The Basi-Virk pre-trial hearing adjourned early this morning after about 45 minutes - short enough that I missed all of it but have been reliably told that the session was about scheduling future dates.
The next pre-trial hearing will start October 19th for a scheduled five days to deal with BC Rail company documents, in particular email backups that might be recovered but at some significant cost - so who would pay it?
There is also a session on October 23 on scheduling standing applications.
NOTE TO ANONYMOUS 4:32 p.m. Saturday - got your message and will investigate your comments as a news story in 24 hours next week - please feel free to provide more info if you have it. Can't post what you suggested in the form you provided it but stay tuned.
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10 comments:
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That's welcome information, Bill. Many thanks.
But surely the Court clerks could've listed this in today's schedule?
Any idea why there was NOTHING listed today, Oct. 14 for Basi, Virk, or Basi until approx. 11:00 AM which doesn't exactly leave time enough for citizens to clap on a tuque and run down to 800 Smithe Street?
Can't help thinking that there's a hint of chaos in the air ...
Mary - the system at BC Supreme Court is so bad as to be almost useless to ordinary citizens and the media. Entering the courts from Nelson Street there is a bulletin board where ostensibly the notice of the days court hearing at all levels, including BC Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, should be listed.
But most of the time there is no BC Supreme Court list. One copy is available at the Court Registry, a full city block away - if you actually know that it exists.
Being now more than familiar with BCSC I check there first - usually find no listing and then search for a Sheriff to ask where the case is. But they often don't know either. Some will radio in a request for you, others will direct you to the Registry - which would take about 10 minutes to go and then return to where you started, which is where the courtrooms actually are.
There is also no provision for notifying the public or media of cancelled hearings that were previously scheduled.
Had I not come upon defence lawyers in the hallway today there would be no way to find out that a short hearing had happened and been adjourned - short of calling the Crown or defence counsel by phone.
If I sound frustrated it's because I am - and I have the big advantage of having covered this case since court hearings begin in 2006!
Imagine a member of the general public arriving and hoping to find the courtroom location of the biggest political scandal case in the province.
i actually did that on the day the last judge gave her decision.... i recongized the NDP MLA that was there and was able to ask him the info.
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And golly gee,
the next Basi Virk / BC Rail hearing is October 19 ... Thanks to Bill, we got that ...
But did you know that Basi, Virk, and Basi are listed again for today, October 15, 10:00 AM, with the same old charges of accepting a bribe, fraud, applications for disclosure?
Maybe a few pages fell on the floor and ... yada yada yada ... [cue the ironic laughter] ...
I'm going to print out and carry with me, Bill's directions for finding the Vancouver Supreme Court schedule ourselves ...
but meantime, is that the acrid odour of burning sulphur in the air?
Sorry. Occupational hazard. Going a little crazy. Why? Well ... it's another abominable episode of that CanWest theme of harrassing former Victoria Chief Constable Paul Battershill. Seems to happen every time the Basi Virk / BC Rail trial appears to be getting ready to start. Battershill will be a key witness and, I think, a powerful one.
A non-story has just been splashed across the Times Colonist front page. Front page! The bankrupt CanWest found enough $$ to send a journalist up to Cache Creek to ask people "Did you KNOW about Battershill's BACKGROUND before he came to Loon Lake ...?" and (gasp!) no, most of them didn't know that Battershill admitted to a love affair with a lawyer (a good lawyer) who wasn't his wife. Nice, eh? And oh, so very important.
I can see it now, sleuths padding about B.C., asking ominously "Did you KNOW about BC Mary's BACKGROUND before she showed up on The Legislature raids ...?" And the silence. The wide, round eyes. The gasps! No. They hadn't known. Tell us everything!
Sheesh. What a way to go about providing stuff that's supposed to pass as news.
If it's true that former Police Chief Battershill took on the job of Fire Chief in a small north-central community, then he chose the smartest, healthiest, most generous choice I can think of, after the bruising he took in Victoria. It means that this man understands that public service means serving the public. I've known the chiefs of community volunteer fire crews: they're the best among the best, specially chosen for community leadership, and for all the things we value most in a public servant: knowledge, skill, experience, ability to train crews of volunteers, and the ability to be an integral part of the community in good times and in time of trouble and crisis. How fortunate they are to have such a Fire Chief like Paul Battershill.
And they rush off to harrass such a person?
Sigh ... whispering campaigns are a primary tool in propaganda warfare. But why is CanWest at war with such a good man?
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What's happened to our fiduciary,if no one knows what that means,it's trust,that's what a fiduciary is? shame on us for letting it happen,us as in a whole.
Biggest Political scandal? Hardly!
Doesn't it surprise you that after years of having the client’s defense team put up legal fishing trip after legal fishing trip for documents, that nothing of any substance or facts other than what you and your left wing conspiracy theorists can allege has been produced? With millions of pages of evidence - where’s the smoking gun!
Sadly, for all the efforts to portrait this trial as a political scandal, in reality it’s a trial about 2 minor political aides, Dave Basi and Bob Virk, whom it is alleged were leaking sensitive government information in exchange for cash and other gifts.
The defense team is doing a damn fine job of obscuring the truth.
Howdy, cowboy.
Is that a smoking gun in your pocket, or are you just glad to see me?
Lawyer for Christy Clark to get look at transcripts"
Former deputy premier to be called to testify
By Neal Hall, Vancouver Sun, Oct. 15
To Anonymous 10:36
Stay tuned my friend. In due time all will be revealed. Perhaps you should seek some instructions from your friends in the West Annex and get your talking points ready!
Anonymous 10:36,
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I'm not sure if I catch your drift.
You say it's the NDP's fault that the BC Rail trial is so slow to get started?
I get the impression that you know all the background on this.
That would be the part where I need help: the NDP did what, exactly?
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There are a lot of smoking guns but there being hidden behind robes,all we see are parts of the gun,and that my friend is what is truly troubling.
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