October 2004 Archives

This morning, Vancouver Sun letter writers applauded the provincial New Democrat's by-election win on the newspaper's editorial page. According to Rupinder Kang, the victory "just goes to prove that despite the hundreds of thousands of dollars the provincial government spends on its television ads...British Columbians won't forget the damage this government has done to our province." And Nancy Clegg slammed Liberal whip Kevin Krueger for saying, "'I guess bad things can happen to good people.' Does Krueger really believe that the majority of residents who voted in the byelection did a bad thing by participating in the democratic process?"

Brian Bonney, a backroom boy and failed municipal politician who has history of playing hardball politics, has been working for the past year as a provincial Liberal field organizer, Public Eye has learned. During a brief phone conservation, Mr. Bonney confirmed he was receiving a honorarium from the party to advise riding associations on a part-time basis. But he refused to answer further questions about his background or his involvement with the Liberals. But that's okay, because the newspapers and party insiders have more than enough to say about him.

The provincial Liberals took a gamble by betting big on the Surrey-Panorama Ridge by-election. So it seems only appropriate that the party's election day manager was Jacee Schaefer, the former vice-president of intergovernmental and media relations for the largest casino operator in British Columbia - Great Canadian Gaming Corp. As the president of the Casino Management Council of British Columbia, Ms. Schaefer was also one of the big movers and shakers behind gambling expansion in this province. But her place among right-wing cogs and wheels is equally prominent.

This old but good news: on Wednesday evening, Public Eye and a team of Times Colonist staffers received the Jack Webster award for best news reporting of the year. But there're a number of others who deserve credit for this win - most importantly, everyone who spoke to Public Eye on and off the record about the Doug Walls affair. Without you, this story would have never come out. Former Province legislative bureau chief Barbara McLintock should also be given her own award - for translating Public Eye's research into readable copy and being an absolute angel. And a big thanks to Public Eye's kitchen cabinet/editorial board/psychiatric team. You know who you are.

Tomorrow, the Jack Webster Foundation will be handing out the top journalism awards in British Columbia at the Westin Bayshore Resort and Marina. Public Eye and a team of Times Colonist staffers, including Lindsay Kines, Les Leyne, Judith Lavoie, Jody Paterson and Jeff Rud, are finalists in the best news reporting of the year category for our coverage of the Doug Walls affair. Public Eye's attendance at the Webster awards means we won't be posting stories until Friday.

Three prominent gay community leaders are criticizing government backbencher Lorne Mayencourt's attendance at a fundraiser for Liberal by-election candidate Mary Polak - one of several Surrey school trustees who supported a ban on books depicting same-sex parents. But Mr. Mayencourt, who was recently listed as one of Vancouver's 25 most interesting and influential gay citizens by Vancouver Magazine, dismissed that criticism, saying he didn't hold Ms. Polak responsible for the ban.

Rumour has it the fall sitting of the British Columbia legislature could adjourn either today or tomorrow. The sitting, which began on October 4, had been scheduled to recess on November 25. But a lack of government business could prompt an early end to the fun and excitement of legislative politics - assuming the New Democrats don't drag the session out.

Earlier today, Green leader Adriane Carr came out with a news release condemning the citizens' assembly for supporting a single transferable vote electoral system. According to that release, Ms. Carr will now "fight on for a fair, true proportional representation voting system where as many peoples' votes count as possible and election outcomes represent the will of the voters in terms of parties receiving a share of seats in the legislature equal to their share of vote." But Ms. Carr hasn't always been an enemy of the assembly. The following collection of quotes show her sudden change of heart.

Want to see the New Democrats win the next provincial election? If you answered yes, prepare to be disappointed. Because if the left's attempts to make sure party founder Tommy Douglas wins CBC's Greatest Canadian contest are any indication of their organizational skill and daring, the Liberals have absolutely nothing to fear.

Today the citizens' assembly recommended a single transferable vote electoral system for British Columbia. Under that system, when voters go to the polls, they'll be handed a list of local candidate whom they'll rank in order of preference. Then, depending on the size of the riding, the top three to seven will be sent to the legislature - with metropolitan ones receiving more members those in rural areas. But, even though the single transferable vote system is a favourite among political scientists worldwide, the citizens assembly's recommendation may not sit well with the people who run Fair Vote Canada.

Yesterday, Public Eye reported rumours the provincial New Democrat big brains are thinking about running former Toronto Dominion Bank Securities Inc. chief economist Paul Summerville in Saanich North and the Islands. But today another whisper about Mr. Summerville has surfaced on Babble, a message board frequented by lefties. According to one anonymous poster, the would-be (if the party lets him) star candidate "is not running. He's pledged his support to the NDP candidates on southern Vancouver Island. Carole James said she if the NDP wins, she would like to put in place a 'council of economic advisors.' Just my guess, but Summerville would probably head it up." But when Public Eye asked local party insiders about that rumour, they said no firm decision about Mr. Summerville's future had been made.

Public Eye has learned the provincial Liberal's lead Indo-Canadian organizer in Surrey-Panorama Ridge Sukh Dhaliwal left the country yesterday, just six days before voters in that riding go to the polls. An insider told us the departure took by-election campaign manager Chris Gardner by surprise. But, in an interview earlier today, Mr. Gardner said he has known Mr. Dhaliwal would be going on vacation for the past three or four weeks.

The Berlin Wall has fallen! Last weekend, the provincial Young New Democrats took a half-step towards capitalism, electing Marion Pollock and Ryan Stewart as their co-chairs. Ms. Pollock and Mr. Stewart are considered somewhat more moderate than their predecessors Mike Palecek and Brianne Duhamel. Marion is the daughter of Industrial, Wood and Allied Workers of Canada senior staffer Kim Pollock and New Democrat treasurer Cheryl Hewitt. Mr. Stewart was a constituency assistant to Vancouver-Mount Pleasant MLA Jenny Kwan before going on to do contract work for Vancouver East MP Libby Davies and Vancouver-Hastings nomination hopeful Raj Sihota among others. He is currently an organizer for Surrey-Panorama Ridge New Democrat by-election candidate Jagrup Brar.

In September, Public Eye incorrectly reported Brian Archer was co-chair of the federal Conservative election campaign in British Columbia. The co-chairs for that campaign were Vancouver lawyer Ed Odishaw and development consultant Bob Ransford. Mr. Odishaw resigned that position following revelations he had been convicted for income tax offences. He is appealing the conviction, which is also being investigated by the British Columbia Law Society.

Earlier, Public Eye reported the provincial New Democrats have been having trouble clearing a riding for Toronto Dominion Securities Inc. chief economist Paul Summerville to run in. However, rumour has it the party generals are now considering parachuting Mr. Summerville into Saanich North and the Islands, which is currently occupied by Community, Aboriginal and Women's Services Minister Murray Coell. But Mr. Summerville might not necessarily take that assignment/suicide mission. After all, that riding has never been won by the New Democrats.

Last weekend, British Columbia's Young New Democrats gathered in Penticton to debate the heady issues of global, federal and provincial politics. According to meeting minutes leaked to Public Eye, the revolutionary vanguard passed resolutions endorsing the Hands of Venezuela campaign and exiled Haitian Prime Minister Jean Bertrand Aristide's return to power. Take that evil dictators and running dog capitalists! Tremble in fear at the wrath of the Young New Democrats!

The on-again, off-again marriage between the Unity Party of British Columbia and the Conservative Party of British Columbia has ended in a divorce. And one of the principle match-makers, Blake Mackenzie, has resigned from the Conservative executive in protest, accusing some fellow board members of having "deceit in their hearts to kill the deal."

In yesterday's edition of the Oak Bay News, writer Thomas Winterhoff reported provincial New Democrat moderate leadership candidate Nils Jensen wouldn't be running for the party's nomination in Oak Bay-Gordon Head. Mr. Jensen cited family reasons for the decision saying, "I have things I've committed to in the community and I still have two boys at home." But those in the know say his decision might also have had something to do with party leader Carole James unwillingness to forcefully intervene in the nomination race.

The British Columbia Federation of Labour's by-election poll isn't exactly good news for the provincial New Democrats, showing them in a statistical dead heat with the Liberals. So why did the federation release those results? Well, according to party insiders, there were two reasons. Number one: if New Democrat supporters believe victory isn't a sure thing, they're more likely to go to the polls on Election Day. Which means the man who publicized the poll, BCTV legislative bureau chief Keith Baldrey, has inadvertently become part of the lefties get-out-the-vote strategy (a bit of a downer for those who think CanWest Global never does any favours for the New Democrats). And number two: the poll shows Green Party candidate and leader Adriane Carr is a potential spoiler. So New Democrats are hoping that will cause some of her supporters to think twice before voting for her.

Public affairs bureau human resource and provincial emergency communications director Theresa Lumsdon's pain and suffering has ended - maybe. In an email circulated to bureau staff (nice to see they're being kept in the loop), operations director Denise Champion announced she would be also be taking over Ms. Lumsdon's casualty replacement responsibilities. And Alex Dabrowski, who was most recently a public affairs officer at water, land and air portection, will be handling emegency communications (although Ms. Lumsdon will still have overall responsibility for that file). For her part, Ms. Lumsdon is being sent/exiled to children and family development as the ministry's top spin doctor - a position whose unofficial job description is similar to those of relief workers in Baghdad. The communications shop at kids has been without a permanent director since Deborah Bowman left for the attorney general's ministry. The following is a copy of the email.

Last night, BCTV legislative bureau chief Keith Baldrey reported a Surrey-Panorama Ridge by-election poll, commissioned by the British Columbia Federation of Labour, shows the provincial New Democrats at 44 percent, the Liberals at 41.5 percent and the Greens at 13.8 percent. If that poll, which was conducted by Strategic Communications Inc., is accurate it means the Liberals clearly have the momentum in this race. According to the October issue of BC Political Insider, internal Liberal numbers from September showed the party, "running 10 points behind the New Democrats."

The British Columbia Democratic Coalition, an alliance between four minor provincial parties, has fractured less than a month after leader Tom Morino announced its creation. During an executive meeting on Sunday, Democratic Coalition president Bill Savage, the leader of the Citizens Action Coalition resigned, taking his party with him. And so did Democratic Coalition vice-president Harvey Maser, the leader of Link British Columbia.

Don't know how the Coalition of Progressive Electors managed to lose the wards vote while having control of city hall? Well, don't worry - Vancouver Parks Board commissioner and coalition-member Anita Romaniuk, who is also running for the provincial New Democrat nomination in Vancouver-Langara, has already figured out what went wrong. In an email sent to Sunrise, a members-only listserv frequented by lefties, Ms. Romaniuk outlines four reasons why the coalition lost Saturday's wards referendum.

Western Opinion Research Inc. has been the favoured pollster for the provincial Liberals and their municipal farm teams for the past nine years. But it looks like a Surrey-based polling company with close connections to Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon may soon be competing for the same work. Before 1995, Winnipeg-based Western was best known for doing Manitoba Premier Gary Filmon's public opinion research work. But the company became the Liberal's pollster when Premier Filmon's principal secretary Greg Lyle was hired as the party's 1996 election campaign planning director. Western was also the pollster for the 1999 Total Recall campaign organized by Mr. Falcon, who, at the time, hadn't won a seat in the legislature.

Ever get the feeling the provincial Liberal government just isn't listening to you? Well, you'd be right. When it comes to public opinion research, the Campbell administration hasn't been a big spender. According to the government's public accounts records, between fiscal 2001/02 and 2003/04, the Liberals paid out $842,381 to major polling firms, with the lion's share ($362,531) going into Ipsos-Reid Corp.'s wallet. By comparison, between fiscal 1998/99 and 2000/01, the New Democrats spent $1.9 million to ask those same firms what British Columbians were thinking.

Carole James' closest confidante and travelling companion Donna Cameron will be resigning as director of the provincial New Democrat leader's office next month. That announcement was made in an email circulated to riding association presidents late Friday. According to a party insider, Ms. Cameron, who managed Ms. James' leadership campaign, has decided she wants to get a life outside of airports and hotels. She'll be replaced on a permanent basis by New Democrat organizer Boyd Pyper. Mr. Pyper, who ran David Turner's unsuccessful federal election campaign in Victoria, was most recently responsible for keeping a lid on the Young New Democrat's revolutionary tendencies (among other files). He also seems burdened with a loud booing section (something Mr. Pyper shares with Ms. Cameron) - but, then again, who isn't in politics?

Last night, an anonymous source posting on Public Eye reported Patrick Kinsella, the most powerful Liberal backroom boy in the province, was seated at aluminum giant Alcan Inc.'s table during the Surrey-Panorama Ridge by-election fundraiser. Just to make sure we checked with the company's corporate affairs director Richard Prokopanko. In an interview from Kitimat, Mr. Prokopanko confirmed Mr. Kinsella had invited him to the fundraiser as his guest, where the two were seated together. But he said no lobbying took place, although "one person asked about what the aluminum industry was doing." Mr. Prokopanko also said he was the only Alcan representative at the event.

Last night, an anoymous source posting on Public Eye gave further details about Wednesday's Surrey-Panorama Ridge provincial Liberals by-election fundraiser. According to the source, the fundraiser was attended by cabinet ministers Pat Bell, Susan Brice, Shirley Bond, Rich Coleman, Kevin Falcon, Colin Hansen, Brenda Locke, Joyce Murray and Patrick Wong. Also along for the ride: backbenchers Harry Bloy, David Hayer, Gordon Hogg and Ken Stewart making this "the biggest event" since the party's annual Dinner Under The Sails. That's another indication the provincial Liberals are investing significant resources in this by-election. The source then went onto to add many of those MLAs "were in the Lower Mainland last night for this purpose alone."

It wasn't a Hollywood premiere. But last night's $200 plate fundraiser for provincial Liberal Surrey-Panorama Ridge byelection candidate Mary Polak at the York Business Centre came complete with searchlight trucks. Banners, featuring the somewhat hokey slogan "Good for you!" decorated the centre, which was stuffed with more than 800 party supporters.

The Surrey-Panorama Ridge by-election isn't going to do much to improve the reputation of in-laws in this province. Provincial Liberal candidate Mary Polak's mother-in-law Elsie, a healthcare worker, is volunteering for New Democrat rival Jagrup Brar. And, according to party insiders, she hasn't been shy about letting fellow volunteers know about her familial relations. However, a Liberal campaigner says Ms. Polak's husband Paul is wholeheartedly supporting her candidacy.

Yesterday, the premier's office announced David Podmore, the president and chief executive officer of Vancouver-based development company Concert Properties Inc., had been appointed to the British Columbia Progress Board. That appointment, which essentially makes Mr. Podmore an economic advisor to the provincial government, could be the source of some embarrassment for the union movement. After all, Concert Properties is owned by union and management pension funds. And the unions aren't too happy with the government right now.

CFAX creative director Craig Chambers has been hired as the provincial public affairs bureau's newest media monitoring officer. Mr. Chambers, who is said to be a bona fide expert at writing advertising copy, has been looking to leave the radio business for quite sometime. He is married to Moira McLean, the former CH Television reporter/assignment editor who is now covering provincial politics for The New VI. A government insider told Public Eye Mr. Chambers is more than qualified for the job he'll be doing and his hiring had nothing to do with Ms. McLean's job.

The provincial New Democrats have a proud history of standing shoulder to shoulder with their union brothers and sisters. But it seems they're not going to let that history get in the way of a business decision. Last week, Public Eye reported the party had awarded IdeaWorks Consulting Inc. and Viewpoints Research Ltd. a contract to do their polling work during the next election, beating out Strategic Communications Inc. But there's just one nagging detail that has some insiders hot and bothered.

Rumour has it Martinite super-uber-operative Mark Marissen has been telling Indo-Canadian organizers in Surrey-Panorama Ridge not to participate in provincial Liberal candidate Mary Polak's by-election campaign. But Martinite insiders pooh-poohed those rumours. According to those insiders, although Mr. Marissen has been vocal in his opposition to the controversial Surrey school trustee's socially conservative values (reportedly calling them "incredibly il-Liberal"), he wouldn't have actually told those organizers not to campaign for Ms. Polak. In fact, Vancouver Sun columnist Vaughn Palmer noted earlier this month longtime Marinite supporter Sukh Dhaliwal seconded Ms. Polak's nomination. Mr. Marissen's wife, Christy Clark, recently resigned from cabinet and announced she wouldn't be running for the provincial Liberals in the next election.

Port Coquitlam-Burke Mountain Liberal MLA Karn Manhas will announce today (likely this afternoon) that he won't be running in the next election, Public Eye has learned. Mr. Manhas, who is a federal Liberal and was one of former cabinet minister Christy Clark's allies, has no family and no health problems Public Eye is aware of. Ms. Clark also recently said she wouldn't be running in the next election. Mr. Manhas's departure from politics will likely increase speculation there is a growing rift between the Grits and the federal Conservatives/former Socreds in the provincial Liberal caucus.

The veteran operative who managed Premier Ujjal Dosanjh's successful but controversial leadership campaign is now running the New Democrat's by-election fight in Surrey-Panorama Ridge for Jagrup Brar. In an interview, Sandra Houston also said she has a special "understanding and appreciation of Indo-Canadian culture" having previously worked with a number of South Asian candidates including cabinet minister Moe Sihota and Alberta New Democrat opposition leader Raj Pannu. But her biggest job was the Dosanjh campaign, which became mired in controversy because of the large number of Indo-Canadian instant members who attended the 2000 leadership convention.

Former Toronto Dominion Securities Inc. chief economist and banking world celebrity Paul Summerville wants to run for the provincial New Democrats, Public Eye has learned. Mr. Summerville, who most recently worked as the managing director and regional head Asia-Pacific for Toronto Dominion Securities, could give party leader Carole James a powerful counter to accusations she has been bought and is controlled by big labour. But so far, according to insiders, the New Democrats haven't exactly rolled out the red-carpet for him.

Victoria Times Colonist editor-in-chief Andrew Phillips announced this morning he is leaving to do the same job for The Gazette in Montreal. Mr. Phillips, who previously worked as a reporter and editor for The Gazette, is replacing Peter Stockland. Mr. Phillips will be following in the footsteps of Times Colonist publisher Alan Allnutt, who made a similar horizontal move to the Montreal newspaper in April. In an interview last month with Public Eye, Mr. Phillips told us, "you can't stop people from chattering" when we asked about rumours he was planning on taking a job with The Gazette.

Yesterday, Public Eye reported on the increasing influence of senior bureaucrat Jessica McDonald within the premier's office. Prior to being hired by that office in November 2003, she ran Tupelo Consulting Inc., a public land management consulting company. That company's clients have included First Nations groups and the government of New South Wales. But most of its work has been done right here at home for the taxpayers of British Columbia. Between fiscal 1998/99 and 2002/03, the provincial government paid out $413,301 to Ms. McDonald and her company. Most of that money has been awarded since fiscal 2000/01, with the firm receiving $214,710 in fiscal 2002/03. Ms. McDonald previously worked as a manager-level civil servant in environment, lands and parks and is married to former Liberal caucus communications director Mike McDonald.

Fond farewells to caucus communications manager and Kelowna-native Megan Stiles. Ms. Stiles, who has been chiefly responsible for the Liberal MLAs' growing Web presence, is packing her bags and heading to another right-wing jurisdiction: Alberta. There, she will enter the wonderful world of private sector corporate communications, working for TransCanada Pipelines Ltd. in Calgary. Ms. Stiles' position will be split between her colleagues Nicole Chalmers (who will take responsibility for Web-communications) and Doug Brown.

Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon has his fingerprints all over the Surrey-Panorama Ridge by-election. Not only was he the power behind Surrey school trustee Mary Polak's successful provincial Liberal nomination bid, but it turns out he's also good friends with her campaign manager Chris Gardner. In an interview with Public Eye, Mr. Gardner told us he met Mr. Falcon while attending Simon Fraser University. Together, the two Young Socreds helped setup Students Working Together, a legendary centre-right coalition that booted the lefties out of student government during the 1985/86 school year. That coalition included former deputy premier Christy Clark and independent Liberal MLA Tony Bhullar (seeds of the future perhaps?). After graduating from Simon Fraser with a history degree in 1988, Mr. Gardner became involved in civic politics.

Jessica McDonald, a senior civil servant in the premier's office, has been put in charge of sketching out what the provincial bureaucracy will look like under a second Liberal mandate, Public Eye has learned. According to a memo signed by the premier's deputy minister Ken Dobell (and leaked to us), Ms. McDonald will "take on a new role to lead a broad examination and evaluation of government operations across all ministries and the Crown corporations in light of new circumstances and new priorities. This work will in part lead to changes in the strategic and service planning process for the 06/07 and subsequent years." She will also be responsible for carrying out those changes.

Minister Rick Thorpe, who previously worked for John Labatt Ltd., has a reputation for being a hard-nosed businessman. But he has a softer side too. Back when he was at competition, science and enterprise, Minister Thorpe would give employees a birthday phone call - a nice personal touch. The practice seems to have been discontinued since he moved to revenue (although we could stand to be corrected). But we're hoping former employees still get a birthday call. After all, Public Eye previously worked as a communications advisor for competition, science and enterprise. And, if we're lucky, the minister will pick up the phone on February 26 and dial our number - giving us an opportunity to chat about Patrick Kinsella (a topic he really doesn't seem to want to talk about).

In the last election, the Liberals promised British Columbians they would run the most open and accountable government in Canada. But it seems that promise doesn't extend to answering questions about Patrick Kinsella, the most influential provincial Liberal backroom boy in the province. Earlier, Public Eye reported in the Times Colonist that Mr. Kinsella was denying two-year old allegations that he worked to lobby the government on behalf of aluminum giant Alcan Inc. If those allegations were true, Mr. Kinsella would have been in violation of legislation requiring anyone who lobbies government to register with the provincial lobbyist registry or face a fine of up to $25,000.

Today, Public Eye opined in the Times Colonist that British Columbians want to be reassured provincial New Democrat leader Carole James isn't a union puppet before they give her party another chance at government. But she also needs to reassure those voters her New Democrats aren't the same as the old New Democrats. And, according to insiders, she had an opportunity to do that last week.

Winning an election is a little bit like buying a used car. Voters want to be reassured that what they see is what they're going to get. And, in this upcoming election, British Columbians want to be reassured provincial New Democrat Leader Carole James isn't hiding a labour-powered engine under her hood. But to do that, Ms. James needs to do more than just give warm fuzzy speeches to business groups. Ms. James needs to have a Sister Souljah moment.

Back in July, BC Political Insider, a newsletter published by government relations consultants Brad Zubyk and Ian Jessop, reported the provincial New Democrats had put out a request for proposal to find an election campaign pollster. And it looks like that search is over. In an interview Friday, party secretary Gerry Scott confirmed that contract was recently awarded to Viewpoints Research Ltd. and IdeaWorks Consulting Inc., beating out Vancouver/Toronto-based Strategic Communications Inc. Mr. Scott refused to comment further on that decision. Public Eye has prepared the following backgrounders on the two winning firms.