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| David Basi after surprise guilty plea October 2010 |
The answer is yes - and it comes directly from NDP leader Adrian Dix.
Concerned British Columbians were shocked at the sudden end to the trial of former BC Liberal government ministerial aides David Basi and Bob Virk, and government communications staff person Aneal Basi, in October 2010 with surprise guilty pleas by David Basi and Virk and the dropping of charges against Aneal Basi.
Only two of an expected 40 witnesses had testified in the case that finally came to trial over six years after the December 28, 2003 unprecedented police raid on the BC Legislature - and some of BC's top current and former politicians and political operatives were slated to testify.
It was highly likely that BC Premier Christy Clark and former Premier Gordon Campbell would have been among the witnesses.
In the aftermath, there was public outrage that $6 million in legal fees for David Basi and Bob Virk was paid by the government with no attempt made to collect any portion of it back, despite the guilty pleas. That issue is currently being investigated by independent BC Auditor General John Doyle.
Regular viewers of Voice of BC, hosted by Vancouver Sun columnist Vaughn Palmer and broadcast by Shaw Cable - and you all should be - may have seen a taped question I posed on air to Dix but others are likely unaware.
Here's the transcript from the show - broadcast October 20, 2011. You can watch the show on Vimeo, where this segment is at 52:43 into the hour:
Bill Tieleman [taped question]: "Tuesday October 18 was the first anniversary of the end of the Basi-Virk trial - the BC Legislature Raid case, when David Basi and Bob Virk pled guilty to a number of charges.
"Are you still committed to holding a full public inquiry into the Basi-Virk case?"
Vaughn Palmer: "Do you think it will be worth it by 2013?"
Adrian Dix: "Yes, I think so."
"I think there are a couple of things to remember. First, we lost our railway. You go to Williams Lake - that's a pretty significant thing - we lost our railway."
"It was a badly bunged decision, a policy decision, and there are all the issues involved in the case, including the corruption involved."
"I think it's reasonable to have an inquiry into that."
Vaughn Palmer: "Even though it'll be 10 years by 2013 and the number of lawyers needed to do that - it's going to cost a lot of money."
Adrian Dix: "There's lessons we need to learn. I think you have to balance these things out. I agree - one is concerned about the cost - but some things are important."
Dix then discussed the Missing Women's Inquiry and talked about his wife Renee Saklikar testifying at the Air India Inquiry, because she lost family members in that bombing. Dix called it a "good inquiry" even though it took place many years later.
And that's for the record.
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15 comments:
I never have had a problem with Basi/Virk not having to repay the $6M in legal fees. It was payment for being the "fall guys". That is fair enough.
Why I want an investigation, regardless of the cost, is I need to know how it all happened and who really did what. If we do not take the time to deal with corruption or the perception of corruption we will become totally corrupt. Having an enquiry, even if it is 20 yrs. later, it sends a message to all politicians and entourage, eventually you will be found out. It may act as a deterant. As long as any of the B.C. Rail players are alive we need an investigation so if there was illegal activity they can be sent to jail. I don't care if they are 80 when they go to jail for wrong doing. I want justice.
B.C. Rail was created by W.A.C. Bennett. I didn't agree with his politics but he did have vision and some of the things he created are still providing benefits to B.C. B.C. Rail never lost money so why it was sold is beyond me. It doesn't make sense to sell something which is a benefit and doesn't cost us tax dollars. Having a provincial rail road gives a government options for the future. campbell & his lieberals sold/gave away that option when B.C. Rail went to C.N.
I want to know who did what and when they did it. The raid on the Legislature started out as a drug investigation. All citizens need to know what was going on.
I want to know which judges did what and why. I want to know how the prosecutor was selected. Who made the decision to pay the legal fees?
Basi/Virk were useful to politicians & the administrative arm of the lieberals. They worked closely with the politicians. So either the politicans were totally inept, corrupt, or stoned. I want to live long enough to find out what went on. If & when there is an enquiry, I as a citizen plan to attend.
"politicans were totally inept, corrupt, or stoned."
I believe Campbell has been proven guilty of all 3.
There's too much slime coating the rocks that must be overturned for public interest sake and so justice can be meted out to those that deserve it. If lives are ruined, so ne it. Many lives were ruined by Campbell Ins.
The liberals (in name only) are to put it simply neo-fascists. Their aim - transfer all wealth making to the private sector and all debt to the taxpayers, period. BC Rail, BC Hydro, BC Ferries, IPPs. Hospitals, Highways (shadow tolls), etc. And if they don't like the term neo-fascist then why are they so quick to use terms like 'communists', 'socialists' and you name it so fast and savagely when it suits them. The only hope for democracy in BC is to expunge the group of carpetbaggers in Victoria in the next election and keep them out.
Burgess
Every BC voter should compare Dix's appearance on Voice of BC to Clarks on the same show and dealing with many of the same issues. Dix provided much more straight forward and logical answers and proved why he would make an excellent premier. The comment by Palmer that an inquiry into the Vasi/Birk payout is to outdated and expensive to pursue was brilliantly answered by Dix. Especially in light that many of the main characters and players involved in the controversy are still part of our ruling government.
I hope Adrian Dix reads this blog and sees the appreciation generated by this promise to launch a Public Inquiry into the BC Rail Political Corruption case.
I'm with e.a.f. where he says that if we do not take time to deal with corruption, we will become totally corrupt ... even if it is 20 years later, it sends a message to all politicians and entourage, eventually you will be found out.
Although I'm not a human cannonball myself, I do believe that the BC Rail abuse does require some plain-talking: truth to power. No, I don't advocate attack ads or screaming insults. Just no more Mr Sweetie-Feet. Tell them plain: British Columbians have suffered enough, the past 8 years, over what caused POLICE to invade the sacred halls of freely-elected members of Parliament. It's a reasonable question, so ask it Mr Dix, and keep asking it in a stern, firm voice. The province will thank you for it.
Thank you, too, Bill Tieleman for keeping the faith.
So how much is this politically motivated thing going to cost?
and what is that would be brought forward to the public that hasn't been covered by Tieleman and his good friend and associate Tsakumis?
If there's things to be investigated so be it, but I hope all of the whiny wags on this blog will accept the NDP's scope of the inquiry not whine and complain about something not sought after and live with what it finds out, and that ends this thing once and for all.
But I wouldn't bet a passenger ticket on the train to Whistler on it.
I wouldn't want some el-dopo like Wally Opel running this investigation.
I would like to see a totally independent person well versed in law, preferably from out of country,with no connection to anyone in the BC legal system.
He should the power to subpena any and all persons deemed be complicit in this debacle and throw anyone in jail who he deems is losing their memory on purpose as per Mr.Brown.
I would want this exercise to be a warning to all sleazy and corrupt politicians that if the are found guilty of selling the people's assets illegally that they will be dragged thu the slime they created and put in jail for a long time. It's time this nonsense stopped once and for all.
CGHZD
We NEED an inquiry. Corruption is not acceptable, and politicians and their friends should not be able to benefit from it. Why would Vaughn Palmer question the obvious need for truth?
I want to know too. I want to know what happened and by whom. I want to know every person that was involved, including politicians, and preferably, I want someone to go to jail, although I know that won't be happening. I don't care if it's 50 years after the fact.
Way to go Adrian!
Cheryl
"I wouldn't want some el-dopo like Wally Opel running this investigation.
I would like to see a totally independent person well versed in law, preferably from out of country,with no connection to anyone in the BC legal system."
Not going to happen. It would have to be someone who is very conversant with the Canadian legal system in order to function properly. A person from outside of the country is out. Could be someone from another province a former judge.
He should the power to subpena any and all persons deemed be complicit in this debacle and throw anyone in jail who he deems is losing their memory on purpose as per Mr.Brown.
That's not what the inquiry Commission can do. He has no power to just throw someone in jail. Only a judge in a court can do that once the Accoused is found guilty of a criminal offence within the Criminal Code of Canada.
An inquiry is just fact finding. They cannot and do not tell the judiciary or government on order what to do. They can only report and make recommendations.
"I would want this exercise to be a warning to all sleazy and corrupt politicians that if the are found guilty of selling the people's assets illegally that they will be dragged thu the slime they created and put in jail for a long time."
I would rather have the inquiry determine what exactly happened on the basis of presented facts and so forth. Jail is something that has to be decided by a judge uopon the Accused found guility of an offence in court.
It's time this nonsense stopped once and for all.
Agree. So let's end the tirade and see what happens.
Don't want this thing ending up as a political charade or vacation for the likes of BC Mary and company who are obviously waiting for something new to do.
But no doubt that would happen. if it does, I'll just read what the Inquiry has so far and skip the obvious commentator crap that will come out from a few blogs. I'll read Bill's on the subject though.
waste of money. waste of time. let's get down to business and start taxing people more. Dix loves taxes. Who doesn't
To Anonymous @ Friday, 10 February, 2012 11:12:00 AM PST.
And you do not think that what the Liberals and all their onerous user fees and medical premiums are doing to us are not taxes ? I think you live in some kind of dreamland along with your Liberal buddies. Grow up, wake up, and smell the coffee. I don't ever recall the NDP dinging us like the Liberals have done.
Sorry for the delay in posting comments - some email glitch not informing me they were there.
Dix will raise personal taxes rates and also raise PST to 8 or 9%. You are all welcome. Too bad most of you are the fool. All governments will tax the crap out of you. Just some of us have more money than others. And those who complain the most have the least amount. Here's an idea. Try working hard you lazy bums.
Adrian Dix needs to be very wary on setting up any inquiry, or we'll get someone like Wally Opel whose job was to protect certain parties! And the Baldrey/Palmer/ Good people will cry about time and costs, and try to manipulate the process, but we NEED to find out EXACTLY who did what and when! That was OUR railroad!
A provincial government is the CARETAKER of the people's assets, and has no right to sell off anything without a public referendum.
In my opinion, SOMEONE got personally rich over the deals the Liberals made with public assets. And every single one of those 'someones', need to be exposed and pay for the misdeeds.
I will be voting for Dix on this basis alone!
RC
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