Wednesday, October 20, 2010

 

The BC Rail Political Corruption Trial. Outside Courtroom 54. The Trial Goes on.

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By Robin Mathews
October 20, 2010

The shocking end of the Basi, Virk, and Basi trial has produced reviews, chronologies, and newstories.  And "thinkpiece" columns by the the thought-moulders of the rancid Mainstream Press.

Rafe Mair (NOT Mainstream Press)) is alleging - at the very least - slippery reporting by William Berardino QC of the process leading to the wipe-out of the trial.  Mr. Mair wants the public to know (what every school child SHOULD be able to intuit, but maybe can't) that the decision to do a deal with the accused and pay for all of their costs had to involve Gordon Campbell, the Attorney General Michael de Jong ... and maybe more: "cabinet".

Mr. Mair is suggesting, I believe, that the political decision at the highest levels was taken to shield guilty major players from any further exposure and - perhaps - necessary court action against them.

The Mainstream Press has begun already to do what it can to destroy the Basi, Virk, and Basi story, to end it, to rub it out.  The role of the Mainstream Press and Media in British Columbia is, largely, I allege, to front for the Gordon Campbell group and to distract attention from any suggestion of wrong-doing by that group.

And so Ian Mulgrew, October 18.  His column is so bad the mind boggles at it.  We have heard, he writes. "the most provocative and unsubstantiated rumours imaginable, primarily that the Liberals used sleight of hand to flip a $1-billion-plus public asset to their corporate friends at CN Rail for a bargain-basement price.  No proof of that materialized."

Having sat in the courtroom probably ten times as often as Ian Mulgrew, I would say his statement is wrong, that Defence presented much evidence to call Mr. Mulgrew's statement into serious, serious question.  I would say it is irresponsible of Ian Mulgrew to write what he wrote.  I believe that  - to the satisfaction of most reasonable British Columbians - proof did materialize of the Liberals use of "sleight of hand".

He goes on:  "In the end, not a scintilla of evidence was offered to support the theory that these two civil servants acted on the orders from the premier's office to shore up a phoney asset auction by keeping OmniTrax involved."

That statement, I believe, is beyond comment.

Then there's Les Leyne of the Victoria Times Colonist (October 19, 2010)   In effect, he tells us "a couple of aides" were nobodies, doing dumb private acts.  Probably the key thing he writes in the column - for the good of the Campbell group - is "there is no evidence any politicians were involved in criminal acts".

There is no evidence that any politicians were involved in criminal acts - I have been writing for years, - because no politicians underwent the full investigation that would be necessary to produce that evidence.  When I asked top RCMP officer, Gary Bass, to undertake that investigation, he refused.

Mr. Leyne knows as well as I do, I am sure, that Finance Minister Gary Collins WAS under investigation, and that the investigation was terminated without any record of the termination.  During  pre-trial hearings, Mr. McCullough for the Defence declared Mr. Collins was under investigation.  Justice Elizabeth Bennett stopped him to say that Collins was under surveillance, not investigation, as I remember her words.  Mr. McCullough came back that the RCMP officer notebook(s) refer to the "investigation" of Gary Collins.  When Mr. McCullough reported there was no record of the termination of investigation, Justice Bennett expressed surprise, saying there must be record somewhere.

That is the Elephant in the room: the depth of improper involvement by the Gordon Campbell group in the corrupt transfer of BC Rail to the CNR.  That is the primary issue.  That is the matter that was - I allege - circumvented purposefully from the start, by every means possible.

We may be sure the workers for the Mainstream Press and Media will do all they can to bury that Elephant under an increasingly large pile of horse manure, and that the owners of the Mainstream Press and Media will give their employees all the room they need to shovel it on.




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Get Your Stinkin' Hands Off Our Province, Gordon Campbell

By Powell River Persuader - Oct 20, 2010

Read it HERE.

http://powellriverpersuader.blogspot.com/2010/10/get-your-stinking-hands-off-our.html

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Comments:
BC citizens are not surprised by the outcome of, Campbell's corrupt sale of the BCR trial. And not surprised De Jong refused further investigation.

More than likely the trial had to be stopped. Perhaps the witnesses coming up, would have put Campbell in prison, where he belongs. Campbell is one evil entity, and the BC Liberal governing bodies, are just as bad as Campbell.

BC people knew the BCR corruption case, was nothing but a farce. The corruption trial was heard, in a corrupt court, presided over by a corrupt judge. And, there we have it. BC isn't known for the most corrupt province in Canada for nothing.
 
It is important to recall that RailGate Finance Minister, Mr. Gary Collins, 'demanded' that the Crown release the surveillance wiretaps back in 2007 to completely clear his good name.

Now that the publication ban is off and there is no 'before the courts' excuse, perhaps the either Mr. Mulgrew or Mr. Leyne, because they are such fine 'get to the bottom of things professional journalists' could call up Mr. Collins and ask him if he still wishes the Crown to do so to 'clear his (throroughly uninvestigated) name'.



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My take on this matter, for anyone interested can be found, here.....



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Check out this site for a great cartoon.

http://www.opinion250.com/blog/view/17987/1/end+of+b.c.+rail+trial++has+an+odour.....?
 
I yearn for an investigative reporter such as Stevie Cameron (On the Take - re: Brian Mulroney) to write the book on this criminal event, but what is one to do when the MSM have been bought?
 
Mary:
Quick question. Can you remember which OIC it was in which Dave Basi and Robert Virk were appointed to the civil service (without competition of course)?
 
Ian has an excellent post up

http://therealstory.ca/2010-10-20/bc-liberals/why-the-bc-rail-deal-sucks-and-why-you-should-care

GAB
 
Curiouser and curiouser

http://www.cknw.com/Channels/Reg/NewsLocal/Story.aspx?ID=1298290

AG says there is no non-disclosure agreement.

And I should believe him, why?

GAB
 
http://therealstory.ca/2010-10-20/bc-liberals/why-the-bc-rail-deal-sucks-and-why-you-should-care

And Ian Reid has the inside information on what happened during the publication banned time that brought the BC Liberal government to bend one knee to bankroll the plea bargain.
 
Ole Nielsen and others,

Stop yearning and start writing to Stevie Cameron and others,

who will write the book if they feel it's worthwhile.

And we know that it is.

Good luck!
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"The Mainstream Press has begun already to do what it can to destroy the Basi, Virk, and Basi story, to end it, to rub it out."
R. Matthews

Yes, Robin, and did everyone notice that Justin Beiber landed on the front page of the Province and the Sun with no front page mention of Basi & Virk today and yesterday? Nothing against that young Beiber fellow, but outside of some adoring teens and pre-teens, does anyone really care about what the heart-throb of the year does? Is Beiber really front page newsworthy over the BC government's trial of the century?

What hogwash!
 
GAB--

Absolutely bizarre the claim of no 'non-disclosure agreement'....

Perhaps Mr. de Jong does not think that phrase means what it actually means.

Not that someone might mistake him for a Vizzini-type character or anything.

Then again.....

If Mr. de Jong suddenly starts shouting 'Inconceivable!' we will know the jig is up.

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Robin, during pre-trial I believe it was disclosed that RCMP Investigators had Passports in hand on their way to Hawaii to have a chat with Gary Collins holidaying at the same time as Campbell,Clark in Hawaii - but they never got to see the palm trees never mind pursue the investigation of Collins.

You wrote: ". . . no politicians underwent the full investigation that would be necessary to produce that evidence. When I asked top RCMP officer, Gary Bass, to undertake that investigation, he refused."

Given Gary Bass got a call from Asst Deputy Min in the Solicitor Generals Office strongly suggesting NOT to pursue the politicians as suggested also during pre-trial . . . guess we know who held the axe to that idea.

Seems Good old Gary has called a lot of shots on all things political while his Officers took the orders.
 
"Seems Good old Gary has called a lot of shots on all things political while his Officers took the orders."

The fact that heading the Project Everywhichway was the president of the BC Liberal Party Insp. deBruckyere probably didn't hurt, either.
 
I meant to type "brother in law" of the president of the BC Liberal Party!

I believe this "investigative bias" and his wish to not honour it is the reason former Chief Battershill is now retired in the Okanagan as well. He as much as Don Faulkner and mate was collateral damage of the BC Rail part of the Campbell Crime Spree against the populace of BeeCee!

After all there's nothing wrong with having an affair or a mistress, I mean the boss does it!
 
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