XPost: bc.politics, van.general, vic.general   
   From: CoalitionForCanada@notshaw.ca   
      
   Sure they did, Campbell.  We believe you on this, because you've never lied to   
   us on any issue,   
   ever before.   
      
   Too bad they Virk had already testified that they had been told by YOU to   
   'keep his mouth shut   
   and he would be taken care of'.  Was HE lying, Mr Premier - or are YOU lying   
   to British   
   Columbians - once again?   
   __________________________________________________   
      
   The Canadian Press - Updated: Tue. Oct. 19 2010   
      
   B.C. premier says former aides acted alone   
      
   B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell says two former government aides are criminals   
   who acted   
   alone in connection to the sale of BC Rail.   
      
   Dave Basi and Bobby Virk -- former ministerial aides to the finance and   
   transport   
   ministers -- pleaded guilty to charges of breach of trust and accepting a   
   benefit and were   
   given two years house arrest.   
      
   Campbell rejected calls Tuesday for a public inquiry into the matter, saying   
   the case has   
   already cost too much money and has proven that two corrupt political   
   appointees were at fault.   
      
   "A public inquiry would cost millions of dollars," said Campbell. "The public   
   has already   
   put millions of dollars into this."   
      
   After Monday's guilty plea, B.C. Attorney General Mike de Jong said he   
   approved a Legal   
   Services' decision to absorb $6 million in legal costs for the two men. De   
   Jong said Legal   
   Services had decided the men no longer had the ability to pay.   
      
   Basi and Virk admitted they traded secrets on the bidding process for the sale   
   of the   
   railway for cash and a trip, and Campbell said their prosecution was   
   completely independent   
   from government.   
      
   "They breached their code of conduct," said a heated Campbell. "They breached   
   their   
   public trust. They accepted personal benefits without anybody knowing it. They   
   acted   
   criminally."   
      
   Campbell said Basi and Virk were not major policy players in government when   
   they   
   committed their crimes.   
      
   He rejected comments by Basi that his family has been forced to endure the   
   seeming   
   endless legal process.   
      
   "When I hear them concerned about the impacts of this on their families, there   
   are only   
   two individuals who had impact on their families, that was Mr. Basi and Mr.   
   Virk," Campbell   
   said. "They knew they were guilty. They dragged their families through this   
   for seven years."   
      
   Campbell also rejected Opposition critics claims that the government's sale of   
   Crown-owned BC Rail in 2003 for $1 billion was not good for British Columbia.   
      
   He says the railway deal has saved taxpayers millions of dollars and two   
   provincial   
   elections have been held since the sale, giving voters ample opportunities to   
   change   
   governments.   
      
   "We've had two different times where people could judge the government's   
   decision to move   
   on BC Rail and we've been re-elected," said Campbell.   
      
   Basi and Virk admitted to helping OmniTrax, one of the bidders for the   
   railway, by   
   handing over secret documents and other confidential information around the   
   sale of the   
   railway.   
      
   CN Rail won the bid process in the fall of 2003. Just months later RCMP raided   
   the B.C.   
   legislature and carried out stacks of boxes as evidence in what ended up being   
   a seven-year   
   court process.   
   _______________________________________   
      
   May. 21, 2010 8:23 AM PT   
      
   Premier Gordon Campbell called a government aide frequently to assure him he'd   
   be taken   
   care of -- the day after an RCMP raid on the man's legislature office and up   
   until a year later   
   when charges of fraud and breach of trust were laid, a defence lawyer alleged   
   at a political   
   corruption trial.   
      
   "Did you know that Premier Campbell was telling Mr. (Bobby) Virk that the   
   Liberal Party   
   would take care of him and that he was to keep his mouth shut?" Kevin   
   McCullough asked   
   Campbell's chief of staff Martyn Brown.   
   ___________________________________________   
      
   We need a public inquiry on this whole, delayed and then covered-up criminal   
   activity by   
   the BC 'Liberals' and Campbell removed long before the next election.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)