Bc Politics

[maplesyrup]

Here we go again.

Police raid offices of 2 senior cabinet ministers in the BC government.

What has been reported so far?

RCMP and Victoria police yesterday, raided the legislative offices of Gary Collins, Finance Mnister, and Judith Reid, Transportation Minister.

The BC NDP has called for Collins and Reid to step down until the investigation is completed by the police.

David Basi, ministerial assistant to Finance Minister Gary Collins, has reportedly been fired.

Bob Virk, ministerial assistant to Transportation Minister Judiyh Reid, has reportedly been suspended with pay.

A Victoria police officer, has reportedly been suspended with pay on Dec. 15 (indirect link).

David Basi is a Prime Minister Paul Martin organizer in BC (this may be the big story here):

http://www.creativeresistance.ca/awareness...a-straight.html

The Christmas holiday season doesn't seem to be a good time for the BC Liberals. Remember what happened last year in Hawaii with Gordon Campbell and his DUI.

What is it with BC politics?

[maplesyrup]

-from today's Globe

'B.C.'s Campbell left reeling from liberal dose of sleaze'

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/Art...01/National/Idx

'A comment made by Vancouver Mayor Larry Campbell at the NDP convention last November was prophetic, Mr. Ruff said.

"You can take these guys," the outspoken mayor told NDP delegates. "They're doable."'

Premier Campbell is done, or the Liberals are done, but most probably, they are both done.

The Liberals and the NDP, if you can believe it, are almost neck-and-neck in the polls.

The Liberals are holding that massive majority, 74 out of 77 seats in the Legislature, but the most recent poll showed the Liberals with 41%, and the NDP with 37%.

And that poll was taken before last Sunday's RCMP raid.

The people of BC will have had enough.

-----

For a thoroughly well researched, and well written article about the consequences of what happened last Sunday at the BC legislature please read:

-from The Tyee

'Riads: How big a scandal?'

by Barbara McLintock

http://www.thetyee.ca/News/current/Raids+H...g+a+Scandal.htm

[Neal.F.]

The only place in Canada where the politics are worse than Quebec is BC.

Unbelieveable.

We shall see how much of this sticks to Martin.

I think quiote a bit. Crouton will do his utmost to make sure of it.

[maplesyrup]

Political pressure builds in 2004

YEAR AHEAD I Mysterious police raids put a pall on the early days

http://www.canada.com/vancouver/vancouvers...14-3A899F649143

Quote

The surprise Dec. 28 raids at the legislature and the offices of key organizers in both the provincial and federal Liberals, has reverberated through the halls of the legislature, and reached all the way to Prime Minister Paul Martin.

Unquote

[Boydfish]

I think that until all of the details are in, it'll be hard to make a full judgement as to what happened. I don't agree with PM Campbell's choice not to return to BC when it happened: The political fallout of this will hurt him badly.

First, being in Hawaii simply is too much of a political hotbutton based on recent history, so he needs to forget ever visiting Hawaii again while he's PM.

Second, the real damage being done to the BC Liberals and PM Campbell himself is that the media is having a heyday painting all kinds of connections between the Canadian Liberals and the BC Liberals. The only reason that the BC Liberal party has formed a government, heck the only reason that they were even able to form the Loyal Opposition is that the official mantra of the BC Liberals for years has been "We're not connected to the Canadian Liberal party". On paper they're not connected, but every party has members that sit on different parts of the political sliding scale: The bulk of BC Liberals and their supporters sit just to the right of George Bush. There are a few people that sit closer to the "centre", who were among the people now under investigation. If PM Campbell doesn't take very public and very active steps to "clean out the temple" of Canadian Liberals, he may well get tossed himself.

[maplesyrup]

'NDP closing in on Liberals'

http://vancouver.cbc.ca/regional/servlet/V...bc_poll20040105

This is the second recent poll showing the amazin' change taking place in BC politics.

And even more significantly, for BC politics, these polls were taken before the raid on the BC Legislature by the RCMP and Victoia police.

'New poll confirms Liberal numbers dropping'

By Damian Inwood in today's Province

http://www.canada.com/vancouver/news/story...FD-E031150FDE2F

'It's nice to have the reinforcement of a second poll, to see that we're continuing to gain ground and support," said new NDP Leader Carole James. "I think people are starting to seriously look at New Democrats as an alternative. I think we're on the right track but we have a lot of work to do."'

Edited January 6, 2004 by maplesyrup

[maplesyrup]

(No charges have been laid)

'Special prosecutor to probe B.C. case

Head of government agency questioned over firm's dealings'

Sean Holman

Special to Times Colonist

http://www.canada.com/victoria/story.asp?i...BC-3E8C2FD971A4

'Walls, a former president of a B.C. Liberal riding association and relative by marriage of Premier Gordon Campbell, has denied any wrongdoing by himself or the company.'