December 2006 Archives

This is post number 2,000 on Public Eye. So now would seem to be an appropriate time to get into the holiday spirit. Muckraking will be sporadic until Janaury 2, notwithstanding another raid on the legislature. Best of the season everyone!

While you were out Christmas shopping last night, the Surrey North federal Conservatives were holding their candidate selection meeting. So who's going to be running against incumbent New Democrat Penny Priddy? Answer: Dona Cadman, of course - the woman who endorsed Ms. Priddy in the last election. Fancy that! Ms. Cadman defeated lawyer Alex Dantzer for that nomination.

One of the Rockpile's best known boulders is leaving the legislative precincts. Shane Mills, who is best known for having been the provincial Liberal's caucus communications director, has tendered his resignation as Minister of State for Mining Bill Bennett's senior political aide. Mr. Mills, who was the editor of the Prince George Free Press before becoming a flack, is going back to being a hack. He'll be working for a media outlet in the Lower Mainland.

It seems the provincial New Democrats may actually be in a position to hire a new communications director and research director early in the New Year. Interviews for both jobs got underway last week and are expected to end sometime in the first few weeks of January. Meanwhile, our understanding is that the New Democrats will not be hiring a replacement for Scott Perchall. Instead, his duties as the leader's press secretary will be shared between senior communications officer Rich Overgaard and senior communications advisor Jim Rutkowski.

The former bookkeeper for two prominent, federally financed aboriginal organizations has been accused of fraud, resulting in alleged combined losses of just under $900,000, Public Eye has exclusively learned. Yesterday, West Vancouver Police Department spokesperson Sergeant Paul Skelton confirmed Craig Morrison, 29, - the financial and office manager for the British Columbia Aboriginal Fisheries Commission and the Aboriginal Council of British Columbia at the time of the alleged offences - was charged with multiple counts of fraud in excess of $5,000 last month. That fraud is said to have been perpetrated on the two sister organizations - which share staff and an office - between November 25, 2002 and November 2005. The matter was brought to the police's attention December 1, 2005.

Federal Liberal leader Stephane Dion will be doing some laps around British Columbia political cocktail party circuit next month. The party's three Victoria constituency associations have already announced Mr. Dion will be attending a dinner at the Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort and Spa on January 24 - featuring senior British Columbia caucus members. And it's expected there will be similar events in Vancouver. The following is a copy of the invite to the aforementioned dinner.

Astute readers will remember the case of Neil Fahlman, the 19-year-old who was denied assistance by Community Living British Columbia - even though the corporation knew that, without such services, he "would be extremely vulnerable to his own aggressiveness and impulsivity" and could "do significant harm to himself and the community." The reason: Community Living British Columbia restricts its adult services to those with an IQ lower than 70. And Mr. Fahlman's IQ was 79. But a judicial review this past June found the corporation didn't have the legislative authority to use those test results as a screener. That would have been the end of the story - if then children and family development minister Stan Hagen hadn't announced on July 12 that the government would be appealing that decision to the British Columbia Court of Appeal. And what's happened to that appeal, you may wonder? Well, on Friday afternoon, the court dismissed the province's case. But a written reason for the dismal hasn't yet been released.

Back in May, it was suggested Heather Holden be more cautious in avoiding any perceived conflict of interest between her role as a parks board commissioner and her job as the Vancouver Aquarium's fish tracking project executive director. But Ms. Holden won't have to suffer those slings and arrows for much longer. Last Thursday, Ms. Holden was hired as the Fraser Institute's new director of risk, regulation and the environment. In an interview with Public Eye, the commissioner said she was "thrilled and quite excited about this new challenge and opportunity. It's pretty much exactly what I've been working towards. We can do all the research we want. But if no one's thinking about how to put in place these important changes to make our environment more healthy, it's not going to happen." Ms. Holden, who committed during the 2005 election to excuse herself from voting on issues relating to the aquarium, will be starting work at the institute on January 8.

Back in October, Yale-Lilooet provincial New Democrat legislator Harry Lali reportedly
told fellow travellers than his party should quit pretending to be Liberals or Conservatives and start acting like social democrats. But what brought on that ouburst, you may wondered? Well former New Democrat leadership candidate Steve Orcherton has at least one possible explanation. In an interview on Public Eye Radio, Mr. Orcherton said, "I know Harry very well. And Harry is passionate about his politics. And - whenever he talks about politics and public policy - he speaks with a great deal of passion. I think he's experiencing a frustration with being part of a political party that, at this point, in time has taken a strategic decision not to do much - to sit and be quiet and not do a lot and sort of ride along with what's going on. And then 60 or 30 days before the next election will come out with some sort of a platform of ideas. And that will somehow get them elected. And I think that's a strategy. I happen to think that's wrong the strategy. But I think that's what's going on. And I think Harry's experiencing that kind of frustration."

Earlier, we reported Jennifer Burgis - who unsuccessfully ran for the federal New Democrats in Saanich-Gulf Islands during the past two election - would instead be seeking the party nomination in Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca. So why the change? In an interview on Public Eye Radio, Ms. Burgis explained, "You might say that the experience that I have provides me with the opportunity to go up against the MP in this area who has a very long term" - refering to incumbent Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca Liberal candidate Keith Martin. "And I feel that it is time to try a new and exciting area and build more of the South Island region with the New Democrat policies. And I think Saanich-Gulf Islands is now ready for someone to really advance and take the riding for New Democrats. But I put personally as much as I can into that riding in the last two elections. And I think I've decided I'm up for a challenge now." But surely running against incumbent Saanich-Gulf Islands Conservative candidate Gary Lunn would also be a challenge? So we asked Ms. Burgis again why she was switching ridings.

Former British Columbia Marijuana Party general counsel and campaign manager Kirk Tousaw isn't ruling out a run for the federal New Democrat nomination in Vancouver Quadra. When asked about rumours to that affect, Mr. Tousaw told Public Eye, "I'm always interested in seeing what avenues can be taken to further progressive politics in this country." Although "it's probably premature to speculate on (such a run) at this point." Mr. Tousaw later added that, while he's done work for the Marijuana Party and continues to have a solicitor-client relationship with them, he's always been a member of the New Democrats. Vancouver Quadra is presently held by Liberal parliamentarian Stephen Owen.

Tonight, on Public Eye Radio, National Anti-Poverty Organization British Columbia board member W. Robert Arnold will be discussing his proposal to organize "poor people and their allies into a non-partisan voting block." Former Victoria-Hillside provincial New Democrat legislator Steve Orcherton weighs in on the party's performance since the last election. And Wilf Hanni talks to us about what he's been doing since being elected leader of the British Columbia Conservatives. Also on the show: Jennifer Burgis tell us why she wants to run for the New Democrats in Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca rather than Saanich-Gulf Islands. And our rabble-rousing panel - Troy DeSouza, Bob Russell, Allan Warnke and Brad Zubyk discuss the week that was in provincial and federal politics. You can listen to Public Eye Radio outside of Victoria by logging into CFAX 1070 between 6:00 and 9:00. If you have a question for one of our guests, you can email us, leave a comment below or phone (250) 386-1161 during the show.

Public Eye will be tending to some holiday responsibilities over the next few days. So posting on Public Eye will be sporadic until Monday.

Citizen Sam, the film documenting Sam Sullivan successful bid to become Vancouver's mayor, hasn't exactly been a public relations coup for the former Non-Partisan Association councillor. Last month, for example, The Vancouver Sun's Doug Ward published a front page story on the controversial contents of that film, such as this quote from the mayor: "I like the fact that people underestimate me. You know, they pat me on the head and then I rip their throat out." So it may come as a surprise to some, that Mayor Sullivan and his supporters and staff attended a screening of the film earlier this evening at Rainmaker Entertainment Group Ltd.'s Vancouver studio. But as fascinating as it would have been to see the expressions on their faces during that screening, we would have been more interested in listening to the conversation at the Opus Hotel - where they gathered before heading to the theatre.

Earlier, we reported provincial New Democrat caucus communications director Jim Rutkowski would be leaving the legislative precincts toward the end of this month. But it seems that departure will be temporary. Mr. Rutowksi, who tendered his resignation to spend more time with his son, will be joining the Opposition's leader office in a new role this coming February. He'll be working Monday through Thursday as a senior communications advisor to Carole James, sharing responsibility for media relations with newly-appointed senior communications officer Rich Overgaard.

The proliferation of corporate titles continues unabated in the Campbell administration. On November 10, Michael MacDougall was appointed the chief operating officer at the ministry of health - a post previously held by Dave Woodward under another name: associate deputy minister. At the same time, children and family development deputy minister Lesley du Toit as hired Donna Knox her chief operating officer - a new position within the ministry. And now word has reached us that Public Service Employers' Council chief executive officer and associate deputy minister Bob de Faye has joined health as its chief administrative officer. And what will the chief administrative officer be doing, you may wonder? The answer: preparing the ministry for the next round of collective bargaining and taking responsibility for its human resources division.

British Columbia's next referendum on electoral reform is scheduled for May 12, 2009 - almost three years away. But those supporting the single transferable vote system aren't waiting till the last minute to get their campaign underway. Fair Voting BC is presently planning to organize a conference in support of that effort immediately following Ontario's October 2007 electoral reform referendum. Activists from across the province will be invited to attend that conference, which will be held in Vancouver.

The federal New Democrat nomination race in Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca may already underway. But what's happening over at the Conservative starting line? Well, according to the rumour mill, there was talk that Saanich mayor Frank Leonard might run. But that talk hasn't amounted to any action. Which means Staples McDannold Stewart lawyer Troy DeSouza, who laced up for the party in that riding during last election, is still looking like the best prospect for the Conservatives in Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca. That is, if he decides to run for the nomination again.

Earlier, we broke the news Randall Garrison won't be running for the federal New Democrats in Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca,. So who will be campaigning for the party in that riding you may wonder? Well, former Saanich-Gulf Islands candidate Jennifer Burgis has already committed to seeking that nomination. Others, though would like to see Kevin Macgillivray, who graduated from the University of Victoria's law school in November 2005 and is presently employed with federal justice department, enter the race. But Mr. Macgillvray, one of provincial Esquimalt-Metchosin legislator John Horgan's "heroes" isn't the only speculative candidate being talked up by party members. Former Victoria-Hillside legislator and leadership candidate Steve Orcherton is also on that list.

Federal New Democrat Randall Garrison has come within inches of beating Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca Liberal parliamentarian Keith Martin during the past two elections. So some may be a bit surprised to learn Mr. Garrison won't be running in that riding next time the writ is dropped. In an interview with Public Eye, the articulate Camosun College instructor, who moved to Terminal City last summer, confirmed he was approved last Tuesday to run for the New Democrat nomination in Vancouver Centre. A nomination meeting for that riding - which is held by Liberal Hedy Fry - has been schedule for January 21. No other candidates are presently in the race.

National Anti-Poverty Organization British Columbia board member W. Robert Arnold is looking at "organizing poor people and their allies into a non-partisan voting block." In a vision document distributed to fellow travelers, Mr. Arnold estimates there are 750,000 poor people in British Columbia who are eligible to vote. If those people voted as a block, they could "dictate which candidate won in almost any election in the province." And, he writes, if legislators "do not do what we want them to in the first 18 months of their mandate, we can add our votes to those who voted for the losing candidate and effectively use recall to bring down the government if we want to, or just to illustrate our power so that the remainder of the MLA's will begin to obey us." The block, which would have a central office in Victoria and a chapter in each constituency, would focus on the "eradication of poverty" - counterbalancing the power of the "rich and their corporations" in what Mr. Arnold describes as an era ruled by special interest groups. The following is a complete copy of that document.

The federal Liberal's British Columbia biennial convention has been tenatively scheduled to be held on April 20 to 22 at Sun Peaks Resort - more than four months away. But it's never to early to talk about who might run to replace incumbent party president Jamie Elmhirst, who is widely assumed to not be seeking another term in office. Among those being talked up as would-be candidates are the party's former national vice-president Mike Hillman, as well as Heenan Blaikie LLP partner Craig Munroe. Other names being bandied about include Patrick Maloney, who challenged Mr. Elmhirst for the presidency in 2004, as well as Tofino real estate developer and lawyer Alan Beesley, legal coordinator for the Ignatieff campaign during the recent leadership convention in Montreal.

Last month, the World Wildlife Federation held its seventh salmon aquaculture dialogue meeting at Simon Fraser University. That meeting, which brings together environmental and industry representatives, was scheduled to "focus on the relationship between regional or local Canadian initiatives on sustainable salmon culture." So some attendees found it curious that British Columbia Salmon Farmers Association executive director Mary Ellen Walling and provincial government aquaculture development director Al Castledine seemed a bit wall-flowerish during that meeting.

As expected, the Kennedy leadership campaign made a strong showing at federal Liberal British Columbia regional vice-president Stephen Kukucha's Sunday afternoon olive branch party. Those at the gathering tell us Dean Crawford, Bob Hans, Letlotlo "Coco" Lefoka, James and Jennifer Hatton, Doug Leung, Craig Munroe, Rikia Saddy, Shannon Salter, Don Stickney and our good friend Prem Vinning all put in an appearance at Mr. Kukucha's Kitsilano home. But the Dion campaign was also there, including Billy Cunningham, Forrest Parlee, Karn Manhas, Mark Marissen, Andrew Phillips and Mike Witherly,

Earlier, we reported on Earnscliffe Strategy Group Inc. senior consultant Byng Giraud's decision to leave the government relations firm to become the senior policy and communications director for the Mining Association of British Columbia. And who's going to be replacing him, you may wonder? Well that would be Yaroslav Baran, the communications director for Stephen Harper's successful federal Conservative leadership bid. Mr. Baran, who was also a senior communications adivsor to the Tories during the 2006 election campaign, will be based in Ottawa - focusing on British Columbia-related files. The following is a complete copy of his biography.

Tonight, on Public Eye Radio, 24 hours's Bob Mackin, the Gold Rush columnist for Business in Vancouver, gives us his taken on the present state of preparations for the 2010 Winter Olympics. PharmaWatch president Colleen Fuller discusses what the False Creek Surgical Centre's new privately-operated emergency clinic means for public healthcare. And Democratic Reform British Columbia's new leader Graeme Rodger talks about his vision for the party. Also on the show: Real Women of Canada president Laurie Geschke tells us why she supports Harper administration cutbacks to Status of Women Canada. And our rabble-rousing panel - Michael Prince, Bob Russell, Allan Warnke and Brad Zubyk discuss the week that was in provincial and federal politics. You can listen to Public Eye Radio outside of Victoria by logging into CFAX 1070 between 6:00 and 9:00. If you have a question for one of our guests, you can email us, leave a comment below or phone (250) 386-1161 during the show.

Here's an announcement that will surprise no one: earlier, we reported provincial New Democrat leader Carole James's office would be hiring a senior communications officer. In the minds of many, that post had caucus communications officer Rich Overgaard's name written all over it. And so it has come to pass that Mr. Overgaard will be leaving the legislative basement to work in Ms. James's corner suite with the lovely and talented David Perry, the leader's chief of staff.

In the category of what will they think of next: earlier this afternoon, British Columbia Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games secretariat president and chief executive officer (nee associate deputy minister) Annette Antoniak sent an email across government, informing bureaucrats "there is now an exclusive line of Olympic-themed hoodies for sale" available for purchase only by public service employees. Yes, that's right. Hoodies. For sale. According to the email, "proceeds from each item sold will be donated to the Own the Podium 2010 Program to support athlete development."

Senior provincial New Democrat caucus staffers are becoming increasingly scarce at the Rockpile. Research director Don Anderson is already gone. This past Friday was press secretary Scott Perchall's last day on the job. And communications director Jim Rutkowski will likely be leaving the legislative precincts at end of December. Meanwhile, replacements for Messrs. Anderson, Perchall and Rutkowski have yet to be found. In fact, Mr. Perchall's post hasn't even been advertised yet. Although the caucus has managed to hire a new office manager - Heidi Reid, Opposition leader Carole James's former legislative assistant. So at least they've got that going for them.

Stephen Kukucha will be doing some big tent building this weekend. The reason: Mr. Kukucha, the federal Liberal's new British Columbia regional vice-president, has invited representatives from all the leadership camps to attend a olive branch party at his Kitsilano home. The intent of the party to strengthen relationships amongst those representatives, with the task of putting together a British Columbia campaign team being put off until a later date. Mr. Kukucha, the external affairs and government business development director for Ballard Power Systems Inc., was acclaimed regional vice-president at the Liberal's recent convention, succeeding Sharon Apsey.

Yesterday, Agriculture and Lands Minister Pat Bell released a farmed fish health report showing "British Columbia's results-based regulatory regime is working." As our astute readers will already know, that report - which the minister had planned on releasing in September - was assembled with the assistance (or perhaps hinderance) of a "dysfunctional" database. When asked whether that database was an embarassment for government, Minister Bell told reporters, "Keep in mind, this is a first report. And the second report will be done in a more timely way and provide the result out to the public more quickly then this one. So I'm not satisfied with how quickly we were able to turn around this information. And that's why we put the RFP out" to replace the computer system.

Last month, we reported rumours Marilyn Hedlund, Saskatchewan's child and family services executive director, had been chosen as British Columbia's new child welfare director - the post once held by Jeremy Berland. So it will come as no surprise to our readers that, today, children and family development deputy minister Lesley Du Toit announced Ms. Hedlund would indeed be serving as the statutory officer responsible for administering the Child, Family and Community Service Act and the Adoption Act. The following is a complete copy of that announcement.

Your humble organ has spilled much ink reporting on former provincial Liberal central campaign committee member Susan Yurkovich, who was recently became the public affairs and communications vice-president at BC Hydro Corp. But the government-owned company's president and chief executive officer Bob Elton says he had no knowledge as to her involvement with the party prior to hiring her as his top spin doctor. Responding to questions posed yesterday by Delta North legislator Guy Gentner, Mr. Elton said he knew Ms. Yurkovich "from the Board of Trade. I knew her as somebody who had worked at Canadian Forest Products. Interestingly, to be honest, I did not know that she had any particular political connections provincially. I knew that she was involved with David Emerson."

"The world unfolded exactly as it was meant to in Saturday's political thriller, with Montreal MP Stephane Dion snaring the Liberal party leadership after four gruelling rounds of balloting." That's how The Vancouver Sun's Barbara Yaffe summarized the former environment minister's win. Continued Ms. Yaffe, "As I first predicted on July 22, Dion prevailed against his two main rivals, Michael Ignatieff and Bob Rae, both party newcomers." Indeed, the scribe devoted a whole column to making that prediction. But a win by Mr. Dion wasn't the only possibility she contemplated. On November 23, Ms. Yaffe informed readers "The next Liberal leader, to be announced Dec. 2, almost surely will be either Stephane Dion or Bob Rae." And a month earlier, she wrote "the former Ontario premier is now looking like the best shot to win."

Earlier, we reported Ken Dobell, who is working under contract as a special advisor Gordon Campbell, had registered to lobby the premier on behalf of the City of Vancouver - specifically concerning Mayor Sam Sullivan's proposed cultural precinct. That registration became effective on April 5 - the date the province announced it would be providing $5 million toward "the planning and initial development" of that precinct. And what does the premier think about Mr. Dobell's twin responsibilities, we wondered? "He's working for the City of Vancouver. And he's properly registered himself so everyone knows he's working for them," responded the premier as he was entering a caucus meeting.

Yale-Lilooet legislator Harry Lali is once again calling on New Democrats to start kicking ass and chewing bubblegum. This past Saturday, Mr. Lali was at the Sandman Hotel in Castelgar to deliver the keynote speech for a fundraiser benefitting federal British Columbia Southern Interior parliamentarian Alex Atamenko. And during that speech, attendees tell us Mr. Lali repeated his message that the federal and provincial New Democrats should quit pretending to be Liberals and start acting like social democrats. The former transportation and highways minister made a similar pitch at the New Democrat's Interior-Okanagan community conference back in October.

Celebrating good practices at the ministry of children and family development - as well as analyzing service delivery gaps - will be the first part of Lesley du Toit's transformation initiative. This, according to an update quietly released by the deputy minister last week. In her nine-page newsletter, Ms. du Toit writes that "a team of consultants and MCFD staff" will be responsible for documenting those gaps and good practices over the next year, producing an accompanying report and DVD. The deputy minister also reaffirms her commitment to decentralization, telling colleagues that "the process of establishing regional and community governance of service delivery" will be "re-initiated" at the start of the new financial year. But it isn't clear what that decentralized structure will look like.

Yesterday, we exclusively reported that the provincial government was shopping for a new farmed fish health database because their current computer system is "dysfunctional and cannot be relied upon to produce accurate or timely statistics, reports, data or information." As a result, agriculture and land bureaucrats have had to manually collate aquaculture fish health statistics. And that has Living Oceans Society executive director Jennifer Lash questioning those statistics.

Last week, parliamentarians voted 266 to 16 in favour of a motion recognizing "Quebecois as a nation within a united Canada." That motion, which was introduced by the Harper administration, made more than a few Conservatives uncomfortable. And one wonders whether John Weston, who is running for the party nomination in West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country, is among them. The reason: in a letter published in the North Shore News back in October, Mr. Weston slammed then federal Liberal leadership candidate Michael Ignatieff's stance that recognizing "Quebec - and Aboriginal peoples - as nations within the fabric of Canada is not to make some new concession. It is simply to acknowledge a fact."

British Columbia's new child and youth representative Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond is getting a vote of confidence from fellow independent legislative officer Kim Carter, Canada's former chief military judge. In an interview with Public Eye, the ombudsman explained she's met Ms. Turpel-Lafond a number of times "on the judicial circuit. In fact, the last time was in Winnipeg at a meeting with the Canadian Association of Provincial Court Judges. And she was doing presentation on children with fetal alcohol syndrome - because she's done a lot of work with them in Saskatoon as a judge. I think she's an excellent choice. She really has a long-term commitment to children. And I think, particularly, she's worked with vulnerable aboriginal children in her current position and has been quite creative in some of her attempts to solve problems."

Olympic medalist Marion Lay is no longer president of 2010 LegaciesNow, the government-funded non-profit society responsible for developing "sustainable legacies" in the areas of "sport and recreation, arts, literacy and volunteerism." In an interview with Public Eye, communications director Karen McDonald explained Ms. Lay had been employed by the society via a contract with the former Canadian freestyle swimming champion's company Think Sport Ltd. That contract was up for renewal. But Ms. Lay and the society's board of directors - which includes the premier's special advisor Ken Dobell and Vancouver city manager Judy Rogers - "couldn't come to terms. So she chose not to accept the contract" - the exact date of Ms. Lay's refusal being November 7. "And she's going to pursue some other projects." Ms. McDonald declined to say why contract negotiations broke down. But she did say "the option is very much open" for Ms. Lay to pursue future contract work with LegaciesNow.

Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond is leaving little doubt that, as British Columbia's new child and youth representative, she's going to be taking the independent nature of her legislative office seriously. The former Saskatchewan provincial court judge told reporters today that her old job was being left open for her. "Which is very good," she explained. "Because, if for some reason there's inadequate resources in this office or if the commitment is not there. I can return. I don't think that's going to happen. I think I'm preparing for a success. But given the sea changes that have occurred in this area, I'm not naive."

Last month, The Vancouver Courier's Allen Garr noted Premier Gordon Campbell's former deputy minister Ken Dobell was keeping busy in his retirement. In addition to sitting on a number of public and private boards, Mr. Dobell has been awarded two contracts with the City of Vancouver. Under those contracts, he's been charged with developing a cultural precinct for the city, as well as housing strategy for the addicted and mentally ill. And if that isn't newsworthy enough, Public Eye has learned he's also signed-up to lobby the provincial government about both issues - registering his intent to directly speak with the premier about the cultural precinct. This being the same premier he presently works for under contract as a special advisor.

The Campbell administration is committed to supporting the sustainable development of the aquaculture industry, basing its decisions on sound science. But the computer system presently being used to record information about the health of fish in that industry, is "dysfunctional and cannot be relied upon to produce accurate or timely statistics, reports, data or information." This according to a request for proposal seeking a contract able to replace that database. The document also notes the present system, "cannot capture relevant information, does not allow for the full flexibility of queries, multiple users and multiple laboratory tests and results data entry and retrieval." As a result, agriculture and land bureaucrats have had to manually collate aquaculture fish health statistics - news which will no doubt please those advocating against fish farms. The following is a complete copy of the relevant section of that request for proposal, which was quietly posted on Friday.

Jessica McDonald, Premier Gordon Campbell's deputy minister, logged some transatlantic miles last week. Between Monday and Wesndesday, Ms. McDonald was in the United Kingdom, studying British civil service and cabinet operations structures. Whether such studies will be applied, remains to be seen.

Tonight, on Public Eye Radio, we'll be talking with Copeman Healthcare Centre founder Don Copeman about the False Creek Surgical Centre's controversial decision to open an urgent care unit. University of British Columbia economics professor Bob Evans will be offering his thoughts on the same issue. And Rushbrooke Communications principal Mike Witherly joins us to discuss his man Stephane Dion's victory in the federal Liberal leadership race. Also on the show: Insight into Government publisher Mark Lisak shares with his thoughts on Ed Stelmach's election as Alberta's premier designate. And our rabble-rousing panel - Bob Russell, Troy DeSouza, Allan Warnke and Brad Zubyk discuss the week that was in provincial and federal politics. You can listen to Public Eye Radio outside of Victoria by logging into CFAX 1070 between 6:00 and 9:00. If you have a question for one of our guests, you can email us, leave a comment below or phone (250) 386-1161 during the show.

Gary Collins will no longer be flying the friendly skies with Harmony Airways. Earlier today, the company announced the former provincial finance minister had resigned as its president. In an interview with Public Eye, Mr. Collins explained he made the decision because there's "something else that I'm looking at" - specifically two other career opportunities. "And hopefully you'll hear from me in the not-to distance future." And what opportunities is he considering, you may wonder? "I'm not in a position to make an announcement or commitment at this point," stated Mr. Collins. Although he did say it wouldn't involve the Liquour Stores Income Fund or the British Columbia government. When ask whether he would consider a return to politics, Mr. Collins responded, "Maybe sometime within the next millenium. But I'm still in detox. I'm not there yet. I'd never rule it out. But it's certainly not something on this side of the horizon." Mr. Collins will continue to work with Harmony as a member of it's advisory board. The following is a complete copy of the aforementioned announcement.