Newspapers beholden to special interests

[twobits]

^^Both were cleared of all guilt - in court!!

But certainly not in the court of public opinion. Seems to me that jury sentenced them to 20 plus years of obscurity. And for damn good reason too. The really shocking thing though is that in those twenty years of banishment, they have not been reformed at all. Stunning actually. They are like crack heads that steal a bike, go to jail, get out, and then go steal another bike as if the outcome will be any different. As it is said....ya can't fix stupid.

[flamingfingers]

Lawsuit alleges B.C. gov't spending millions on partisan ads to enhance Liberals' image

KEITH FRASER
More from Keith Fraser
Published on: March 20, 2017 | Last Updated: March 20, 2017 8:01 PM PDT
March 20, 2017 - David Trapp, who is the representative plaintiff in a class action lawsuit aimed at stopping partisan BC government advertising, talks to reporters outside the Vancouver Law Courts. His lawyers (David Fai, (with beard), to the left in the photo and Paul Doroshenko, to the right) stand by his side.

A White Rock man has filed a class-action lawsuit aimed at getting the B.C. government to stop spending millions on what he and his lawyers are calling partisan advertising.

David Trapp, representative plaintiff in the case, was angry at watching government ads running on TV while he was recently recovering from cancer.

He and his lawyers, David Fai and Paul Doroshenko, are seeking to have a judge impose an injunction on the ads, given the looming provincial election campaign.

They claim the government has spent up to $15 million on the ads and want the court to certify the case as a class-action suit, arguing the Liberals have consistently engaged in taxpayer-funded partisan and non-essential advertising since being elected in May 2013.

Trapp, 63, a retired TransLink employee, told reporters Monday that the thing that bothers him the most about the ads is that he is helping pay for them and, secondly, that the Liberal party on its own has raised millions in donations.

“So why am I paying for them to tell me how great British Columbia is? If it’s so great, then why do we have to have it shoved down our throat every 15 minutes on Global News?”

Doroshenko said that the ads are breaching the government’s fiduciary obligation to taxpayers, with the Liberal party getting a “huge” benefit because they don’t have to spend money on advertising.

[b]“We say they’re converting the taxpayer money into their own money for their own purpose,” he said. “We believe strongly that we have a good legal basis for the lawsuit we’re advancing.”

Said Fai: “We say that’s a misappropriation of public funds and a breach of the public trust. We’re not looking to make money. We want the B.C. Liberal Party to pay the government back the money spent on their ads.”[/b]


An email from the B.C. Ministry of Advanced Education (Andrew Wilkinson):

Government worked with the Office of the Auditor General to ensure that all information campaigns fulfil clear criteria: be fact-based, inform the public about government programs, services, policies or priorities and provide an opportunity for the public to engage with the government.”

http://vancouversun.com/news/local-news ... rals-image

Andrew Wilkinson claimed that government worked with the Office of the Auditor General?? I don't for a minute believe this.

But neither do I believe this knee-slapper he delivered during this legislative session:

[Urbane]

^^Both were cleared of all guilt - in court!!

Glen Clark was found not guilty in criminal court but was found guilty of breaking conflict of interest laws. Dix was fired after his backdating of the memo and long after that he finally admitted his wrongdoing and apologized.

[Urbane]

I was listening to the Assistant Auditor General on CBC Radio this afternoon and he was asked about the government ads. He said that as long as the ads were non-partisan in nature and as long as they didn't deal with future programs, should the party in power win the election, then the ads would be okay. I know it's a grey area and the flurry of activity on the advertising front rubs me the wrong way as well. Still, the government has every right and probably an obligation to inform people about government programs.

[flamingfingers]

were non-partisan in nature

That is the issue the Trapp filing is all about!!

and as long as they didn't deal with future programs, should the party in power win the election, then the ads would be okay.

But virtually all of them do- "Our opportunity is here." leads one to believe it is a 'future opportunity". The MSP ads also deal with future programs - one that 'may take effect' IF the ChristyLiberals are elected.

Weasel words.....

[Urbane]

But virtually all of them do- "Our opportunity is here." leads one to believe it is a 'future opportunity". The MSP ads also deal with future programs - one that 'may take effect' IF the ChristyLiberals are elected.

Weasel words.....

If that's the case then the ads break the guidelines. Sleazy and more proof that we have two sleazy parties wanting to run the province.

[The Green Barbarian]

^^Both were cleared of all guilt - in court!!

I was talking about their treasonous back-room deal with the BCTF.

[flamingfingers]

Well, watch some and apply the criteria. I have watched too many. Now they make me gag so when I have the TV on (briefly these days) I simply look out the window to see something real - plants, squirrels, birds... $15 MILLION of OUR TAX DOLLARS could be spent on actual worthy causes.

I have my fingers crossed for success with the Doroshenko - Fai filing and an immediate court date!!!

[flamingfingers]

This should be shown before every Liberal partisan ad:

[Urban Cowboy]

Sure, because we all know the Liberals haven't spent any money on hospitals or schools.

[flamingfingers]

$15 MILLION could go a long way to alleviating hospital corridor medicine, now couldn't it? Or are you perfectly happy that YOUR money is being spent to see that face/ChristyLiberal partisan ads - when they should be spending their OWN warchest millions to put her phisog out there for you to admire?

If you want to admire her photos, she's had 4 photogs following her around which has cost US TAXPAYERS a MILLION bucks!! Here, fill your boots!:

https://www.google.ca/webhp?sourceid=ch ... ty+Clark&*

[Urban Cowboy]

*removed*

[The Green Barbarian]

$15 MILLION could go a long way to alleviating hospital corridor medicine, now couldn't it?

Look at all the money wasted on the BCTF in that horrible back-room deal that Clark and Dix did in 1998. Look at the $500 million wasted on the fast ferries. With all of that money everyone in BC could have a dedicated physician on call. Man did the NDP sure screw this province hard. So glad they will never ever be in power again here in BC.

[Mr_Mrs_Wolf]

a informative read - res ipsa loquitor

http://commonsensecanadian.ca/shattered ... ournalism/

[flamingfingers]

^^Excellent read!!