Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Basi-Virk - yet more delays with just 2nd witness testifying

Is the Basi-Virk/BC Legislature Raid cursed or what?

On Monday a juror
fell and broke her hand, delaying the court hearing till 2 p.m..

On Tuesday a
juror became ill, forcing cancellation of Wednesday's testimony.

And the trial is still on only the second of an estimated 40 witnesses - some of them who are expected to testify for weeks, like former BC Liberal Finance Minister Gary Collins.

Ouch! At this rate it may go well beyond the planned end date of April 2011.

I have been unable to attend the trial the last few days - apparently not missing too much - but my colleague Neal Hall of the Vancouver Sun has reports on ex-BC Rail Director Brian Kenning's ongoing testimony in the two links above.

Allegations made by defence lawyers include that there was a "failure strategy" to ensure BC Rail was privatized and top executives received significant bonuses, that BC Liberal insiders had lucrative PR contracts with BC Rail and that the BC government may still be on the hook for $600 million in the BC Rail sale.

And of course our old friend BC Mary at the Legislature Raids blog always has the latest reports from the courtroom from media and citizen journalists as well as her own viewpoints.

.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

by April 2010 those that are really in question will be outside extradition

Anonymous said...

Cast your memory way, way back to 1993 when Citizen Campbell was conniving his way into the BC Liberal leadership.

Who financed that little scheme? Was Brian Kenning - then chair and CEO of BC Pacific Capital Corp - one of the potential potentate's principles?

Anonymous said...

Is there an accountant in the house?

"An operating lease related to the Company’s long-term lease of its railway right-of-way land and railbed assets including grade and ballast as a result of the CN transaction in 2004 which is being amortized over 990 years.

[...]

Both operating leases were prepaid therefore the amounts have been included in deferred revenue and are being amortized to income over the related terms of each lease."

[.PDF - on pages numbered 6 & 7]

"Management believes it is unlikely that the Province or BCRC will ultimately be held liable for any amounts under the commercial and tax indemnities." - from the above .pdf at page marked 17

Does this mean that the approximately $990 million dollars BC received for the sale of BC Rail will go into the province's books only at $1 million per year? - I'm confused.

Would you bet a BILLION on unlikely?

---

The tax deferral liability on the sale of BC Rail that BC Liberals have 'gifted' to the people now stands at about $600 million. When will this liabilty issue finally be settled? The dealclosed 6 years ago. Is Harper holding BC hostage with this 'debt-O-Damocles' hanging over our heads?

DPL said...

I notice the court list shows the case today( Thursday) and I wonder if somebody will be sick, lose their way to the court, or who knows what. This thing is sure getting to be a long drawn out event. And it makes it easy for the witnesses to use' Don't recall" a lot.

Anonymous said...

The best items about this trial happen with the blogs - I hope that Bill you will be there soon when you are able to.

Anonymous said...

More information on cozy relationship between CIBC World Markets and Brian Kenning.

Kenning attended Canuck games in a private luxury box paid by CIBC World Markets

Anonymous said...

Bill - Neal Hall reported that Gary Collins will testify next week! I guess he will be on for weeks like you predicted with your post!

Anonymous said...

Gary Collins next week !
Any guesses as to how many times he will say " I dont recall"
Methinks many.

Willy P said...

I've always been curious - When (not if) the corrupt sale sees the light of day,can the "lease" be terminated? Can any of those involved be charged for the corruption?

Anonymous said...

It is amazing, how many braid dead people, we have working, for the BC Liberals. I guess a person would have to be brain dead, to work for Campbell. People, lose their jobs, if they aren't brain dead, or wont lie and cover up for Campbell. BC is rotten with corruption. And where else is this more obvious, than the trial, of, Campbell's corrupt sale of the BC Railroad.