together. Now it is likely they, in the process of FOLLOWING THEIR BOSSES INSTRUCTIONS, saw an opportunity for some side deal extortion/bribe taking, that shouldn't be surprising considering what it appears their bosses were asking them to do - dirty tricks, create the appearance of a fair bid process and such.

After all the ethical moral tone of an organization is set by the leaders, even in a criminal organization such as the BC liaRs so-called government.

But please feel welcome, we need a laugh or two from time to time and the lack of rationality by the defenders of Lord Gord and Biz as Usual in itself is encouraging.
 
Skookum I dont think you are stupid; I think you are purposely trying to create doubt were none exists.

As for the publication ban, I am not privy to any trial proceedings becuase I have not ever set foot in the court house to hear any of the proceedings, BVB, the developers, none, nill. But I have seen documents that the NDP had posted on their websites, which includes newspaper articles from wat back that details money laundering activities.

Since both you and I are NOT privy to the wiretap evidence, YOU and i will have to wait until such evidence is provided to know for sure what went on, and in the end, YOU will never be satisfied, IMO, and do not need to be satisfied becuase it is for the Judge to decide what weight, if any should be placed on such evidence, when instructing the jury, who will decide. So then why are you throwing support behind such speculative comments as the prosecution was/is motivated by racism?

As for Kootkoot, I side with your suspicion thatthey were providing info their bosses wanted them to provide, and saw an opportunity for a side deal. NO argument here!
 
also, when the good people of BC get the chance to vote, so long as Carole James is removed, the NDP should win. But more importantly, the NDP just do not resonate with BCers.

The NDP, imo, stand for a whole back of disjointed well meanding but utterly misguided notions: That needle exchanges are a good thing for communities. That not locking up criminals is good for communities. That secondary sewage treatment costing 1-2B is a responsible thing to impose taxpayer resourses on, even if scientists say otherwise, that the most important thing is for women to make the exact same wages as men, even if they are only willing to take up 1-3% of all back-breaking construction jobs, that its more important to run as many women as men for any given election, even when the constituency thinks their best candidate is a man, that paying out Indains will ever satisfy them, cure them, or achieve anything other than a few weeks of wild spending, that raising minimum wage will eliminate poverty.

This list of dellusions carried by the NDP is not comprehensive. There are far more wilder and crazier notions I cant or wont even bother to mention. But that is why the Liberals have gotten in each time. Becuase the NDP are so hopelessely out of whack.

The NDP used to get their support from the union coffers, mostly from the IWA, ie the logging industry. But how can a party support logging and tree hugging eco-hippies at the same time?
 
So you've decided to stick with the alias "reConflict" now have you. Although your handle changes like action from the "Three Faces of Eve," your partisanship and stoopidity stay the course.

"But more importantly, the NDP just do not resonate with BCers."

Actually bc_gurl, oops reConflict, with the steady ongoing toxic flooding of the BC media by the MSM that lives in Gordo's pocket and takes it's marching orders from the PAB, it's a wonder known NDP supporters aren't lynched on sight in British Columbia.

"That needle exchanges are a good thing " FOR the prevention of the spread of disease. Disease spread via dirty needles can and will find ways to spread beyond the junkies and lowlife you may prefer to just die from their misbehaviour.

"that the most important thing is for women to make the exact same wages as men, even if they are only willing to take up 1-3% of all back-breaking construction jobs,"

Another non sequitor. Nobody with a brain, NDP or otherwise suggests that all women should make the wages of a construction worker, indeed no one suggests that all men should make the wages of a construction worker. And while I'm at it, the folks that ARE overpaid are the white collar (often) con artists, shufflers or worthless paper etc. The equitable goal of the fair-minded is EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK (of equal value). (I know you would like to see equal pay for the stupid).

"paying out Indains will ever satisfy them, cure them, or achieve anything other than a few weeks of wild spending,"

You're really into stereotypes, we have been exploiting the Indians for centuries, even killing them to steal their land - a bit of reparation or fair treatment after all this time isn't like Christmas come early. Of course Campbell's method of attempting to buy off certain Indians in order to continue the exploitation or trying to get the Haida to finance Gordo and Paul Taylor's fraudulent green power schemes IS (or should be) A CRIME!

"But how can a party support logging and tree hugging eco-hippies at the same time?"

This is a false conflict, as a retired logger, I've long realized that conservationists and forestry workers were actually on the same side. Of course the Campbullitic Corporate agenda likes to sow discord amongst their foes. Without SUSTAINABLE logging there will be no logging. Cutting and Running and shipping raw logs to China helps no one but the corporate elite.

" So then why are you throwing support behind such speculative comments as the prosecution was/is motivated by racism? "

No one at Mary's has been "throwing support" behind this notion. But since this blog is about the BC Rail trial and the defendants are Indo-Canadians, it is relevant to REPORT what is being said in the Indo-Canadian press and elsewhere regarding the issue of racism.

I may continue to read your comments, just for the laughs, but may not bother to waste my time with any replies, unless you manage to get even more outrageously mis-leading.
 
Well said Koot, and Skookum.

I have to admit that I'm a "live and let live", and "do unto others" kind of person..and find it hard to hold grudges for longer than about 60 seconds - BUT - I have to say that I am looking forward to the day when Karma takes a great chunk out of the Liberal governments ass (those that voted for them are being prepared for the big fall the same as the rest of us, so may Karma pass them by this time, but while passing...drop a large load of common sense and the ability to THINK and REASON on their own, on their door steps)...and they finally discover there really IS no right way, to do the wrong thing.
 
Leah,

Those are words deserving of being put up in lights:

there really IS no right way, to do the wrong thing.

Me, I don't like holding a grudge either ... in fact, I'm superstitious about the process which I think damages the grudger more than the grudgee.

And I'm not sure it's a grudge which I hold against Gordo the Premier-Guy ... but I do hold him accountable for what's happened to BC, an accountability which dares not be overlooked or forgotten.

I think I'd call it Keeping the Faith, and thanks to all, like you Leah, who do keep faith with the province we love.
.
 
reConflict: Skookum I dont think you are stupid; I think you are purposely trying to create doubt were none exists.

LMAO. Apparently only you have no doubts about the Campbell government and His Gordship.....it is you who are trying to claim knowledge when the evidence is yet undisclosed.

You probably also know what the secret witness has to say; for all we know, you're working for him/her.....

We've seen plenty of evidence so far, and most of it points at His Gordship directly. If you can't see that, you're more blind than stupid.....but "wilfully blind" is probably more like it.

What's a job at the PAB worth anyway? How much is your soul worth?
 
koot, thanks for resonding. I get the whole disease prevention thing. so lock up drug users. they are breaking the law.
 
reConflict

Another resonce (renaissance)- how's about we lock YOU up, to protect you from disease and us from your stooooooopidity? Do you also believe in locking up folks for say - destroying evidence relevant to an ongoing trial involving bribery, fraud and potential breach of public trust or refusing to comply with court orders?
 
i do beleive in putting in jail the bartender who over served the person who got behind the wheel of their car and drove drunk and killed the woman. I beleive in jailing the owner of the bar who hired the bartender who continually over serves. I also think the liquor licensing agent who allowed the permit even though this was the 1000 drunk driver who imbibed at that bars should be thrown in jail.

I beleive the politicians who set up such a messs should also be fired and tossed in jail.


We all have resonsibilities. SOme people just dont get that and that is why there are jails full of bad people. ALl these people and guilty of a crime. No more worse than the other, but all crimes of opportunity,
 
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