The well known phrase called a "paper trail" gone the way of the dodo bird? Betcha it has. Let's have a round of applause for our new technology!

Clearly criminal actions were taken with regard to these e-mails, and I can see no reason why an investigation wouldn't already be under way by the federal government into this matter. Why it hasn't happened yet is a huge question in my mind. The corruption obviously goes deep.

The political party insiders and the bureaucracy are all about government profit for redistribution to 'their' class of people, which is what the privatization schemes are really all about... generating more profits for the government at the expense of citizen rights, free enterprise, fiscal responsibility, sovereignty, and even the integrity of the rule of law and our democracy... leaving behind only a legacy of exploitation, debt, and beggary of the public for what was once theirs.

We're entering a time when a divide is taking place between the governed and the members of the governing class who exploit through the levers of government to secure their own gains at the public expense.

This BC Rail deal is a clear symptom of that new trend and as such people should be demanding the facts be made clear on this case to shine a light on the state of our democracy... so we can be informed as the citizens of any democracy clearly should be.

"The New Democrats have written to the Attorney General of B.C., ....to the sale of BC Rail."

What did they do, send him an email ?

;-)

"...calling for a special prosecutor to be appointed to investigate the destruction of emails which may be linked to the sale of BC Rail."

Definitely a good idea. Those who destroyed emails when it was against the guidelines to do so must be found and held accountable.

So, let's find the culprit(s) and get them punished.

Until then it may be wise not to make superficial judgments.

Yesterday was a big day for those who have been shining a light (as best we can) on the BCRail Case.

For the past 3+ years, the BC Supreme Courtrooms have been almost empty for the Basi-Virk-Basi (BC Rail) hearings. Professor Robin Mathews has often been the only person taking notes; his reports appeared in my blog, The Legislature Raids. Bill Tieleman would often be in court, and Mark Hume of The Globe and Mail. But usually the lawyers outnumbered the news media -- sometimes there were more lawyers than people observing in the public gallery. But yesterday, wow! what a difference!

In BC Supreme Court (Vancouver) for the umpteenth Basi-Virk / BC Rail pre-trial hearings July 16, 2009, what a difference because of the allegations that 4 years of Campbell e.mails were missing and presumed destroyed. Destroyed during the last provincial election campaign.

Suddenly, thank goodness, in the BCRail courtroom there were many representatives of the press:

FOUR (count 'em, 4) TV News crews!
Print journalists from Vancouver Sun, The Province, Victoria Times Colonist, Bill Tieleman for The Tyee and 24 HOURS, The Globe and Mail, The Canadian Press ... now that's a breakthrough!

So the count-down begins: the trial may begin in September. How do we know that? It's only a guess ... based upon the fact that all the lawyers (Crown Prosecution as well as Defence lawyers) have cleared their schedules for a 5-month period beginning September 2009.

For over 3 years, I've been keeping an archive of BC Rail reports. Yesterday, I was like the one-arm paper-hanger trying to catch and post all the stories which suddenly came flooding in. It's a good sign. But Citizen Journalists still have a heavy responsibility ...

The Campbell Government obviously doesn't have a keen interest in anybody finding out what happened to BC Rail (or, why is the deal still secret?). The BC Opposition is damn near useless. So that leaves the people with a clear responsibility to keep the light shining on this case. After all, losing Canada's 3rd largest railway is no small matter.

Remember the old saying: "The pen is mightier than the sword." I especially admired Eagleone's comment above.

"The corruption obviously goes deep."

Welcome to Canada, eh ?

Someone finally opens their eyes.

Thanks BC Mary. I take that as a real compliment. I was reading your post with keen interest word for word, and was surprised when I got to that last sentence. I appreciated it especially coming from someone who has obviously put some genuine interest into this matter for a long time. I just contribute thoughts about things I feel passionate about and hopefully plant a seed for the next person along the way... and one day I'll be the next person possibly, and then be able to make a larger contribution where it matters.

I see the issue as larger than BC Rail though. As big and obvious an issue as this privatization/hidden political agenda/cover-up of BC Rail is... I think it goes even further to the functioning of our democracy, and even the role that our judiciary plays in economic matters, as well as the ownership agenda's of the media concentration... all root causes, which combined contribute to an even larger problem as they become more as one. A problem that is getting bigger than any single person can fix... so I think you are right in that everyone needs to have their voice heard if light is going to truly shine on how our government has been and will be functioning.

Especially public employees have an extra special duty to the province that generates so much wealth and benefits for their kind. They need to realize that they are well off compared to others in society, and as such they have a responsibility to play their role advancing good public policy and a light on bad public policy. That should be their oath to employment for any public position from street sweeper to top executive.

In the BC Rail case there has largely been silence and yes men from every angle... you'd think they hired the same team as the RCMP at the D-inquiry to manufacture the public story. Does this mean we don't have adequate whistle blower protections for public employees? Why don't our political parties, judiciary, media... ensure whistle blower protection? There will be a lot of shame to go around for those folks when all is said and done I think. Maybe we will see who comes out in the wash once the trial gets underway? This will be a real test for judicial independence in BC that generations from now will be reading about in their school text books making their own judgment on how ethically the people involved conducted themselves.

Time will soon tell....