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Callaghan Nordic Venue Scandal


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Well. . . . . . I dunno, Kendegra - if the price is right . . . . Do we all get paid like all of the civil servants that are being forced to 'volunteer' by Czar Campbell for his pet project - after the big bombshell dropped today - quite the definition of 'volunteer' isn't it? Now we know what swelled the ranks of the volunteers :rolleyes:

How about you?

Not exactly right...they are not being 'forced' to volunteer. It is just that if they opt to volunteer - and pass VANOC's screening - they won't be required to use their vacation time. It is likely a tactic to encourage local businesses to follow suit with a similar policy.

Some of the companies I have worked for have a similar kind of deal - where you volunteer your time to causes supported by the firm and they do not penalize you for it by asking you to use your vacation time or go without pay. There are limits and requirements to meet, just as there are for any kind of company policy, but this kind of thing is is part of a social committment from corporations that builds goodwill.

I don't have a big issue with it because in reality, only a small percentage of the BC civil service will take advantage of the program and not all will get by VANOC's screening or their manager's approval. I also suspect that many of the volunteers will be students and seniors - the normal crew who volunteer for most things.

It may surprise you, but people really do want to be a part of the Olympics. It's a pretty big event, in case you hadn't noticed.

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Some of the companies I have worked for have a similar kind of deal - where you volunteer your time to causes supported by the firm and they do not penalize you for it by asking you to use your vacation time or go without pay. There are limits and requirements to meet, just as there are for any kind of company policy, but this kind of thing is is part of a social committment from corporations that builds goodwill.

The company I work for does this too - nothing specifically for the Olympics, but for all sorts of causes (both corporately sponsored events or other events that would be deemed acceptable). I think it's great to allow people to support things within the communities that we live and work. It's always hard to make volunteer commitments when you must work, so it's awesome when our company is a community leader and supports corporate social responsibility.

I wonder - since there is already talk of the public schools being closed during the olympics in an effort to keep traffic problems down, I wonder how many companies may also consider this too to ease both traffic congestion & also allow their staff to both volunteer and take in the games.

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My guess is only a small number. It will be mostly be business as usual for most companies. But I suspect that if the kids are off school, many parents will opt for a holiday to Hawaii or Disneyland...maybe rent their house out for a small profit. An idea for the Hartwicks? ; )

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  • 3 months later...

Well, well, back to topic boys & girls . . . . . .

BREAKING SCANDAL - something tells me that there is ,much more to come with the long tentacles that this club/cabal has grown over the years. Seems that there are all sorts of "Insider games" being played out by this circle under the radar, including VANOC.

Re: the Vanoc/Callaghan Valley Scandal, we learned via the media articles posted on this thread, that Minister David Emerson was named as a 'player' from his days as Dep. Min. to Premier VanderZalm re: the scandal of how the sole, legal proponent was derailed after winning the rights to develop a multi billion dollar private sector ski resort according to government due process - by the Premier & Land bureaucrats for their friends. Many of the named players in the derailment, including the former Govt. AG lawyer and Land bureaucrats & Nordic friend are now linked to Vanoc and the Callaghan Valley. Hmmmmm - got me pondering linkages on the heals of this scandal surrounding Patrick Kinsella & Vanoc . . .

Min. Emerson's name pops up here, again, connected to Patrick Kinsella - members of the 'club' with Poole, Dobell, former Dep to Premier Campbell and Jiles etc It is commonly known that Kinsella works tete to tete with Poole and his company Concert Properties controlling Vanoc all working closely with Min. Emerson holding fund raisers etc. and now we see offering "access" to all his pals for $$$$$$$. Oh what a tangled web we weave . . . .

So who else in this 'circle' was involved in the Vanoc Callaghan Valley Scandal & the coverup with high profile names involved linked to the BC Govt. and Vanoc? Who knows what? Who covered for whom and for what vested interests?

I smell a rat's nest as my friends & I have for a long time. According to a source this bunch are looking over their shoulders . . .waiting for the next shoe to drop because of other files they have had their paws on.

Thanks to many astute bloggers sharing information on how this little group operate, passing the ball to one another, with their own rules outside of due process; all in harmony in their VERY prosperous playpen, feeding their vested interests, at the expense of all the rest of the taxpayers but behind closed doors - all linked to every major initiatives of the Campbell BC Liberal Govt.

That old saying that: "Nothing covered up will remain covered" seems to be at play." Fascinating to watch it all unravel. Now we see how the circle operates in the shadows surrounding lucrative contracts, wheeling & dealing within Vanoc. It is not the Olympics that is tainted - it is the players & how they operate.

<STRONG>SENIOR LIBERAL AIDES IN NEW CONTROVERSY

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For some reason the article: SENIOR LIBERAL AIDES IN NEW CONTROVERSY got cut off the above post. Here is the link:

http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/sto...83-7c9d2e626313

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You got that right, Province Editors. . . where have you been Canwest when so many knew, so much for so long! Why did a small media outlet have to out the truth? (asked with tongue firmly planted in cheek) :rolleyes: Nothing like being caught with your pants down - you know . . . Canwest Global being a huge sponsor with their pals in Vanoc and Govt. re: media rights :lol: For that matter, why haven't "the Media Monitor/Vanoc PR posters here reported on this scandal - gee, let me name the reasons LOL . . . .

Man, the whiff of of the rot within Vanoc's cozy, inside dealings and coverups re: their inside 'games' (Hasn't Kinsella been quoted as saying he's Poole's best bud, and Campbell's top bagman????) with their tight little circle threaded with the upper tiers of the Campbell Liberal Govt. . . . is becoming "I told you so" far & wide. How has this been kept under the radar for

Now about that Vanoc/Callaghan Valley Nordic Scandal . . . . . . . with a "foot in Vanoc" according to Mark Jiles in the FOI documents released in Washington . . . I'd sure like to see the "insider's" sticky fingers on that one!! :unsure: What else has been suppressed & and by whom?

Too close for comfort The Province

Friday, June 06, 2008

Columnist Michael Smyth raises disturbing questions about the lobbying activities of two of Campbell's political buddies -- Patrick Kinsella and Mark Jiles.

Kinsella co-chaired the B.C. Liberal election campaign in both 2001 and 2005 -- when Jiles was Campbell's personal campaign manager in Vancouver-Point Grey.

The two are now in business together at the Progressive Group, a Vancouver-based government-relations company.

One of their clients has been the Washington State government, which is helping Americans cash in on opportunities afforded by the 2010 Winter Olympics.

In a resumé they had to supply to the state, Kinsella and Jiles boast about their long list of clients -- and of the "strong relationships" they have with both B.C. cabinet ministers Colin Hansen, Kevin Falcon and Olga Ilich and federal cabinet minister David Emerson.

As Smyth points out, the problem is that Kinsella has never registered as a lobbyist -- and Jiles did not register as one for the work listed on the resumé.

A public investigation is obviously needed.

Lobbying the government is a lucrative and murky business. That's why there should be clear rules governing it -- and stiff penalties if they are broken.

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Oh, I couldn't resist posting this little CBC article from 2002 where the BC Liberal President protests too much that there is no selling of "access" re: big bag man Kinsella dealings back then - how the worm turns . . . . I wonder how Mr. Reichart is feeling this week :rolleyes:

<H1 class=headline>B.C. Libs deny they're selling access to government</H1><H4 class=lastupdated>Last Updated: Monday, August 12, 2002 | 11:00 PM ET </H4><H5 class=byline>CBC News </H5>The British Columbia Liberal party is making no apologies for a fundraising letter suggesting $10,000 will get the "undivided attention" of key cabinet ministers. The letter went out to major public relations firms in Vancouver inviting them to a luncheon. But when news of the letter's contents got out, the luncheon was cancelled.

It was supposed to take place at a restaurant in one of the city's exclusive waterfront hotels.

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Patrick Kinsella

B.C. Liberal party fundraiser Patrick Kinsella and about a dozen principals from Vancouver's biggest PR firms were scheduled to attend.

But the lunch was called off after CBC News obtained a copy of the letter that accompanied the invitation.

The letter, from Kinsella, tells PR firms the communications sector hasn't paid its share. It suggests a $10,000 cheque would demonstrate the firms' support for the government.

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Kelly Reichert

It also suggests the $10,000 could buy an intimate lunch or dinner with a key cabinet minister for important clients.

B.C. Liberal party executive director Kelly Reichert denies accusations the party is selling access to the government. "We've been very clear to all the people that seek donations, and all the people that give donations, that all they should expect to get from that is that they're going to get better government."

Reichert says there is nothing unusual about a political party soliciting donations from the communications sector, or any other sector.

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Joy MacPhail

Jean Cormier of Cormier Communications agrees. His firm was one of the companies to receive the letter. "When you go to political functions and you make a donation to the party obviously you get to rub shoulders with some of the people who are in the party and in the government," he said.

B.C. NDP Leader Joy MacPhail says the intention of the letter is obvious.

"It's sort of like when someone says, 'You know it's not about the money,' you know it's about the money. And when someone goes and says, 'It's not about access,' you know darn well it's about access."

Reichert said Monday's event was cancelled simply because not enough people were available to attend. He says the meeting has been postponed until the fall.

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