New Posts on News Junkie Canada & 'Unbiased' Media? VEGF & Heart Attacks, Gay Marriage

There are two compilations on News Junkie Canada for January 20, 05.

Compilation 2: Polygamy-Same Sex 'Marriage', Terror Threats-Border, UNSCAM-Reid Morden, Tsunami Arrivals-Medical Care, Iraqi Reality

Compilation 1: Tamil Terrorists, Sgro's Accuser-Whistleblowers, Terrorism-Montreal School, Justices-Free Speech, Pipeline Decision-JC's Legacy?


Update:

* Links from The Shotgun -- 'unbiased' media?
* Just one tablet a day could keep heart attacks away -- Breakthrough to prevent arteries from clogging up -- vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)
* Making your bed is a health hazard -- Study says mites love tucked-in sheets
* Calgary bishop wants government to act against gays -- actually gay "marriage" -- for the good of children and families
* A quick mind and a sense of humor

---

Links from The Shotgun

(Other CBC related, exclusively Liberal contributors from the news and entertainment industry - Canadian Television Fund , Salter Street Films Limited and Torstar Corporation .)

UPDATE: Zerbtesias in the Star:

Among the fun facts for media watchers, a $557.64 contribution to the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003 by — hunh? — CBC Radio and thousands to the Liberals by CanWest's David Asper and Bell Globemedia's Ivan Fecan.

"Unbiased" media -- of course.




Just one tablet a day could keep heart attacks away -- Breakthrough to prevent arteries from clogging up -- vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)

Just one tablet a day could keep heart attacks away Robin McKie, science editor, January 9, 2005, The Observer

Scientists are developing a pill to stop people suffering heart attacks and strokes. The drug would be taken regularly by middle-aged men and women to prevent their arteries clogging up or developing fatal blockages in later life.

[. . . . ] The group - whose work was recently highlighted at the European Commission's Descartes Prize awards in Prague - has concentrated on a substance called vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a natural body chemical that stops arterial cell division.

Sometimes, however, VEGF does not act quickly enough and too many cells are produced. These form mounds inside the artery. Cholesterol floating through arteries sticks to the mounds. White blood cells also get trapped there.

The mound turns into a major blockage, the artery closes, and eventually a stroke or a heart attack is triggered.

'The root of the problem lies with those initial mounds,' said Yla-Herttuala. 'If we stop the mounds in the first place, then cholesterol will have nothing to stick to and no blockages will occur.' [. . . . ]

Making your bed is a health hazard -- Study says mites love tucked-in sheets

Making your bed is a health hazard National Post, Jan. 19, 05

LONDON - A messy bed may be good for your health, according to a British study that says unmade beds discourage the dust mites that have been linked to asthma, hay fever and skin diseases.

The study says the tiny creatures thrive in moist and warm conditions, most likely to be found in a bed with taut sheets and tucked-in blankets, but they cannot survive in the dry conditions created by airing the bed. [. . . . ]

Finally, justification.




Calgary bishop wants government to act against gays -- actually gay "marriage"

Calgary bishop wants government to act against gays Jan. 17, 05, CBC

[. . . . ] "Since homosexuality, adultery, prostitution and pornography undermine the foundations of the family, the basis of society, then the state must use its coercive power to proscribe or curtail them in the interests of the common good," Bishop Frederick Henry said in a pastoral letter. [. . . . ]

There are other links on the CBC site.




A quick mind and a sense of humour -- "police car recordings"

Thanks, JK, for a chuckle.

The following conversations were taken from actual police car recordings
around the country:

"Relax, the handcuffs are tight because they're new. They'll stretch out
after you wear them for awhile."

"If you run, you'll only go to jail tired."

"So you don't know how fast you were going. I guess that means I can
write anything I want on the ticket, huh?"

"Warning? You want a warning? O.K., I'm warning you not to do that again
or I'll give you another ticket."

"Just how big were those two beers, fellah?"

"No sir we don't have quotas anymore. We used to have quotas but now
we're allowed to write as many tickets as we want."

"I'm glad to hear the Chief of Police is a good personal friend of yours. At least you know someone who can post your bail."

"You didn't think we give tickets to pretty women ? You're right, we don't. Sign here."

Bud Talkinghorn: Romeo Dallaire--Canada's Conscience, Liberal Wall of Obfuscation, Iraqi Insurgents

Romeo Dallaire--Canada's conscience

The general was in conversation with Peter Mansbridge on Sunday's One on One. Dallaire is disgusted with the multilateral approach to the Darfur genocide. He criticized Canada and the UN's endless dithering, while the slaughter goes on apace. He sees the Liberals' approach as risk aversion. As for the UN, he sees the thug states. especially the Muslim dictatorships, ruling the agenda. They are committing the same moral blindness that has characterized their inaction in Algeria and Indonesia. Dallaire views this inaction as of the same mentality that allowed the slaughter to go on in Rwanda. It is the classic UN "let's talk about this human disaster over cocktails and canapes at the African gala ball tonight." In Canada's case, it is sheer avoidance of admitting that the military has been so neutered that they couldn't respond if they wanted to. As for the government's communiques, they remind me of WH Auden's line from Night Falls on China: "And now I hear the hum of printing presses; turning forests into lies." Now we have Martin and his vast entourage touring Thailand and Sri Lanka for a good photo op, before moving on to China to do some (I believe, personal) business--the real reason for the trip of course. Must make sure that the keel work being done on one of his steamships in Shanghai is coming along well. Meanwhile General Dallaire will remain the Canadian voice of humanity.

© Bud Talkinghorn




The Great Liberal Wall of obfuscation gets another segment added

It is not enough the Martin and his Liberal ministers can dodge important questions from the opposition by claiming they can't comment. Why can't they? Well, it is "before the courts". This of course doesn't stop Volpe, the new Immigration Minister, from prejudging Harjit Singh's accusation about Sgro's wrong doing. The second way is to claim that it is being looked at in "parliamentary committee", so wait for its conclusion. If the evidence points to Liberal chicanery that might take a long, long time. Then there is that wondrous "Privacy Act" which precludes naming any villains. Now Martin, who has been--or still is--in Sri Lanka, cannot name the Tamil Tigers as a terrorist group, because the UN doesn't think they are terrorists. Here we have an organization of those who cannot bring themselves to strongly condemn terrorist-supporting rogue states. This is the moral beacon that guides Paul Martin. But of course Martin is going to forge a new, clean ethical government. He is going to cut the democratic deficit. And pigs can fly.

© Bud Talkinghorn




Let's take a closer look at the Iraqi 'insurgents'

Granted, you have the boiler-plated former Baathists, who are nostalgic for the good old days. It is really hard to retire from your omnipotent position as judge, torturer and executioner. Playing dominos all day just doesn't cut it. Also the homegrown jihadis, the Ansar al-Islam, have been cut off from Saddam's protected species program. Now added to these losers--Rumfeld's "dead enders"--are the religiously inflamed youth of Iraq's neighbouring countries. The glue that binds these disparate groups together is their shared hatred for any form of democracy. The ex-Baathists simply want to go back to suppressing the Shi'ites and the Kurds. Their religious roots are quite shallow and in the old days would have been happy to consign their religious fanatic allies to the plastic shredders. For their part, the Ansar and foreign jihadis probably entertain thoughts of stoning these Baathist apostates to death, once in power. A very shaky alliance indeed.

That alliance will really come under increased stress when the new government is composed mainly of their old nemesis, the Shi'ites. As governors, they can start to purge the Iraq army of the Sunni collorationists and the shirkers. The next battle of Falluja will make the death toll of the last one seem miniscule. The Shi'ites have not forgotten the massacres of their kin at the hands of the Sunni Baathists. Nor will they forget Osama's call to his Sunni brethern to crush the Shi'ites; even if it foments civil war. How much control the American military will have over these unfolding events is debatable. After all, it will now be a democracy; albeit one with theocratic overtones.

© Bud Talkinghorn

Liberal Thuggery Blatant-PM-Chretien, CBC $$$ to Liberals, UNSCAM, CERV-Emergency Preparedness-Politics, Buckhead

Liberal thuggery getting more blatant -- "who will benefit the most by derailing the inquiry "?

Liberal thuggery getting more blatant Klaus Rohrich

The news that lawyers for Jean Chretien are challenging Mr. Justice John Gomery’s impartiality and are thus attempting to oust him as head of the inquiry into the Quebec sponsorship scandal is yet one more manifestation of Mr. Chretien’s penchant for behaving like a thug. [. . . . ]

[. . . . ] If they are successful they will essentially stop the inquiry for good, as all the witnesses who have testified so far will have to be recalled and the entire process will be delayed by years or will be abandoned altogether. It will certainly be after the next federal election that a new commission would or could issue a report.

Just ask yourself, who will benefit the most by derailing the inquiry for an indefinite period?

[. . . . ]




Cabinets change, PMs don't -- Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

Cabinets change, PMs don't

[. . . . ] Paul Martin, his protests to the contrary, doesn't handle scandal much differently than Jean Chretien.

What he does is, well, nothing, until the scandal becomes so big that he belatedly accepts the resignation of the affected cabinet minister and then goes to back to being a bystander while the whole mess plays itself out. [. . . . ]

Chretien's failure created the climate for the sponsorship scandal. What's alarming here is that Martin, for all his talk about a new era in Ottawa, doesn't sound much different. [. . . . ]

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (edit.) the balance of donations to the Liberals in the last election – (still) is that legal?

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (edit.) the balance of donations to the Liberals in the last election – (still) is that legal? Jan. 11, 05, from What it takes to win

[. . . . ] A simple search for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reveals that:

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, of the Ottawa postal code K1Y 1E4(head office) gave $1,100.00 in "monetary" contributions to the Liberal Party of Canada. No other political recipients were listed in the search results.

But as most Canadians know, the “non-monetary” contribution should be listed as "priceless."

Some things money can buy, for all other election needs there’s your state broadcaster!

Ontario plays politics with emergency preparedness

Ontario plays politics with emergency preparedness 3 January 2005, Andrea Mrozek

[. . . .] On November 22, newspapers reported a renewed al Qaeda terrorist threat in Canada. A prime possible target: Toronto’s Union Station--the hub of city-to-suburb commuter traffic for about 235,000 Ontarians every day. There’s good reason for provincial politicians to pay attention to emergency preparedness. The question is: why aren’t they?

Some say the Liberals, led by Dalton McGuinty, are taking dangerous chances with the next cataclysm, whatever that ends up being. That’s because the province has quietly dropped the Community Emergency Response Volunteer (CERV) program. CERV--based on the American Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program started in 1987--had been intended to provide civilians with emergency response training and emergency plans so they could back up first responders when disaster strikes. In other words: training citizen brigades to provide crowd control, traffic direction and simple first aid, and to help evacuate communities when minutes become critical.

[. . . . ] While only about 16 Ontario municipalities signed up for the voluntary CERV program, Runciman says the government “wanted to pursue it and grow it. We had hoped right across the province to provide additional encouragement, if it was necessary, to get more communities involved.” In Ontario, total costs were also quite low--$1 million of funding was set aside to be divvied up between the participating municipalities according to the number of volunteers--but the payoff of having a civilian response team in times of crisis, might prove invaluable. [. . . . ]

Are you getting it? Our government is still pretending there is no threat -- that Canadian security is fine. It is not.




UNSCAM: Saddam's Oily Deals -- Were Americans profiting from Oil-for-Food scams?

"Two Related Companies In The Oil-for-Food Business are Believed to Have Handled as Much as $4 Billion in Deals, Reselling Some Crude to Big U.S. Refiners Like Exxonmobil, Says Investigator"

Saddam's Oily Deals -- Were Americans profiting from Oil-for-Food scams? Mark Hosenball

Refiners Like Exxonmobil, Says Investigator

NEW YORK, Jan. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Investigative officials in New York and Europe are looking closely at the dealings of numerous companies and individuals involved in the Oil-for-Food business in an attempt to learn who may have helped Saddam Hussein's regime beat U.N. sanctions. Newsweek reports in the January 24 issue (on newsstands Monday, January 17) that one businessman under scrutiny is Ben Pollner, a U.S. trader based in Switzerland.

In at least a few instances, the oil's provenance raises troublesome questions. Sources say Pollner bought millions of barrels from an obscure outfit calling itself Fenar Petroleum. Newsweek has obtained a copy of one Oil-for-Food contract that puts Fenar's offices at an address in Liechtenstein. But Fenar's phone number connects instead to a building near Hyde Park in London -- a building where one of Pollner's companies, Taurus Petroleum, has offices. The contract was signed on Fenar's behalf by Musbah Ladki, whom Newsweek has identified as a 48-year-old Beirut businessman. An ExxonMobil spokeswoman, acknowledging that her company bought Iraqi oil from Taurus, insists that any deals were "in full compliance with U.N. resolutions." [. . . . ]

Bloggers' counter-revolution

Bloggers' counter-revolution Phil Kent

What's the newest word getting into the dictionary for the new year? Miriam Webster's editors announce it is "blog" — defined as "a Web site that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks provided by the writer."

So hoist a glass to toast perhaps the most famous "blogger" of 2004 — a brilliant Atlanta lawyer nicknamed "Buckhead." He's the pajama-clad fellow, along with a follow-up host of other Internet truth seekers, who struck a telling blow at anchor Dan Rather and his CBS TV "60 Minutes II" by quickly analyzing and questioning the proportionally spaced fonts used in the so-called National Guard records of George W. Bush.

I congratulate those who are original, who delve and put two and two together. Most of us rely on the good journalists and we try to point readers to what we see as important in their work. I was going to name some but I don't want to leave any out. Any perusal of this site will give a very good idea of who are included.

Thanks to the journalists not in the government's clutches, whether their salaries come from taxpayers or not, whether they are associated with news media who overwhelmingly support one political party or not; thanks to those who try to do a decent job of journalism wherever employed. And thanks to those who have started news media online in Canada, The Western Standard, Canada Free Press, Canadian Coalition for Democracies and the Citizens Centre. Thanks to the think tanks for the research they make available. In fact, we all stand on the shoulders of those who have worked to inform and illuminate. Thanks to all from a blogger.

Bud Talkinghorn: Chretien's legacy of scandal continues -- Sports Coverage Quibble

Bud Talkinghorn: Chretien is gone, but his legacy of scandal continues

The National Post (Jan. 16) reports that Chretien and Alfonso Gagliano set up a deal with the Prime Minister of Lebanon to restructure the failing Lebanese postal system. Somehow Hariri's personally-owned university got a $925,000 CIDA grant in 1998 as part of the bargain. This to a man who was worth an estimated $3 billion. The postal deal involved SNC-Lavalin (one of Chretien's favourite charities) and was announced to trumpets blaring that "it was the deal of the century".

You, humble taxpayer, decide if this was really the deal of the century. The $281 million put up by Canada as seed money to retrain the Lebanese postal workers, has left a post office that still doesn't mail out government cheques. The Lebanese middle man, a Montrealer called El-Husseini, has now become the chairman of Liban Post. The Hariri's university has $US 122.1 million in outstanding student debt "whose collectibility is uncertain". As for SNC-Lavalin, they pulled out of the deal after incurring huge losses; citing their experience with Liban Post as being "extremely difficult."

Everybody in the Liberal government who was involved in this boondoggle (or outright scam) has either tried to spin it as "part of a diplomatic effort to develop good social and civil society relationships," or simply clammed up. Maybe the real question is why are we involved at all with such a failed state as Lebanon? It is a country where the real center of power is split between the Syrian Baathists (backed by 15,000 troops in the country) and Hezbollah, the terrorist group. Now freed from scrutiny Chretien and his business cronies are--or have been--off to China [Bombardier] for more "deals of the century." Paul Martin is in Asia now and soon to be in China for more "deals" -- "business partnerships". Stay tuned to see how much that is going to cost the taxpayer.

© Bud Talkinghorn

Guess who loses, Bud? The little people too busy 'getting and spending' on their taxes to these guys who waste their money; they are too busy to read the fine print when it finally comes out -- years later. NJC




A small quibble with sports coverage

I realize that my favourite TV sports--golf, figure skating, and beach volleyball--may suggest a reduced testosterone level, but I maintain these sports surpass the skill level of college basketball. Tonight was a total bummer, as ABC cut off the entire dance program from their U.S. National Championship so we could watch a bunch of mutant pimpled giants throw a ball. I accept that there is a skill level to these hoopsters, but they aren't even professionals. At least with my choices, they are the creme de la creme of their sports. However, even in ice skating competitions we are now subjected to watching the best of the dancers and pairs reduced to a few competitors, while they parade every stumblebum man and woman in the individual segment. It is that loudmouth Dick Buttons detailing the reason for everyone of their endless pratfalls? Even in golf coverage they have taken to only showing the top four, while the eventful winner, just behind them, has make five birdies in a row. Unless you make a hole-in-one, you are ignored. They used to give you the scores of the potential rivals. Now, if you aren't on page one of the leader board, forget about it. Unless you are Tiger Woods; then you can be nine strokes behind and still hog twenty minutes of coverage as they discuss your swing plane problems. There is something perverse about this selectivity. The last tournament I watched they didn't even flash the field's scores at the end. It didn't matter that one golfer might have shot 62 to come from last to sixth place; you didn't win, 'sucker'. There is some ominous sign here (rampant individualism?) that still eludes full definition. I will keep working on it.

© Bud Talkinghorn

Compilation 2: Tamil Tigers, the PM and Intimidation

List of Articles:

* A blind eye to Tamil terrorism -- Pierre Pettigrew speaks about "a heretofore-unknown Canadian-Norwegian initiative to broker peace"
* A Huff and a Puff and . . . . . Welcome to Canada! -- "Martin won't ban Tamils as terrorists" -- There will be an election and . . .
* "Peace at stake: Martin" -- Check Hansard below: They used this line years ago -- They wouldn't know a terrorist if they tripped over one -- at the voting booth
* Terrorists win PM's ear -- Martin seems oblivious to Tigers' bloody record
* Karygiannis defends trip into Tamil Tiger-controlled regions of Sri Lanka

---

A blind eye to Tamil terrorism -- Pierre Pettigrew speaks about "a heretofore-unknown Canadian-Norwegian initiative to broker peace"

When is this guy going to implode? He's been associated with more than one departmental scandal -- but he always manages to flee just as . . . .

A blind eye to Tamil terrorism National Post, January 18, 2005

In Australia, Britain and the United States, belonging to or attempting to raise funds for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) -- better known as the Tamil Tigers -- can lead to arrest or imprisonment. Given the track record of this vicious terrorist group, that makes sense. But while other countries have banned the LTTE outright, Ottawa turns a blind eye.

[. . . . ] Ottawa's failure to act cannot stem from ignorance. Until a recent shaky ceasefire took effect, the Tigers' two-decade long war with the Sri Lankan government had led to 60,000 deaths, many from LTTE terror bombings and ambushes. World leaders in suicide bombings, the Tigers are known for targetting civilians -- particularly women and children. And they press-gang children into doing much of their fiercest fighting: The LTTE's "Leopard Brigade" contains as many as 3,000 seven- to 14-year-olds who were taken from their parents as toddlers and fed a steady diet of anti-government propaganda and nihilism.

To fund all this, the LTTE extorts money from the Tamil diaspora in over 50 countries, including Canada, threatening to torture or kill loved ones back home if Tamil immigrants don't pay up. They are also notorious for drug-running and people-smuggling.

The LTTE is particularly active within the Tamil communities in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. Just this week, the National Post revealed that Canadian and U.S. authorities had broken up a major Tiger-run smuggling ring that had sought to sneak Tiger agents and fundraisers into Canada via Bangkok, Mexico City and the United States. [. . . . ]

A Huff and a Puff and . . . . . Welcome to Canada! -- "Martin won't ban Tamils as terrorists" -- There will be an election and . . .

Martin won't ban Tamils as terrorists Robert Fife, CanWest News Service, Jan. 17, 05

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka -- Prime Minister Paul Martin vowed to speak forcefully today against the recruitment of child soldiers by Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers rebels but refused to join the United States, Australia and Great Britain in banning them as a terrorist organization in Canada. [. . . . ]

Have you seen PM "speak forcefully"? What was the result? Lengthy -- check it out.




"Peace at stake: Martin" -- Check Hansard below: They used this line years ago -- They wouldn't know a terrorist if they tripped over one -- at the voting booth

Peace at stake: Martin -- "a request from Norway" -- hitherto unknown

OTTAWA and COLOMBO - Canada has not added the Tamil Tigers to its list of banned terrorist organizations because of a request from Norway, which is trying to broker a peace deal in Sri Lanka's two-decades-old civil war, the National Post has learned.

Scroll down for the warnings from CSIS and Conservative MP Kevin Sorenson -- issued years ago.




Terrorists win PM's ear -- Martin seems oblivious to Tigers' bloody record

Terrorists win PM's ear -- Martin seems oblivious to Tigers' bloody record Calgary Herald, Jan. 18, 05

Prime Minister Paul Martin, who met Monday in Colombo with spokesmen for Sri Lanka's rebel Tamil minority, seems to have a deliberate blind spot about the terrorist war that raged there from 1983 until a recent truce.

Consequently, he has offended his hosts, the duly constituted and internationally recognized government of Sri Lanka. He also fuels anxiety among Canadians, who fear Liberal foreign policy reflects less their country's best interests than his party's need to keep Tamils in the Toronto area voting Liberal.

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam share little with Canadian values. Other terrorists may be more dangerous to western interests, but for sheer bloodletting, this group is among the worst. Their bombings, assassinations and unconventional warfare against Colombo's armed forces have claimed more than 62,000 lives -- more than al-Qaeda, the PLO and Hamas elsewhere combined. [. . . . ]

Has Paul Martin no ethical--common sense--center? Courting votes? Questionable "business" affiliations? Does concern for the rest of Canadians ever move this man to do what is prudent for our security? They are intimidating Canadians! They have succeeded with the Martin Liberals -- with Karygiannis and the PM, himself. Their actions are eloquent.




Karygiannis defends trip into Tamil Tiger-controlled regions of Sri Lanka

Tamils have a sizeable presence of about 250,000 in Canada; approximately more than two-thirds of this population live in the Greater Toronto Area and play a key role in the Liberal Party politics. An overwhelming majority of Tamils supported Mr. Martin in his quest to become leader of the Liberal Party.

Karygiannis defends trip into Tamil Tiger-controlled regions of Sri Lanka January 17, 2005, F. Abbas Rana

Five-term government backbencher Jim Karygiannis [accompanied by his riding office assistant Anton Kanagasuntheri, a Sri Lankan Canadian], who is on a self-financed trip to Sri Lanka to observe the destruction, first-hand caused by the Dec. 26 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami that killed an estimated 150,000 people, angrily rejected criticism launched against him last week from a fellow Liberal MP who suggested his visit into Tamil Tiger-controlled regions will fuel conflict.

Liberal MP David Kilgour (Edmonton-Beaumont, Alta.) last week publicly criticized Mr. Karygiannis (Scarborough-Agincourt, Ont.) for visiting Tamil Tiger-controlled regions of Sri Lanka and meeting leaders of the rebels' political wing.

[. . . . ] Tamils have a sizeable presence of about 250,000 in Canada; approximately more than two-thirds of this population live in the Greater Toronto Area and play a key role in the Liberal Party politics. An overwhelming majority of Tamils supported Mr. Martin in his quest to become leader of the Liberal Party. [. . . . ]

Compilation 1: Canadian Government Was Warned Repeatedly about Terrorists in Canada -- Tamil Tigers, Medievalism Out of the Middle East

I intended to post these earlier but various events intervened. The substance is important.

Note one sentence today:

Canadian passports are a hot commodity in Sri Lanka.

List of Articles that follow:

* Canadian Government Was Warned Repeatedly about Terrorists in Canada -- Tamil Tigers
* CSIS warned Ottawa of terror fronts -- Tamils reject report, deny any part in covert operations -- Canadian government 'suckered' -- or 'complicit' in return for votes?
* CULTURAL HERITAGE -- "neither I nor the Minister of Finance [Paul Martin] attended a Tamil Tiger event. We attended a cultural event of the Tamil community of Toronto."
* Keeping a war on hold? -- A rare visit to rebel Tamil Tigers territory in Sri Lanka following the tsunami's carnage -- "jockeying over the delivery of aid and control of the refugee camps"
* Canadian government cozies up to terrorists -- "Mr. Karygiannis said that from what he's seeing, northern Tamils are “more than willing” to go to Colombo to have their immigration applications processed."
* CSIS irked by block on Tamil Tigers ban -- Insiders say Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham thwarted the move by the spy agency.
* Terrorism: Kevin Sorenson, MP Crowfoot -- Member of the Subcommittee on National Security -- June 2003 -- This government cannot say it was not warned.

---

CSIS warned Ottawa of terror fronts -- Tamils reject report, deny any part in covert operations -- Canadian government 'suckered' -- or 'complicit' in return for votes?

The CSIS report, which was distributed to other federal government departments and agencies, says that between one and two million dollars is raised here each year for the Sri Lankan guerrilla group, making Canada one of the largest contributors worldwide, and alleges that some of the money is being channelled to the LTTE's weapons procurement arm in Thailand.

The leaked report is the latest suggestion that Canada has become a crucial support base for some of the world's most notorious terrorist organizations.

CSIS warned Ottawa of terror fronts -- Tamils reject report, deny any part in covert operations Stewart Bell, National Post, Dec. 9, 2000

Note the date.

TORONTO - Eight non-profit organizations and five companies are operating in Canada as fronts for the Tamil Tigers terrorist group, according to secret intelligence documents that provide the first official confirmation that the Liberal government has received explicit warnings that the country is being used as a base for murderous operations overseas.

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service report, distributed internally this year and obtained by the National Post, shows that several organizations and businesses within Canada are suspected by the government of being linked to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Sri Lankan insurgents who specialize in suicide bombings and political assassination.

When the report's core allegation was put to them, the named non-profits denied being fronts and said the money they raise in Canada is used to assist the 700,000 victims of war displaced by fighting in the jungles of northeast Sri Lanka.

[. . . . ] The CSIS report, which was distributed to other federal government departments and agencies, says that between one and two million dollars is raised here each year for the Sri Lankan guerrilla group, making Canada one of the largest contributors worldwide, and alleges that some of the money is being channelled to the LTTE's weapons procurement arm in Thailand.

The leaked report is the latest suggestion that Canada has become a crucial support base for some of the world's most notorious terrorist organizations. Despite being labeled as "LTTE Front Organizations in Canada," some of the groups on the CSIS list receive federal, provincial and local government grants totalling millions of dollars and have hosted Canadian politicians at their functions.

The Tigers have traditionally raised money through the use of front groups such as the World Tamil Movement (WTM) and Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO), which collect money for humanitarian purposes, the report says. "However most funds raised under the banner of humanitarian organizations such as the TRO are channeled instead to fund the LTTE war effort." [. . . . ]

"The LTTE operates like a multinational corporation with a network ... all over the world. This network consists of commercial companies and small businesses set up in Malaysia, Singapore, Bangladesh, China and some Western countries," CSIS says. It also includes political offices, procurement offices and aid and humanitarian organizations in at least 40 countries. [. . . . ]

The secret document listing the alleged fronts was obtained from a source outside CSIS, which does not publicly disclose its targets. [. . . . ]

There is more, if you link.



CULTURAL HERITAGE -- "neither I nor the Minister of Finance [Paul Martin] attended a Tamil Tiger event. We attended a cultural event of the Tamil community of Toronto."

Note that this comes from Hansard, May 31, 2000.

CULTURAL HERITAGE

Mr. Ted White (North Vancouver, Canadian Alliance): Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Finance said that although he had Irish blood running in his veins that did not mean he was a member of the IRA, but if the finance minister started attending IRA cultural events, you can bet we would have some pretty tough questions for him.

The fact is CSIS, the U.S. state department and security analysts in Australia and Scotland all say that the FACT is a fundraising front for the Tamil Tigers.

How can the minister continue to defend his attendance at a FACT event in the light of that evidence?

The Speaker: [. . . . ] I ruled this type of question out of order yesterday. [. . . ] but if she would like to respond, the hon. minister. [Ed's emphasis. That the government really controls the appointment of the Speaker . . . . so . . . . useful.]

Hon. Maria Minna (Minister for International Cooperation, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, yes, I do want to answer because neither I nor the Minister of Finance attended a Tamil Tiger event. We attended a cultural event of the Tamil community of Toronto.

I lived for decades under the accusation that the Italian Canadian community was Mafiosi and part of the Mafia. I will not tar the whole of the Tamil community in the same manner.

Mr. Ted White (North Vancouver, Canadian Alliance): [. . . . ] Mr. Speaker, during the 35th parliament, this government was warned repeatedly by CSIS and what was formerly the Reform Party that the Babar Khalsa Sikh charity in B.C. was raising money for terrorist activities overseas. It took years to get the Babar Khalsa charitable status cancelled. Now it looks like the finance minister is repeating history, this time in connection with the Tamil Tigers.

If the FACT has done nothing wrong, will the Minister of Finance please stand now and say that he supports an inquiry into the activities of that group in Canada?

Hon. Paul Martin (Minister of Finance, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, Tamil Canadians are making a contribution to this country in virtually every segment of our society. We will build Canada only by embracing new communities, not by shunning then. [. . . . ]

Keeping a war on hold? -- A rare visit to rebel Tamil Tigers territory in Sri Lanka following the tsunami's carnage -- "jockeying over the delivery of aid and control of the refugee camps"

Keeping a war on hold? Bay Fang

KALLADY, SRI LANKA--The cease-fire has held for almost three years, but here in the sandy courtyard of the Ramakrishna Mission Girls' School, a Sri Lankan Army officer and a Tamil Tiger rebel are fighting--albeit over a package of milk. Lieutenant Alwis, 25, glowers at 20-year-old Kalairasan. "I am in charge of this camp!" he shouts in Sinhalese, which a policeman then translates into Tamil. Kalairasan turns away, frowning. Though the officer instituted a food distribution system when he took charge of the camp three days ago, a Tamil woman had come to Kalairasan, the Tiger representative, asking for some milk beyond her ration amount. He got it for her from the camp's central supply. "If we let that guy [Alwis] distribute everything, people will think all the food is from the Army!" the rebel grumbles.

On the island nation of Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean, the December 26 tsunami may have swept away families and homes, but the hostilities and distrust brought on by 20 years of civil war remain. Since the disaster struck these shores, leaving at least 30,000 dead and over 100,000 homeless, the Sri Lankan government and the rebel group, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, have been jockeying over the delivery of aid and control of the refugee camps. The Tigers initially tried to channel all relief in Tamil areas of the north and east through their own aid organization, denouncing the government for favoring areas under its control in the south. The government, citing the need to provide security, decreed that the military would run the hundreds of refugee camps, including those in Tamil areas. [. . . . ]

Some also believe the Tigers could be exaggerating the aid shortfall in hopes of getting more help from the international community--and, perhaps, to draw world attention to their independence ambitions. [. . . . ]

Now the new Minister Volpe is going to fast track the entry of . . . . . Guess.




Canadian government cozies up to terrorists -- "Mr. Karygiannis said that from what he's seeing, northern Tamils are “more than willing” to go to Colombo to have their immigration applications processed."

Importing Liberal votes? Sgro may be gone but new Minister Volpe will carry out this Liberal vote getter. Shame!

Sri Lanka says Ottawa cozies up to militants Colin Freeze, Jan. 14, 05

[. . . . Former] Immigration Minister Judy Sgro [said] that Canadian visa officers could be sent to Tamil areas to find disaster victims with close relatives who want to immigrate to Canada if those people have difficulty getting to Colombo to file their applications.

But W.H. Wiswa Warnapala, the deputy foreign minister of Sri Lanka's Sinhalese-dominated parliament, said that would irritate his government, which waged a bloody, 20-year civil war with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam until a ceasefire two years ago. [. . . . ]

CSIS irked by block on Tamil Tigers ban -- Insiders say Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham thwarted the move by the spy agency.

CSIS irked by block on Tamil Tigers ban -- Insiders say Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham thwarted the move by the spy agency.

OTTAWA -- Canada's spy agency is frustrated that Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham has blocked adding the Tamil Tigers to the country's list of banned terrorist groups, it was reported yesterday. Insiders say the Canadian Security Intelligence Service had recommended that the Tigers be included when the federal cabinet moved to ban five other groups, including the Sikh extremist organization Babbar Khalsa, believed to be responsible for the 1985 Air India bombing.

But officials said cabinet sided with Graham, who objected to outlawing the Tamil Tigers, who use suicide bombings, car bombs and assassination squads to wage a war of independence, for fear it could jeopardize tenuous peace talks with the Sri Lanka government.

Check today's National Post headline. The government is still using that line. How long will this go on?

However, a senior official at Foreign Affairs said Graham is concerned that declaring the Tamil Tigers a terrorist organization would prevent its leaders from attending Sri Lankan peace talks held in other parts of the world. [. . . . ]

The fact that they vote Liberal (Check the Toronto ridings of the new Minister of Immigration Volpe -- and of ex-Minister Sgro.) would have absolutely NOTHING to do with this, of course -- or is it the travel perquisites?




Terrorism: Kevin Sorenson, MP Crowfoot -- Member of the Subcommittee on National Security -- June 2003 -- This government cannot say it was not warned.

Kevin Sorenson, MP Crowfoot: Terrorism June 5, 2003

Mr. Kevin Sorenson (Crowfoot, Canadian Alliance): Mr. Speaker, . . . . I must question why the statement was made.

The Solicitor General, other than tabling the Canadian Security Intelligence Service public report, provided us with absolutely no new information or updates on the status of security in this country. Repeatedly the Solicitor General stated:

We must acknowledge that Canada is threatened by terrorism. Recent events remind us that Canada is not immune from the threat or from acts of terrorism.

The Solicitor General and the government should have recognized this long before September 11. Canada is not immune and was not immune from terrorism.

I stood in the House together with many of my Canadian Alliance colleagues months prior to September 11 condemning the government and questioning it for its failure to take the threat of terrorism and the threat of organized crime in this country seriously. Since 9/11 we have repeatedly demanded that the government improve the intelligence capability of our security forces by providing them with the much needed resources to do their job effectively.

[. . . .] Bill C-36, the anti-terrorism act, received royal assent in December 2001. It is a year and a half later and only 26 entities are listed as terrorist organizations, while the United Nations' list includes and identifies some 200.

[. . . . ] the Solicitor General should be doing much more, such as identifying and listing the entities at a much faster rate and significantly increasing the resources to both CSIS and the RCMP. The government should be tightening airport and port security. It should be providing CSIS with the power and the authority to operate abroad rather than relying and piggybacking on other foreign countries for intelligence information.

As a member of the Subcommittee on National Security, I have repeatedly questioned witnesses regarding whether or not the powers of CSIS should be expanded, or whether a new and separate agency should be established based on differing opinions and different individuals coming forward with different ideas regarding this.

In 2002 Richard Fadden, the former deputy clerk of the Privy Council, publicly questioned if it was “time to think about a formalized capacity to collect foreign intelligence”.

Although the director of CSIS disputes it, many experts claim that CSIS is limited by law from taking an offensive stance with overseas espionage, relying primarily on the help of spy services from other countries for its external intelligence. Furthermore, a federal study concluded that Canada needs overseas units to intercept and obstruct criminals and/or their illegal commodities from reaching Canadian shores.

The former foreign affairs minister, and one of the Liberal leadership hopefuls, is on record as stating that rather than expanding foreign intelligence capabilities to CSIS, he would prefer a separate agency established within foreign affairs, much like the United States' Central Intelligence Agency. [subject to the need for votes, then]

A number of security experts have strongly suggested that the government establish a formal ministry of national security headed by a single cabinet minister with foreign intelligence capabilities. This recommendation was made in respect to concerns raised in 1996 by the Auditor General that there was within our national security information systems “a pattern of inadequate information to support front line officials responsible for national security”. In other words, put it under one cabinet post, under one portfolio.

Many concerns have been raised regarding the lack of coordination and cooperation within the 17 different federal departments and agencies with national security responsibilities. Yet, the present Solicitor General and other solicitor generals have failed to address the Auditor General's 1996 findings. The Solicitor General has failed to initiate the debate regarding establishing a new national security ministry. He has failed to provide our security forces with the power and capabilities to collect foreign intelligence.

. . . we rely on foreign countries. . . . we have no, or very little, capability to gather our own information.

Therefore, I take great exception to the Solicitor General's statement that CSIS has significantly increased its information exchange with its partners. [. . . . ]

I take great exception to the Solicitor General coming to the House today and making a statement on security that provides absolutely no new information, no new announcements and no new updates as to the state of security in this country.

Terrorism

Mr. Kevin Sorenson (Crowfoot, Canadian Alliance): Mr. Speaker, according to a November 2002 RCMP report, 8,000 Tamil Tigers involved in extortion, intimidation, and the smuggling of migrants are operating in Toronto. CSIS estimates that the Tamil Tigers raise millions of dollars each year to help fund and purchase weapons to carry on their war back home.

How much more evidence does the Solicitor General need before he adds the Tamil Tigers to Canada's list of terrorist entities?

Hon. Wayne Easter (Solicitor General of Canada, Lib.): LTTE was listed under the United Nations suppression of terrorism regulations and its assets can be frozen and seized.
[Freeze assets, but get those Liberal voters into Canada.]

Mr. Kevin Sorenson (Crowfoot, Canadian Alliance): Mr. Speaker, they are still not added to Canada's list of entities. Perhaps the problem is that this is the same group that the former finance minister helped support with his attendance at one of their fundraisers.

Canadian passports are a hot commodity in Sri Lanka. They are a hot commodity for profiteers who are sending illegal immigrants to Canada. When will the Solicitor General take seriously the claims of Sri Lanka and put a stop to the dangerous activities--

The Speaker: The hon. Solicitor General.

Hon. Wayne Easter (Solicitor General of Canada, Lib.):[. . . . ] understand the amount of effort that Canada is making both within Canada and around the world to cut the financing of terrorist groups and to address the terrorism issue.

Note that he did not say he had outlawed this terrorist group--nor that Liberals courting votes would stop attending their fundraisers. Did terrorists contribute to the Liberals' election campaign?




Were waves the fault of 'infidels'? -- "Today, the West must protect itself from the medievalism of the Middle East."

Were waves the fault of 'infidels'? Salim Mansur, January 12, 2005

[. . . . ] The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), based in Washington, has been providing since 1998, as its Web site notes, "timely translations of Arabic, Farsi, and Hebrew media."

This service of reporting -- unedited and uncensored -- what is said by those who shape public opinion in the region provides a window to the thinking of the people there.

A review of MEMRI's recent translations of statements relating to the Asian tsunami in the Arab media is at once shocking and revealing of the mindset of many religious, academic and political leaders of the Arab-Muslim world.

An Egyptian correspondent, Mahmoud Bakri, writing for Egypt's weekly magazine Al-Usbu', developed an ingenious, conspiracy-laden theory for the disaster. Bakri posed the question "Was (it) caused by American, Israeli, and Indian nuclear testing on the day of horror?"

Then he answered: "... although so far it has not been proven that secret Indian-Israeli nuclear testing is what caused the destructive earthquake, there is evidence that the recent nuclear tests, the exchange of nuclear experts between India and Israel, and the American pressure on Pakistan regarding its nuclear cooperation with Asian and Islamic countries -- all these pose a big question mark regarding the causes of the severe earthquake in Asia."

These words illuminate the minds of the people who utter them and of those who accept. [. . . . ]

This medievalism, often in the guise of Islam, rages in fury at the world beyond itself. It extols the virtues of suicide bombers, blames Jews and infidels for the ills of the world, and declares war on the West.

There is a lesson in this. It took Europe centuries to escape the fanaticism and impoverishment of the medieval age.

Today, the West must protect itself from the medievalism of the Middle East. [. . . . ]

Business as Usual & Some Background -- BC Rail, LNG, Oil, Ports, Privatization, Prince Rupert, Various Stakeholders, Basi's Boys-Laundering & More

Today's post is lengthy but it raises some question, I think, about "business" in Canada. You may decide for yourself whether there is anything to worry about. What follows is a list of the articles and relevant links; some items might have been better placed elsewhere, in a different order, but time is a problem.

* Deal signed for new Prince Rupert port facilities (Dec. 13, 04)
* WestPac used to be North American Tungsten Corp Ltd -- NTC on the Vancouver Stock Exchange -- gold and precious metals
* Terasen Gas (Vancouver Island) Inc. (“TGVI”) and WestPac Terminals have been in competition
* The Competition: Letter Re: Terasen Gas (Vancouver Island) Inc. (“TGVI”) -- June 2004 Resource Plan Filing Certificate of Public Convinience and Necessity Application -- Enbridge "Gateway project and it expects to reach preliminary supply deals with refineries in China" -- Enbridge eyes $2.5 billion pipeline deal for 2005 (13 Dec 2004)
* 'Big things' in store for Prince Rupert -- "un-named investor" -- Husky Energy Inc.
* Jackie Jura: Husky oil
* Enbridge May Offer China Oil-Sands Pipeline Stake -- Terasen (formerly North American Tungsten Corp Ltd), Husky's Tucker and Sunrise mentioned

* Any connections? PM, BC Rail Privatization, Basi's Boys, Rail line to Fort Nelson, Omnitrax, Prince Rupert-Superport, Privatization-Foreign Interests-BC, Enbridge-Terasen-Husky Oil

* HUSKY OIL TO SPEND MILLIONS ON WHITE ROSE OIL FIELD
* Link to "DIVERSIFICATION UNDERWAY AT PORT OF PRINCE RUPERT" (2001)
* Huge $200m gas project hits ‘critical milestone’ December 13, 2004
* Quebec begins major LNG project
* "Ridley Terminals, a federal Crown corporation" -- financing mentioned
* Enbridge of Calgary, a part owner of Gaz Metropolitain -- Gaz de France -- WestPac has agreement with Ridley Terminals, a federal Crown Corporation
* Jackie Jura: Husky ranks among Canada's top producers of crude oil, natural gas and recovered sulfur.
* Better bet for B.C. -- Oil sands pipelines, LNG terminals hold more immediate promise than offshore oil and gas development; Enbridge, Terasen in tight race -- Is Ridley Island owned by the federal Crown Corp's Ridley Terminals
* Petroleum News: Forecasting a Mackenzie gas footprint -- Arctic environmental watchdog reviews possible scope of gas exploration, development and pipelines in Northwest Territories
* Venezuela's Chavez pledges support for Chinese oil exploration
* Super port concept will not benefit city, Krusel -- Prince Rupert
* Philanthropy of the highest order, indeed. What does philanthropy buy?
* Tycoon to create $1.2B charity -- Hong Kong tycoon selling CIBC stake -- Money to help less fortunate Canadians

* An Aside: How does all this fit together? Observations and Questions

* Operation Everywhichway

* An Aside Continued: How does all this fit together? Observations and Questions

* A Province for Sale? As B.C. assets shift into foreign hands, some see a big cost: Ability to chart our own economic future -- Terasen used to be BC Gas -- mentions Kicking Horse Canyon upgrade, the Golden Ears Bridge, the Okanagan Lake Crossing, the RAV line, the Sea to Sky Highway upgrade and the Sierra Yoyo Desan Road -- American Accenture, COPE, foreign owners

* Link to "Public Versus Private Ownership and Operation of Airports and Seaports in Canada "

* Who Paid for Liberal Party Memberships in BC? Basi's boys' "influence was largely based on being able to bring in the Indo-Canadian vote" for Paul Martin and his Liberals

* Raiding the BC Legislature
Two former B.C. gov't aides charged -- mentions B.C. Rail, Fort Nelson, Tumbler Ridge
* Have you had enough yet?
* "Who allegedly bought influence?" -- These indictments allege corruption of major government deals. So why the big yawn?
* Link for the "BC Basis' Boys" Section: RCMP-Drugs-Maine-NB Border-Organized Crime, Charges Laid-BC-Basi's Boys & PM's Organizers, Worthington-Sharia-Canada, Arafat's Investments
* Port of Prince Rupert -- mentions "Direct access to CN Rail's high capacity northern mainline and the Trans-Canada Yellowhead Highway"

---

Deal signed for new Prince Rupert port facilities -- LNG

Deal signed for new Prince Rupert port facilities December 13, 2004

PRINCE RUPERT, B.C. - The Prince Rupert Port Authority has signed an agreement with a Calgary company to develop a terminal for liquefied natural gas.

Under the agreement, WestPac Terminals has a 30-year lease and exclusive rights to develop the gas facility. The $200 million proposal involves construction of a storage tank and dock facilities. [. . . . ]

[. . . .] its proximity to gas producing nations. Most of the liquified natural gas imported to North America comes from Indonesia, Australia and the Middle East.

Would anything else be shipped in or out?

". . . allows us specifically to bring in very large LNG ships. . . on the drawing board. . ."

WestPac used to be North American Tungsten Corp Ltd -- NTC on the Vancouver Stock Exchange -- gold and precious metals

WestPac used to be North American Tungsten Corp Ltd -- NTC on the Vancouver Stock Exchange -- gold and precious metals

Terasen Gas (Vancouver Island) Inc. (“TGVI”) and WestPac Terminals -- competition

Terasen Gas (Vancouver Island) Inc. (“TGVI”)
and WestPac Terminals have been in competition and WestPac made a "Request for Intervenor Status WestPac Terminals Inc.has announced plans to develop a LNG importation terminal and related facilities along the west coast of British Columbia. "

One element of the proposed project will be the ability to provide long-term supplies of natural gas to Vanouver Island. Our project can offer alternatives to the proposed TGVI LNG production and storage facility and can provide natural gas supply alternatives to fuel proposed electric power generation facilities on Vancouver Island. Because our project may be materially affected by actions proposed by TGVI or by decisions made by the Commission in the course of its review of the TGVI applications, WestPac Terminals Inc. formally requests that it be designated an “Intervenor” in the proposed hearings related to the TGVI June 2004 Resource Plan hearings and for the Terasen application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity relating to Terasen’s proposed LNG production and storage facility on Vancouver Island. [. . . . ]

The Competition: Letter Re: Terasen Gas (Vancouver Island) Inc. (“TGVI”) -- June 2004 Resource Plan Filing Certificate of Public Convinience and Necessity Application -- Enbridge "Gateway project and it expects to reach preliminary supply deals with refineries in China" -- Enbridge eyes $2.5 billion pipeline deal for 2005

If you look in the archives from the last week here or in News Junkie Canada's archives, there is a post on an old agrement that Trans Canada Pipeline could build a pipeline. Is this the same or another pipeline? Check.

Enbridge eyes $2.5 billion pipeline deal for 2005 or here 13 Dec 2004

CALGARY - A Calgary company says it could have an oil pipeline built across northern British Columbia by the end of the decade.

Enbridge says says there is a lot of international interest in its Gateway project and it expects to reach preliminary supply deals with refineries in China sometime next year.

Enbridge says the best way to connect supply and demand is through an oil pipeline between northern Alberta and the B.C. north coast.

The company is proposing to build a 1,200-kilometre pipeline and a tanker facility at either Prince Rupert or Kitimat to ship the oil overseas.

[. . . . ]


'Big things' in store for Prince Rupert -- "un-named investor" -- Husky Energy Inc.

'Big things' in store for Prince Rupert Dec. 2, 04

VICTORIA (CKNW/AM980) -- Premier Gordon Campbell let slip today that a major investor is looking to spend what he calls "enormous amounts" of money on the port.

"I can't tell you the name of the investor, but I can tell you that there is a lot of interest in China with regard to Prince Rupert and opening it up as a major gateway into British Columbia, into Canada, into the continent...it's 30 hours closer to the Asian markets (than Vancouver)."

Campbell adds the un-named investor is urging the government to do more to expand the port. He's hoping to convince Ottawa to get on board, saying Prince Rupert could become a major interchange for the entire continent in the next 20 years.

[. . . . ] According to Ralph Klein, quoted in the Globe and Mail, the Chinese company is oil giant Husky Energy Inc.

[. . . . ]


Jackie Jura: Husky oil

Jackie Jura: Husky oil



Enbridge May Offer China Oil-Sands Pipeline Stake -- Terasen, Husky's 'Tucker' and 'Sunrise' mentioned

Enbridge May Offer China Oil-Sands Pipeline Stake December 23, 2004, Jeffrey Jones

Note the date. Did you read much news the day before Christmas eve?

CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) - Enbridge Inc. may offer an equity stake in a Canadian oil sands pipeline to a Chinese investor, but is concentrating efforts on attracting shippers for the C$2.5 billion ($2 billion) proposal, a spokesman said on Thursday.

[. . . . ] There is potential for Enbridge to hive off a stake in the 400,000-barrel-a-day Gateway project, targeted for start-up after 2009, spokesman Ian La Couvee said.

But he would not confirm a New York Times report on Thursday that the company, best known as operator of the main crude oil export pipeline to the United States, was in talks to offer 49 percent of the pipeline to a Chinese energy company. [Husky?]

[. . . . ] Early this month, Terasen Inc. said it was aiming for Asian refiners with a planned expansion of its 250,000 bpd Trans Mountain pipeline system, and was looking for expressions of interest from potential shippers.

The BC government privatized BC Hydro -- it became BC Gas, was sold to Terasen, which started out as North American Tungsten Corp Ltd. In addition, shares in oil producer and refiner Husky Energy Inc. surged in November on speculation that its majority owner, Hong Kong magnate Li Ka-shing, was in talks to sell out to a Chinese oil company, the Chinese government.

Husky is planning two large Alberta oil sands projects, called 'Tucker' and 'Sunrise'.




Any connections? The articles which follow mention: the PM, BC Rail Privatization, Basi's Boys, Rail line to Fort Nelson, Omnitrax, Prince Rupert-Superport, Privatization-Foreign Interests-BC, Enbridge-Terasen-Husky Oil, and Newfoundland



Think about Newfoundland's disagreement with the federal government about oil revenues. There are several mentions on this site and on News Junkie Canada. See articles on the flag.

HUSKY OIL TO SPEND MILLIONS ON WHITE ROSE OIL FIELD U.S. & FOREIGN COMMERCIAL SERVICE AND U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, 2001

SUMMARY: Husky Oil . . . . its White Rose oil field, 350 km offshore Newfoundland. . . . using a floating production, storage and off-loading (FPSO) system . . . . Husky plans to develop the field using 15 subsea wells tied back, via manifolds, flowlines, and flexible risers to the FPSO [. . . . ]

On the same site is a link to this article.

DIVERSIFICATION UNDERWAY AT PORT OF PRINCE RUPERT Cheryl Schell, 07/04/2001

The Port of Prince Rupert also boasts the deepest harbor in North America and is ice-free year round. The Port of Prince Rupert is also the northernmost railhead on the continent, and as result, it is linked to major cities across the continent by rail, road and air. [. . . . ]

Huge $200m gas project hits ‘critical milestone’

Huge $200m gas project hits ‘critical milestone’ Leanne Ritchie, Prince Rupert Daily News, December 13, 2004

[. . . . ] WestPac Terminals has signed an agreement that gives them exclusive rights for LNG development on 250 acres of industrial land on Ridley Island.

[. . . . ] The $200 million project will comprise of, at minimum, a 180,000 cubic-metre storage tank, dock facilities and re-gasification plant. LNG will be transported to the terminal in large ocean tankers where it will be off-loaded and stored in the tank in its cooled liquid state.

[. . . . ] WestPac will be the terminal operator only, responsible to receive, store and deliver LNG to shippers who contract capacity at the WestPac Terminal. The shippers will be responsible for the purchase of LNG and its delivery to demand centres on B.C. and North American markets.

[. . . . ] WestPac had previously signed an agreement with Ridley Terminals [crown corp.] to use part of their facilities however an increasing world demand for coal has prompted a rise in the use of that facility, prompting the new agreement with the port.

Quebec begins major LNG project -- "Ridley Terminals, a federal Crown corporation" -- "financing" mentioned

It might be useful to find out more about Ridley Terminals.

Alexander's Gas and Oil Connection website. The link is below; scroll down or search.

The company’s financing for the project will come with agreements for shippers to use the terminal’s capacity. “Before any construction takes place, long-term supply agreements have to take place and thus financing agreements have to be in place before a shovel hits the ground,” said Krusel [. . . .] Kitimat is also supporting a proposed LNG terminal 13 kilometres south of their community. Privately held Galveston LNG has already begun the environmental assessment for that $300-million project which is anticipated to be operation by the end of 2008.

[. . . . ]



Quebec begins major LNG project -- Enbridge of Calgary, a part owner of Gaz Metropolitain -- Gaz de France, specialist in LNG -- Rabaska project -- WestPac has agreement with Ridley Terminals, a federal Crown corporation

Quebec begins major LNG project

04-07-04 Quebec's dominant natural gas distributor has embarked on an ambitious project to import LNG so the province won't be entirely dependent on Alberta as its sole source of natural gas.

Gaz Metropolitain has chosen its two partners for the project that would cost more than $ 2.7 bn, and has picked a site for a deepwater port and gas terminal near Quebec City. Enbridge of Calgary, a part owner of Gaz Metropolitain, and Gaz de France, the leading gas utility in that country and a specialist in LNG, are the other partners in the Rabaska project.

Gaz de France would be responsible for the $ 2 bn cost of securing contracts with suppliers, building LNG terminals at the supplier and providing four tanker ships to bring the liquid gas to the port on the St Lawrence River.

This is globalization. Why are Canadian companies not doing this? Why is France involved?

[. . . . ] Calgary-based WestPac Terminals said it has entered into an agreement with Ridley Terminals, a federal Crown corporation, to build an LNG terminal at the port of Prince Rupert, BC. Also expected to reach completion by 2009, the Prince Rupert terminal would receive LNG from the Middle East, Indonesia and Australia for natural gas markets in western North America. [. . . .]

Is it the "receiving" or what is going to be "shipped out" that is so important?



Jackie Jura: Husky ranks among Canada's top producers of crude oil, natural gas and recovered sulfur.

Jackie Jura: Husky ranks among Canada's top producers of crude oil, natural gas and recovered sulfur.

With Husky in its control, China could cushion the blow of oil price hikes with rising profits at the Calgary company... Over the long term China hopes to import unrefined oil from Husky's fledgling oil sands projects in Alberta.

Imagine a western nation so dumbed down and corrupted that news of a vital oil producer being sold to the Communist Chinese results in a rise on the stock-market. This reinforces a statement I heard awhile back, ie that "Canada's not a country, it's a corporation". And I might add, its citizens aren't shareholders. ~ Jackie Jura

[. . . . ]



Better bet for B.C. -- Oil sands pipelines, LNG terminals hold more immediate promise than offshore oil and gas development; Enbridge, Terasen in tight race -- Is Ridley Island owned by the federal Crown Corp's Ridley Terminals

Better bet for B.C. Gary Park, Week of January 09, 2005, Petroleum News Calgary Correspondent

[. . . . ] Enbridge and Terasen are in the thick of a contest to build a pipeline link from the oil sands of northern Alberta to a deepwater terminal at Prince Rupert or Kitimat, while two little-known companies are vying for rights to build a liquefied natural gas receiving terminal in the same area.

[. . . . ] Terasen, in setting a Jan. 26 deadline for “expressions of interest,” is equally certain it is the front-runner because of the options it is offering — a view that Credit Suisse First Boston analyst Dominique Barker endorses because of the opposition she expects Enbridge will encounter from aboriginal groups along its right of way in British Columbia.

[. . . . ] Enbridge focus is Gateway

Enbridge is pinning its hopes on the Gateway project, a 400,000 bpd system costing C$2.5 billion, with 75-80 percent of the volumes destined for Asia (likely China) and the rest to California.

. . . interim agreement with Nexen and OPTI Canada. . . .

That also requires expansion of Enbridge’s 330-mile Athabasca pipeline. . . . which links Fort McMurray with the Enbridge mainline at Hardisty in central Alberta. . .

Also on Enbridge’s drawing boards is a 270-mile Waupisoo pipeline from the Fort McMurray area to Edmonton refineries and upgraders — a C$300 million undertaking to offer 600,000 bpd of space by 2008.

[. . . . ] Terasen offering options

[. . . . ] plans for an initial “anchor loop” on the Trans Mountain pipeline from Edmonton to British Columbia’s Lower Mainland, spending C$570 million to hike volumes to 300,000 bpd from 225,000 bpd by 2008, offering tolls of C$1.40 per barrel.

From that phase, Terasen is pitching either a Southern Option or Northern Option.

[. . . . ] The Northern Option proposed more than 600 miles of new pipe to offer 500,000 bpd of heavy and light crude space to either Prince Rupert or Kitimat, which Enbridge says would accommodate 250,000-metric ton tankers, compared with the limit of 80,000 metric tons at Lower Mainland ports, as well as a much shorter ocean route to Asia.

Two firms have LNG terminal plans

[. . . . ] two privately held Calgary firms are stepping up their attempts to build LNG receiving terminals.

WestPac Terminals, in partnership with Moneta Capital Partners, has just entered a 30-year lease with the Prince Rupert Port Authority and Galveston LNG has raised C$50 million, about one-tenth of what it estimates is needed to construct a terminal.

WestPac’s lease gives it exclusive rights for an LNG project on 250 acres of industrial land on Ridley Island near Prince Rupert.

Is Ridley Island owned by the federal government's Ridley Terminals, a crown corporation? How precient of somebody to get this island, was it not? With a crown corporation involved, even peripherially, WestPac Terminals . . .

It opens the way for WestPac to move forward on other aspects of its C$200 million venture to ship LNG from possible sources in the Middle east, Australia, Indonesia and Russia. Plans call for daily volumes of 300 million cubic feet per day, starting in 2009.

[. . . . ] Galveston has also filed for regulatory approval and claims to have the backing of the Town of Kitimat, where residents are more interested in its chances of an economic infusion than mounting environmental opposition.

Check here for petroleum news


Forecasting a Mackenzie gas footprint -- Arctic environmental watchdog reviews possible scope of gas exploration, development and pipelines in Northwest Territories

Forecasting a Mackenzie gas footprint -- Arctic environmental watchdog reviews possible scope of gas exploration, development and pipelines in Northwest Territories Gary Park, Petroleum News Calgary Correspondent, Week of January 16, 2005 (must register/pay)

More than 600 exploration wells, 530,000 miles of seismic lines, 2,300 miles of trunk and feeder pipelines — that’s just part of the infrastructure a Canadian Arctic environmental watchdog thinks will be needed to keep the Mackenzie Gas Project operating at capacity until 2049. [. . . . ]

Venezuela's Chavez pledges support for Chinese oil exploration

Venezuela's Chavez pledges support for Chinese oil exploration or here Dec. 25, 05 (15 posted on 01/05/2005 11:12:27 PM PST by hedgetrimmer)


Note that Christmas date for this news item.

[. . . . ] Emphasizing that bilateral energy partnerships have a "bright future," Chavez, who is visiting China, said the Venezuelan government would grant Chinese companies production permits to explore oil in Venezuela's oil-bearing blocks, the Xinhua news agency said.

He also promised to support Chinese companies' involvement in exploring off-shore natural gas fields in Venezuela [Xinhua . . . ]

Noting that Venezuela was planning to form a state-owned petrochemical corporation, Chavez said Venezuela also "welcomes China to help build this plant."

The two countries can also join hands to construct an oil pipeline reaching ports along the Pacific, he said.

During his visit, Chavez witnessed the signing of a package of energy cooperation agreements between the two countries, said Xinhua. Details were not given.

[. . . . ] Chavez also invited Chinese companies to invest in his country's agriculture, railway, mining, housing, tourism and telecommunications industries.

China is making deals with Venezuela, one of our top oil suppliers and member of the Organization of American States which will become the supra-governmental agency that oversee the FTAA.

(16 posted on 01/05/2005 11:16:09 PM PST by hedgetrimmer)



Super port concept will not benefit Prince Rupert, Krusel

Super port concept will not benefit city, Krusel Leanne Ritchie, The Prince Rupert Daily News, January 13, 2005

While there is benefit to be had from having B.C.’s ports toe the same line, the CEO of the Prince Rupert Port Authority doesn’t think the concept of bringing them together as a super port will help the ship sail any more smoothly.

The idea of amalgamating all the ports of the Lower Mainland, Nanaimo and Prince Rupert into one super port, was put forward in a recent consultation paper on transportation for the B.C. Progress Board.

[. . . . ] “While this idea needs further consideration, the idea of creating a Pacific Super Port could help Canada become a more significant gateway between North America and Asia.”

[. . . . ] For example, Krusel explained there are five grain terminals in the Lower Mainland and one in Prince Rupert and none of them are functioning to their fullest capacity. Yet in the Lower Mainland, they continue to seek valuable waterfront land for expansion of their growing markets.

Were Prince Rupert and several other grain terminals to be used more effectively, it could free up land in the Lower Mainland for other developments, he said.

Philanthropy of the highest order, indeed. What does philanthropy buy?

Li Ka-shing Sells CIBC Stake for About C$1.2 Billion (Update1)

Tycoon to create $1.2B charity -- Hong Kong tycoon selling CIBC stake -- Money to help less fortunate Canadians Stuart Laidlaw

Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka Shing, . . . plans to set up Canada's second-largest charitable foundation worth up to $1.2 billion dedicated to helping the country's less fortunate.

[. . . . ] His initial purchase of Husky was deemed to not be a foreign takeover because Li's son, Victor Li, took out Canadian citizenship and bought another 9 per cent to give his father control of the company.

The family bought Nova's share in 1991 and merged Husky with Renaissance Energy Ltd. in 2000.

Last year, Victor Li backed out of a $650 million deal to help Air Canada come out of bankruptcy, saying the airline's unions weren't agreeing to enough cuts.

In Hong Kong, the Li family dominates the property market, operates a major electrical utility, controls a major mobile-phone network, owns a supermarket chain and runs the biggest network of pharmacies, among other enterprises.

Li's companies are known for their hardball tactics. [. . . . ]

An Aside: How does all this fit together? Observations and Questions

There has been mention in articles that the port of Vancouver is inadequate.

See the information on BC Rail below, in the articles on 'Basi's boys' -- information about rail privatization in BC. "A drug investigation led to apprehension of Basi's Boys."

There are more observations and questions below the next article.




Operation Everywhichway

Former B.C. Liberal government aides charged-- concerns the privatization of BC Rail Dec. 22, 04

VANCOUVER - Two former aides of B.C. government ministers are facing multiple charges in connection with a breach-of-trust investigation that led the RCMP to raid offices in the provincial legislature one year ago.

[. . . . ] The charges against Basi and Virk are related to the privatization of B.C. Rail. . . . charged jointly with two counts of fraud of more than $5,000 in connection with the privatization, and are also accused [of] putting at risk the bidding process for B.C. Rail by leaking confidential information to interested parties.

A third government employee was also charged, and has been suspended. Aneal Basi, a public affairs officer on leave from the B.C. Ministry of Transportation, was charged with one count of fraud and one count of breach of trust by a public officer.

Court documents allege that he laundered money accepted by David Basi.

Scroll down for "Who Paid for Liberal Party Memberships in BC? Basi's boys' "influence was largely based on being able to bring in the Indo-Canadian vote" for Paul Martin and his Liberals" below.

[. . . . ] Following the raids on the offices in the B.C. legislature last Dec. 28, Basi was fired early in 2004 from his job as an aide to former finance minister Gary Collins, and Virk – an aide to former transportation minister Judith Reid – was suspended with pay.

[. . . . ] David Basi and Virk were Young Liberals together at the University of Victoria. They and their associates later became known as "Basi's Boys," campaigning for Prime Minister Paul Martin's leadership bid in British Columbia's Indo-Canadian community.

The 2003 raids grew out of a separate police drug investigation. Basi also faces drug charges involving marijuana [. . . . ]

An Aside Continued: How does all this fit together? Observations and Questions

* The Ports Police have been disbanded by the government(s) (Liberal). Some known criminals are employed at Canada's ports; as criminal activity rises, security is sheer luck.

* Only a small percentage of containers are checked. The rest come in on a wing and our prayers.

* It has already been demonstrated that drugs are imported in the most unique of ways--even attached to the hull of the Prime Minister's--now his sons'--CSL ship, the Sheila Anne. That ship is undergoing work--a keel repair, I think, at a shipyard in China, in Shanghai perhaps. I wonder if he should check whether there has been a false hull added by way of which drugs could be hidden. As PM, he and his family must be careful their ships are not used.

* The federal Liberal government underestimated its budget surplus -- stating it was $1.9-billion when it was really $9.1-billion. In an election year, do you suppose some of this could advance infrastructure construction -- or related projects like ports/port facilities or rail lines that would lead to ports?

* The ports have been privatized--e.g. Prince Rupert--along with the airports--e.g. Pearson. Now, if business booms which seems likely given our PM's push for "partnerships" with Asia/China, particularly Asian, who stand to make money? What "initiatives" must be undertaken with that miscalculation--surplus billions--by the Department of Finance?





A Province for Sale? As B.C. assets shift into foreign hands, some see a big cost: Ability to chart our own economic future -- Terasen used to be BC Gas -- mentions Kicking Horse Canyon upgrade, the Golden Ears Bridge, the Okanagan Lake Crossing, the RAV line, the Sea to Sky Highway upgrade and the Sierra Yoyo Desan Road -- American Accenture, COPE, foreign owners

A Province for Sale? As B.C. assets shift into foreign hands, some see a big cost: Ability to chart our own economic future. Jan. 14, 2005, Claudia Cornwall or TheTyee.ca

. . . 1979 . . . Premier Bill Bennett. . "B.C. is not for sale."

. . . .Today B.C.’s forest industry and some other big chunks of the provincial economy are shifting into foreign hands, often American hands.

[. . . . ] Today, of the three top forestry companies operating in B.C., Weyerhaeuser, Canfor, and Abitibi, only one, Canfor, is based in B.C. . . .

Twenty-five years after. . . , the current government not only enourages sales of Crown corporation assets, it seeks advice from foreign corporations and is willing to award major contracts to non-Canadian businesses.

Whose side are they on?

The sea change in official attitudes raises concerns . . . . Weyerhaeuser took over MacBlo. . . making its case on softwood lumber became radically different. B.C.’s big gun was no longer reflecting B.C.’s interests.”

There is a ripple effect. . . . Canadian IWA voted to merge with the United Steelworkers of America . . . . an international campaign going against Weyerhaeuser. . . .

Four B.C. locals, however, didn’t see it the same way. In the Prince George local,. . . . Frank Everitt, president of that local . . . . If you do your research, if you know the business that you’re bargaining with, then you can do a good job for the membership. . . . the steel stud versus wood. . . . if the two products come close in price, there’s an issue.”

Like Helliwell, Everitt also mourns the loss of political autonomy. . . .

Terasen drops the ‘B.C.’

As more public and private B.C. corporations transfer into American hands, the conflicts of interest Helliwell notes are likely to increase. One case in point may be Terasen.

In 1988, the B.C. government appeared to share Helliwell’s concerns about foreign control of our businesses. That year, the Crown corporation, BC Hydro, sold its gas division. But the government imposed restrictions on the new company which came to be known as BC Gas. It limited the number of directors who could live outside the province, the percentage of shares that could be owned by one entity (10 percent), the percentage of shares that could be owned by foreigners (20 percent) and the location of the company headquarters. (It had to be in B.C.)
But BC Gas recently took the ‘BC’ out of its name, becoming ‘Terasen’ instead. . . . Now, a non-Canadian can acquire a controlling interest in Terasen—B.C.’s 7th largest corporation in 2004, with assets of nearly $5 billion and about 2,000 employees.

‘Americanization can be felt’

[. . . . ] Ear for foreign advice

Not only foreign business owners, but foreign advisors, command increasing influence with B.C.’s government. A document published on the Ministry of Transportation website called “The Coquihalla Project Consultant Cost Summary” is revealing. There we see that the doomed project cost the B.C. taxpayers $4,222,688 in consultants’ fees. $1,157, 016 went to a Swiss company called KPMG International, $845,023 went to the British AMEC, $266,794 was paid to another UK-based corporation, Halcrow, and $206,593 went to the American OPUS, who are design-build specialists.

Major construction contracts are being tendered to non-Canadian corporations. While public protest halted the Coquihalla, six other projects are either underway or planned. Like the Coquihalla, they are all private public partnerships or P3’s: The Kicking Horse Canyon upgrade, the Golden Ears Bridge, the Okanagan Lake Crossing, the RAV line, the Sea to Sky Highway upgrade and the Sierra Yoyo Desan Road in northern B.C. On Oct. 21, the Ministry of Transport and Partnerships BC announced that three consortia had been selected to bid on the Kicking Horse Canyon project. Each consortia is composed of several other companies. It is entirely typical of the P3 way of doing business that out of the 17 firms involved in this bid, only four are B.C.-based.

Search: "BC Hydro and the American Accenture", "COPE, the union representing the workers at Accenture"

". . . A lot of our work has been shipped out to New Brunswick. If you call Terasen about a problem with your gas bill, you may be talking to someone in New Brunswick.”

Formerly, Accenture was named Anderson Consulting, if my memory serves. It was hired by then-Premier Frank McKenna to do work for the NB government--most unsuccessfully. Subsequently, Anderson morphed into Accenture. It was based in Florida, if I remember correctly. Frank McKenna did a lot of travelling with this line, "NB is open for business"; unfortunately, not much came of it except some call centers -- and closings after he was gone. Now he is Canada's Ambassador to Washington and associated with the Carlysle Group and the PowerCorp-Desmarais family. How did he move up the political line? What did he accomplish?

[. . . . ]Since contracting their customer relations out to Accenture, both BC Hydro and Terasen have ‘tightened’ up their collection processes.[. . . . ]

“The government has placed a lot of emphasis on luring foreign investment in place of a creative industrial strategy,” says Marc Lee, an economist with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives in Vancouver. “We would be better off with a made-in-B.C. approach to economic development rather than slashing our regulations, lowering our tax rates, and hoping foreign investors will come and create our jobs for us. If you can align investment decisions with public policy, then you’re better off. Local firms aren’t always going to behave that way but they are more likely to.”

According to a Statistics Canada report, in 2002, 14.5 per cent of B.C.’s corporations were controlled by foreign owners. The U.S. had the biggest share of the pie—5.6 per cent.

[. . . . ]

I would guess that the US percentage is going to change.



Public Versus Private Ownership and Operation of Airports and Seaports in Canada

See also, Public Versus Private Ownership and Operation of Airports and Seaports in Canada David Gillen and Douglas Cooper


Extremely informative -- lengthy. This excerpt is from the summary only.

[. . . . ] The public sector has failed to price in an efficient manner what it owns and operates.

[. . . . ] In comparing the advantages of public versus private provision of infrastructure, distribution issues as well as allocative efficiency must be considered. The losers from privatization will be organized labour and, to some extent, landowners.

[. . . . ] The value of privatization or some form of defederalization is dependent upon competition. Without competition, the gains from privatization or corporatization will be smaller since the risks will remain in the public sector while the rents will accrue to the private sector. A key issue, therefore, in assessing the shift away from the public sector is the extent to which a competitive market exists. If it does not, the restraints on the exercise of monopoly power must rely on some form of corrective regulation. It is not clear that this offers significant improvements over public ownership.

There is considerable debate as to the monopoly power of airports and ports. Changing technologies, intermodalism, and network strategies by carriers have all led to a diminution of market power. Nonetheless, where monopoly power may be troublesome, corrective regulation may be required. It should be noted, however, that regulation is not without its own problems.

Perhaps the most important outcome from moves to corporatization and privatization is that of removing investment and pricing decisions from the hands of politicians and bureaucrats, who have some grand notion that building airports, ports, roads, and railroads will somehow provide a panacea for the economic ills of a region or nation. What has generally happened is that government has not only provided the capacity but has underpriced it as well. It should be remembered that transportation is a derived demand and neither investments in capacity nor policy initiatives will alter economic activity in a substantive way. This simple notion seems to be lost to the proponents of public ownership. In their view, privatizers fail to see the "market failures," including the need for government to provide public services. The "publicizers" see government as wise, disinterested, and technically competent. The evidence is far from compelling for this view, particularly when government intervenes to try to direct markets. Government failure has done more harm than has market failure. Privatization, or at the very least corporatization, provides a superior solution.

Who Paid for Liberal Party Memberships in BC? Basi's boys' "influence was largely based on being able to bring in the Indo-Canadian vote" for Paul Martin and his Liberals

Police Investigation Rattles B.C.'s Liberal Party Posted by CN Staff on January 12, 2004 -- or here Mark Hume, Source: Globe and Mail

[. . . . ] Their influence was largely based on being able to bring in the Indo-Canadian vote. And they often played rough in doing it.

"It broke my heart," a former Liberal scrutineer said of watching how Mr. Basi and his colleagues took over one Vancouver Island riding in 1997. Allan Warnke, a former Liberal MLA, said typically they would sweep in with an overwhelming number of new members. He said the party turned a blind eye to this kind of political swarming, but he thought it was wrong.

He said Basi's Boys mostly worked in ridings around Victoria, but they were active provincially and helped the party's soaring membership numbers at the federal level during the drive to build support for Mr. Martin's leadership bid. The size of the federal party in B.C. grew from 4,000 members in February, 2002, to more than 37,000 last fall. About 40 per cent are Indo-Canadian.

"Concentrate on the memberships," Mr. Warnke said, sounding like the unnamed Liberal organizer who felt the key to the case was the money trail.

"There is cash around that had to cover those memberships. In the old days the purpose of memberships was to raise funds, but in this case you had a lot of loose cash kicking around. You create a membership and then you have the money covering the membership. Now, where did the money come from?

"Where did all this spare change come from?" he asked. [. . . . ]

Raiding the BC Legislature

template -- Raiding the BC Legislature

[. . . . ] The starting point was a drug investigation . . .

RCMP - investigating marijuana smuggling, money laundering and police corruption

BC Rail - crown corporation - sold for $1 billion to CN Rail

Gary Collins - BC minister of finance

David Basi - owned rental house used as a marijuana grow operation - home and office raided - fired - $54,000 severance - aide to finance minister/government house leader Gary Collins - organized Indo-Canadian community for Martin - his political operatives, Basi's Boys, specialized in taking over BC ridings by recruiting members in the Indo-Canadian community which now makes up 40% of the membership - federal Liberal membership in B.C. grew from 4,000 to 43,000, $400,000 in memberships and $600,000 in donations - Basi's Boys took over Herb Dhaliwal's riding.

Bob Virk - . . . aide to transportation minister Judith Reid - brother-in-law to Basi

Virk and Basi are backroom Liberal operators, both organizers for Paul Martin, and both worked on the privatization of BC Rail

Judith Reid - transportation minister - removed from cabinet

Christy Clark - Deputy premier, Education minister, married to Mark Marissen

Pilot House Public Affairs Group Inc. - lobbyists

OmniTRAX - U.S. company - unsuccessful bidder for BC Rail - hired Pilot House

Erik Bornman - partner Pilot House Public Affairs - communications director of BC federal Liberals - former president of B.C. Young Liberals - Paul Martin's B.C. director of operations - lobbied Gary Collins, Judith Reid, Premier Gordon Campbell for OmniTRAX

Brian Kieran - partner Pilot House Public Affairs - lobbied for OmniTRAX

Bruce Clark - office searched - employed by Pilot House Public Affairs - brother of Deputy Premier Christy Clark - B.C. fundraiser for Paul Martin

Mark Marissen - visited by police - Paul Martin's B.C. campaign manager - married to Christy Clark

Federal Environment Minister David Anderson - had employed both Erik Bornman and Mark Marissen

Constable Ravinder Dosanjh - suspended without pay by Victoria Police Department [. . . . ]

Two former B.C. gov't aides charged

"The 1,600-kilometre B.C. Rail main line runs from North Vancouver to Fort Nelson, including the resource-rich northern community of Tumbler Ridge."

Two former B.C. gov't aides charged Dirk Meissner, Dec. 21, 04

[. . . . ] Some of the bidders for the spur line sale, which was abruptly cancelled due to a police investigation, included the Vancouver Port Authority, TD Securities Inc. and the B.C. government.

[. . . . ] Basi is charged with using his position in government to accept and demand rewards and benefits that include money, meals, travel and employment "in connection with matters of government business including a bid by Omnitrax Inc. to obtain the operating rights of B.C. Rail from the government of British Columbia."

He is also charged with accepting government rewards and benefits without the proper written government consent.

Another charge alleges Basi pretended to have the influence of a government minister or the government by accepting or demanding a benefit in exchange for offering influence involving the Omnitrax Inc. bid for B.C. Rail.

[. . . . ] The charges against Aneal Virk, who was still working in the Transportation Ministry on [. . . Dec. 21, 04], allege he laundered money and committed fraud or breach of trust by disclosing confidential government documents in the B.C. Rail deal.

CN Rail was named the successful bidder last December.

Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon has maintained that the $1-billion deal with CN was clean despite ongoing police investigations and previous complaints about unfair treatment by failed bidders.

CN Rail and the B.C. government announced the partnership last year that would see CN take over the freight operations of B.C. Rail under a renewable 60-year lease.

[. . . . ] The 1,600-kilometre B.C. Rail main line runs from North Vancouver to Fort Nelson, including the resource-rich northern community of Tumbler Ridge.

The government said it would use the $1 billion from the deal to pay off an estimated $500 million B.C. Rail debt and at least $170 million of the remaining money to spur investment in the province's north.

Have you had enough yet?

Media Watch

And if the alledged corruption relates only to the spur line of the BC Rail to the Point Roberts Superport, why isn't that mentioned in the charges, which appear to take in the entire privatization of BC Rail.

"Who allegedly bought influence?" -- These indictments allege corruption of major government deals. So why the big yawn?

The Tyee: Ho Hum, Criminal Charges for Liberal Aides by Barbara McLintock, Dec. 24, 05

This is the kind of news that comes out on a Christmas Eve; no-one reads it.

[. . . . The] Liberals have insisted that nothing that occurred tainted the deal. The only problematic part, they argued, was the separate sale of the line running to the Point Roberts superport – and the government cancelled that part of the deal once cabinet realized the potential issues.

But that isn't what the criminal charges state. They never mention the separate spur line agreement at all. . . . OmniTRAX did not end up being the successful bidder for those operating rights. (CN Rail was the winning bidder.)

. . . . Basi and Virk demanded and/or agreed to accept as well "money, meals and transportation." . . . .

Aneal Basi. . . . was, . . . working as a "public information officer" in the transport ministry – the main home of the B.C. Rail deal. Although it might sound like one, this was not a civil service job. He was a political appointee, given the post through a cabinet order back in 2002. . . . .

He faces two counts, both of money laundering. . . . helping Dave Basi to commit the offences of fraud and breach of trust, by laundering the money that he took. . . .

[. . . . Where] did the money come from in the first place? And just how was Aneal Basi able to hide and launder it? . . . money actually did change hands, because there was money that needed to be laundered.

Who allegedly bought influence?

That leads to the other interesting question: just who are the persons on the other side of these clandestine handshakes, and why do their names not appear in the criminal charges, even as other potential accused? If Dave Basi was accepting money in return for using, or promising to use, his influence on provincial matters, someone must have been giving him that money.

[. . . . ]


Link posted here Dec. 19, 04 RCMP-Drugs-Maine-NB Border-Organized Crime, Charges Laid-BC-Basi's Boys & PM's Organizers, Worthington-Sharia-Canada, Arafat's Investments or here



Port of Prince Rupert

Port of Prince Rupert

The Port of Prince Rupert's strategic location on international trade corridors makes it an essential link in the global transportation and international trade network. [. . . .] With the deepest harbour in North America and year-round ice-free facilities, the Port of Prince Rupert offers safe harbour and cost-effective advantages to shippers across the globe.[. . . . ] an essential link to the new world economy.

Advantages: (side bar)

North America's closest port to Asia
Shortest sea-rail route to U.S. Midwest
Deepest harbour in North America
Closest port to open ocean
Direct access to deep sea shipping lanes
Ice-free year round operation
Safest harbour on the West Coast

There is also the railway.

Direct access to CN Rail's high capacity northern mainline and the Trans-Canada Yellowhead Highway provide land connections to the rest of North America via the lowest grades through the Rocky Mountains to the west coast. . . .

As the western terminus of CN Rail, the only railroad in North America to cross the continent both east-west and north-south. . . . significant cost and time advantages.

[. . . .] The Port of Prince Rupert is an autonomous port authority established under the Canada Marine Act. It is governed by a local Board of Directors that has full control over all Port decisions. ThePort Authority is responsible for ensuring that the port is competitive, efficient, and structured to respond to customer needs and business opportunities.

Chew on all that for a bit. It could be argued that I am overly suspicious and overly concerned for Canadians' interests -- but someone would have to convince me -- and that would not be easy, given what I have been reading for the last few years. You form your own conclusions; then act, if that is logical -- or even possible at this juncture. NJC