Don't Get Stepped On!
He who Robin Matthews refers to as Gordon Campbell's personal P.R. Flack at the Vancouver Sun published a column today titled "For the Liberals, maybe that fall session wasn't such a hot idea after all." Mr. Palmer begins with:
VICTORIA - The B.C. Liberals were keen to get into the fall session of the legislature, believing they could capitalize on a favourable run in the opinion polls and a troubled Opposition party.
It hasn't worked out that way.
After the upbeat tone surrounding the introduction of the Tsawwassen treaty on the opening day, the session has gone from bad to worse for the governing party.
The Opposition, putting aside internal disagreements, came well prepared. It hit the government hard on a string of issues.
Jeepers, the stuff of dreams an actual opposition, coming prepared and "hitting" the government hard, who'da thunk? Then after a tale of failures and disastrous P.R. Vaughn closes his "hard hitting" critique with this recap:
Recapping: A botched megaproject. Cheap tricks with needy families. A failed lobbyist registration act. Multiple investigations. Many questions, a dearth of answers.
That paints a far less flattering portrait of the B.C. Liberals than the self-satisfied image they have been promoting in their speeches and publicly funded advertising.
Too soon to say which image will stick, which will fade.
But two weeks into the session, the New Democrats have already raised doubts about the B.C. Liberals' ability to cruise, unmolested, to a third term of government.
Reading Vaughn's "hard hitting" critique one would never guess that the almost default "going on forever" BC Rail Trial had a pre-trial hearing on Friday, just past and that at that hearing we learned that approximately 25,000 pages of "evidence" had been dumped on the defence that week. Vaughn also didn't mention anything about this exchange during the pre-trial hearing (from Bill Tieleman)
A massive 25,000 page disclosure of new evidence in the breach of trust trial of two former provincial government ministerial aides could impact current BC cabinet ministers, BC Supreme Court was told Friday morning.
And tempers flared as defence lawyers, the Special Prosecutor and even Justice Elizabeth Bennett all expressed frustration at lengthy delays that have stalled the pending trial, which began with a police raid on the BC Legislature on December 28, 2003.
Kevin McCullough, lawyer for Bob Virk, the former ministerial assistant to then-Transportation Minister Judith Reid, told Bennett that current members of Premier Gordon Campbell's government may be affected when the new evidence is examined.
I guess compared to the embarrassment of handing out booster seats in photo ops being implicated in a criminal investigation/trial just doesn't cut the standard of "newsworthiness," but I think I'll stand by my suggestion of a couple of posts ago and suggest that the MSM start focusing on the BC Rail trial if for no other reason, just to divert attention from all the other slime oozing through the cracks in the facade of the "transparent" and "benign" rule of the Gordo Gang.
Often when a significant thing seems to be being ignored, those who feel it should be brought to the attention of folks refer to it as the elephant in the room (that no one seems to notice). In this case it's more like there is an elephant standing on the Legislature Building and now and then somebody notices his solid waste raining down on the whole idea of democracy and justice. But mostly, everyone, especially Lucinda, Pointy and everyone else who answers to the Canned West Masters of the Universe, just brush off their shoulders and carry on, after all, elephants and elephant poop aren't news and there will be another shooting in Vancouver any minute, and don't forget the Pickton trial. I almost forgot, Dr. Day most likely has an earth shattering announcement that will prove definitively that making him richer will improve health care for all (all the rich folks, anyway).
Oh, and Vaughn, those elephants are REALLY heavy!
posted by kootcoot at 1:54 PM
6 Comments:
I like it koot - well put. The fact Vaughnie finally decided to write a column like this is, well - surprising - given where he's been.
Given what he could have said, as you observe, he still has a long way to go.
I'm with Robin
Excellent piece, kootcoot...and very nice elephant btw. Good sense of balance.....and you, too, of course. ;-)
Much agree with both you and G West - the "intrepid" or should that be "tepid" Vaughnie still has a lonnnnnnnng way to go.....last I heard he was still attending the "Ted Baxter" School of Journalism ;-)......oops, that remark's gonna date me.
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Koot, did you know (reach for your handkerchief ...) that there's a purge under way in the newsrooms of Vancouver Sun and The Province?
They're stream-lining, outsourcing, and cutting away the deadwood.
Which means that the two newsrooms (in the same building) have been decimated! The layouts and such are being sent to Hamilton, Ontario.
So the very heart of that great West Coast publishing empire has been reduced to ... brace yourself! ... a mere 275 persons!
Will the Sun & Prov be able to live up to its regular standard? Only time will tell.
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Wonder if Linden McIntyre would be interested in covering the Basi, Basi, Virk trial? As "real" investigative journalists go, I don't think they come any better than Mr. McIntyre. And this trial has all the mystery, intrigue, subterfuge, and heavy "perfume" (...make that a perfume called Stench) of corruption that he seems to be drawn to.
Lynx,
I heard Linden speaking with Shelagh Rogers on the CBC radio the other morning. Apparently Karlheinz calls him regularly from jail. Karlheinz assures Mr. McIntyre that he hasn't put all of his "cards" on the table yet - he has more "aces" up his sleeve than the recent sworn affidavit contains. If Harper isn't just stalling and doing a diversion he MUST keep Karlheinz available for testimony.
Even if Lyin' Brian was "lobbying" "out of office" for whoever, it is unseemly just two days out of office. After all, they weren't in British Columbia (thinking of YOU Graham).
If he allows the extradition to go ahead, it will prove to me it's (the Harper "investigation" or whatever he calls it) a sham. I'm sure the German authorities could wait if he is required as a witness on this side of the pond. Even Mulroney deserves the opportunity to cross examine his accuser. Though I am aware that "due process" is kinda passe and out of fashion in North America these days.
Of course, that Karlheinz wouldn't say undesirable things (vis-a-vis Pee Wee and Mr. Jaw) from Germany doesn't seem a sure thing either.
Thus, I will also add, if Karlheinz should expire under the least suspicious of circumstances, well................
Hi kootcoot,
I caught that "ace up the sleeve" interview with Linden McIntyre on Shelagh Rogers as well....things could get "quite intrigueing " as you suggest. 'Course Linden did add that Karlheinz could be bluffing. ;-) Quite the high stakes poker game.... or is it a game of "go fish" goin' on. ;-)
Insightful thoughts in your comment about Harper as well in regard to whether he goes ahead with the extradition or not. Much agree, it will give his real intent away. I do like the timing and the poetic justice of all this though. ;-)....too bad, the real thing (justice, that is) has become so elusive.
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