Legal Saga, Mark Hume, Globe and Mail, December 3, 2012
“A legal battle by the Auditor-General to get billing records in a political-corruption case has taken a surprise turn with an admission by the British Columbia government that it has documents it long denied having…
“Last year Mr. Butler [a legal services branch lawyer] filed an affidavit with court in which he stated ‘the Government never received copies of any statement of account or supporting information,’ from the lawyers reviewing the bills from Mr. Basi and Mr. Virk.
“Mr. Butler acknowledged that he also told Mr. Virk and Mr. Virk’s lawyer that he never saw any of their detailed billing records.
“But in a new affidavit filed Monday he said that information was simply wrong...”
For decades, I have admired British Columbia journalists named HUME. Mark Hume is one of those people and he’s done admirable work throughout his career. However, he works for the Globe and Mail and that constrains his work. Knowing the limits, we can be certain that his published assertions and implications don’t tell the whole story.
I’m not constrained. Unlike Mr. Hume, when I see bullshit, I can call it bullshit. The term may not be polite but it fits.
No person, beyond an ardent Liberal partisan, believes that the sale of BC Rail was anything less than corrupt. Everything that has gone on since proof was offered is bullshit. We get it from ass-covering government lawyers, from a superior court with unclean hands, from politicians prepared to lie without second thoughts, from radio broadcasters (yes, you Messrs. Good, Palmer and Baldrey) who told us this was old news, fit to be ignored.
Don’t expect the Auditor General’s efforts in Supreme Court to succeed. The court, specifically Justices Dohm and MacKenzie, put politics ahead of the law. That fact cannot be acknowledged by the remaining judges without diminishing respect for the court itself.
The Auditor General and others seeking to report truth about the sale of BC Rail face interminable barriers. That fact alone demonstrates the fraud underlying BC Rail. If it was honourable, why have they resisted full disclosure?
Categories: BC Rail, Journalism
in-sights.ca 
Wouldn't electing judges introduce more political influence rather than less? I suspect a system that removes ANY is difficult to achieve, but electing them would be moving in the wrong direction if the goal is to remove politics from the judiciary.
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Looks like we need to start electing judges, in this country. If political influencing of the judicuary is occurring, we are no better than some third world regimes. Time for some big changes, without them, taxpayers are no more than slaves, in our own house, ruled by the 1% who think they know best…for themselves.
We really have to find a way to stop, the propaganda and malfeasance being perpetraited by those in power. Our democracy and future of our country, is being put at stake.
Some one either here or on another blog mentioned the “boxes” of politic's. While this was a gerneral statement, reflecting his opinion of the term in general, it is amazing how much truth there seems to be in the saying. “You first have the soap box, then the ballot box, followed by the docket (court) “box”, thankfully in Canada, we don't resort to the fourth one…the ammo…
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This is interesting:
http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/episode/2012/12/07/laurence-kotlikoff-is-the-united-states-broke/
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Google global news b.c. and go to contact us….they love to hear from us I'm sure…..they actually put closed captions on my cable after one of my better notes,needless to say my cable comes from telus now…..ASSHOLES, anyone that has shaw cable should cancel and switch to something else…..
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The judiciary is as crooked as the LIEberals
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Lots of good commentary here. We do have a very serious problem. The corporate “dominance” of our political system is essentially, shutting out any form of real political engagement of the public, albeit, the taxpayer. This province has seen the “worst” form, of this “dominance”, over the past 11 years, by the BC Liberals.
The only way that any form of pressure, can be exerted on these people is perhaps via some sort of class action lawsuit against political party(s), public demonstrations, and bringing more “negative attention” to the issues of the day, than is being done now. With most of the MSM organizations, being “shills” to the “political has been's”, in this province, that will be a difficult task. They are no longer driven by “worthy” news events, but by an overall corporate agenda. “Fluff”, as it has been referred to, on this blog and others.
While blogs such as this one, Alex Tsukamis, Ian Reid, and others, are a “vital” source of real news
to those fed up, with a waste of taxpayer resources and the selling off of our “collective assets”' as a “quick” cash grab, more has to be done.
Canadians are notorious, for being laid back when it comes to politics. The politico's know this and use it to their advantage. The corporate “elite's” know this and there has been a concerted effort, on their part, to use this against the average Joe, and taxpayer. The past 30 years has seen a shift from old methods of politic's, to the so called “new and improved” methods. Fostered in political science “realms” over this past few decades, we are now seeing the “twisted” form of “subversive” politic's “against” the taxpaying public, we now see. “Reganomics”, fostered in the Republican “backrooms” in the 1980's, was the basis, for this North American shift in government, to a corporate dominated system.
Jas Johal, for his part is an excellent reporter, and must be under some sort of scrutiny, when he reports on the government. Otherwise I'm quite sure, he would be going after, the current party in power, with a lot more tenacity, than he does.
We the public, have to form “alliances”, outside of the current political sphere, become more involved in our political process, demand inquiries such as the Anti-Corruption commission in Quebec, and take back “our” political agenda. A concerted effort, must be made to confront the corporate agenda, demand public input and scrutinize their obvious, ulterior motives, with a more critical eye. The “game” is being played, so far we are the pawns, and we are losing out.
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I have long held the opinion that if this BC Rail case is to be investigated properly and fully to the satisfaction of all British Columbians, the matter will have to be handled by someone outside of this province, and indeed, with the revelations about how Judges are paid, perhaps the investigation will have to be done outside of the country.
The people who have controlled this case from the beginning are fully aware they are all dirty. They have always known. By the continual denial they are really stating “what are you (the people) going to do about it?”
Canada, its politicians, its political process, its electoral processes, are completely and totally corrupt.
Again all of them know this: same question as previous; what are we going to do about it?
In South America and other places in the world the corrupt governments freely admit they are corrupt. In Canada the process is to deny and blame us as having the wrong attitude.
Wake up folks, nothing will change until we( the people) change it.
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Besides Jas Johal , i can't think of one reporter with a spine working at Global News.
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there certainly were some strange dealings when MacKenzie was presiding. i am not a lawyer but i smelled political interference
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Global tv sunk to a new level of sleaze on tonight's news. They reported the wet dream of the Liberal campaign manager and his wild ass guess that the NDP was going to spend 6.8 billion dollars as a result of their campaign promises.
Nothing at all to collaborate his drivel and if one started to watch a quarter way thu the piece of crap they might be led to believe it might be true.
Reporting someones demented thoughts is probably a clue as to whats coming when the election arrives. With this bull shit happening 5 months before the election I can only imagine what is in store for when the writ is finally dropped.
With Globall getting the lions share of the 60 million dollars in the liberal propaganda broadcasts appears to be paying off.
If half of the readers of blogs such as this one were to drag up what they were intending to buy at a bunch of Globals advertisers and tell them that they (the advertiser) were supporting a biased news outlet that was promoting a corrupt Government and left their purchase at the counter in protest, I wonder what might happen.
Does anyone know how to contact these Globall BC TV slugs?
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Ron, I believe the seat on the Court of Appeal went to B.C. Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Bennett – while MacKenzie was gifted with the title “Associate Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of British Columbia”.
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Quebec has its inquiry because the police got it for them, sort of. In B.C. we have the RCMP. Now not wishing to cast aspersions upon any one's integrity, I do wonder what a senior officer of the RCMP & his brother-in-law, then pres. of the LIEberal party discussed over dinner. Well you gotta wonder!
When AGT posted some of the transcripts, I read them, & even I, could see the investigation could have had other avenues to pursue. That it went towards Basi/Verk was no surprise and neither was the payment of “legal fees”. I wasn't suprised about any of it. The lieberals continue to spend a lot of money defending themselves all the while the government coffers are empty. What have they got to hide? As they say, follow the money. Who's life style got better, etc?
The judges are not impartial. They have been around since the beginning. Many owe their careers to the lieberals so they aren't going to do anything to upset the apple cart. We might get a different ruling if it went to the Surprme Court of Canada, but then again who knows.
I just want B.C. Rail back
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Strangely, that's how the first judge was moved out of the BC Rail case. Justice Bennett had made rulings not popular in high places.
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And what was MeKenzie's payoff? Wasn't it a seat on the Court Of Appeal?
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Campbell's theft and corrupt sale of the BCR has been called, the sleaziest crime in Canadian history. That is until, Harper's so called majority. Campbell's first election lie, the BCR wasn't for sale. Campbell too, lied and cheated to win his elections. Campbell worked for Harper, and still does.
The trial of Campbell's theft and sale of the BCR trial will be, the laughable farce of the century. Police who refused to, further investigate the crime. Brain dead Martyn Brown and all. The trial was held, in a corrupt court. Presided over by a corrupt judge, who blatantly permitted brain dead witnesses. We used to worry, Martyn Brown wouldn't be able to find his way home. Browns memory was that bad.
However as we see. There are no morals nor ethics left, in this entire country. Canada is now the ideal country, to commit your crimes. Politicians and the elite, only need a Special Prosecutor and a corrupt judge, to get away with their criminal charges. In BC, you can thieve an entire railroad, and get away with it.
Canada is very little different than, the Honduras, China, North Korea, the Congo or any corrupt dictatorship, third world country. As in those country's? We as Canadians do not have any rights, in our own country. Canada does not belong, to Canadians anymore. We are being sold out, to a Communist country.
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Look no further than this as to why BC Rail has been smoothed over by BC Supreme Courts:
“However, section 96 of the Constitution Act, 1867 provides that the federal government appoints the judges of the superior courts in each province. Sections 99 and 100 provide that federally appointed judges may work until the age of 75 and that the federal government will pay their salaries.”
In other words, British Columbians are not directly footing the bill for Justices…. Stevie Harper is using Federals funds, derived from the Provinces, to bankroll his hidden agendas … how else to explain the plumb job that the Prime Minister gave our former Premier, Gordon Campbell…… and now BC Rail insider information is withering on the vine because the government Christy's government has ripped out all the tracks that would lead to Corruption.
Plenty of time for a call for an election Writ, this fall!
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That should have read…. ($1.8 million/KM)..
John's Aghast!
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How does the Province of Quebec manage to have an inquiry into their corrupt affairs, and yet we are unable to effect the same?
How is it Albertans can insist that their premier (Redford) step down over some alleged indiscretion and we can't do the same with our (alleged) premier Clark?
I would assume Norm that your statement about Dohm and MacKenzie would be libellous if they weren't true?
The $6 million pales in comparison to the millions spent since in trying to cover up this sordid mess. By the way, Christy has promised $500 million to twin 277km of Hwy 1 from Kamloops to the Alberta border ($1.8 million/mile) But EVEN IF they sold BCRail -all 2500km of it, including rolling stock and adjacent real estate – for $1 Billion, and I understand it was considerably less, that is only $400,000/km. Do the math. Either the railroad was 'given' away, or she is spending too much to twin the highway (She isn't – the last 3km stretch east of Kamloops cost $3 million/km)
John's Aghast!
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Lew, you understand the situation completely. A little common sense reveals the obvious. MacKenzie was/is a participant in the coverup. It's widely known.
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Justice Mackenzie says in her oral reasons for sentence in the Basi/Virk trial that,” Joint submissions by experienced counsel are entitled to deference. In the present case, the joint submission neither offends the interests of justice nor is contrary to the administration of justice.” My question is why the $6 million fee waiver was not mentioned anywhere in her judgement as a mitigating factor? She mentioned less significant factors, but not the $6 million. Is it possible she didn’t know about it? Surely she would have mentioned it if it was included in the joint submission.
How could it be that she didn’t know about it? The decision to accept the plea deal was hers to make on the basis of what was placed before the court. Did the government and the defense allow the submission to be placed before her knowing full well that it was only one of two deals? The former Attorney General at the time the charges were laid says there is no way the defendants would have entered guilty pleas unless the $6 million was waived. And he, according to our current premier, is one of the sharpest legal minds around. So why didn’t she mention that consideration in her reasons for sentence?
http://bcjustice.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1782:before-the-honourable-associate-chief-justice-mackenzie-oral-reasons-for-sentence&catid=253:2010&Itemid=1252
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I got confirmation directly from an unimpeachable source who works at 800 Hornby Street and parks behind the secure gates. I trust the person completely but will not reveal the name.
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Sadly we live in a banana republic called “the Province of British Columbia”. The 1% here is mean and vindictive and will not tolerate any dissent to their “message” faithfully advanced by the Bill Goods and the Vaugn Palmers of the world. The Vancouver Stun is not fit for wrapping fish, and The Province has never been worth the paper it's printed on. But they buy their ink by the barrel, and their voices are echoed on radio, on TV, and now on the (formerly)_beloved CBC.
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“Don't expect the Auditor General's efforts in Supreme Court to succeed. The court, specifically Justices Dohm and MacKenzie, put politics ahead of the law. That fact cannot be acknowledged by the remaining judges without diminishing the glory of the court itself.”
Norm: after following this page for over a year, I believe you wouldn't print the above without the ability to back it up. Have I missed something in previous posts that dealt with the named Justices?
Assuming your statement is true, we British Coulumbians should hang our heads for permitting it to happen. I share the angst of tens of thousands of others who recognize a problem but honestly don't know what to do to fix it.
There certainly doesn't appear to be an option at the ballot box. I don't hear any of the majors calling out for legislative, judicial and executive reform.
British Columbia has never in my lifetime (almost as long as yours ;-)) been more ripe for change. We need a catalyst. Now.
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Yes the Globe and Mail….another “propaganda” rag, seems like most of the MSM are now “shills” of one sort or another.
What puzzle's me here, as in the BC Rail fiasco, is the optics and perception of what can only be described as Obstruction of Justice, by a serving government that desperately does not want the party membership, to have to pay the consequences of their actions. Indeed, the “BC Liberal party” is the responsible party here. We throw words like government, party in power and such around, without really seeing that it is the party and the membership that are ultimately responsible, for the elected officials and party policy.
That being said, the optics of the “government” obstucting the Auditor General, from reviewing and accessing documents that he has a right to see, is incredible. Then to admit that the information was available, quite ridiculous. Terminate the legal counsel involved, call for a judicial enquiry. If the “esteemed” Justices are “tainted” by any form of political partisianship, they should be required to step aside in this matter, as it would be a conflict of intrest. We seem to be hearing that phrase a lot lately.
Simply put…Ray Charles could “see” through all this “bullS***”
Its time the “legal house” in this province, was put in order. Politics would be a close second for a good “cleansing”.
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The Globe is regularly closing comments when the establishment (or its representative at the G&M) are caught in wrongdoing. What a gutless, unprincipled organization. It must make their remaining excellent writers (obviously that excludes Wente) squirm.
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Comments were closed on the Globe and Mail article as well, making the story wither on the vine.
Thankfully, you have plenty of water here, Norm, to mix with Butler's fertilizer. This story could really head for the clouds!
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Election please, and a full public inquiry into the sale of BC Rail.
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Hello Norm,
Yes the BC Rail case! As bad and corrupt as the sale of that railway was and the deliberate abuse of the public trust it took what has followed has been even more damaging, so damaging in fact that I don't think the total can ever be measured nor will things ever be put right.
The very system we look to to protect the public and bring justice has proven itself to be a mockery, a joke and a sham. All that we hoped was good and would protect has been proven to be but another cheap insult to us. Nothing these responsible for this sick situation can ever do in the future can reverse the stench of this sordid affair. I know I will leave this world with disgust for them all!
Don
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Who benefitted financially?
Who in the Government or their friends & “relatives” made money?
Who in the media made money?
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