Pubdate: Fri, 02 Jan 2004 Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC) Copyright: 2004 The Vancouver Sun Contact: http://www.canada.com/vancouver/vancouversun/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477 Author: Jim Beatty, Vancouver Sun; Sun Legislature Bureau COLLINS SCRAMBLES TO REASSURE PUBLIC Finance Minister Interrupts Hawaii Vacation to Answer Questions After Police Investigation VICTORIA -- Looming large above David Basi's legislature desk, in an office no larger than a bathroom, sits a bright yellow Fat Choy cat, the Chinese symbol for good fortune. However, as the mysterious scandal involving drugs and organized crime continues to swirl, good fortune seems in short supply as the B.C. government scrambles to reassure the public while it struggles to understand the police raids on the legislature. B.C. Finance Minister Gary Collins cut short his Hawaiian holiday this week to return to Victoria and address the controversy centering on Basi, Collins' long-time friend, top political aide and prominent organizer for Prime Minister Paul Martin and the federal Liberal party. Standing just a few metres from Basi's former office, which has been stripped by police of all books, paper, laptop computer and computer hard drive, Collins attempted to reassure the public the government remains in stable hands. "The government's agenda is on track, the budget process is on track. The legislative agenda is on track. The government continues to operate," Collins said. "My message to the public is that we are trying to be as open and transparent as we can." Despite his reassurances, major questions about the police investigation into drugs, organized crime and commercial crime remain, questions for which Collins doesn't have any answers. "Quite frankly, I'm learning most of this from the media," Collins said Wednesday. Collins, who initially said there was no reason to return to B.C., changed h is mind Tuesday when he began to hear questions raised in the media about Basi's link to the government's budget process and its future legislation. "He was not involved in the budget process at all. He never has been," Collins said. "David was never a part of any of the meetings, didn't have access to any budget documents, never attended any of the treasury board [meetings]. To my knowledge, he's never attended a caucus meeting, a cabinet meeting or a treasury-board meeting." Collins, who has not spoken to Basi since the police raid, has been told by Solicitor-General Rich Coleman not to have any contact with him. Basi, who is in his 30s, was the ministerial assistant responsible for Collins' role as house leader. That means he scheduled the timing of legislation to be introduced, co-ordinated debate timing and had contact with every cabinet minister, Liberal backbencher and legislature clerk. He was also the government's key official dealing with the New Democratic Party opposition. "He was a key player in helping me manage the legislation through the house as well as liaising with the caucus member and the opposition. Those are all very important jobs," Collins said. "He was not involved in the drafting of legislation, or the policy development that goes into legislation or any of that." Collins said he can't figure out what the RCMP might have been looking for in Basi's office. However, he repeatedly said Basi would not have had access to budget documents or proposed legislation. "I was sitting there trying to imagine where you would get 12 or 13 boxes worth of stuff out of his office. It's a pretty tiny office. I imagine they probably took a computer and some documents." Despite repeated questions, Collins was unable to clearly answer why Basi was fired and Bob Virk, the second political aide whose legislature office was raided, was merely suspended. "Bob Virk's role is confined to his minister. Dave's role is much broader," Collins said. "A judgment call was made that David would be unable to do that job in an effective manner. Sometimes in politics, political staff go. Sometimes, it may not appear fair on the surface but it's a judgment call and it's made in the best interest of the public." Premier Gordon Campbell's chief of staff Martyn Brown made the order to fire Basi, an order signed by Solicitor-General Rich Coleman. "I wasn't here when the decision was made but I agree with it," said Collins. Questions are being raised about Basi's multiple real estate holdings, particularly because he earned just $67,000 last year and his wife Inderjit earned less as a civil servant working part time as a customer-service representative in the community, aboriginal and women's services ministry. Although Basi co-owns at least four homes, he drives a older Jeep Cherokee and has a vintage Mercury Cougar automobile. He wears little jewelry other than a gold Sikh bangle at his wrist. Collins said he never took lavish trips or had the trappings of a rich lifestyle. "My understanding is his grandfather had a sawmill in Victoria and the family has had resources over the years," Collins said, finding nothing unusual in the fact Basi owns properties. "I've never had the sense that Dave lives a high lifestyle. I don't think any of us do." Collins, who first met Basi in 1992, was responsible for recruiting Basi into the finance ministry office. The two are friends although they did not socialize regularly. "He was active as a Young Liberal, he was very visible and high profile. One of the reasons I wanted him to work for me after the elections was that caucus liaison role. He knew who the MLAs were, he knew their backgrounds and had dealt with them in the years, or months or weeks prior to the election and I thought he would be very good in that regard. He was exceptional in that." Although no charges have been laid and no politician or political party is being investigated, Collins knows the mysterious scandal involving drugs, money laundering and organized crime is political poison for both the provincial and federal Liberals. "My preference would be that all of this [is made] public as quickly as possible. What happens in these cases, and I've seen them in opposition over the years, is the longer they're there with people not knowing, speculation runs rampant, things are inflated, things become inaccurate." - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake