XPost: bc.politics, vic.general, van.general   
      
   And those 7 years have been under the government of Gordon Campbell - who   
   doesn't want the   
   light of day on the issue.   
   Two of his key ministers:  Gary Farrell-Collins, Finance Minister, and Judith   
   Reid,   
   Transportation Minister, were forced to resign.   
   Seems they had key aides involved in corruption and bribery and abuse of   
   confidential   
   records.   
      
   Seems the HST and this finally making it into the Courts, may be the end of   
   the Gordon   
   Campbell Liberals.  NDP - stay on your toes.   
   ____________________________________   
      
   B.C. Rail corruption trial opens with tense exchange   
   Tuesday, May 18, 2010 | 1:52 PM PT   
   CBC News   
   RCMP officers remove boxes of documents from ministerial offices at the B.C.   
   legislature   
   in Victoria in December 2003. (CBC)The BC Rail corruption trial got off to   
   tense start in   
   the province's Supreme Court in Vancouver Tuesday after the defence lawyer for   
   one the   
   accused repeatedly interrupted Crown prosecutors.   
      
   Defence lawyer Kevin McCullough leapt to his feet twice in the first 10   
   minutes to   
   challenge the opening arguments of special prosecutor Bill Barardino.   
      
   McCullough, who is representing Bob Virk in the trial, was told by Justice   
   Anne MacKenzie   
   to remain in his seat or he would be removed by sheriffs.   
      
   Former cabinet aides David Basi and Bob Virk have pleaded not guilty to10   
   charges of   
   breach of trust and fraud. A third man, transportation public affairs officer   
   Aneal Basi,   
   who is a cousin of David Basi, has pleaded not guilty to money laundering.   
      
   Barardino's outline of his case included allegations that the Basi and Virk   
   leaked   
   confidential government information to Omnitrack of Colorado, which was   
   interested in   
   buying BC Rail.   
      
   He also alleged both men took money and benefits for that help through a   
   company called   
   Pilothouse Communications, which was acting as an agent for Omnitrack, and   
   that Aneal Basi   
   helped them launder the money.   
      
   The charges were laid after a raid on the legislature by the RCMP on Dec. 28,   
   2003. The   
   government had made a billion-dollar deal to sell off the provincially owned   
   BC Rail   
   corporation.   
      
   The defence is expected to argue the accused were only following the   
   directions of their   
   political masters.   
      
   The Crown has said it will call 30 witnesses, including top government   
   officials, former   
   finance minister Gary Collins and former transportation minister Judith Reid.   
   The   
   documents and emails of high-level civil servants and cabinet ministers are   
   expected to   
   play a key role.   
      
   The trial, which will be heard in front of a jury, is expected to last six to   
   eight weeks.   
   Its start has been delayed by several years of legal proceedings about what   
   evidence was   
   to be admissible.   
      
      
   Read more:   
   http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/05/18/bc-ra   
   l-corruption-trial.html#ixzz0oKeVL0GB   
      
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    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)