CanWest News Comparisons

Justice Dohm, the lawyers, the accused . . . everybody showed up; and again British Columbia waited for the information to begin unfolding. Again, it didn't. But here's what's interesting ... Throughout April 1, there wasn't a word reported in any of the three CanWest newspapers: Vancouver Sun, Vancouver Province, Victoria Times Colonist. Only by Googling, at the end of the day, did I find that the National Post (also a CanWest newspaper) had reported, as follows. Note the headline: From National Post, April 1, 2005: Judge refuses to unseal documents in B.C. government corruption case VANCOUVER (CP) - A B.C. Supreme Court judge refused to unseal information used to obtain search warrants Friday in the corruption case of two former B.C. government ministerial aides. Lawyers for several media outlets wanted the Crown to unseal another series of documents used to obtain warrants in the politically charged case, just as the Liberal government heads into a re-election campaign. Roger McConchie, a lawyer for CTV, argued for the release of search-warrant information, saying David Basi and his co-accused, Bobby Virk, were highly placed individuals with close contact to government ministers. But Basi's lawyer, Michael Bolton, argued against releasing the information because it could create a spectacle and cause the case to be tried in the media. Basi and Virk are charged with fraud, breach of trust and influence-peddling related to the Liberal government's privatization of B.C. Rail. Basi was a ministerial aide to former finance minister Gary Collins, now head of a small airline, and Virk held the same job in former transportation minister Judith Reid's office. David Basi's cousin, Aneal Basi, who also held a post in the Transportation Ministry, is charged with two counts of money laundering. The men were charged last December, a year after police raided Virk and David Basi's legislature offices, carting away boxes of documents and computers. Basi was fired from his job soon after the raids and Virk remains suspended. Associate Chief Justice Patrick Dohm said it's important for the administration of justice that the trial get underway as soon as possible. The case is back in court on May 30. *************************** Not until April 2 did an abbreviated version of this report appear in the three CanWest B.C. newspapers. The identical reports had three significant omissions: the presiding judge isn't named; and no mention is made of the May 30 date set for the next hearing (13 days after the election). But the most glaring distortion is the headline. No longer does the original headline carry the words "B.C. government corruption case." Broadcast news Saturday, April 02, 2005 Judge refuses to unseal documents A B.C. Supreme Court judge has refused to unseal information used to obtain search warrants in the corruption case of two former B.C. government ministerial aides. Lawyers for several media outlets were in court in Vancouver yesterday. They wanted the Crown to unseal another series of documents used to obtain warrants in the politically charged case. A lawyer for CTV argued for the release of search warrant information, saying David Basi and his co-accused, Bobby Virk, were highly placed individuals with close contact to government ministers. But Basi's lawyer, Michael Bolton, argued releasing the information could create a spectacle and cause the case to be tried in the media. ******************************************* CanWest apparently produces different versions of B.C. news. B.C. readers get the reduced, abbreviated version, with critical sections removed, from a story which deeply concerns the integrity of their government. Because the basis of democracy is an informed public, British Columbians deserve better. If the information about why police raided the B.C. Legislature is so explosive that releasing it would "create a spectacle," it suggests that there's public unrest to be considered. It's a black joke to imagine CanWest media allowing itself to start "creating a spectacle" of right-wing secrets on its pages. Although there was once a back porch which did do that. At best, it appears as if CanWest media is shaping the news in a way which prevents British Columbians from being fully informed about issues they have every right to know. It's fair to ask why. At worst, it appears as if B.C. voters are being plucked, trussed, and delivered up for the May 17 election roasting. It won't matter much, by May 30, if B.C. finally learns why the police raided their legislature ... it will be 13 days too late to make any real difference. Is that what Premier Campbell wants? Is that what CanWest media wants, too? How democratic is that? [Proofreader's note: this article was edited for spelling and typos on April 5, 2005]