August 2004 Archives

We know it sounds unbelievable, but apparently there are still people working at the provincial government's public affairs bureau. Here's the evidence: insiders tell us communications director Shawn Robbins, who was interned at transportation (and highways) during the Coquihalla Highway privatization debacle, is being transferred from energy and mines to agriculture, food and fisheries. That ministry has been without a permanent spinmaster since former CKNW legislative reporter Graham Currie replaced Betty Nicholson at skills, development and labour.

Liberal apparatchik and part-time lounge singer Mike Witherly, who most recently worked as Senator Jack Austin's assistant, will soon be serenading the prime minister. Starting Monday, Mr. Witherly, who provided the musical accompaniment for Martinite staffers Ann Wicks and Tony Roy's wedding, will be heading up Paul Martin's western desk. Prime Minister's office spokesman Justin Kingsley confirms that position was previously occupied by Bruce Young, who used to head up Hill & Knowlton Inc.'s British Columbia office. In addition to having a musical background, Mr. Witherly was chief of staff for the Liberals in British Columbia and a spokeperson for the party during the recent election campaign.

In 2001, the Liberals fired longtime New Democrat friend and Clark government appointee Lecia Stewart as the director responsible for the Province's $1.167 billion Millennium SkyTrain Line expansion project, awarding her a $401,000 severance package. So wouldn't it be knee-slapping hilarious if Ms. Stewart, who has been working as Bombardier Transportation's North American high-speed rail vice-president for the past two years, became involved with her company bid to win the Campbell administration's much-prized Richmond-Airport-Vancouver rapid transit line contract? Because that's been the scuttlebutt ever since Ms. Stewart moved back to North Vancouver home - even though her department remains based in Quebec.

Apparently, 400 words a day isn't enough for Province columnist Mike Smyth. Starting Monday, the Vancouver tabloid's legislative scribbler will be sharing his deep thoughts on provincial politics with CKNW listeners as the station's newest evening talk show host. You can catch him between seven and nine o'clock.

It looks like not everyone is fit to be a sacrificial lamb. Word has reached Public Eye that some provincial New Democrat hierarchs are having conniptions about failed federal nomination candidate Mary-Woo Sims' plan to run (and surely lose) against Children and Family Development Minister Christy Clark in Port Moody-Westwood. Of course, Ms. Sims resume looks appealing on paper. In addition to being a muse, she was the chief commissioner of the British Columbia Human Rights Commission - an esteemed post to be sure. But some of the tribunal's more eyebrow-raising rulings could be, to put it politely, a political liability.

Provincial communications officers once joked that no one ever got promoted out of the Bunker, a small two-story building behind the legislature whose basement has been home to the government's media monitoring staffers since 1988. But that changed yesterday. Those staffers were moved across the street to the fourth floor of the Douglas Building into a space previously occupied by the Crown Agencies Secretariat. That floor also happens to house the public affair bureau's headquarters, which shared the Bunker with media monitoring until 1992.

If three's company and four's a crowd, what happens when you add a fifth wheel? Well, the provincial New Democrats in Vancouver-Hasting are about to find out. According to party insiders, forty-something Latino community leader Julio Lara has become the latest entrant in the nomination race to succeed retiring MLA Joy MacPhail. Mr. Lara, the president of the Latino American Lions Club, is also the editor and publisher of a weekly Spanish-language newspaper. He hosts Voces de mi Terra, a current affairs show on Simon Fraser University's campus radio station CJSF. And he's an active member of the Hotel, Restaurant and Culinary Employees and Bartender's Union Local 40.

Former Victoria Canadian Alliance candidate and Crease Harman and Company lawyer Bruce Hallsor may be adding a new entry to his resume: political trustbuster. Conservative insiders say Mr. Hallsor is considering running against Saanich mayor Frank Leonard, who has monopolized the job since 1996, in the next municipal election. Mr. Hallsor, who is thought by some to be the most obvious successor to Saanich-Gulf Islands Conservative MP Gary Lunn should he ever retire, is president of that riding's constituency association. He is also a member of the Monarchist League of Canada and vice-president for Fair Vote Canada, an organization advocating electoral reform. Earlier Public Eye reported Conservatives in Victoria were considering forming a municipal farm team.

Inland Strategies Communications Management Services Ltd. co-owner and former communications manager Laurie Best has to have a love/hate relationship with the provincial government. Some bureaucrats seem to hate the fact that the government, specifically health services and planning deputy minister Penny Ballem we're told, seems to love her so much that, since fiscal 2001/02, has paid $444,343 (almost half-a-million dollars for those who are counting, including expenses) to Ms. Best and her company, according to public accounts records. Those monies, as previously reported by The Times Colonist's Les Leyne and Monday Magazine's Russ Francis, include the cost of shuttling Ms. Best (who left government in 1998) back and forth from Victoria to her Kamloops home - which she shares with her partner Brent Humphrey.

Here's a shocker: legendary radio broadcaster and former Social Credit cabinet minister Rafe Mair never worked for CKNW. At least, that's what the suits at station-owner Corus Entertainment Inc. seem to think. After all, why else would they leave Mr. Mair, who was a CKNW fixture for 19 years, off the invitation list for their sixtieth anniversary party? In an email sent yesterday to CKNW general manager Lou DelGobbo and leaked to Public Eye, Mr. Mair wonders the same thing. The broadcaster writes, "I suppose that because Corus behaved so badly toward me that you would assume that I would somehow not behave in a decent and classy way...Notwithstanding all this, I still wish CKNW many happy returns of the day. It's record is truly a remarkable record and deserving of the widest note and good wishes." The following is a copy of that email.

CH Television reporter Moira McLean seems to have become the media "it" girl of the moment. According to the rumour mill, she isn't just being romanced by The New VI. If whispers are to be believed, BCTV is also bringing Ms. McLean flowers and chocolates. The CanWest Global Corp. broadcaster wants to make her a provincial legislative reporter. Of course some (although certainly not Public Eye) might question the optics of bringing in the Liberal's former press secretary to cover her past employers. But, according to at least one senior New Democrat insider, Ms. McLean has been nothing but "straight up" in dealing with the lefties since leaving caucus for journalism. No word on what, if anything, would happen to BCTV legislative bureau chief Keith Baldrey if she took the position.

New VI castoffs Moe Sihota and Norman Spector, whose political gong show was the best part of the Victoria television station's current affairs lineup, may have found a new home. Their song and dance routine is scheduled to be broadcast at 10:00 this Monday on CKNW and, according to the rumour mill, may become a permanent part of multimedia host Bill Good's variety hour(s).

The provincial New Democrats leadership race wouldn't have been the same without Mehdi Najari. The unabashed revolutionary-in-waiting won the applause if not the votes of party members at last November's convention. And during the recent election, he became an unofficial (and occasionally unwanted) advisor to federal New Democrat candidates David Turner and Jennifer Burgis. But what's the party's leading red brigadier up to now? Well, word has reached Public Eye that Mr. Najari has joined an organization called Left Turn. Apparently, its members seem to think the New Democrats aren't socialist enough. And they're determined to run an independent slate of commies in the next election - a plan the party's apparatchiks aren't too worried about. Said one, "Frankly, if Mehdi Najari wants to go off and be part of Left Turn and do that, he should fill his boots. Leave us alone."

Speculation has become fact. A number of civil service insiders confirm communications director Deborah Bowman is indeed leaving children and family development for positions unknown with the attorney general, where the issues are less crisis-oriented and the minister far friendlier. She's being replaced by acting education communications director Ron Norman, who is looked upon more favourably by Children and Family Development Minister Christy Clark.

Last month, The Vancouver Sun reported the Law Society of British Columbia and the federal Justice Department were looking into allegations of overbilling at Lobay Dennison Beubier, a Nanaimo law partnership. At the time, Public Eye revealed that David Lobay, one of the partners working at that firm, previously ran as a federal Liberal candidate and was a major party donor, contributing $49,650.29 since 1995. Mr. Lobay also chipped in $1,000 to Paul Martin's leadership campaign. But that isn't his only connection to the prime minister's cult of personality. A concerned citizen has informed us that, back when Mr. Martin was a mere finance minister and Mr. Lobay was still working at Hunter Garrison Lobay, the great man himself went sports fishing with the Nanaimo lawyer and his colleagues (one of whom supplied the boat). That Kodak moment was captured with a photograph that is now prominently displayed in the lawyers' private offices. Perhaps that's one reason why the firm received $5,468,905.10 in drug prosecution contracts from the feds?

Public Eye has obtained a summary of Insurance Corporation of British Columbia records, under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, which exposes new information about disgraced provincial government heavy-weight Doug Walls' past business practices. According to the summary, a Prince George auto body shop, owned and managed by Mr. Walls (a cousin-in-law to Premier Gordon Campbell), was the focus of two corporation audits that found "discrepancies in billing" and "concerns regarding the quality of work" at that shop.

It's unofficial! CH Television news anchor Hudson Mack is leaving the Victoria station to become the talking head/news director for The New VI. Mr. Mack will be discussing his depature for browner pastures at 3:00 with Shaw TV uber-reporter/host Stephen Andrew, who is filling in for Terry Moore on CFAX.

At the risk of sounding repetitious, word has reached Public Eye that Martyn Brown, Premier Gordon Campbell's chief of staff, is once again rumoured to be stepping aside to focus on election planning for the provincial Liberals. But here's the interesting part: senior party insiders tells us his old job will be divided into two, with each half reporting directly to the premier. One will deal with staffing and administration - the other, communications and politics. Small business and economic development deputy minister and former Liberal president Andrew Wilkinson is expected to fill the staffing and administration job. And rumour has it that public affairs bureau executive director Andy Orr will take responsibility for communications and politics. However, government caucus executive director Steve Vanagas has also been talked about as a candidate for either position.

Poll addicts: get ready for your summer fix. According to Mustel Research Group Ltd. project manager Phil Giborski, the firm's latest provincial voting intention numbers, which were expected last week, will be released sometime tomorrow. No rumours yet on what those numbers will show and Mr. Giborski wasn't spreading any simply telling Public Eye that "The only thing I can say is you'll just have to wait and see."

Back in June, Public Eye reported rumours of scandal and financial mismanagement circulating around the Vancouver Aboriginal Child and Family Services Society. When asked about those rumours, children and family development communications director Deborah Bowman said, "We don't have a scandal or anything like what you started your conversation with. It's certainly not that...We've identified some issues (at the society). We want to help them through their financial management. And we're working in total partnership with them." Well, apparently, this non-scandal has forced society executive director and former senior provincial bureaucrat Stan Paranteu to resign, say community insiders, as well as every single member of its board of directors.

Apparently, not everyone at the public affairs bureau lusts after specialty pens. A number of provincial government insiders have told us they actually like the bureau's standard issue writing implement - which, we have learned, is the reliable Paper Mate Flexgrip stick. In fact, the flexgrip, we're told, is even refillable - a big cost-saver. But there's just one problem. The refills actually cost more to buy than the pens themselves.

The bureaucrats toiling away in the provincial government's communications shops just can't seem to catch a break. First the Liberals deprived them of their job security. And now, the bean counters at the public affairs bureau's operations branch are taking away their fancy pens. In a high-priority email sent to all communications staffers and leaked to Public Eye, financial services officer Dawn Stewart notes that, "it has come to our attention that a lot of specialty office supplies...are being requested by staff. As PAB Headquarters has standards for pens, paper etc that are to be ordered, these standards will now apply when ordering office supplies for all PAB staff. If your supplies to be ordered do not comply with these standards, your orders will be revised by PAB Purchasing and you will be notified of the change." The following is a copy of that email.

CH Television anchor-thingy and soccer mom heart-throb Hudson Mack isn't the only one being wooed by CHUM Ltd. Word has reached Public Eye that the station's crack reporter Moira McLean is also being courted by executives from the Toronto-based media company. Those executives want Ms. McLean, who previously worked as the provincial Liberal's press secretary when the party was in Opposition, to become The New VI's assignment editor (a position she is said to hate). No word on whether Ms. McLean accepted that offer.

A number of readers have written in to ask what happened to the much-anticipated Mustel Research Group Ltd. provincial voter intentions poll that was supposed to be released earlier this week. Well, here's the answer: in an email sent to Public Eye, the poll's project manager Phil Giborski explained the company was, "still in field. And, with other projects on the go, we are not absolutely sure as to when we will finish."

Just how interested is the British Columbia Lottery Corp. in seeing slot machines in bingo halls? Answer: interested enough that the company has contracted the former editor-in-chief of The Province to sell local governments on the benefits of approving those machines. In an interview with Public Eye, Brian Butters said, "My assignment at present is to basically manage the municipal approval process for what we call the community gaming initiative. And that entails basically presenting the opportunity to various municipal councils around the province, explaining to them the concept around the community gaming centre idea and inviting them to participate if they're prepared to do so."

It looks like Cache Creek mayor John Ranta isn't the only municipal politician thinking about starting up a new provincial party. Public Eye has learned former Vernon mayor Wayne McGrath is chairing a six or seven member steering committee that has been working to bring British Columbia's minor parties together under one moderate "fiscally conservative, socially sensitive" roof (translation: we want to win). The committee, which heads an organization calling itself the B.C. Alternative, has been meeting for the past three months, says an insider. And a number of parties have already expressed interest in the idea.

Victoria Tory nomination candidate Faith Collins' husband has been excommunicated from the Octagon, an informal but influential association of capital city conservatives. At the association's most recent Friday lunch meeting, founding member Norm Fiss announced he could no longer break bread with Jim Collins - who has been attending those meetings for the past three months.

Victoria has its very own vast-right wing conspiracy (although it is neither vast nor much of a conspiracy). Public Eye has learned that, for more than seven years now, an informal but influential association of conservative and libertarian big thinkers have been meeting for lunch every Friday to discuss and gossip about provincial and federal politics. The association, known to some insiders as the Octagon, previously met around a similarly-shaped table at the Yates Street Pizza Hut before moving to another nearby restaurant.

Who's that we see climbing towards the events planning monastery recently vacated by show business guru Kevin Grandia? Why, it's none other then Cheryl Maitland, who has been appointed as Mr. Grandia's successor. Ms. Maitland previously worked as Premier Gordon Campbell's constituency assistant before becoming Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon's executive assistant last year. She was an active member of the provincial Liberal and federal Conservative youth wings and worked in the Progressive Conservative's Vancouver office before it was shutdown. Pavan Nirwan, who was an executive assistant to former Minister of State for Immigration and Multicultural Services Gulzar Cheema, will be replacing Ms. Maitland as Minister Falcon's executive assistant.

It had to happen eventually: just like boys on the cusp of manhood, the provincial Liberals have finally discovered women. Senior government insiders confirm the West Annex has directed the communications shop at community, aboriginal and women's services to put together a comprehensive list of everything good the Campbell administration has done for the fairer sex. That directive, which came down during the recent legislative session and has been passed along to other ministries, is said to have been a reaction to Ipsos-Reid Corp. numbers showing support for the Liberal among women lagging. According to the company's latest polling, released last month, just 28 percent of women would vote for the governing party if an election were held today, compared with 36 percent of men. The premier's office has also asked community, aboriginal and women's services flaks to put together another list identifying the government's First Nations success stories.

Provincial New Democrat vice-president and former party leadership candidate Craig Keating is considering seeking the nomination in North Vancouver-Lonsdale, a riding previously held by leftie political commentator David Schreck. During the leadership race, the talented Mr. Keating, a centrist city councillor and Langara College history instructor, was best known for his ability to create an incredible amount of smoke with very little kindling - delivering firebrand speeches while standing on a paper-thin campaign platform. Half-way through the race, he dropped out to endorse former MLA Leonard Krog (even going so far as to second his nomination). But, when Mr. Krog's convention speech failed to meet expectations (and competitor Carole James came out in front on the first ballot), Mr. Keating put on a James scarf - a move that irked some party members.

Attorney general/solicitor general communications director Curt Albertson has won an all-expense paid vacation to the holiday resort known to public affairs bureau insiders as program management. Mr. Albertson - who worked as a CBC television and radio journalist before being hired by the provincial government back in 1998 - will be doing the horizontal mambo on August 27, moving to Vancouver to become the deputy director of the family maintenance enforcement program. Brett Lowther, Mr. Albertson's second-in-command, is expected to become the ministry's acting communications director.

CH Television's five o'clock mannequin and assistant news director Hudson Mack, who has been with the station since 1985, has been offered the top talking head spot over at The New VI. If he accepts, Mr. Mack, who has been twice named by Vancouver's TV Week magazine as Victoria's most popular bingo-caller, will also become The New VI's news director, a position currently held by station manager/executioner Richard Grey. Mr. Mack is taking the weekend to think the offer over. The CHUM Ltd. station was recently the site of a staff massacre that featured the firing of 29 employees.

You've really got to feel sorry for Vancouver-Burrard MLA Lorne Mayencourt. Mr. Mayencourt, who introduced anti-panhandling private member bills during the last legislative session, had his constituency office windows shattered by a slingshot back in May. And now, word has reached us that the provincial Liberal backbencher is being pelted with food.

Former provincial New Democrat cabinet minister and freelance columnist Paul Ramsey is doing a lot more than just writing about British Columbia politics these days. In an interview with Public Eye, Mr. Ramsey, a moderate, confirmed rumours that he and former party president Maura Parte have been appointed as the first two members of the New Democrat's platform committee. That committee will be responsible for penning the party's election platform.

If the Rockpile was a battleship, klaxon alarms would be sounding. A senior government insider travelling aboard the S.S. Gordon Campbell tells us some ministries have been instructed to "not even think" about legislation or regulations between now and May. The reason: the provincial Liberals will be too busy preparing for the next election. That seems to substantiate earlier rumours that the government will be introducing very few significant bills in the fall legislative session, continuing a dry spell that began last year. The insider also says cabinet will be meeting less frequently in the lead-up to the next election, with most decisions being delegated to its committees.

Burnaby-Douglas New Democrat MP Svend Robinson just can't seem to stay out of trouble. Insiders inform us Mr. Robinson been telling fellow party members he is contemplating seeking a provincial nomination in one of the Burnabies. Mr. Robinson decided not to run in the last federal election after admitting he stole a $50,000 ring from Federal Auction Service Inc. He is scheduled to appear in court this Friday on theft charges.

Yesterday, Public Eye reported controversial school board trustee Mary Polak was considering running in Surrey-Panorama Ridge for the provincial Liberals. Some of those Liberals are concerned Ms. Polak's candidacy could paint the party with a socially conservative brush. After all, they say, Ms. Polak was part of an effort to keep children's books about same-sex relationships out of kindergarten and Grade 1 classrooms. But Ms. Polak wrote in today to say those concerns are unwarranted. In her email she notes it's "absolutely true that I endorsed Belinda Stronach. Interesting, given that I'm supposed to be such a radical social conservative? :-)" The following is an edited copy of her email.

Provincial New Democrat caucus outreach coordinator Raj Sihota may not have actually announced she's running for the party's nomination in Vancouver-Hastings. But her campaign team seems to have already left the starting gate. According to a leaked email, the team is having a garden party/fundraiser for Ms. Sihota this coming Sunday. The email was sent to supporters by David Black, the federal New Democrat's former treasurer. Like Ms. Sihota, Mr. Black endorsed moderate candidate Nils Jensen during the provincial party's leadership race. Ten bucks says he's also going to be playing a prominent role in Ms. Sihota's nomination/election campaign. The following is a copy of that email.

In an interview with Public Eye late yesterday, controversial Surrey school trustee Mary Polak confirmed rumours circulating around government caucus that she is considering running for the provincial Liberals in the Surrey-Panorama Ridge by-election. Ms. Polak made headlines seven years ago when she refused to approve three children's books depicting same-sex relationships for use in kindergarten and Grade 1 classrooms. The books included Asha's Mum, Belinda's Bouquet and One Dad, Two Dads, Brown Dads, Blue Dads.

Earlier today, Public Eye reported Clark administration New Democrat insider Adrian Dix would be seeking the nomination in Vancouver-Kingsway - this, according to a leaked email from the riding's constituency association. But apprently, the association didn't have its facts straight. Mr. Dix writes that "The email is wrong. The riding association sent this out to a wide distribution list (though not to me) earlier today...Members of the riding have asked me to consider running. I have agreed to consider it seriously. I have not decided and will likely make an announcement one way or another in late August or September. There is a formal way to submit nomination papers (and get copies of lists and so on). Several candidates have done so apparently. I am not one of them." The association also erroneously reported labour activist Kelly Quinn would be seeking a nomination in their riding.

Public Eye has learned a provincial Liberal operative has been hired as the director of communications for 2010 LegaciesNow, a society responsible for handing out millions of dollars in government money for Olympic-related development projects across the province. Daniel Fontaine, who starts work tomorrow, was once Health Minister Colin Hansen's constituency assistant. Stating the obvious, government insiders suggest Mr. Fontaine's hiring could be an early indication the Liberals plan on using LegaciesNow announcements as part of their pre-election campaign, churning out photo-opportunities for government members.

Adrian Dix must be a sucker for punishment. According to a leaked internal party email, Premier Glen Clark's former right-hand man is one of five candidates who "have indicated that they will stand" for the provincial New Democrat nomination in Vancouver-Kingsway. Mr. Dix, an executive director with the Canadian Parents for French, is also a columnist for the Victoria Times Colonist. And some party members would rather see him keep writing rather than run. After all, the Liberals would surely use his candidacy as proof that Carole James' New Democrats aren't all that new.

Coalition of Progressive Electors director and Office and Professional Employees' International Union staff representative Kelly Quinn may be taking on yet another job: political exterminator. Sources close to Ms. Quinn, who supported moderate leadership Nils Jensen, tell us she is considering seeking the party's nomination in Vancouver-Kensington. Ms. Quinn will likely be competing against David Chudnovsky, the former president of the British Columbia Teachers' Federation.

Former provincial New Democrat family members Chris Chilton and Shari Graydon aren't the only ones who are said to be going to work for Ujjal Dosanjh, Prime Minister Paul Martin's annointed health minister. Rumour has it that Doug Beaton, the Liberal's campaign director in British Columbia, will also be taking up residence with Minister Dosanjh. Mr. Beaton, a former member of the University of Victoria's Young Liberal mafia, was previously the party's liason coordinator.