Public Eye has uncovered yet another connection between the Campbell administration and Vancouver-Fraserview MLA Kash Heed's controversial former campaign co-ordinator.
According to records obtained via a freedom of information request, Barinder Sall was invited to two exclusive Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games receptions hosted by the government. But the government has said it doesn't know how he came to be on that VIP list.
Sall was recently charged under the Criminal Code and the Election Act following a RCMP investigation into possible offences involving Heed's 2009 election campaign office.
Heed - who has denied any wrongdoing and not been charged - has repeatedly declined or been unavailable to discuss his relationship with Sall.
But, in June, we learned Sall was promoting then West Vancouver chief constable in the media as early as 2007, telling a talk show host he could also arrange interviews with several members of the government - including Premier Gordon Campbell.
Now, we've obtained internal records showing Sall made the invite list for two events celebrating the opening and closing of the Games.
VIPs and community members, as well as former Olympic competitors and their families attended those events - which took place at the British Columbia Pavilion on the fourth floor of the Vancouver Art Gallery.
MLAs from both parties - including Heed - were also invited, with the government expecting 300 to 325 guests for the first event on Feb. 12 and 425 to 525 for the second on Feb. 28.
Among the expected: Sall.
Asked how Sall came to be on the invite list, a government spokesperson stated since the "names of invited guests came from many sources almost six months ago, it's not possible at this time to ascertain from where or from whom guests name was submitted."
According to the spokesperson, those sources included the Olympic Games secretariat, the ministry of small business, technology and economic development, "business and community leaders," as well as "public servants who were assigned to Olympic-related duties."
The six charges against Sall relate to the publication and financing of controversial anti-New Democrat, Chinese-language pamphlets distributed in Vancouver-Fraserview during that campaign. Those pamphlets had no sponsorship information on them, a violation of the Election Act.
At the same time those charges were laid, special prosecutor Terrence Robertson cleared Heed because "there was no evidence of actual knowledge on his part and no evidence that reasonable diligence would have made him aware of any of the offences that have been charged against other people involved in the campaign."
But a day later, on May 4, Robertson stepped aside after disclosing his law firm had contributed $1,000 to Heed's bid for public office.
His successor, Peter Wilson, is now conducting a "fresh independent" charge assessment.
Chem trails
British Columbians may support a ban on cosmetic pesticides. But the association representing the pesticide industry has been working behind the scenes to make sure that doesn't happen.
And, as part of that effort, CropLife Canada has bent the ear of Agriculture and Lands Minister Steve Thomson, who isn't saying whether he supports such a measure.
According to records obtained via a freedom of information request - the former executive director of the association representing British Columbia's agriculture industry - met with CropLife Canada's regulatory affairs and non-ag uses director Pierre Petelle on January 26, 2010 to discuss the "urban pesticide issue."
In an email sent to the minister following that meeting, Petelle wrote he was "reassured by your recognition of the real threats posed to agriculture by these bans as well as your commitment that any action needs to be based on sound science."
That's a reference the Campbell administration's Aug. 25, 2009 throne speech commitment to consult with British Columbians about "new statutory protections to further safeguard the environment from cosmetic chemical pesticides."
Asked about the accuracy of Petelle's account of their conversation, Thomson told Public Eye he wants to ensure whatever option government chooses "doesn't create a negative impact on the agriculture industry."
And that means recognizing "the non-cosmetic use of pesticides is essential for controlling invasive plants and noxious weeds and pests" that could move from the urban environment to farms.
So is he opposed to a cosmetic pesticide ban?
Well, Thomson didn't answer that question, instead reiterating he wanted to "make sure the processes and the policies that get put in place don't have a negative impact on the [agriculture] industry"
Whatever could that mean?
Sean Holman is editor of the online provincial political news journal Public Eye (publiceyeonline.com). He can be reached at editorial@publiceyeonline.com.
