Olympic Village Boondoggle: Who Didn't We Hear From Yesterday On The CBC?

APressIsOnlyFree
ToThoseThatOwnItVille


So.

Who owns the CBC?

I think it's still us, right?

And, as far as I know, The Mo'Co' hasn't made any significant contributions to the BC Liberal Party of Mr. Gordon Campbell of, say, $50,000, unlike a certain other proMedia outlet around here not so long ago.....

Right?

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Why do I ask these annoying questions?

Well, yesterday morning, the Lotuslandian version of CBC Radio One's "The Early Edition" spent their entire three hours discussing Vancouver's 'Olympic Village'. I have already commented on the majority of the content, most of which was, in my opinion, decidely less than stellar.

However, here I would like to focus not on what we heard, but instead on what we didn't.

Didn't hear, I mean

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In one segment of yesterday's CBC Morning Edition program the host, Mr. Rick Cluff, talked to British Columbia's current Finance Minister Colin Hansen, a member of Mr. Gordon Campbell's B.C. Liberal government, about the extraordinary opening of the Legislature which will happen later today, ostensibly to pass provincial legislation that will change the City of Vancouver's charter such that we (ie. the taxpayer's of Vancouver) will be able to borrow a big whack o' cash, referendum-free, to pay for the next stage of the Olympic Village Bailout.

You can hear that conversation, in its entirety here (Real Audio 1:08:00 to 1:14:00........).

Nothing really remarkable there, as per usual when Mr. Cluff is interviewing a person in power.

But what is remarkable, at least to me, is that we did not hear from a member of the provincial Opposition on this issue.

After all, I would presume that they, too, will be allowed to enter the provincial legislature when Mr. Campbell unlocks the doors at noon today.

So......

How come the provincial Opposition was not on the 'people's broadcaster' to give us their views, which might, I would guess, be somewhat different than Minister Hansen's, on this matter of considerable import to the people of Vancouver and British Columbia?

Especially given the fact that Mr. Cluff, when he was speaking to Mr. Hansen, asked a question that involved the leader of the Opposition, Ms. Carol James' reported views on the matter and also stated that the Opposition was 'steamed' because, apparently there will be no question period associated with the extraordinary legislative opening.

So (again).....

Were members of the Opposition unavailable for comment?

Were there technical difficulties that kept scheduled members of the Opposition from commenting?

Did a member of the Opposition sleep in?

Or......

Did the producers of CBC British Columbia's Morning Edition refuse British Columbia's official Opposition's request to come on the show and state their views?

I dunno for sure.

But an anonymous commenter very explicitly stated that he or she thinks it was the last, bolded possibility, above.

Now, I, for one, most definitely hope that was not the case.

As such, I have sent a request to CBC British Columbia asking if this was did, in fact occur (or did not occur).

I'll let you know what the response is when I hear back.

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