Victoria's Colonial
WaterCarrier
DROPS THE BUCKET!

Perhaps things are changing in the post media, PostMedia universe or maybe one of Lucinda Chodan's charges has just strayed from the reservation. But the home of the less than honest Les Leyne, and infamous paper that could avoid mentioning the trial and conviction of the South Island's biggest drug load for MONTHS, apparently because he was related to Gordon Campbell's personal choice for top aide to the Finance Ministry yesterday published a piece very critical of the ways of the Campbell Crime Family and the omerta deal with Basi and Virk.

In Without answers, B.C. Rail smell lingers, Iain Hunter departs from the normal nothing to see here position and points out that something is very rotten in James Bay! After listing some of the "shiney objects" that have been dangled in the public's face, like Gordo's resignation, HST anger, Diane Watts and the race of lame horses to take over Gordo's soiled throne Mr. Hunter gets right to the point:

But we're in danger of being distracted from something of far more significance -- the suspected, almost accepted, moral rot in government. We are told that a couple of minions in ministerial offices breached our trust and accepted benefits for leaking confidential information.

We're expected to accept the word of these disgraced individuals that they didn't obtain "the consent of their superiors" for what they did. We're expected to accept the word of the premier that they acted alone.

But we don't really know who in the upper echelons of the government or the Liberal party knew what, because the court proceedings that were supposed to reveal these things, and perhaps settle our suspicions, were cut short by a deal.

This is the link between something that really matters, morality in our public life, and where the courts fail. A case put into the hands of a special prosecutor was not so special after all......./snip

But when cases arise that touch on the conduct of government, tangled court proceedings that end in a tawdry deal are not enough.

If this government doesn't see a public inquiry is necessary because the B.C. Rail "case" collapsed, someone else must seek the truth.

Reporters embedded with politicians can't have become inured to slime in the corridors of power. They could at least watch out for the constabulary returning those boxes of documents and keep an ear out for the shredders whirring and the slap of asses being covered.

The honesty of governments can't be assumed, or vigilance casually distracted.

Unfortunately in the PABlum infested media universe of BC, where the largest newsroom is paid by the taxpayers to LIE to the taxpayers, an article like Iain's above is refreshing to say the least. In a world not dominated by greed, corruption and complete and regular betrayal of the public trust by both media and the politicians, an article like Mr. Hunters would be the NORM!




A Battle Maybe Won in the Kootenays

It appears that either BC Hydro has decided that the AXOR (of Montreal) Glacier/Howser Pirate Power Project is flawed or AXOR has despaired of meeting the laughable (usually) Evironmental Assessment Process, but the news in in the Kootenays is that the extremely unpopular project is dead. According to Nelson-Creston MLA Michelle Mungall:

“I can only speculate what it means, but for AXOR to lose its energy purchase agreement is a significant development in terms of whether they’ll go forward and whether the project continues to be viable for them.”

“To me this is showing that AXOR might be pulling away from the Glacier-Howser project,” says Mungall. “Or that BC Hydro is recognizing that this is not a viable project for the people of British Columbia and the people of the Kootenay region.”

More can be found about this at thenelsonpost.ca. For more on today's news or the background and history of this project and the resistance to it (and why it is a bad idea) go to WaterWalk and/or eloisecharet.ca