The Gag Order Has Been Lifted

Wednesday, January 16, 2008 03:45 AM

I feel obligated to bring the readers of 250 up to speed on the matter of Paul Laplante and ECO, given that the last time we talked, we were being told that the City of Prince George had a gag order on Laplante.

Scott Bone, a member of the EOC, told me that because ECO was under contract with the City, he (Laplante) was not allowed to talk to me. Bone said "Media might bother those people under their contract while they work."

No problem there except of course the equipment that Laplante’s company is using is still on its way from Montreal, and will take a few days to get here , so while he is in his room waiting for that equipment to arrive, I guess in the City’s mind it would make perfectly good sense not to let him talk.

He might go so far as to tell the people in this region, how someone originally got in touch with him , which by the way happens to be Opinion250, and the fact that we told him it was a stay at home mum who had given us the lead on his company. He then might also tell us that he hadn’t heard from any one from the City, (ice experts included )until an executive from PEP a provincial body got in touch with him to talk about his ability to break up ice jams. He might also tell us that it was Jim Whyte of PEP who had him fly out to see if he could do the job, not the Engineering Ice experts, or City Hall.

Yes he might have said that, but then he would have been wrong because on listening to the Mayor we were told that the conditions weren’t right to use his technology and expertise to break the jam, and that is why the city hadn’t got in touch with him earlier.

At 6:05 pm Tuesday we received a call from City Hall saying it was now alright to talk to Laplante, it was as though we suddenly were being granted an interview with the Pope even though we weren’t Catholic.

There is a saying in the news business, if you allow a story to get some arms and legs it continues to grow and then it begins to move on its own and you are unable to stop it. You also then can’t remember what is spin and what is a fact, and that is when I do my best work and this story now is beginning to look like an octopus.

I’m Meisner and that’s one man’s opinion.

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Posted on Wednesday, January 16, 2008 03:45 AM in Views by Ben Meisner

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Comments

Posted by: jus cuz i can on January 16 2008 6:06 AM

The city has mishandled this issue and problem of the ice jam from the start as usual.
Why weren't these practical solutions investigated when the jam first started?
Key word is practical!

Can always count on Ben to get to the heart of the story. Good Work Ben!

Posted by: GET ME OUTTA HERE on January 16 2008 7:50 AM

This town and its city council is one huge JOKE!!!!I am blown away by the incredibly slow speeed at which they operate. I call for our fumbling ignorant mayor to step down. We need someone with brain cells to be able to A. Use the internet!! and B. take a proactive stand and C. have the balls to make a decision!!!!....there certainly aren't any rocket scientists working for our "fair" city.

Posted by: heidi1555 on January 16 2008 7:52 AM

Very good! Now I can't wait to read your next one :)

Posted by: unitas77 on January 16 2008 8:13 AM

as citizens of pg, cant we ask for the mayors resignation. In mishandling a situation like this and the cost associated it with it, we should form our own group - and call for a shake up NOW. Who's in? How can I start calling for the mayors resignation? Can i just go on the news and do it? do I have to file some kinda of papers at city hall that will get lost in a filing error? PG is changing, that change has to start now ( I am in no way associated with the anonymous politician) If you want change to happen, you have to make the move, if you wait, nothing will happen-isnt that right.

Posted by: heidi1555 on January 16 2008 8:15 AM

"if you wait, nothing will happen"

Spring will happen unitas ;)

Posted by: owl on January 16 2008 9:14 AM

"Scott Bone, a member of the EOC, told me that because ECO was under contract with the City, he (Laplante) was not allowed to talk to me.'

Now I am wondering whether Laplante was told this or whether it was just Ben or just the media, or whatever.

I am thinking that if Laplante was told this, and then he was or will be told otherwise now, what will he think of this City? What impressions will he be taking with him when he goes back home and begins to speak to people there about his experiences?

Posted by: diplomat on January 16 2008 10:13 AM

I don't believe that in this matter anyone is going to admit that even though they did everything according to their best abilities and with the best intentions - nevertheless it could have been done much better.

Still, a bit of humility and admitting of some unintentional *thinking in a rut* can often do a lot to repair a tarnished image.

It isn't going to happen here and even if it did what value would it have if it had to be extracted with a giant pair of pliers?

Soon it will be municipal election time and people can make a statement then, one that counts and can not be fuzzified away.

Over and out.

Posted by: gardengirl on January 16 2008 10:56 AM

Mr. Mayor, Mr Chief of Staff, Your Honour, Your Worship, Your Excellency, or Your Heiness ... whatever title you care to bestow upon yourself. The people of P.G. are not impressed that you used taxpayers money to go on t.v. just to save face.
We, the people of this fine town are not
stupid.

Don't pee on my leg and then try to convince me it's raining.

Posted by: meisner on January 16 2008 11:45 AM

Mr. Owl
Do you think that I just sat on my sofa and dreamt up the idea that the city were not allowing the media, opinion250 included, to talk to Laplante.
Do you think that I just gaze into a wine glass and come up with stories?
Did you Owl listen to the comments from the City Hal PR people saying we couldn't talk to Laplante, or did you simply let your fingers do the talking?
I seek the truth and very often, it touches a raw nerve

Posted by: RRrabbitt on January 16 2008 12:24 PM

The funny part of this story as far as the "contract" goes is that I am surprised that the City purchasing people didn't take Mr. Laplante's hard built information and job tested technology and then call tenders for similar work from everywhere else in the world as they usually do.

Well, maybe they didn't have the three or four weeks to waste... must really bother them when the shoe is on the other foot.

Good for Mr. Laplante... his stuff works fine and he will do a decent job. Glad he didn't have to do a lapdance to get the work.

Blessings...

Posted by: Parrothead on January 16 2008 12:29 PM

Man, am I glad I don't live in the City of Prince George. That mayor you folks elected is a real pip...

... squeak.

Posted by: bohemian on January 16 2008 4:04 PM

I suspect the mayor's race will be between Zurowski and Rogers.

Does anyone think a candidate without city council experience could win?

Would it be beneficial to vote in a rookie, or could it cause more harm than good?

It seems to me Rogers or Zurowski in the mayor's chair would still be more of the same.

Posted by: metalman on January 16 2008 6:02 PM

Right you are, bo. Those two men, while fine fellows in their own right, are veteran poli's, and know how the system can be worked oops, I mean how the system works. No, I think we need NEW blood in the position. How about you, Ben? Your blood may not exactly be new, but you are well respected for your experience and opinions both here on CCL, and out there in the real world. I personally do not think you are too old for the job, but you may be too smart to take on that kind of misery.
metalman.

Posted by: tinyapplecork on January 16 2008 6:41 PM

Hmmmm....interesting. Why the about face I wonder?

Posted by: Eagleone on January 16 2008 6:47 PM

IMO if we did the right thing to start with we would be oblivious to this ice jam problem.

I think the new Nechako bridge should have been located just south of the Cottenwood Park as part of a prov-fed funded dangerous goods route circumventing the city, providing a second access road to the pulp mills, and creating infrastructure to connect PG to new industrial lands outside of the city air-shed.

Had we done that to start with the bridge would be half built in the location of the current ice jam, but as part of construction, the channel would have been dredged at that location to build the pilings for the new bridge. Today the water would be flowing and we would never have experienced this ice jam problem to begin with.

Instead Kinsley got his way and the city tax payers are paying for the bridge, the city was nearly lost to flooding, and insult was added to injury so as to tie in with Kinsleys original plan for his crossing location as part of his disaster planning. Queensway and 5th avenue are the dangerous goods routes, we choke on the air we breath, and the pulp mills have one way in and one way out.

I could go on and on, but the point is the bridge location decision had some unintended consequences IMO. I think the location that I had advocated would have eliminated at least a half dozen major problems that we are now experiencing due to this decision by the city on the bridge....

Posted by: Foo738 on January 16 2008 7:25 PM

Well Eagle One I just don't know why no-one will move that motion. It makes a lot of sense:-

"I think the new Nechako bridge should have been located just south of the Cottenwood Park as part of a prov-fed funded dangerous goods route circumventing the city, providing a second access road to the pulp mills, and creating infrastructure to connect PG to new industrial lands outside of the city air-shed."
How about running for Mayor?

Posted by: spanky on January 16 2008 8:35 PM

His little rig will do no good anyhow. Schemers and dreamers, all of you lot.

Posted by: Andyfreeze on January 16 2008 10:09 PM

A damn good idea Eagleone!

Posted by: turbocat on January 17 2008 1:02 AM

I heard a rumour recently.
It was about a little internet news site.
This site that shall remain nameless, seemed to ruffle feathers by bringing forth the facts, and pushing stories till the people the stories were sometimes about, could no longer get away with their magic tricks.
This news site even managed it appears to put enough pressure on a mayor ( lets just call him Mr.C ) till he realized he was looking more and more silly by the minute, and finally lifted a gag order, that many knew should never have been in place to start with.

I would like to thank this site and its staff for keeping the pressure on these folks.

May they continue forward, and not let the smoke and mirrors used by some, ever keep them from seeking the truth.

Posted by: lmorg on January 18 2008 10:30 PM

Meisner could not be mayor...the police don't like him.