British Columbia’s New Year Begins the Same Way the Old One Ended: Government Corruption and Cover-Up Related to BC Rail/Basi-Virk, Media Impotence and Duplicity, and Opposition Dishonesty and Outright Lies

Instead of post yesterday, I wanted to watch Adrian Dix, and in particular Shane Simpson, as they finally had the press conference I called for over a week ago.

They are outraged that BC Auditor General John Doyle is being let go, and the leadership of the opposition is so outraged–outraged, I say–that they are demanding the, once again, absent-during-scandal Premier, reverse the committee’s decision–a committee led, of course, by the Premier’s outgoing (read: not up for re-election) hatchet men, Blair Lekstrom and John Les.

In the meantime, CKNW considers the new cast of ‘Real Housewives of Vancouver’ major news, while Global features Keith Baldrey expecting us to believe that Christy Clark knew nothing of the decision to berid the province of Mr. Doyle, who is the only class act in this entire sordid affair. Vaughn Palmer is building sandcastles in Maui–although he has time to appear with Bill Good last Friday, when he, Baldrey and Good, essentially walked over the real issue driving Doyle’s pending dismissal.

Baldrey, in his defence, did lambaste the government on twitter and at noon yesterday, but took the most bizarre position at six o’clock Monday night: Clark is unlike Campbell and it’s possible she knew nothing of Doyle being on the chopping block.

His latter position makes his earlier clarity that much more curious. An astounding juxtaposition.

Then Mike Smyth, whose sometimes fawning treatment of this government lately–lying in stark contrast to his previously superb work holding Christy Clark’s feet to the fire–decides he will write a piece revealing some meaningless perks John Doyle receives as part of his contract.

Deflection not to be shut out of government stories as we approach the election? You be the judge.

Not to be outdone in the shamelessness department. Adrian Dix and Shane Simpson owe the people of the province an immediate apology for lying during their press conference. That’s right, outright lying.

Senior members of the BC NDP caucus have known about Doyle being on the chopping for over two months.

Some of them told me so. As did members of the government, who while appalled, swore me to secrecy. It seems they all wanted the Premier to take it in the teeth–BUT NONE OF THEM, took the steps to ensure that would happen. Mind, with mouth-guards and padding like Smyth, Baldrey, Good and Palmer, who cares about enemies???

To the opposition members in particular, I replied that by waiting, the NDP was simply opting for the expedient route of making political hay of Doyle’s firing, rather than what’s clearly in the public interest: Having the same goddamned press conference with Simpson and Dix 60 days ago, and drop kicking the Premier and her henchmen when the iron was hot.

My observations didn’t fall on deal ears. David Schreck, NDP supporter and often one of my favourite pundits, leapt to the defence of his brethren: The committee was simply taking names in addition to Doyle’s.

What a load! Then Ujjal Dosanjh stepped in it by declaring the committee’s work “solemn” and “private.”

Another load.

Not that either statement isn’t true, but they’re being used as deflection. A classic case of the NDP being caught demonstrating that they ARE NOT prepared to act while government, any differently than the corrupt crew currently infesting government benches.

Thus, Adrian Dix’s calls on the Premier to act now, are as empty as the strategy of waiting to play politics, instead of demonstrating some mettle and calling the government out when the NDP first learned on this months ago.

Pathetic!

And speaking of pathetic, how did you like the Premier’s new Teflon twinkie? Ben Chin, sporting below his nose what looked like an anorexic caterpillar, thinks (although the jury may be out on that) how Doyle’s position should go to a “qualified Canadian.” Like SeaBus terminal contracts, Benny old boy? Or ferries? Or mining jobs?

Another fool and his spin, immediately parted.

Look, there is only one reason Doyle is being sent home to Oz: He dared question the $6,000,000 settlement with Dave Basi and Bob Virk. He knows that it may have been illegal, and the government knows that in revealing this, MAJOR heads in this government will roll, most prominently Mike deJong (notice his deathly silence on everything lately), as well Finance guru Graham Whitmarsh. David Loukidelis was bright enough to escape to Alberta–a journey that was launched a few days after John vanDongen rose in the legislature during last session and asked some very pointed questions that shot right over Shirley Bond’s head (Lord above, what doesn’t?) and hit Loukidelis straight between the eyes. Apparently, Whitmarsh has a much thicker skull.

John Doyle is a principled, purposeful. professional. He championed our right to know on at least a dozen files. I don’t care if he pocketed $90,000 in unused travel or that he receives, in addition to his whopping salary, a sizeable stipend to travel home to Australia.

He’s worth every goddamned penny.

But this entire exercise shows you how deeply in trouble this province is: No media, no opposition and no government.

Oh, yes, Happy New Year, again.

Don’t you feel better now?

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Thanks for your notes over the holidays. 2012 wasn’t an easy year for me, I hope this one is better.

There will be no VPD zinger until next week as I need to confirm one more piece of information. As you know, I don’t run stories on rumours.

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Interesting news springing from the rapidly dying BC Conservative wellhead:

1) Cummins is running in Langley. Yawn.

2) Their annual fundraiser will leave them in the hole.

3) Their financials are in total shambles.

4) Lawsuits with dissidents are collapsing in favour of the dissidents. An out-of0court settlement with one was rejected in favour of a trial. That’ll be helpful through May…

5) The BC Conservatives are now well into net single digits in popularity and dropping (interesting that Clark cannot collect more than four percent of the fifteen percent drop!)

6) A blast from the past: John Reynolds and crew are claiming to be behind an effort to get rid of both Cummins from the BC Conservatives and Christy Clark from the BC Liberals–in order to facilitate a merger and a “fair shake” at keeping the “socialist hordes” at bay. LMFAO! You have to hand it to the forever bullheaded Reynolds. When you haven’t done enough political damage in almost every single arena you’ve entered over thirty years, why quit now? Extend the tyranny!

Honestly, I should invest in Kimberely-Clark. They are the parent company to Kleenex.

How can the rest of us with level minds not weep non-stop for this province???

What a nightmare…