Doris Does Denial

WetsuitsWillSaveUs
AntiSafetyVille


While he has been busy running around demonstrating his support for RCMP commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli, Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day has somehow found the time to tell his constituency's hometown newpaper, the gargantuan Penticton Herald, that the goings on at the Fortress North America/Deep Integration forum in Banff were not a secret:


No Secret Meeting Says MP
John Moorhouse
Thursday Sept 28, 2006

There was nothing secret about a North American forum in Banff earlier this month, says Okanagan-Coquihalla MP Stockwell Day.

{snip}

Commenting from Ottawa this week, Day confirmed he was a keynote speaker on the evening of Sept. 13 as federal Minister of Public Safety. "I was addressing the common need for prosperity and security at our borders," he explained. "But we also have to make sure that citizens and commercial travel and our exports go quickly and freely across the border."


OK, Mr. Day. If it wasn't a secret, what did you actually say in your address, and who, specifically, was there?

Regardless his continuing anti-secrecy secrecy, the Safety Pin man did let slip with one bit of concrete information:


Although U.S. Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was among the invited guest speakers, he did not attend, Day added.

Hmmmm......Perhaps Rummy had trouble fitting into the neoprene?

______

And thanks to Locusta emersonia, once again on the comment threads, for passing along the link to Doris' ridiculously unplausibly debilitating bout of deniability. In fact, all this comment thread info is getting to be a veritable treasure trove of specially delivered goods. Which is kinda fun; sort of like a grassroots mini-whirlitzer.

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Real Reporting In The Rockies

JustASpoonfulOfSugar
HelpsTheRummieGoDownVille

All right, all right, all right.

We admit it, there is absolutely no hard evidence that Mr. Rumsfeld actually showed up for that Fortress North America/Deep Integration Forum that took place in Banff a couple of weeks ago.

However, one should bear in mind that very little hard evidence about anything that happened there has emerged so far.

Luckily for us there is one reporter that actually went out and did his job. An what's more, he actually had editors that let him write about it.

His name is Aaron Paton and he writes for the 'Banff Crag and Canyon'. We quoted from his original story here.

Now, because it is not yet available online, someone purporting to be Mr. Paton* has been good enough, through the magic of the comment thread, to send us his latest piece on this week's protest against the Conference.


Protesters gather at hotel following secret forum
By Aaron Paton Banff Crag & Canyon staff

A handful of protesters gathered in front of the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel Monday to show their disapproval of a secret forum held earlier in the month in Banff that featured politicians, business elite, top military generals and weapons manufacturers from Canada, Mexico and the United States.

The protest came almost two weeks after The North American Forum was held at the Springs from Sept. 12 to 14. and drew a crowd of about 10 protesters, some bearing signs like "we want our country back" and"lost liberty hotel."

The spark of protest was ignited when former National Party leader Mel Hurtig posted news of the meeting on the Internet as it was happening. He has also provided the media with a schedule and a list of attendees dated Aug. 31. Canadians on the list include federal Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day, former Alberta premier Peter Lougheed, Admiral Roger Girouard (Commander Joint Task Force Pacific, Cdn. Forces), Alberta Minister of Energy Greg Melchin and Roger Gibbons of the Canada West Foundation.

Former Green Party candidate Chris Foote was appalled that Banffites had been denied what he said was their right to protest during the event and that the media had ignored the issue."What they're really talking about is making one unified North America," Foote said. "It's highly unpopular in all three countries and that's why they're trying to keep it a secret. The business community and (politicians) want to push this through and they don't want anyone to know about it."

Apart from local Bow Valley newspapers, coverage of the event in English has come mostly from bloggers and online news sources, CBC radio and an article written by Council of Canadians national chairperson and activist Maude Barlow in the Calgary Herald and theToronto Star. The story appeared in large Mexican daily newspapers like La Opcion in Chihuahua and La Jornada in Mexico City this week, after coverage appeared first in last week's Crag.

Local activist Aaron Doncaster said the forum is a serious issue that should be addressed more thoroughly in the Canadian media. "It's not necessarily about taking out the borders, but it's about blurring them until they're irrelevant," Doncaster said.

He added that if people aren't informed of meetings like the forum they will be voting for a government that lacks transparency and accountability. "They will vote for a government and they don't know what these guys are up to," Doncaster said. "That's not right. If you lose that knowledge then you've lost democracy completely."

Banff RCMP took pictures as protesters spoke with passersby at the bus stop in front of the hotel. They didn't take kindly to being photographed. "What are you doing here and why are you taking my photo?" Doncaster asked police. "Will this be used against me later?" He accused the RCMP of gathering intelligence on protesters and activists, something he considers a violation of his privacy.

The officers responded by saying that they were "just doing their jobs."

"They have files on everyone from the United Church to peace activists and the Raging Grannies," Doncaster said. "That's part of the reason why people don't want to protest. It's bullying."

A hotel worker at the protest who said they were working during the forum said that U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Peter Pace, instead of U.S. Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, gave a speech on military co-operation. Rumsfeld was scheduled to do a speech entitled Opportunities for Security Co-operation in North America — Military-to-military co-operation, according to Hurtig's information provided to media. Pace's name did not appear on a list of scheduled attendees that was leaked to the Crag soon after the meeting and is now widely available on the Internet or on www.wikipedia.org.

"The atmosphere was really tense," the employee said. "There were alot of people there and there were secret service agents walking around the back of the room."(General Pace) came in and walked around the room meeting all the right people, he got up to do his speech, said what he had to say and they moved on to the next meeting."

The employee added that there was nothing particularly sinister about what was said at the forum but admitted to not paying close enoughattention."To me it sounded like all that shit you hear them saying on the news," the employee said. "I didn't really realize the gravity of the situation at the time."

Fairmont Banff Springs spokesperson Lori Grant said the hotel appreciated the peaceful nature of the protest. The office of Stockwell Day said that it does not comment on the private meeting and would not say if the public safety ministerattended the forum.

Banff RCMP did not return phone calls.


Like government, I guess people get the secret deals they deserve.

Sheesh.

_____
*We have no reason to believe that the story did not come from the real Mr. Paton. It's just that we have not yet received confirmation from a solid second source, or the movement of a potted plant on Deep Crag's balcony.

Surprise, Surprise!

HardballingCanuckistan
EmersonVille

Who'd a thunk it:

VANCOUVER (CP) - The federal government won't meet its self-imposed Sunday deadline to implement the softwood lumber agreement with the United States, The Canadian Press has learned.


But why, you might be asking yourself?

Well it looks like some Canadian companies have refused to knuckle under.

Complications surrounding the withdrawal of more than 30 pieces of trade litigation, including resistance by some exporters to shelving their suits, make it unlikely a planned softwood border tax will start being levied as of Sunday.

But we thought the MP for CanforCouver Kingsway had that all in hand. After all, didn't he tell us that everybody was onside awhile back?

Which, at the time, had us wondering just how the Canadian Industry Minister did 'convince' Canadian companies to capitulate?

Well, it looks like we now, perhaps, know at least one Mr. Emerson's strategies?

Industry sources said officials in International Trade's softwood lumber division have been calling holdout companies and pressuring them to sign letters withdrawing their trade cases.

One of those officials confirmed to The Canadian Press that companies were being called but would not discuss how many were refusing.

Elliot Feldman, a Washington trade lawyer acting for several lumber firms, said one client was misled by being told he was one of the last holdouts.

"Of the companies we represent, he's one of 19," he said.

So here's the thing......why didn't Mr. Emerson play hardball like this with the Americans?

After all, isn't he supposed to be working for us?

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Sammy Maudlin Goes To Europe

Sammy's Spinmeisters Get Busy?

Shootin'OutSparks
SullivanVille

While the Pro-Pols argue about whether it is Sammy himself or Sammy his staff who are to blame for his dismal showing so far as Vancouver Mayor, Mr. Sullivan sets the Olympic overrun deflector spin gun to maximun stun and announces he's goin' to Europe:

Vancouver's mayor is planning a fact-finding trip to Europe early in the new year to look at drug strategy in countries like the Netherlands and Finland.

Sam Sullivan says if crime and disorder can be reduced by some innovative approach that's working elsewhere, the city needs to take a look at it. "


Say what?

No word if Philip Owen will also be making the trip with the maudlinest one.

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Which Would Sammy Choose.....

......Curling Rinks Or Sustainable Housing For All?

Gimme(Affordable)Shelter
NPA(Not)Ville

Remember back when Sam Sullivan and the NPA wrestled control of Vancouver City Hall away from Jim Green and a Vision/COPE coalition in the wake of a James Green-assisted election victory late last year?

And remember Smilin' Sammy's first big move?

Well, in case you've forgotten, he scrapped a long planned progressive and sustainable, 1:1:1 Market/MiddleIncome/Social Housing plan for the massive South East False Creek development.

Why?

Because, Sammy said, it would cost the city money, some $50 million dollars that would have come from the City's Property Endowment Fund that is leveraged from, guess who, developers.

Which brings us to curling rinks.

Apparently, Sammy now has no problem with us spending big money on them. Especially when the shortfall is going to be leveraged from, guess who, taxpayers.

Construction of three Olympic venues is still a good deal for the city of Vancouver even though their original price tag has soared by nearly $26 million, Mayor Sam Sullivan said Thursday.

"We are all going to be using these facilities for years into the future," said Sullivan. "We had to build them anyways."

Sullivan said the projects are "highly subsidized" -- a reference to Vanoc's contribution of $43 million toward the Hillcrest curling rink and two new practice ice rinks to be built at Killarney and Trout Lake community centres.

Now you could argue that $26 million 'extra' is a bargain for some much needed sheets of ice. And you might be right, but no matter how you add it up they sure are tough to sleep on.

And who said the number is going to stop at 26 + six zeroes anyway?

I mean, it's not like VANOC hasn't been a wee bit off before.

Right?

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Root Causes In Their Esteemable Estimates

ClimbOutOfThatStovepipe
AntiDelusionVille


The latest in the war to create terra......

WASHINGTON Sept 24, 2006 (AP) - The Iraq war has contributed to an increased threat of terrorism, according to an intelligence assessment that has not lessened the Senate majority leader's defense of the U.S.-led invasion three years ago and occupation.

The classified assessment of the war's impact on terrorism came in a National Intelligence Estimate that represents a consensus view of the 16 disparate spy services inside government, an intelligence official said Sunday. The official, confirming accounts first published in Sunday's New York Times and Washington Post, spoke on condition of anonymity because the report is classified.

The report found that the war has helped create a new generation of Islamic radicalism and that the overall terrorist threat has grown since the Sept. 11 attacks.

Sen. Bill Frist, R-Tenn. said he had not seen the classified report, which was completed in April, but said Americans understand the United States must continue to fight terrorists in Iraq and elsewhere.

``Either we are going to be fighting this battle, this war overseas, or it's going to be right here in this country,'' Frist said on ABC's ``This Week,'' echoing an argument that President Bush frequently makes.

Two things.

First, that National Intelligence Estimate is an American document from 16 American 'spy service' entities. Clearly some among them have decided scale the walls of their stovepipes built by the likes of Mr. Cheney and uber-spy master Mr. Negroponte.

Second, it has already been demonstrated that graphic images from foreign terror honeytraps have indeed been used as propaganda tools to help recruit and radicalize 'homegrown' (ie. Western-based) terrorists:

Mohammad Sidique Khan blew himself up on 7 July (2005) while travelling on the London Underground near to Edgware Road. He killed himself and six other people.

As the oldest of the four bombers, investigators assume he was the ringleader.

Earlier this week, new footage of him denouncing the West and criticising Muslim leaders emerged on the internet.

While Khan's path into terrorism has been blamed on radical mosques and a lack of integration into British society, the BBC investigation reveals that neither of these appeared to be factors in his radicalisation.

BBC reporter Nasreen Suleaman has uncovered close friends who say that his radicalisation happened in backrooms in Yorkshire, rather than in religious institutions or foreign trips.

In the documentary "Khalid", a former member of Khan's inner circle, says that Khan became part of a tight-knit group of young, radicalised Muslim men from Dewsbury, Leeds and Huddersfield.

The men used to spend time paintballing, trips that would take place immediately after watching extremely violent videos depicting Muslim suffering around the world.

Another of the bombers, Germaine (or Jamal) Lindsay was also involved in this group, according to Khalid.

"Before we would leave the house, there would sometimes be a video reflecting what's happening in Palestine or Chechnya or other places where Muslims were affected," Khalid tells the documentary.

"Looking back on it now I do find it a bit weird that we had such a viewing. I can see why some youth would be affected by this - they get fired up, they get stirred up - and having the airing of that video might not have been in the best interests of certain people.

"Mohammad Sidique Khan was there but someone else was introducing the videos."

Now, with respect to root causes that is all scary enough.

But here's something about Mr. Khan that is even scarier, and more chilling, especially if you are even slightly inclined to give some credence to the Bush doctrine clap-trap about how it's important to make war to ensure that we are "fightin' 'em over there so we don't have to fight 'em over here."

The documentary also reveals for the first time details of Khan's earlier life, including his apparent dream to become an American.

Khan as a teenager shook off his Pakistani-Muslim identity, claim friends, and chose to present himself as an exclusively westernised young man going by the nickname "Sid".

"He seemed to have more white friends than Asian friends," said one of his closest friends from school days, Rob Cardiss.

"He used to hang around with white lads playing football. And he was very English. Some of the other Pakistani guys used to talk about Muslim suffering around the world but with Sidique you'd never really know what religion he was from."

OK?

_____
For interest's sake I decided to go see what Mr. Negroponte is up to these days. Seems he's looking for new honeypots in......ummmm.........Lebanon.
Finally, to my knowledge, but I'd be happy to be corrected if I'm wrong, there have been no terrorist reprisals, either internally or externally launched, against any country due to their legitimate and goodfaithed 'peacekeeping' (ie. as opposed to their 'warmaking') efforts.

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He Even Kinda Looks Like Steve Martin...

CreditWhereCreditIsDue
ColumnistVille

In the past, I've been critical of a number of Gary Mason's Globe columns because they so often re-hashed the obvious.

Sort of like those "read the producers' quesions no matter what" interviews conducted by the Puffmaster Flash, only with ink instead of sound.

But today's Mason column about his son's coming of age, and the changes it means for him as a Dad, was actually pretty good.

A little cliched perhaps, but solid.

Better than 'Cheaper By The Dozen - 2' that's for sure.

Clearly, Mr. Mason's forte is human interest stuff, which is probably what made him a decent sports columnist.

Thus, like Cluffie, maybe he should stick to that and leave the analysis of complex issues to others.

_____
Unfortunately, Mr. Mason's column is locked behind Fast Eddie G's subscription wailing wall here.

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What! No Surcharge On The Surcharge?

TheGouging
BCFerriesVille

Remember when Keith Baldrey went all a-googly after BC Ferries Chairman David Hahn wrapped the cord around him, yanked it hard, and started him spinning like a top the very night that the Queen of the North sank?

"Early last Wednesday morning - just after 2 a.m. - my home phone rang. That's usually a reason for concern - the first thing that springs to mind is a family emergency somewhere. But this call was about another kind of emergency.

"Keith, it's Dave Hahn. Sorry about the early call, but I thought you should know. One of our vessels has just gone down north of Vancouver Island. I'm trying to get an update on the passengers. I'll keep you informed, but I thought you might want to get going on this."

It was a startling phone call, to say the least. Startling because the ferry had only sunk about an hour before, startling because of the potential magnitude of the ferry disaster, and startling because of the forthrightness of the man who runs BC Ferries.

Mr. Hahn and I talked several more times in the early hours of that morning. He would phone with updates - the most important of which was about the state of the passengers - and try to provide as much information as possible.

As the morning went on, he started appearing seemingly everywhere - one minute on CKNW, the next moment on CBC Radio, the next on Global TV. BC Ferries had hastily chartered a plane to fly Mr. Hahn and Premier Gordon Campbell to Prince Rupert to meet the Queen of the North's passengers. He invited me and a Global cameraman to accompany them......

{snip}

It's a refreshing approach from the head of a large company, and one that I suspect resonates well with the general public."


Well, I wonder if Mr. Hahn arranged for a plane to fly Mr. Baldrey up to his summer place so they can spend the weekend discussing this:

September 21, 2006 - 5:14 am
By: Amy Ryan

VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) - You may be enjoying the lower pump prices when you go to fill up your car, but don't expect BC Ferries to drop its fuel surcharge.

Despite reporting a surplus earlier this month, the corporation says it is carrying a fuel deficit. CEO and president David Hahn says the it is because the company initially waited too long to apply for relief from the BC Ferry Commission. He told a small audience at the corporation's annual general meeting that in hindsight the company should have applied for surcharges as early as late 2004, but banked on rising fuel costs dropping back to historic levels.

Now BC Ferries is facing a $21 million deficit fuel account, which Hahn said must be paid down before surcharges can be reduced. Earlier this month the company released its fiscal report that showed overall profits are up to nearly $15 million while fewer people are taking the ferries

So, which is it?

Do we have a surplus or a deficit at BC Ferries, or what?

Because, so far the biggest ballyhoo, especially from the spun media in this province, has been on the surplus side.

And just how is BC Ferries making more money when fewer people are taking the Ferries in the apparent absence of significant rate increases?

Could it have something to do with those egregious 'reservation' fees of $35 a trip on the major routes that are not considered to be part of the 'fare'?

Sheesh.

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Ya, But Can He Play Tony Danza?

Fair'sFare
TaxiVille

As Alison notes, it looks like a bunch of us scufflers in the bloggodome may have played a small part in forcing a tiny segment of the mainstream media to at least pay lip service to the 'Anschluss In The Rockies' story.

The latest is the Ceeb, whose report on the secret meeting on North American Deep Integration is essentially warmed over Mel Hurtig.

But one of the real heroes of the story, according to this piece in the Rocky Mountain Outlook (and others), appears to be a guy named Chris Foote:

Chris Foote, a former Green Party candidate in Wild Rose, is organizing the Monday protest on the sidewalk outside the Fairmont Banff Springs. “It has to be peaceful, no violence, or we’ll just end up like Rumsfeld.

“People in my taxi were making chatter (during the event). None are willing to give their names to the media, but they will to a cab driver.”

Foote said he also talked with people who saw Prime Minister Stephen Harper in town.

The protest, he said, “is to try to get people out to show their objection to a secret conference. Hopefully, it will convince the Banff Springs to not hold secret conferences.”

That's right.

The whistle blower on the ground is an environmentalist who drives a hack for a living.

Actually, by all appearances, our man Foote looks to be a pretty interesting, multifaceted guy.

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StratCo(u)n Keeps Pushing?

RuleByThePoll,LieByThePoll
CPCVille

Remember when Strategic Counsel polls helped 'push' that Big Mo' towards the WestCoast LINOCons in May 2005 and the CRAPtacular Cons in Jan 2006?

Well looks like they've been at it again; this time helping the MP for Canforcouver Kingsway push his Softwood Capitulation For The Nation in this past spring:

VANCOUVER (CP) - The Conservative minority government appears to have been on firm political ground as it aggressively pushed for a softwood lumber agreement with the United States, a poll obtained by The Canadian Press indicates.

The public opinion survey suggests that even before the deal was finalized, enough Canadians were prepared to support it that the Tories felt confident to push ahead over widespread objections from the lumber sector and provincial governments.

The poll, done May 18-20, was produced for the Department of International Trade by the firm Strategic Counsel three weeks after Ottawa and Washington initialled a framework for negotiations that led to a final text on July 1.

Push, Baby Push......

And don't stop now.

Because The 'New' Government of Canada has got a whole lotta policy to shove into those new-fangled frames.


_____
And just who might have been 'exposed' to said poll you might be wondering? Well, that's a good question, especially when you consider the fact that the CP could only get its hands on it after an 'Access To Information' request. Funny how CanWest no longer uses CP, t'aint it?

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There Are Things We Know.....

......And There Are Things We Know We Don't Know

Where'sRummy?
SpringTimeInTheRockiesVille.

And one of those things is whether or not Donald Rumsfeld actually showed up for that Canadian/US 'Deep Integration' conference in Banff last week.

But now, thanks to the first mainstream news organ to break through 'Doris and The Minions'' cone of silence, we know the title of what Mr. Rumsfeld's address was supposed to be:

An internal document obtained by the Banff Crag & Canyon shows that Rumsfeld was scheduled to be a keynote speaker on Wednesday, Sept. 13, although no one at the hotel would confirm or deny that he was in Banff.

Reported sightings of Rumsfeld couldn’t be confirmed by the Crag, but his speech was supposed to have been entitled: Opportunities for Security Co-operation in North America -- Military-to-military Co-operation.

It was scheduled for 1:30 p.m.


Yes. That's right!

The only Canadian newspaper to publish any specifics on this issue of vital interest to all Canadians is that well known blockbuster breaker, 'The Banff Crag and Canyon'.

All joking aside, hats off to Aaron Paton for writing the piece.

____
And kudos to skadl of POGGE for the original link to Mr. Paton's story.

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Fight The Anschluss

Doris'MinionsSittin''InATree
OttaWash

Couldn't figure out why I was suddenly getting mega search engine-directed hits off of 'Banff + Rumsfeld'.

Well, we can thank Maude Barlow, who wrote the following today in the Toronto Star:


While the media were busy obsessing over rumours of a budding romance between Condoleezza Rice and Peter MacKay last week, a more significant relationship was developing behind closed doors.

Away from the spotlight, from Sept. 12 to 14, in Banff Springs, Minister of Public Safety Stockwell Day and Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor met with U.S. and Mexican government officials and business leaders to discuss North American integration at the second North American Forum.

According to leaked documents, the guest list included such prominent figures as U.S. Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Mexican Secretary of Public Security Eduardo Medina Mora and Canadian Forces chief General Rick Hillier, although we have no final confirmation of attendees. The event was chaired by former U.S. secretary of state George Schultz, former Alberta premier, Peter Lougheed and former Mexican finance minister Pedro Aspe.

Despite the involvement of senior North American politicians, organizers did not alert the media about the event. To make it worse, our government will not be issuing a public statement and refuses to release any information about the content of the discussions or the actors involved.

Day's office has been telling journalists that it cannot comment on the minister's private meeting and that journalists should understand this. So much for accountability.


You got that?

Top secret.

The future of our country is at stake and Mr. Day, his minions, and his wetsuit have decided it's top secret.

We are in big, big trouble.

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When News Is Suppressed....

.....We Plan To Report It

NobodyOwnsUs
BloggodomeVille


Now, of course, one person's suppression is another person's indifference.

But in situations where this dichotomy arises it is worth remembering what AJ Liebling once said:

"Freedom of the press is guaranteed only to those who own one."

On the flip side, however, it is also worth noting something that wasn't even on Liebling's radar screen at the time he uttered his famous words, which is the following:

"Nobody, at least not yet, owns the true citizen journalists of the bloggodome."

Case in point - apparently the editor-in-chief of a local newspaper is upset that a reader of the paper, and a citizen journalist extraordinare, BC Mary has published an Email response from said editor to a query from Mary asking why there was no story in said paper on the Basi/Virk pre-trial hearing that took place Monday.

You can read the entire Email exchange as it was originally reported by Mary at her place here.

What we found particularly interesting was the reported last line of the editor's response that was, apparently, meant to explain why the paper did not run a story on the hearing:

"When there is news, we plan to report it."

The thing is, if the editor did in fact send this statement to a reader in response to an openly asked question, well, we would like to suggest that the statement itself has become news.

Now, it is possible that the editor did not actually send this Email response to BC Mary. For example, some nefarious teenaged kid sitting in his pyjamas in Mill Bay may have hacked into the newspaper's Email server so that he/she could go all churlish on people who had sent in legitimate questions.

And if that is the case we would be happy to print a retraction.

So far though this does not appear to be the case. Instead, as Mary reports on our comment thread, apparently the editor is most upset that her statement to a reader has actually been shared with, gasp!, other readers:

"Can you believe that I got a rocket from Miss Linda for allowing her news to see the light of day? Seems that in her 10 years and 3 cities, only one other scoundrel has had the temerity to quote her news as ... well, you know: news.

I think what got up her nose is the fact that on a silver platter, she handed me a scoop on her own newspaper."


Hmmmmm......

Sounds like a textbook example of a perfectly executed reverse-Liebling-from-the-piked position if you ask us.

Which, of course, is news worth reporting.

OK?


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Regarding this rapidly accelerating developing 'Deep Integration' business between the country formerly known as Canuckistan (ie. the 'New' Government of Canada) and BushWorld, please click on the red and white ribbon at the top Left corner of the page for more info.

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No News Is......

.....No News?

CrimeOfTheCentury
LedgeVille

Apparently there was indeed a pretrial court appearance yesterday in Victoria by David Basi and Robert Virk involving the BC Rail/Ledge Raid bribery case.

This is no small potatoes because it reaches into the highest corridors of power and is of vital interest to all British Columbians.

Not unexpectedly, our friend BC Mary was surprised that this event did not warrant a story in her local newspaper, the CanWest-0wned Victoria Times Colonist.

So Mary, ever the citizen journalist, wrote the editor of the paper, Lucinda Chodan, asking why.

The following is the reply that Mary is reporting that she received from Ms. Chodan:

Subject: Re: Basi, Virk, Basi in court yesterday?

Dear Ms. Mary:

There was indeed a pretrial appearance by Basi, Virk et al yesterday. Our
reporter staffed the appearance, and nothing of note happened. As is the
case in such instances, the reporter consulted with his editor and did not
write a story. When there is news, we plan to report it.

Sincerely,
Lucinda Chodan
Editor-in-Chief
Victoria Times Colonist
2621 Douglas St.
Victoria, B.C. V8T 4M2


Fair enough. Not newsworthy Ms. Chodan has decided.

Thus, I decided to check and see what some of the other 'local' stories were that Ms. Chodan's team of editors and reporters did decide were 'news' that made it impossible for them to fit in anything on the Basi/Virk trial.

The following is a partial list from the TC Website for Sept 19/06:

First the much more important 'crime' story
Police record considerable success in bait-bike effort

Of course, there is also the much, much more important local story with international implications
UVic endowment will allow Ukrainian studies program to continue

And finally, there is the much more mostest important story that all of humanity must know about.
Stick 'Em Up: Self-defence course teaches cane users how to fend off attackers


Very, very, newsworthy indeed.

Sheesh.

______
Update Sept23/06: Gladly editted at BC Mary's request to remove one of the stories from the 'mucho importanto' trivial list (see our exchange in the comments).

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Obfuscation For Both Nations

ThePainOfDeepIntegration
OttaWash


Sure the RCMP was way, way, way wrong in the Maher Arar tragedy.

And every single one of those redactions in Justice O'Connor's report must be brought out into the light for all to see.

But the bigger issue here is this 'deep integration' business between Canada and the United States.

Which goes way past the fact that you can no longer go fishing in the Vancouver Harbour.

I mean, do we really want to see Mr. Harper's director of communications Sandra Buckler stand up and make statements like those noted below when secret, congressionally-approved, habeus corpus-free torture rooms are discovered by some of our more famous Prairie bloggers on the sidebar under, say, the North Fork of the Saskatchewan River?

QUESTION: There are allegations that we sent people to Syria to be tortured…

MCCLELLAN: To Syria?

QUESTION: Yes. You’ve never heard of any allegations like that?

MCCLELLAN: No, I’ve never heard that one. That’s a new one.

QUESTION: Syria? You haven’t heard that?

MCCLELLAN: That’s a new one.

QUESTION: Well, I can assure you it’s been well publicized. My question is…

MCCLELLAN: By what, bloggers?

What was that all about, you might be asking?

Well, that was former White House Press Secretary Scott McLellan responding to questions about Maher Arar's kidnap-assisted rendition to Syria after it was revealed on the front page of the Washington Post last January.

OK?

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