Thursday, April 28, 2005

Greed, Corruption and Incompetent Management - Part

Globe & Mail columnist Jeffrey Simpson wrote:

"Rereading the Liberals' campaign document –
A New Era for British Columbia -- is time spent in
the world of political illusion. Perhaps the Liberals
were only kidding themselves. Perhaps they
deliberately tried to kid British Columbia. Either
way, the document rested on false premises that
are now apparent."

If the BC Liberals were in charge of a corporation, which they
essentially are, there isn’t a doubt on my mind they would be
fired for incompetence, corruption and gross financial mis-
management. The only way they will be found accountable
for their terrible leadership is being punted out of office
on May 17th, 2005,
before they destroy what is left of our
beautiful Province. As a stakeholder in B.C., I truly believe
we can’t afford to have them at the helm anymore.

At least they’ve been equal opportunity oppressors. Their
stupid, greedy and punitive agendas and policies have
comprehensively eroded the health, well-being and quality
of life for a significant portion of citizens of B.C. across different
walks of life. Funny they don’t mention that in their expensive
television ads about the Best Place on Earth.

So let’s recount some of the incompetence and terrible leadership
that the citizens of B.C. have dealt with from the brain trusts in
the BC Liberal government.In no particular order:

#1 – “In BC, some debts are better than others. In March of 2004,
the total B.C. debt stood at $37.3 billion. In 2001 when the
Liberals took office, it totalled $33.6 billion.”
(Have You Had Enough Yet, 2004).

#2. They promised transparency, openness and accountability.
Little things like centralizing communications from the Premier’s
office, keeping secret “persona non grata” lists and denying
Freedom of Information requests and all the other ways they
have shut down the information flow from their house to ours
smacks of secrecy to me. Two more words, Doug Walls.

#3. How about the tainted “sale” (which is actually a 990 year
“lease” of BC Rail???). The deal comes complete with scandal
involving alleged money laundering, and bribes to BC Liberal staff
appointees and the interesting timing of the resignations of two
key Ministers, Gary Collins and Christy Clark.

#4. In April, 2003, the BC Liberals started the break up of BC
Hydro, privatizing all new dam construction and giving one third
of Hydro's operations, a $1.45 billion dollar deal, to Accenture,
an off-shore company that has cost Ontario billions of dollars
in cost over-runs for their re-design of the welfare system.

#5. The vast expansion of public-private partnerships through-
out the Province. The Abbotsford Hospital is already in cost over-
runs and do you think the private interests will really be on the
hook for that? Yah right, I’m sure Liberal buddies have gotten
some of those contracts. Wonder how much you would find the
private interests had contributed to the Liberals campaign?

#6. The Liberals privatized Medical Services Plan (MSP) and
Pharmacare through a $324 million contract it awarded to
Maximus, an American-based subsidiary, which has been
embroiled in scandals of misappropriations of public funds in
Wisconsin, “accusations of mismanagement, overspending or
improperly receiving information while seeking a contract”
(Deveau, 2004).

#7. The BC Liberals also chose Themis Ltd., a Maximus
subsidiary, to administer the BC Family Maintenance Program.
Themis, being best known for their work in collections can
now proudly claim the harassment, de-humanizing and offensive
tactics of a collections agency are being used to shaking down
impoverished women (and dead beat parents). Forced DNA
testing is also on the menu. The BC Liberals excel at something
at least, even if it is poor bashing, oppression and stressing out
single mothers.

#8. How on earth do the Liberals think they can brag about
job growth (the only jobs growing are low pay, part-time
and service sector)? They spin BC as being open for business
when they don’t even allow their own shipbuilding industry to
bid on contracts for new ferries? What does that say for their
trust of industry and their lack of care and concern about how
many B.C. families would have been supported by those jobs?

What kind of message does this send to the international
community about how our own Premier and government
see BC companies and industry? I say it’s a slap in the face of
all BC citizens AND is yet one more example of poor leadership
and punitive measures against families, labour, industry and
the rest of our Province.

#9. I would think that a party that clearly caters to the business
community would respect little things like CONTRACTS.
Not the BC Liberals though. How could anyone, from community
members, workers, businesses, at home and internationally,
trust this government to be fair and honourable? They tore up
the cornerstones of a business relationship: contracts, freely
negotiated and legally binding collective agreements, and
honouring commitments.

#10. How many golden handshakes and pensions have been
given to Ministers, high-level managers, bureaucrats,
caucus members and friends of the Liberals? How many
of those same people are now double-dipping as consultants
in cushy untendered positions?

#11. In 2004, Nick Geer, former President and CEO, left
ICBC. Supposedly a mutual thing. Uh huh. Why on earth
would we want this guy in charge of our public car insurance?
He only turned ICBC around and had it in the black. He also
thought the citizens of B.C. should be protected by low rates
for car insurance, good service and coverage. He was also
skeptical about a little thing called privatization. Man, we
wouldn’t want to get used to that kind of fore thought in
our government officials, it gets in the way of the money to
be made by the Liberals buddies, the private insurance companies.
Hmm, wonder how much it cost them to get rid of Geer?

#12. The justice system is part of the foundation in society,
and hopefully it is based on the values of truth, justice, respect and
dignity for all. The BC Liberals have gone so far as to undermine
justice in this Province. They’ve done this by cutting funding for
legal aid, by creating barriers to accessing support and advocacy.
They’ve cut courthouses around the Province, laid off workers,
and cut victim support services. The collective actions and
financially driven motives of the Liberals should be viewed as
an attack on the democracy of our Province.

I also want to know why Patrick Dohm
only allowed a heavily censored disclosure of the court documents
behind the investigation into the legislature raid and charges
against Aneal and Dave Basi? Or why
Dohm chose May 30th to decide on unsealing some of the
documents used to apply for search warrants in the Basi matter?
As a taxpayer in B.C., I’d like to know what Ministers, government
officials, and employees are connected to this scandalous and
corrupt situation. Surely it is in the public interest to know more
about this prior to heading to the polls?

For these and many others reasons, I say the BC Liberals
have to go.
If this is what they’ve done in a 4 year
mandate they will have a blank cheque for another 4.
Who will be left to challenge them? The mainstream,
local media doesn't seem too concerned about their
leadership of this Province and instead seem to be
part of the Liberal spin machine.

What safeguards will be left to protect the citizens of
BC from more Liberal corruption, greed and
incompetence? What opportunities will exist for the
citizens of BC? What is the future for our children
under the BC Liberals?

On May 17th, 2005, vote the BC Liberals out.
The future of BC depends on it.

****************************************************
References

CBC News Online, (2004, September 14). B.C. Raids.

CBC News, (May 13 2004). ICBC boss leaving.

CBC News, (Mar 3 2003). ICBC in the black.
VANCOUVER – The government-owned Insurance Corporation
of B.C. says it made a profit of $45 million last year, a big improve-
ment over 2001 when ICBC lost $251 million.

Canadian Press, (2005, April 1).
Judge refuses to unseal
documents in B.C. government corruption case.

Canoe News Network, (April 1, 2005 ).
Judge won't unseal docs
in B.C. corruption case.


CBC News, (Apr 21 2005). Top court will rule on B.C. law
that tore up contracts.


Scott Deveau (December 3, 2004
B.C. Contractor Maximus
Mishandled Public Funds in U.S
. The Tyee On-line: A feisty one.

Scott Deveau ( Mug Shot Too Hot for Political Ads
:
Parties running against B.C. Liberals fear use of drunk driving photo
would backfire.
The Tyee On-line: A feisty one.

Adrian Dix, (March 3, 2004).
Ideological Liberal approach fails
B.C. economy.Victoria Times-Colonist/
Rabble.ca

Russ Francis, (April 28, 2005).
Foiling Freedom of Information:
Gordon Campbell promised the FOI process would be easier,
cheaper and solidly funded. The opposite has happened. The Tyee.ca.

Mark Hume, (2005, January 29).
Former B.C. Liberal officials
charged with fraud, taking bribes. Globe and Mail, A5.

Ian King (December 21, 2003).
Scrum Filter: Unspinning the
Year's News:
In 2003, B.C.'s press yawned at the Premier's
crime...
The Tyee: A Feisty One.

Barbara McLintock, (
Geoff Plant and the B.C.
Liberals’ Exodus: The motives are personal, ideological –
and cold, hard political realism.

Barbara McLintock, (December 24, 2004).
Ho Hum, Criminal
Charges
for Liberal Aides: These indictments allege corruption
of major government deals. So why the big yawn?
The Tyee: A Feisty One.

McMartin, Will, (April 20, 2005).
Campbell Misled Public on NDP
Finances: In 2001 the incoming premier called NDP finances “worse
than we anticipated.”


Bill Pikett,
(March 12, 2004).
Basigate for Dummies.
"Railway sales, gangs, cocaine, marijuana, bribes, RCMP raids,
crime and corruption, breach of trust, influence peddling,
lobbyists, campaign donations, leaks, grow ops, Liberal
membership drives: the works."

Bill Pikett, Three Liberal officials charged with fraud,
taking bribes, and money laundering.

Have You Had Enough Yet.

Bill Pikett, [Ed], O gosh, Gordo broke his promises to MADD.
Have You Had Enough Yet.

Pikett, Bill [Ed], (April 06, 2005). No corruption here in BC,

not in the pages of the Daily Scum anyway.
Have You Had Enough Yet.

Bill Pikett, [Ed], (August 15, 2004). In BC, some debts are

better than others.

Rabble Babble, (2005, April). BC Political Scandal.

Robbins SCE Research: We are public opinion. (2004, April 01).
The sale of BC Rail, BC Liberal corruption, 3 P drug
trafficking and government Insider Trading.

Bill Tieleman, (11-Mar-2004). Police Raids and BC Rail.
Political Connections Archives. Georgia Straight.

Bill Tieleman, (25-Nov-2004). Fliers Deliver Liberal
Propaganda Surplus. Georgia Straight.

Bill Tieleman, (16-Dec-2004). Libs Take Hard Right With
Collins Departure.
Georgia Straight.


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