Integrity? The Investigators looks at the sale of BC Rail – and what happened?

CKNW’s “The Investigators” takes a look the BC Rail controversy, including the Basi / Virk court case.

The program was Written and Produced by Bob Mackin, with Narration by Jon McComb

The program features BC Conservative MLA John van Dongen as well as Alex Tsakumis, BC Liberal Leader / BC Premier Christy Clark, and political commentator Bill Tielmann. 

The program gives a good overview of the BC Rail file, as John van Dongen approaches the September 10^th court date.

To hear the full program click the following: http://www.cknw.com/features/the-investigators.aspx

What do you think? Would it be a good idea to increase the number of Sheriffs to have them take over some of the responsibility of traffic enforcement?

Did anyone else miss the following media release from last Thursday? I personally have to think that if we were to increase the number of BC Sheriffs, and tasked them with this duty, they actual could "... engage in traffic enforcement activities in order to modify behaviour and enhance safety ..."

I’m sure I’ll get flack on this; however I think that putting an RCMP, or city police, officer in a car with radar is a waste of resources.

Here’s the full media release from the Canadian Police Association:

Public safety, not "revenue-generating" should be focus of traffic enforcement

A proposal from the British Columbia Government and Service Employees' Union (BCGEU) to expand the BC Sheriffs' mandate to include traffic enforcement as a "revenue-generating" tool shows an unfortunate lack of understanding of the basic role of law enforcement, said British Columbia Police Association (BCPA) President Tom Stamatakis today.

"The simple fact is that Police Officers engage in traffic enforcement activities in order to modify behaviour and enhance safety; not to raise money for the government, and any suggestion otherwise by the BCGEU is misguided and frankly insulting to BC taxpayers," said Mr. Stamatakis.

The request for the outsourcing of police duties to inadequately trained employees of the provincial Sheriff's department comes as police officers in BC are already being diverted from their own regular policing duties towards the transfer of prisoners, and ensuring an adequate presence in the province's courtrooms, two key duties that the Sheriffs are currently mandated to perform.

Both of these men (Peckford and White) bring a huge amount of experience to this important election preparedness position

I was delighted to hear an announcement today, from BC Conservative Party leader John Cummins.

Brian Peckford, announced to BC Conservative Party "Issues"
Management" committee in preparation for 2013 Provincial Election

Randy White, previously a British Columbia Member of Parliament, Caucus Chairman and House Leader - and Brian Peckford, the former Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador -- have both been named as Co-Chairs of a newly-created Issues Management Committee.

They will be looking at issues and policies for the party, as it prepares for the up-coming General Election in May of next year.

The media release from Mr. Cummins noted that:

Randy White first won election to Canada’s House of Commons in 1993, representing Langley and Abbotsford , and he was re-elected in 1997, 2000 and 2004. He wrote the legislation for the National Sex Offender Registry and the National Victims Bill of Rights both of which are, in part, law today.

Brian Peckford served as a Conservative Member in Newfoundland’s House of Assembly from 1972 until 1989. He held a number of posts in the provincial cabinet from 1974 to 1979, and then was Premier for a decade before leaving elected politics for the private sector.

Former MP Randy White - on new BC
Conservative Party committee

Both of these men bring a huge amount of experience to this important election preparedness position, and will be well able to advise the party during the lead-up to next May’s campaign. 

As John Cummins said:

“I am thrilled that Randy and Brian – who between them held senior public office for 30 years – have agreed to play important roles on our campaign team.  Their knowledge and experience will be invaluable in electing a Conservative government next May.”

I'm Alan Forseth in Kamloops, with the thoughts of one conservative.