This Day In Snookland (ctd)...About Those Star Candidates.

TheThingsWeWonderAbout
OnAFridayVille


So.

Who will be next star anointed from on high?

Well, we sure as heckfire don't know for sure, but we did note, with interest, that the name of former BC Liberal Party MLA Mr. Paul Nettleton came up in The Dean's column the other day.

Mr. Palmer's column was ostensibly about Moe Gill and how, as a now snubbed potential BC Liberal candidate he was now going to run as an independent against the fine fellow he once supported before the anointing of the Plecas out in Sliverville.

But then The Dean wrapped things up with a short description of other former BC Liberals who had no luck when, for whatever reason, they found themselves running as independents which resulted in their having to return to private life.

And it was in this deanified wrapping-up where Mr. Nettleton's name popped up.

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Now.

Here's the thing....

Back in the days when BC Mary was still stomping on the terra, she and Mr. Nettleton had an excellent relationship and together they tried to get to the bottom of the origins of Railgate.

In fact, the information that Mr. Nettleton provided to Mary was so solid that it made it possible for me to write a massive post (fronted by Jonathan Winters no less!), wherein I concluded that it was very likely that Gordon Campbell's decision to privatize the Railway was communicated to a select group of Liberal MLA's while Mr. Campbell's Minister responsible for said Railway was simultaneously running around the province telling anyone that would listen that no such decision had been made.

Anyway.

What the heckfire does this have to do with why I think that maybe, just maybe, Mr Nettleton might soon be trumpeted as a star candidate over on the mid-island sometime soon?

Well....

In late 2010, with the dust still settling in the aftermath of the $6 million dollar deal that ended the Railgate trial so suddenly and Ms. Clark was running to be BC Liberal Party Leader,  Mr. Nettleton wrote a most interesting 'pullback letter' that I commented on in the post below.

Have a look and see if you agree with me on the possibility that an annointing just might coming....

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Paul Nettleton Backs Clark, Opposes BC Rail Inquiry

AllTheApparentContradictions

ThatFitVille

Last week I suggested that lawyer and former Liberal MLA Paul Nettleton would be a fantastic person to head a public inquiry into the BC Rail sale.

Of course, given that I understand the concepts of BOTH conflict of interest and real politick, I was only half serious.

Regardless, Paul Willcocks left a message in the comments suggesting that Mr. Nettleton was actually against such an inquiry.

And Mr. Willcocks was right, based on a letter-to-the-editor from Mr. Nettleton in the Victoria Times-Colonist, today, Boxing Day.*

I am going to reprint the letter here, in its entirety, given its public importance and will then comment below:

I have opposed the sale of B.C. Rail and the subsequent handling of this important file by the Campbell administration over many years. As Liberal critic, I opposed the sale of B.C. Rail and called upon my Liberal colleagues to commit to protecting B.C. Rail employees and their families, northern communities and British Columbians.

As an independent MLA from 2002 to 2005, I marched in Prince George rallies protesting the sale of B.C. Rail with scores of concerned citizens. I stood at the head of these groups and shared the podium speaking with heartfelt passion and concern about the B.C. Rail issue.

More recently, as a private citizen and as a lawyer, I have continued to follow the B.C. Rail issue in our courts in the hope that those responsible would be exposed and brought to justice. I share the concerns that many questions remain unanswered.

Where, then, should we go from here?

I support the position of Liberal leadership candidate Christy Clark, who has rejected the call for a public inquiry, insisting that we move forward and put the B.C. Rail matter behind us.

I have worked closely with Clark over a number of years and have confidence in her integrity, on this and other issues. I also believe that Clark would ensure that her administration provides openness, transparency and honesty.

Paul R. Nettleton
Ladysmith

Read more: http://www.timescolonist.com/Rail+inquiry+needed/4026465/story.html#ixzz19Ek3lwQq

Now.

In real life job I am a reductionist who takes things apart to try and have a look at what really makes them tick.

So, let's take Mr. Nettleton's letter apart, shall we.....

First - Have a look at the first three paragraphs wherein Mr. Nettleton lays out his bonafides as someone who has always opposed the sale of the public railway, who worked with citizens against the sale when the deal went down, and who still has concerns that many questions remain regarding whether or not all responsible have been 'exposed and brought to justice'.

So, given all that, why doesn't Mr. Nettleton want an inquiry?

Well, based on the last three paragraphs of the letter, it all comes down to Ms. Clark and her integrity, which Mr. Nettleton concludes will lead to a future administration of openness, transparency and honesty.

And, for me at least, therein lies the rub.

Why?

Because, the fact of the matter is that the very same people who are riding Ms. Clark in her candidacy for the leadership of the Liberal Party of British Columbia are pretty much exactly the same people that rode Mr. Campbell to power.

Furthermore, some of those people are the very same people who helped Mr. Campbell sell the formerly public Railway to people that helped bankroll Mr. Campbell's elevation to power.

Thus, in my opinion Mr. Nettleton is flat-out wrong.

Not because Ms. Clark herself may or may not have the utmost personal integrity.

But rather because there is no evidence, at least in my opinion, that her 'administration' would be any different, in terms of how it is actually run, than the administration of her predecessor Mr. Gordon Campbell.

OK?

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*Or, as our good friend Mary noted off-line "Knock Me Over With A Feather" Day....

And, try as he might to cleave her off of Mr. Campbell's horsey hide, David Anderson (speaking on Public Eye Radio this morning) cannot magically wave away the fact that Ms. Clark is being ridden by exactly the same jockeys...

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Oh, and I should mention, back in the here and now of early 2013... The comment thread attached to that Dec 2010 Nettleton pullback letter post is pretty darned interesting in retrospect also....It can be found....here.

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