Wednesday, April 06, 2011
It's a long, long way from the BC Legislature press gallery to the BC Rail Scandal
.
BC Mary comment: Les Leyne is trying to tell us something. It isn't easy for him. Telling both sides of "the story" is one thing. Leyne understands that. But there are other sides, other shadows, sticking out of his column in today's Victoria Times Colonist. Have a look. Where does your sympathy kick in?
From BC Rail scandal to Press Gallery
By Les Leyne
Times Colonist - April 6, 2011
Brian, Brian, Brian, what are we going to do with you? [BCM: Stop it, you simpering fool! Have some respect for the profession of journalism: yours as well as Brian's.]
My old pal Brian Kieran has applied to join the B.C. legislature press gallery as a correspondent for, wait for it, [Stop it!] Monday Magazine.
He's better known as the founder of the lobbying firm that started one of the longest-running political scandals in B.C. history. So the new gig -actually, the return to his old trade -is either part of his rehabilitation effort, or a continuation of his notoriety, depending on your view of journalism.
Either way, it's prompted some soul-searching among reporters who cover the legislature. Thelooseygoosey gallery has limited executive functions. It's up to media outlets to decide if they want to cover the place, and with whom. Whatever standards they use to make the choice are up to them.
But Kieran's comeback effort prompted some thinking about friendship, the new media age and the nature of scandal ...
Read Les Leyne's complete thought(s) HERE, and try to forget that Victoria, B.C. is a very small town ... such a small town that Mr Big can go on trial in Victoria Court House (a few blocks down the street from the offices of Times Colonist), and somehow an effective media silence prevailed.
http://www.timescolonist.com/news/From+Rail+scandal+press+gallery/4566857/story.html
BC Mary comment: Les Leyne is trying to tell us something. It isn't easy for him. Telling both sides of "the story" is one thing. Leyne understands that. But there are other sides, other shadows, sticking out of his column in today's Victoria Times Colonist. Have a look. Where does your sympathy kick in?
From BC Rail scandal to Press Gallery
By Les Leyne
Times Colonist - April 6, 2011
Brian, Brian, Brian, what are we going to do with you? [BCM: Stop it, you simpering fool! Have some respect for the profession of journalism: yours as well as Brian's.]
My old pal Brian Kieran has applied to join the B.C. legislature press gallery as a correspondent for
He's better known as the founder of the lobbying firm that started one of the longest-running political scandals in B.C. history. So the new gig -actually, the return to his old trade -is either part of his rehabilitation effort, or a continuation of his notoriety, depending on your view of journalism.
Either way, it's prompted some soul-searching among reporters who cover the legislature. The
But Kieran's comeback effort prompted some thinking about friendship, the new media age and the nature of scandal ...
Read Les Leyne's complete thought(s) HERE, and try to forget that Victoria, B.C. is a very small town ... such a small town that Mr Big can go on trial in Victoria Court House (a few blocks down the street from the offices of Times Colonist), and somehow an effective media silence prevailed.
http://www.timescolonist.com/news/From+Rail+scandal+press+gallery/4566857/story.html
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Comments:
<< Home
Hi all. I would recommend to anyone interested in the cesspool of our justice system to listen to CBC Radio's The Current where the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Beverley MacLachlin was just interviewed on the problems in the justice system in Canada. She was followed by a panel of lawyers and prosecutors, and then politicians.
Total public relations love-in in my opinion. Nice words that are so at odds with the reality of the corruption in the legal system, especially here in BC, that it makes one want to cry or scream.
Check out the show of April 6, 2011 for these justice stories (may take a few hours/next day for CBC to podcast today's show):
http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/episode/
Listen and weep. Rant and rail.
Then write, call, email -- everyone and anyone who cares or should.
Total public relations love-in in my opinion. Nice words that are so at odds with the reality of the corruption in the legal system, especially here in BC, that it makes one want to cry or scream.
Check out the show of April 6, 2011 for these justice stories (may take a few hours/next day for CBC to podcast today's show):
http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/episode/
Listen and weep. Rant and rail.
Then write, call, email -- everyone and anyone who cares or should.
# posted by 
: April 6, 2011 at 9:58 a.m.
: April 6, 2011 at 9:58 a.m.
Hugh,
I don't have a lot of time to find out what YOU mean ...
and then find out what Dave Basi meant ... etc.
Can you be a bit more specific?
I don't have a lot of time to find out what YOU mean ...
and then find out what Dave Basi meant ... etc.
Can you be a bit more specific?
In today's article Les Leyne referred to a 10-page statement. I was wondering what this is.
# posted by : April 6, 2011 at 11:26 a.m.
: April 6, 2011 at 11:26 a.m.
Hugh,
Here's how I read that segment:
" ... The case that destroyed his [Kieran's] public affairs firm concluded with a final flourish. It was a 10-page statement of facts that outlined what the whole ludicrously expensive exercise was all about.
As far as Kieran was concerned, it stipulated that Virk phoned him with the confidential bids for B.C. Rail and he recorded them on a piece of paper. (If he'd still been a reporter, it would have been a big scoop; never mind that the information was purchased.)
The statement said Kieran and his associate, Eric Bornman, reimbursed the aides for an NFL junket to Denver with their wives. And that Bornman paid Basi thousands of dollars for the confidential information.
Giving money to government officials is so far beyond the pale it's hard to know where to start in describing it. But that's what they did." End of Les Leyne quote.
Read more: http://www.timescolonist.com/news/Leyne+From+Rail+scandal+press+gallery/4566857/story.html#ixzz1IlmsthG3
Here's how I read that segment:
" ... The case that destroyed his [Kieran's] public affairs firm concluded with a final flourish. It was a 10-page statement of facts that outlined what the whole ludicrously expensive exercise was all about.
As far as Kieran was concerned, it stipulated that Virk phoned him with the confidential bids for B.C. Rail and he recorded them on a piece of paper. (If he'd still been a reporter, it would have been a big scoop; never mind that the information was purchased.)
The statement said Kieran and his associate, Eric Bornman, reimbursed the aides for an NFL junket to Denver with their wives. And that Bornman paid Basi thousands of dollars for the confidential information.
Giving money to government officials is so far beyond the pale it's hard to know where to start in describing it. But that's what they did." End of Les Leyne quote.
Read more: http://www.timescolonist.com/news/Leyne+From+Rail+scandal+press+gallery/4566857/story.html#ixzz1IlmsthG3
What is this?
"It was a 10-page statement of facts that outlined what the whole ludicrously expensive exercise was all about."
I sent Mr Leyne an email asking about this.
"It was a 10-page statement of facts that outlined what the whole ludicrously expensive exercise was all about."
I sent Mr Leyne an email asking about this.
# posted by : April 6, 2011 at 12:07 p.m.
: April 6, 2011 at 12:07 p.m.
Good for you, Hugh.
I hope he responds with some new information.
I've just been looking up CN's strange development from a public railway into a privately-owned railway ...
I hope he responds with some new information.
I've just been looking up CN's strange development from a public railway into a privately-owned railway ...
Les Leyne's article makes me feel a bit sick. But an editorial from the previous day is pretty good, about BC Hydro:
http://www2.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/comment/story.html?id=b8d0a172-3bf2-4695-801b-79bec0894b9b
Post a Comment
http://www2.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/comment/story.html?id=b8d0a172-3bf2-4695-801b-79bec0894b9b
# posted by : April 6, 2011 at 5:36 p.m.
: April 6, 2011 at 5:36 p.m. << Home
