[LabComm] Premier must account for alleged corruption at highest levels of Liberal government, James

[BC NDP NEWSWIRE]

Premier must account for alleged corruption at highest levels of Liberal government, James



VICTORIA - NDP Leader Carole James today called on Premier Gordon Campbell to show leadership and take accountability for the growing scandal surrounding the BC Rail deal. 

In an open letter to the Premier [see below], James said the Liberal government's integrity had been severely compromised by the scandal, and laid out a series of questions Campbell must answer if he has any hopes of restoring public faith in his administration.

She said the criminal charges brought down yesterday against senior political appointees destroy the Premier's claim that the alleged crimes did not have to do with the operation of his government.

Last January, following police raids on the Finance Minister's office, Campbell told the public, "This [the legislature raids] is not about government, this is about outside of government."
 
"As a result of these criminal charges, we now know that the Premier wasn't telling the truth," said James.  "Sadly his first concern seemed to be minimizing the political impact of the police raids."

"But yesterday's criminal charges make it clear: government business and the public interest in both the Roberts Bank and BC Rail privatization files were compromised by the alleged criminal activity of senior Liberal government appointees."

James called upon the Premier to immediately demonstrate he has ensured no other public interest has been compromised through the kind of criminal activity alleged in the charges laid.

"Critical questions need to be answered quickly and honestly by the Premier if the public is re-gain trust in the competence and honesty of his government."

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OPEN LETTER TO PREMIER GORDON CAMPBELL 

December 22, 2004

Dear Premier Campbell,

For a year British Columbians have awaited more information regarding the police raids on the Legislature carried out last December.  In that time, you and your Ministers have insisted that that those raids did not affect the privatization of BC Rail, and indeed, did not have anything to do with the functioning of your government. 

Last January, you told the public the following:

"They (the public) understand this is something that is outside of government that unfortunately for all of us brought the investigation into the offices of the legislature...This is not about government, this is about outside of government."

The criminal charges brought down yesterday against senior political appointees in your government flatly contradict that explanation.  It's now clear that the BC Rail deal, as well as the cancelled privatization of the Robert's Bank spur, is at the heart of these alleged crimes.   In other words, the raids on the Legislature had everything to do with the operation of your government and the credibility of its most significant privatization scheme.

Given that you can no longer claim that your government's integrity has not been severely compromised, it is time for you to come clean and answer questions honestly about this growing scandal.  

Those questions include the following

- On what basis did you insist that the police raids had nothing to do with your  government? 

- Why was the BC Rail deal allowed to proceed, and the Roberts' Bank spur privatization cancelled?

 - Why was David Basi fired immediately, and Bob Virk only suspended, when the charges against each are the same? 

- What did you know about Mr. Basi's activities that led to the different treatment? 

Moreover, as senior political aides in the Liberal government, David Basi and Bob Virk had responsibility and oversight of critical government files, including the preparation of the provincial budget, the implementation of public private partnerships-like the attempted selling of the Coquihalla Highway-and Crown corporations, including ICBC. 

Given the serious nature of the alleged crimes on the part of your staff, you have an obligation to ensure that the public interest has not been further compromised by the activities of Mr. Basi and/or Mr. Virk.  To that end I am also asking you to detail what actions you have taken, if any, to determine whether the reach of these formerly high placed Liberal appointees reached into other activities of government.

I trust that you will take action to answer these and other questions in an effort to restore your government's credibility.  

Sincerely,

Carole James
Leader, BC New Democrats

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