Pubdate: Tue, 17 Jan 2006
Source: Ladysmith-Chemanius Chronicle (CN BC)
Copyright: 2006 BC Newspaper Group & New Media
Contact:  http://www.ladysmithchronicle.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1279
Author: Ron Waller

STILL IN THE DARK ON LEG RAIDS

What Bugs Me:

What ever happened to the information about the raids on the 
legislature we were promised? It was two years ago (Dec. 28, 2003) 
that the RCMP and Victoria Police raided two offices in the B.C. 
Legislature. Supposedly the warrants were issued as a result of an 
investigation of the drug trade and organized crime.

So what do we know? Keeping in mind there is more detail than 
mentioned below, here is a brief summary:

On Dec. 28, 2003 the RCMP and Victoria police execute nine search 
warrants at seven locations across the province, including two 
offices in the B.C. Legislature. Some of the locations include:

Dave Basi's office in the legislature and his home in Victoria; The 
legislature office of Bob Virk; the offices of Erik Bornman and Brian 
Kieran, of the Pilothouse Public Affairs Group, which has close 
Liberal connections; the Vancouver home office of Bruce Clark, Prime 
Minister Paul Martin's chief fundraiser on the West Coast.

Police also visit the offices in Port Moody of Mark Marissen, 
Martin's campaign manager in B.C. Police say Marissen might be the 
"innocent recipient" of key documents.

Dave Basi was fired from his job as ministerial assistant to B.C. 
Finance Minister Gary Collins. Virk was suspended with pay then fired later.

Premier Gordon Campbell met with reporters in Victoria after 
returning from vacation, and says he doesn't know much more than 
basic details. He also reveals that Basi received $54,000 in severance pay.

Associate Justice Patrick Dohm released a summary of the search 
warrants, which says police were investigating whether two government 
officials leaked information about the sale of BC Rail for their 
personal gain. Eighty per cent of the information was blacked out to 
protect the ongoing police investigation. The documents allege two 
B.C. Liberal aids released confidential information about a 
government deal to privatize a portion of BC Rail in exchange for a 
job with the federal government.

What is happening on this? Are we being kept in the dark?

We do know that Basi and Virk were charged with accepting a bribe, 
influence peddling, breach of trust and two counts of fraud over 
$5,000. They go to trial in April. Were they the only ones involved? 
Did they have that much power or are they scapegoats?

Yes, there is the drug issue but I think this is a smoking gun to 
lead us away from the real reasons for the raids.

It seems strange to me that two powerful former ministers, Gary 
Collins and Christie Clark, resigned prior to the last election and 
as we know Basi was Collins' ministerial assistant and Clark's 
husband was being investigated at one time for possible connections 
to these raids. Even though they both gave other reasons for their 
resignations, was it due to a possible connection to the raids? We 
may never know.

At a time when we have the scandals surrounding the federal Liberal 
Party I think it is important to find out more details on the raids 
at the Legislature and any involvement of our elected officials in 
the provincial government. Were all those boxes we saw being removed 
from the legislature just to do with the possible drug trade? I think not.

We may never be told while this party is in power and I think we 
won't be too surprised what we find out one day.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom