(The Canadian Press distributed the following article by Terri Theodore on January 9.)
VANCOUVER — Unions heaped more speculation Friday onto a police raid last month at the B.C. legislature which resulted in the firing of one ministerial aide and the suspension of another.
The head of the B.C. Federation of Labour told reporters he wants the provincial government to cancel the sale of B.C Rail after newspaper reports that connected the raid to the privatization plan.
Federation president Jim Sinclair said Friday signing a $1-billion deal with CN Rail while there’s a police investigation would be irresponsible.
“We think in light of that, the evidence is now to the point where we believe cancelling this deal makes sense for British Colombians,” said Sinclair.
He said it was obvious to unions that “from what we have read in the paper, that this deal should not proceed, that these revelations place another dark cloud on a deal that . . . was entirely negotiated behind closed doors.”
But Sinclair admitted he had no other proof that the B.C. Rail deal was connected to the raid, other than what he’s seen in the media.
Canadian National agreed last year to pay the government $1 billion to hold a lease of up to 90 years on Crown-owned B.C. Rail, which runs from North Vancouver to Prince Rupert.
Critics predicted the privatization or sale of B.C. Rail could result in service cuts and jobs lost.
RCMP have said the Dec. 28 raids arose from information turned up in a 20-month investigation involving organized crime, money laundering, drugs and police corruption.
The offices of David Basi, ministerial assistant to Finance Minister Gary Collins, who is also Liberal house leader, and Robert Virk, ministerial assistant to Transportation Minister Judith Reid, were searched by investigators armed with warrants. Dozens of boxes of documents were carted away.
No one was charged after the raids and no specific wrongdoing has been alleged.
A number of homes and businesses were also searched and other people voluntarily turned over documents. The targets all had connections to the Liberals.
Both aides were also high-profile organizers for Prime Minister Paul Martin during his leadership campaign.
Basi was fired immediately, but Virk has been suspended with pay.
Basi issued a statement through his lawyer Friday, saying he was “unable to comment on any specifics of the police investigation” but reiterated he has done nothing wrong.
Premier Gordon Campbell said earlier this week he made the decision to fire Basi after consulting with the government’s chief of staff.
Basi’s job, which included co-ordinating government activities with Collins in his role as house leader, was the reason for Basi’s immediate dismissal, Campbell said.
Basi accepted a severance package offered by the government amounting to $54,000, equivalent to eight months’ salary.