Friday, May 20, 2016

This Document Dump Day In Clarkland: What Was Missing From...


...The Globe's Latest 'Quick Wins' Piece.


So.

There was this article in the Globe yesterday titled: "Ethnic Outreach Scandal Won't Sway Election, Deputy Premier Says".

The piece was written by Justine Hunter and Laura Stone, and the money shot from Deputy Darth (a.k.a. Rich Coleman) is the following:

...(Mr.) Coleman told reporters he doesn’t think voters will be swayed by the matter: The substance of the allegations were already known before the 2013 election campaign and the BC Liberals still won. “We went in 26 points behind and came out with a win, so it’s not going to be the top-of-mind issue"...


Now, to be fair,  Ms. Hunter and Ms. Stone (whose job here, I believe, was to collect a little word salad from the Premier in Ottawa) did tell us a wee bit about what the Dyble whitewashing....errrr...investigation found prior to the last election:

...An investigation on the eve of the 2013 election by the Premier’s deputy minister, John Dyble, found (former government staffer) Mr. (Brian) Bonney played a key role in the creation of an elaborate and wide-reaching “multicultural outreach strategy” on behalf of Ms. Clark’s government.

Mr. Dyble found several government officials breached the public-service code of conduct and that government resources were misused for political purposes, leading Ms. Clark to dump two officials, including her deputy chief of staff, Kim Haakstad, and Mr. Bonney.

As well, her party repaid $70,000 to government for the time Mr. Bonney spent conducting BC Liberal business while he was on the public payroll...



But what Hunter and Stone did not tell their readers was that the massive Dyble investigation-associated document dump, which included an Email in which BC Liberal Party and/or government types discussed buying off a disgruntled associate because what they knew could hurt the Premier and/or the party that, all reasonable people likely assume formed at least part of the basis for, at the very least the original Quick Wins charges, did not come out until...

Wait for it...

After the LAST provincial election (see Deputy Darth's comments above).

I mean, seriously, this really is like RailGate all over again what with the never ending 'Can't talk about it because it's before the courts!' dodges and the 'temporary' publication ban on said court proceedings having been thrown into the mix.

And then there is the fact that it now looks like the latest Quick Wins-associated charge will probably not be dealt with until after the NEXT provincial election.

Sheesh.


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10 comments:

Anonymous said...

and all the BC poli writers are on vacay now?5 for 5 million people like 11 park rangers for all of BC way too low.

Anonymous said...

What is truly sickening is the over $200 thousand paid to a "special prosecutor" who has taken over 3 years to come up with a decision. I'm not a legal expert but no one can ever convince me that it takes 3 years to come up with the nonsense this person produced.
I am willing to bet anyone that if we asked Ross & Norm to investigate this scandal, it would not take a year and the results would be far different. I mean these lawyers are ripping off taxpayers every time one is asked to do something for the Liberals.

Guy in Victoria

Lew said...

“The substance of the allegations were already known before the 2013 election campaign…” Really? I notice this from yours truly in the comments to your linked September 11, 2014 piece about selective timing and lack of diligence on the parts of Mr. Dyble and the local promedia herd:

“Here's a quote from an Alex Tsakumis story on Christy Clark's BC Liberal leadership campaign:

‘Even Harry Bloy’s government constituency office was used as an outpost of the Clark campaign. Said one source on Saturday night last, ‘I know for a fact, I saw it with my own eyes, they were copying memberships and making calls. Constituency work was at a bare minimum. If we weren’t moving things along, we knew we’d probably get fired. Look what’s happening now…some of the people who know what was going on are being cut so that nothing leaks, but I don’t care anymore. I’m not proud of what I did, I hope you’ll remember that when you write the story.’

Hopefully the special prosecutor is looking into this aspect as well.”

Now, what on earth prevents a diligent reporter from doing a little legwork and speaking to Harry Bloy and those who worked his operation at the time? Mr. Bonney is under court direction not to have contact with Mr. Bloy, but what excuse does the local media have for giving him and his people a wide berth?

RossK said...

Guy--

Norm's your forensics man, not me.

I just try to keep what's publicly known straight in my head and try not to forget it.

______
Lew--

The answer to your last question is, of course, that there is no good excuse whatsoever.

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Anonymous said...

Quick Wins is not important to BC taxpayers.... heck if taxpayers had a choice they would allow it with unlimited funding ???

Christy Clark today: “It was information that people had before the last election. It may have affected people’s votes then I suppose if it did it would now. I am glad it is over. I am glad the decision has been made and he can get on with it. Remember though that nothing that came out in the report from the special prosecutor was inconsistent with what already came out in the full investigation done three years ago.”

Guy in Victoria

http://www.cknw.com/2016/05/20/premier-brushes-off-c-deflects-stipend-criticisms/

RossK said...

Guy--

It most definitely, as is established in this post, did NOT come out BEFORE the last election three years ago.

But, of course, no one in the proMedia 'round here is even going to bring that up with our fine Premier.

Sheesh.


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G West said...

One small, but important point, needs to be made - Dyble is gone...it may well make a difference..

RossK said...

GW--

Important point, indeed.

And just where the heckfire have you been - Tahiti?


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G West said...

I wish....Long story - seems to be a happy ending - we're no longer living in Oak Bay and that's the key to the question of what I've been up to. More later.....

RossK said...

GW--

What the heckfire?

Send me an Email!

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