(click on image to enlarge) ......One Of These Things Is Not Like The Other
Except it is.
That other thing/last story regarding the 'questioning about Mountie' at the bottom, I mean.
Why?
Because all of the other stories with the faux header about a 'Mountie On The Stand' are actually just reprints of Neal Hall's original speculative VSun/CanWest story about how he thought that yesterday's edition of the RailGate trial would center around the Defense' questioning of Gordon Campbell's chief-of-staff Martyn Brown about the relationship between a lead RCMP investigator on the case and a high ranking BC Liberal/Gordon Campbell Party appartchik.
Now, to the best of our knowledge Mr. Brown is not secret member of the Horsemen.
In other words there was never, ever even a hint of a whiff of a non-existent aroma about a real live RCMP member actually taking the stand yesterday.
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So.
How did all those very fine Global News folks that ran Mr. Hall's story with that ridiculously inflammatory and completely inaccurate headline get is so wrong?
Hmmmmmm.....
Perhaps they can blame it on all those Bloggers' out in Lotusland.
After all, they are members of a 'Cult', right?
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What's all the fuss about an 'Accreditation Shuffle'?.....Well, awhile back there was a bit of a kerfuffle about how Supreme Court 'press credential accreditation committee' refused to let citizen journalist nonpareil Robin Mathews into their club.....Interestingly enough, three of the four members of the accrediatation committee work for CanWest news outlets.....And one of them, the afore-mentioned Mr. Hall, when pushed by our friend Mary, accused Mr. Mathews of coming to crazy, inflammatory conclusions that aren't based in the real facts (because, in this case, Mary and Robin originally got it wrong and said that all four members of the PressGang were CanWest scribes when it turns out the fourth was actually from GlobeBellCTVRDSTSNCHUMEverythingElsePossibleMedia, which is way, way, way different - right?)....
Update: Don't miss NVG's fantastic eyewitness-based musings on what really has been going down, both on the surface and below, in the Studio 54 courtroom....They're in the comments, here (read 'em all!)....
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23 comments:
While we were waiting, once again for the trial to move along at an orderly pace, whereby M. Bolton's would unleash another question onto the "Kid" (Martyn Brown) who's answering line would normally be "NoIDon'tRememberThat", Neal Hall leaned forward from his seat at B-Thirteen and asked Robin at A-Eleven if he had his tape recorder with him. Second question from Neal was "Do you own one?" Robin replied that "No, I don't have one, and to the Second Question I can sure find one."
Neal let us know that the last time the Court Judges sat down with the Accreditation journalist Warriors, was almost a year ago, and since then the Supreme Court of Canada has made a ruling within the last month (that was in favour??? of the National Post or agin them???) whatever, the point from Neal was that the Supreme Court of BC officials are WAY behind in these modern times of who gets to carry what into a Court room. Laptops are an integral part of society. They go in our backpacks, on bicycles, on Sea buses, into the Courts and onto the laps of those who sit in the public gallery, and NOT one Sheriff has EVER approached someone who is busily typing away, while we all sit in our publication banned area, and YES, if you're curious the ban was in place because there was no jury. Need I say more.... well yes, back to that laptop.
You got to think about this. Lap tops are permitted in Court Room #54, you know those slim 3/4" thick high tech items that have Skype software built in, along with a recording device. The Sheriff's don't say Check your LaptopsAtTheGate, they just wave you on in..... and no to all, Robin doesn't own a laptop, but if he's considering finding a tape recorder, for the amount of monies involved, he should check out those new fangled devices and possibly trade in his briefcase.
I've been craving real justice lately? Anyone know where I can buy some?
You may find your answer here:
Some politicians under foreign sway: CSIS
http://news.ca.msn.com/local/britishcolumbia/article.aspx?cp-documentid=24661353
Some politicians under foreign sway: CSIS
Canada's spy agency suspects that cabinet ministers in two provinces are under the control of foreign governments, CBC News has learned.
Several members of B.C. municipal governments are also under suspicion, Richard Fadden, the director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, told CBC News in an exclusive interview.
"We're in fact a bit worried in a couple of provinces that we have an indication that there's some political figures who have developed quite an attachment to foreign countries," Fadden said.
"The individual becomes in a position to make decisions that affect the country or the province or a municipality. All of a sudden, decisions aren't taken on the basis of the public good but on the basis of another country's preoccupations."
He said the politicians and public servants see it as a long-standing relationship and have no idea they are being used.
"There are several municipal politicians in British Columbia and in at least two provinces there are ministers of the Crown who we think are under at least the general influence of a foreign government."
Fadden said the agency is in the process of discussing with the Privy Council Office the best way to inform those provinces there may be a problem.
"We'll do the same with the public servants. I'm making this comment because I think it's a real danger that people be totally oblivious to this kind of issue."
Fadden warned that foreign regimes — through universities and social clubs — will develop a relationship with people who have a connection to the homeland.
"You invite somebody back to the homeland. You pay [for] their trips and all of a sudden you discover that when an event is occurring that is of particular interest to country "X," you call up and you ask the person to take a particular view," Fadden said.
At least five countries are surreptitiously recruiting future political prospects in universities, he said. Middle East countries are also involved.
But China is the most aggressive, funding university clubs that are managed by people operating out of the embassy or consulates, Fadden said in a recent speech to Canadian police chiefs and security experts in Toronto.
Chinese authorities also organize demonstrations against the Canadian government in respect to some of Canada's policies concerning China, Fadden said.
"A number of countries take the view that if they can develop influence with people relatively early in their careers, they'll follow them through," Fadden said. "Before you know it, a country is providing them with money, there's some sort of covert guidance."
Fadden said he is concerned that too much of the agency's resources are focused on fighting terrorism and not counter-espionage. That concentration leaves more chances to steal Canada's sensitive technology and trade secrets, worth billions of dollars a year.
"The difficulty I have, as does everybody, is you have to balance where you allocate resources, but it most definitely is as serious problem, and if I had to guess, I'd say it was going to get worse," Fadden said.
I asked Neal yesterday (Tuesday), how is it that Ian Mulgrew can sit here, typically, in the morning, and not be here in the afternoon, and still write the full story for the next publication day.
The answer, he said, was that Ian reads his (Neal's) web comments and adjusts his (Ian's) to suit the ends.
Curious, eh, because BC Mary, and other bloggers, HAVE to give credit where credit is due as to who is the source.
Not once have I read where Ian, has given Neal or any other news journalist credit.
But to give Ian Mulgrew his due, he does cover more than one court case that is happening in the Robson building, whereas Neal Hall has been given the chore of holding the fort, no matter what happens within these four walls.
Ahhh, the powers of the internet, iPhones, and Blackberries.
Mark Hume of the Globe and Mail is off, like Vaughn Palmer, the posted sign is GONE FISHING for the season.
And talking about "fishing", it has been noted, while on my attendance at the corruption trial, that there's been a request for more information regarding the meeting of the alleged Principals, the alleged Orchestrators of the sale of BC Rail, on Savary Island.
Its almost time to leave for another round in Court Room #54, and I just remembered something that happened yesterday that I can "report" on... just before the Gavel came down..... LOL..... for the readers' info there is no Gavel, its just a nod from the Judge once we have stood for her to enter the room. And for further info, if you rise to leave during the proceedings, proper etiquette is to nod your head (asking permission of the Judge) to leave....... AND its amazing, I've noticed that she nods back to each one. Etiquette. and that's the Crux of matter, very formal, very proper, very doing everything by the book.
But on the matter of Accreditation that RossK has raised here, he must have been reading my mind yesterday, for lo and behold the fellow that I sat next to in the morning was an Artist. He does renderings of the Defendants, but on this day (Tuesday) his quest was set to put the Crown's star Witness, Martyn Brown in pencil. Not very colourful, sort of matches his past days testimony.
I mentioned to my neighbour about Robin's plight, in not being able to tape record the proceedings without FIRST receiving Accreditation papers from the Court, and the Board of Four.
To be accepted in to the Group of Four, Robin needs to submit fifteen copies of an application to all present in this case, judge, clerks, lawyers (Basi/Virk/Basi) Defendants, and the Press (who have to make way for the competition) and schedule a Full DAY for it to be heard during the trial proceedings.
Do you think there's a chance before summer vacation kicks in?
For those not aware of WHY there are tape recordings allowed, well, its rather simple. The courts want to ensure that what the Journalists write is true and accurate for their newspapers and other mediums. The Courts belief, maybe based on past errors, that journalists note taking capabilities may be flawed in some manner..... so.... tape recorders were introduced.
At this point I was jumping up and down, "I'VE GOT A QUESTION FOR YOU MR. ARTIST"..... where's your camera?
His reply was that notices are posted throughout Robson Courthouse mentioning that guns, knives, tape recorders and cameras are not permitted in the building,......... tape recorders are the exception for accredited journalists.
"Yes", says I, but I've seen your workmanship, maybe not YOURS per se, but other artists renderings, and I'd have to say that those creations are not an exact copy of what reality is, therefore, don't you think you need a CAMERA to record the finer points of truth? To capture the sweat on the brow, as the Horsemen Lawyer mentioned last week, of Lawyers McCullough and Bolton.
From where we sit in the public gallery to the Witness, its maybe Thirty, or forty feet to the Artist's subject. Better man than I
Anon-Above--
Thanks for stuff on the latest antics of the good Mr. Fadden.
I think, however, that we will have to see how this plays out....Because, for the moment at least, I smell well-timed,(likely) cabinet-approved, Harper appointee-driven deflector spin.....
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(and make no mistake, I also see a potentially very scary precedent which suggests that the Ceeb just may be willing to play ball now that the SunCorp thing is on the horizon)
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Fantastic stuff NVG - thanks.
A couple of things....
1) I have the utmost respect for the work of Mr. Mulgrew, and his ability to give bloggers credit where it is due, but.....Isn't what he does with Mr. Hall's stuff essentially what we get ridiculed for doing all the time by folks like the Dean et al?
2) Not that I would ever turn the function on, on purpose, while I was sitting in, say, a courtroom, unaccreditd, but.....Most modern laptops, especially those ones with the little apples on 'em, have built in microphones so that folks can do all that skypin' 'n stuff.
3) Has an officer of the court made it clear that there actually is more information to be had regarding that alleged off-mainland orchestating?
(Good luck in the room today, and we look forward for your next reports, which are turning out to be so good and value-added that, together with Robin and Bill T's stuff, it's getting so that there is essentially no reason to read Messr's Hall and Fraser's far more cryptic offerings).
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And Citizen J in Studio 54's stuff also.....
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Hey, pal.
I would address you by name but you're too much of a coward to put your name to your opinions.
Or maybe you're wanted by police.
I'm writing to tell you that you got the conversation I had with Robin Mathews completely wrong. On every point.
It shows that your are either a terrible note taker or, as an evesdropper to a private conversation, you have a cognitive impairment.
I asked Robin if he had got approval to use a tape recorder in court. He relayed what efforts he had made and the results.
I then asked if he owned a tape recorder, and he said he didn't.
I told Robin the last meeting with the judges was this month (not a year ago, as you wrote.
I said there had been a discussion about bloggers not being around when the committee's original criteria was set years ago about who should get media accreditation - the current definition is "working journalists."
The media accreditation committee, by the way, has journalists from CBC, the Toronto Star and CTV.
This information is available online.
I would address you by name but you're too much of a coward to put your name to your opinions.
Or maybe you're wanted by police.
How very like the mainstream media; when confronted by criticism, the resort to ad hominem attacks. "Maybe you're wanted by police" is a scummy accusation, but not surprising (the police are present in the workings behind these blogs, and no doubt fully aware of who belongs to which IP address). "We specialized in smear campaigns" was coined by a Mountie, but might as well have been uttered by a CanWester....
According to Robin, the accreditation committee is composed of three from CanWest (including yourself) and one from CTV. Nobody from CBC or the Toronto Star, unless you mean some of you have moonlighted doing columns/pieces for them.
And to anonymous-who-might-be-on-the-run-from-the-police, see my comments on Laila's blog on that topic. The China card is being played; but it's as obvious as day that the real elephant in the room as far as "owning" BC politicians is the US; not in the capacity of the State Department, but in terms of US capital and its subsidiary organizations in BC. Foreign influence in BC is aplenty; but most of it is from the US Republican Party and US Big Money. That includes CN, which despite its Canadian headquarters is a front for American capital interests.
It's easy to point the finger at China, and not without cause either; but the much bigger finger that none in our polity or our media dares point is the meddling in our political process, and our economic future, by American interests.
Campbell yapping off about Fadden being "unprofessional" had me burst out loud laughing when I saw the headline today. In how many ways can we use that same term to describe his behaviour. And as usual in Canada, the way this is unfolding is "shoot the messenger, so as to destroy the message".
I will contact Mr. Hall via his VSun Email account and ask him if he did, indeed, leave the comment above.
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yeah it does seem rather "unprofessional" in tone, doesn't it?
LOL that word is gonna get a lot of play in the next few days....
And why would the Toronto Star have status on an accreditation committee for a British Columbia court, anyway? How often does the Star even report on BC?
Neal Hall has inferred that I have been eaves dropping on a conversion between Robin and himself. Mr. Hall has left out the part of the conversation that I was having with Robin. I suggested to Robin, in our discussion, that he should ask Neal Hall about the Accreditation process that was being dragged out the by court officials, and because Mr. Hall was sitting right behind me, I suggested to Robin that he ask Mr. Hall. We both turned around and engaged him in the topic at hand, Accreditation.
Thanks for the clarification Dave.
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Gee, Dave, it seems to me that Neal Hall has just imputed you, knowing who you were when posting by context, are on the run from the police. Isn't that defamation?
And presumably Robin's reading this thread....and it would seem that Neal Hall has provided conflicting information (conflicting with the truth, that is) as to the composition of the Accreditation Committee (tertiary adjunct of unimatrix zero etc....).
Maybe he meant that reporters from the CBC and the Toronto Star had been accredited by the Committee. Pretty sloppy for a "real journalist" to make such an error on such an important issue though.
Is Bill Tieleman carrying a little tag that says "approved by the Accreditation Committee"? What about the gentleman from Bloomberg?
I'm curious....why are tape recorders considered dangerous? i.e. in the same league as weapons?
It's the equivalent of saying, in the old days, "nobody capable of taking shorthand is to be allowed into the room". And "persons with photographic memory and/or total recall are not permitted to attend".
North Van Grumps should stand up to the bully's at the Van Sun.
his over reaction to this issues would be better served in getting to the bottom of the actions by the special prosecutor.
more shameful actions by the Van Sun
Wow! Terrific reports by N.V.G., eh?
As for Neal Hall's underwhelming comment ... I'm glad he said that stuff and that RossK let it stand as visible evidence of the "unprofessional" workers at CanWest.
I'd like to say a word about Ian Mulgrew. He was the ONLY paid, professional, CanWest journalist who picked up on my tip about the sentencing of Jasmohan Singh Bains (the person police were tracking when the raided the BC Legislature).
Yes, Mulgrew's article was 8 months AFTER the trial began ... and 5 months AFTER the sentencing
But Mulgrew gave me full credit, plus blog-address, in his column that day. (Vancouver Sun, Feb 2009)
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Heard from Neal "the not so real deal" Hall lately Ross?
What a perfect illustration of the inadequacy of the so-called Canwest media!
I have attempted to contact Mr. Hall via his Vancouver Sun address.
Unfortunately, he has yet to respond.
Thus, I can neither confirm nor deny that the commenter above was, indeed, Mr. Hall
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By way of comparison, a similar difference of opinion arose awhile back with a comment left by the Sun's Kim Bolan.
And when I contacted Ms. Bolan about it she very graciously explained her position. As a result, we had a bit of back and forth that resulted both in excellent discourse and what I, and others (including David Akin), concluded, ultimately led to a very satisfactory resolution.
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I wonder why Kieth Fraser's newspaper, the Vancouver Province, associates with those Bloggers that Neal Hall has such a high disregard for. "ChatBack" is all Blogger commentary.
No names of the authors are mentioned, they could be the BC Liberal PAB staff. I've always thought that after the Dirty Trick scandal of the Socred's PAB were discovered by the MSM the newspapers agreed amongst themselves never to used again by a political party. They agreeg never to publish a "letter to the editor" again without verifying who the author was, address and phone numbers included.
The idea was to show up front to the public who the authors are, but this ChatBack crap is worse than the Dirty Tricks where only the Province Newspaper now knows who the authors are.
Interesting point Anon-Above.
I also find even the Ceeb's threads to be be essentially codswallop-laden.
And over at The Tyee, I am convinced that the media monitoring does go on.
But, mostly I blame that on the the folks at The Tyee themselves (this is my one major criticism of them in fact).
Why?
Because they don't monitor their threads.
And I mean really monitor them to actually facilitate discussion rather than a trumped-up 'he said/she said' version of name calling.
I suppose that a lot of it has to do with the fact that I'm mostly preaching to the choir here, but I rarely have that problem. I like to the think that this is because, overall, when a trollish-type stops by I try to engage them rather than scream at them. This either sends them packing or the try to make real points which I'm always up for.
(and I've had some very lively threads here, a lot of them gone now because haloscream ate almost 10,000 of them....one of the best was when Ian King and Kevin Potvin had a go at each other's positions on a whole lotta levels in large measure, I like to think, because I helped/forced them to cut out the ad hominems)
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