Basi-Virk case watchers should know that tomorrow - Thursday July 23 - will be the last BC Supreme Court hearing date until August 17.
Thursday's session starting at 10 a.m. is expected to feature arguments over disclosure of BC Rail documents connected to Patrick Kinsella, the BC Liberal election campaign co-chair for 2001 and 2005 who was paid $297,000 by BC Rail for "business advice".
Kinsella's lawyer James Sullivan will appear for the publicity-shy BC Liberal insider.
Then that's it until August 17, when BC government lawyer George Copley returns to court to tell Justice Elizabeth Bennett what happened to the email backup tapes sent to EDS Advanced Solutions for destruction in early May - were they erased or do they still exist?
And Bennett herself will rule on whether she stays or goes as trial judge. The defence has argued she must stay, while Special Prosecutor Bill Berardino asked that she be replaced immediately.
Meanwhile, I will be in court Thursday and watch this space for all the details!
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11 comments:
I have been following this story with Charlie Smith at the G.S. and with Mike Hume and Gary Mason at G+M and I find it odd that all of them claim that no coercion or implied threats (legal or otherwise) have taken place that could have biased theirs or others coverage.
I recall when this story broke there were connections to organized crime mentioned and not that long ago - wasn't your office ransacked?
Furthermore comments at the latest G+M story are disabled due to "legal reasons"
Having firsthand experience yourself can you speak to what others in the media may be experiencing that may be deterring them from covering the story?
I suspect that Justice Bennett will stay long enough to handle the documents that Copley will eventually turn over. Her complete knowledge of all the issues makes her the most competent official to supervise the next step. I also think she will want to be there to stare down Berardino if he dares to contemplate a stay over the secret witness. Once the disclosures are complete and the parties are ready, a new judge can conduct the trial. That's the natural break point for her to leave.
She goes to the Court of Appeal still quite young and I think there is one more promotion yet to come when Beverley McLachlin retires in a number of years.
Tomorrow might shed some light on a few things. If the Judge stays will be of interest as well.
Latest Mason missive arrived early this evening.
He has contacted the Minister presumably responsible for the retention/destruction of th Emails (Ben Stewart)....No response.
He also raises the name of another Ministry of Information Retrieval.....errrrr...Messaging staffer who was also, according to him at least, named in the Hayes affidavit (presumably the 2nd one based on his previous report).
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where is the trial taking place and can the public attend?
The hearing is at BC Supreme Court and yes, the public can always attend.
Not sure of the courtroom but likely Rm 43. Enter from the corner of Nelson and Hornby - there should be a listing of courtroom appearances inside.
The coercion some ask about isn't a bunch of goons coming to your house, office or workspace to get you to self-edit your copy.
It is the special-handling you get when you know without being told that Fat Dennis or Lenny the Loser will not renew your contract if you write anything that makes Gordo and the Fraser Institute Mafia look bad.
For other media outlets its the certainty that a number of your advertisers will dump you if you report too much on Basigate or other files (Gordo's Maui adventure or Mark Marissen & Christy Clark and federal young Liberal abuses)
There are no fists here, it is just money backed up by more money applied over nearly a decade that calls the shots inside BC's "FREE PRESS"
The GREAT SATAN
BC Supreme Court is at 800 Smythe Street but I believe the best access for the courtroom involved is off Nelson.
Where did the Kinsella story go??!!
Don't feel too bad, I was making a comment when Bill T turned the lights out on his post.
Damn.
I find it interesting,the almost perfectly timed gap's between court dates,almost to give the perception of moving the case along releasing some damming information,letting people vent a little then bam a three week break to almost defuse the situation,and this happens every time like clockwork!And the supreme court of canada when will that decision be rendered?
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