This week, Public Eye exclusively revealed:

* one of the Oil and Gas Commission's senior employees was temporarily assigned to work for Encana Corp., Canada's largest natural gas producer;

* former provincial cabinet minister Rick Thorpe has registered to lobby the Campbell administration on behalf of a subsidiary of Canada's largest investor-owned gas and electric utility company; and

* New Democrat MLAs will be organizing Our Province Our Future events in their ridings.

So, if you aren't already a supporter, please consider making a confidential $10 monthly contribution by clicking on the bar below. (Please note, federal tax laws require us to include the goods and services tax as part of your contribution You'll be helping sustain our investigative work, digging up the news that matters to you. (Please note, federal tax laws require us to include the goods and services tax as part of your contribution And, as a token of our appreciation, you'll receive a subscription to our monthly email newsletter - the Brown Envelope - where we'll give you the story behind the stories we've been working on... read more

Kash Heed may no longer be in charge of the province's law enforcement policies. Heed didn't respond to a request for comment placed on Monday about those conferences or his position on marijuana. In 2001, the then Vancouver police inspector told a senate committee he supported "the removal of criminal penalties for small, private possession of cannabis as a means of reducing the economic costs of law enforcement and the social costs of arrests of people who are otherwise not criminally involved." Mr But the former solicitor general appears to have been helping influence them south of the border, Public Eye has learned. Heed didn't respond to a request for comment placed on Monday about those conferences or his position on marijuana. In 2001, the then Vancouver police inspector told a senate committee he supported "the removal of criminal penalties for small, private possession of cannabis as a means of reducing the economic costs of law enforcement and the social costs of arrests of people who are otherwise not criminally involved." Mr The former West Vancouver chief constable was a scheduled panelist at two recent conferences sponsored by the New York-headquartered Drug Policy Alliance, which works to "advance policies that reduce the harms of both drug misuse and drug prohibition." The conferences - one of which took place in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles - discussed "strategies for moving beyond drug war policies and toward a health-centered approach to drug use."

Mr... read more

By law, former provincial ministers are, in effect, prohibited from lobbying the government for 24 months after leaving cabinet. Thorpe's lobbyist registration filing, he's contacting staff in the finance minister and energy, mines and petroleum resources ministers' offices to arrange meetings "between an individual and a public office holder." He's also arranging a similar "possible" meeting with Partnerships British Columbia chief executive officer Larry Blain And that's exactly how long it was from the time Rick Thorpe left cabinet to when was registered to begin lobbying the Campbell administration on behalf of a subsidiary of Canada's largest investor-owned gas and electric utility company.

Three months ago, while visiting the legislature, the ex-small business and revenue minister - who didn't seek re-election in 2009 - told us, "I made a choice when I left politics to leave politics and I'm enjoying myself in Arizona." This, when asked if he had been doing any political organizing relating to the harmonized sales tax

But, as we later found out, he did suggest his friend, British Columbia Restaurant Association president and chief executive officer Ian Tostenson, should moderate the industry's opposition to the HST.

And now we've learned Mr. Thorpe's lobbyist registration filing, he's contacting staff in the finance minister and energy, mines and petroleum resources ministers' offices to arrange meetings "between an individual and a public office holder." He's also arranging a similar "possible" meeting with Partnerships British Columbia chief executive officer Larry Blain Thorpe - who left cabinet on June 23, 2008 - registered as a lobbyist for electric utility FortisBC Inc... read more

Bill Bennett's relationship with the independent provincial agency responsible for regulating British Columbia's oil and gas industry is starting off on a different foot than that of his predecessors. "I am the first Energy minister to spend time meeting with the OGC! I guess the guys before me figured they knew enough about the Commission's work but OGC staff sure appreciated my being there discussing the issues they encounter." In a blog posting published yesterday, the East Kootenay MLA writes he "spent a few hours with Oil & Gas Commission" on July 23. "I am the first Energy minister to spend time meeting with the OGC! I guess the guys before me figured they knew enough about the Commission's work but OGC staff sure appreciated my being there discussing the issues they encounter." "Surprisingly," he continued... read more

The independent agency responsible for regulating British Columbia's oil and gas industry has no restrictions on its staff being seconded to the firms they're responsible for watchdogging. Mitchell-Banks worked for the company as a surface land regulatory affairs coordinator The agency confirmed that position after Public Eye learned one of its senior employees was temporarily assigned to work for Encana Corp., Canada's largest natural gas producer. Mitchell-Banks worked for the company as a surface land regulatory affairs coordinator Leading British Columbia environmentalist Will Horter has said that secondment "raises a lot of issues around bias" at the commission... read more

"Leadership Tips from Tony Hayward (or Not)." That was the headline of an article published yesterday in which Harvard Business School professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter opined the now former BP p.l.c. Hayward? chief executive officer "must have studied management in a parallel universe, where a set of anti-rules for bad leadership are taught." Among those rules: deny and minimize problems; emphasize your own power and importance; make the story all about you; never apologize, and don't even pretend to learn from your mistakes; and hang onto your job even when it's clear you should go. Hayward? So here's a question for our readers: based on that analysis, which provincial politician appears to have gone to the same school as Mr... read more

The provincial New Democrats have distributed a summary of their Our Province Our Future launch conference 89 days after it took place. We're keeping the conversation going through focused discussions in BC's regions as well as sectoral discussions That conference was attended by more than 200 British Columbians as part an ongoing initiative by the opposition to engage citizens in a dialogue about "the economic, social and environmental renewal of our province." According to the summary, participants discussed a number of motherhood ideas such "addressing the high cost of post-secondary education" and "promoting green technology." But several more interesting proposals were also talked about.

Among them: a land or housing speculation tax to deal with the challenge of housing affordability in urban areas; using a model similar to the Columbia Basin Trust to support economic development in rural regions; decentralizing "appropriate" ministry functions and programs to those areas; and increasing the social, legal and economic supports necessary to facilitate the long-term integration of immigrants. We're keeping the conversation going through focused discussions in BC's regions as well as sectoral discussions The following is a complete copy of that summary, along with the email which accompanied it.

***

From: Carole James
Subject: Our Province, Our Future: Summary of Proceedings

Hello,

Attached is a summary of proceedings for the Our Province, Our Future Leaders' Summit... read more

"They don't look like they're in step with a lot of economic times people are facing." That's what Community and Rural Development Minister Ben Stewart said when the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. That brouhaha has made headlines and broadcasts across the Lower Mainland asked about Port Coquitlam's decision to increase the salaries for its mayor and councillors by 27 percent and 42 percent respectively. That brouhaha has made headlines and broadcasts across the Lower Mainland "However, in a community like Port Coquitlam, where they haven't dealt with this issue for 15 years, they need to establish more regular reviews of it and not leave it for so long," the minister said, having earlier told The Vancouver Sun's Kelly Sinoski he had asked his staff to review the raise... read more

"They don't look like they're in step with a lot of economic times people are facing." That's what Community and Rural Development Minister Ben Stewart said when the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. ... asked about Port Coquitlam's decision to increase the salaries... Sean Holman... read more

Arn van Iersel has made a return to public office, being appointed to the board of the government agency responsible for providing services to adults with developmental disabilities. By law, the auditor general is supposed to be appointed with the unanimous consent of the select standing committee on public accounts Mr. By law, the auditor general is supposed to be appointed with the unanimous consent of the select standing committee on public accounts van Iersel departed the government in 2007 after a brief and controversial tenure as the province's auditor general... read more

New Democrat MLAs will be organizing Our Province Our Future events in their ridings, Public Eye has learned. The expectation to have riding-level Our Province Our Future events came out of a New Democrat caucus meeting that took place earlier this month at the St That's the initiative party leader Carole James launched in April to engage British Columbians in a dialogue about the "economic, social and environmental renewal of our province." The first Our Province Our Future conference was considered to be something of a success. The expectation to have riding-level Our Province Our Future events came out of a New Democrat caucus meeting that took place earlier this month at the St But a regional summit in Kamloops was the subject of critical coverage by the city's daily newspaper and the initiative's online discussion forum is moribund, attracting only 15 comments to-date... read more

New Democrat MLAs will be organizing Our Province Our Future events in their ridings, Public Eye has learned. ... That's the initiative party leader Carole James launched in April to engage British Columbians in a dialogue about the "economic, social and... Sean Holman... read more

Arn van Iersel has made a return to public office, being appointed to the board of the government agency responsible for providing services to adults with developmental disabilities. ... Mr. ... van Iersel departed the government in 2007 after a brief and... Sean Holman... read more

Earlier this month, the Georgia Straight's Charlie Smith reported on concerns surrounding the future of the BC Human Rights Tribunal after the provincial government didn't reappoint its chair, Heather MacNaughton. Walter made his biggest headlines in the nineties So who's now heading up that body? Well, according to an order in council passed last week, Bernd Walter will assume that position on an acting for a six month period effective August 1. Walter made his biggest headlines in the nineties Mr... read more

Earlier this month, the Georgia Straight's Charlie Smith reported on concerns surrounding the future of the BC Human Rights Tribunal after the provincial government didn't reappoint its chair, Heather MacNaughton. ... So who's now heading up that body? Well, according to... Sean Holman... read more

The provincial Liberals have always believed in the primacy of the private over the public sector. the sole legal provider of Internet gambling in the province, enforcement activities against its operation would become "virtually impossible" since it's "improbable government would shutdown its only supplier." Read now, that advice seems prudent if not prophetic making me wonder why - legal considerations notwithstanding - the Liberals didn't take it. The following is a copy of the relevant portion of the council's pitch. Interactive Gaming Council 2008 budget submission page 8 But on the issue of Internet gambling, they seemingly ignored the advice of the private sector and launched their own online casino, which has now crashed and burned the government. the sole legal provider of Internet gambling in the province, enforcement activities against its operation would become "virtually impossible" since it's "improbable government would shutdown its only supplier." Read now, that advice seems prudent if not prophetic making me wonder why - legal considerations notwithstanding - the Liberals didn't take it. The following is a copy of the relevant portion of the council's pitch. Interactive Gaming Council 2008 budget submission page 8 As I earlier reported, in 2008 the association representing Internet gambling companies encouraged elected officials to instead regulate their industry - which exists in a legal gray zone in this country.

According to the Interactive Gaming Council, the government would be seen as expanding gambling if it got into the online betting business, while the regulation of privately-owned operations would be seen as an effort to protect the public.

The council also warned the Campbell administration might not have the expertise to enter the sector on its own.

And, by making the British Columbia Lottery Corp... read more

The provincial Liberals have always believed in the primacy of the private over the public sector. ... But on the issue of Internet gambling, they seemingly ignored the advice of the private sector and launched their own online casino, which has... Sean Holman... read more

This week, Public Eye exclusively revealed:

* some Liberal legislators don't have a favourable opinion of how the provincial government's top financial watchdog John Doyle is doing his job;

* one of BC Hydro Corp.'s newest board members has expressed concerns about the use of public-private partnerships;

* CropLife Canada has been working behind the scenes against a cosmetic pesticide ban in British Columbia;

* Vancouver-Kensington MLA Mable Elmore's non-partisan constituency office hosted a discussion about the "Art of Political Campaigning" led by a NOW Communications Group Inc. You can stop supporting Public Eye at any time by following this link.) employee;

* Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources Minister Bill Bennett's thoughts on the controversial email that was sent under his name last week;

* British Columbia isn't following Quebec's lead by suspending incentive payments for top bureaucrats; and

* provincial New Democrat constituency assistants are taking a strike vote.

So, if you aren't already a supporter, please consider making a confidential $10 monthly contribution by clicking on the bar below. You can stop supporting Public Eye at any time by following this link.) You'll be helping sustain our investigative work, digging up the news that matters to you... read more

Sunday morning, on Public Eye Radio, we speak with CropLife Canada regulatory affairs and non-ag uses director Pierre Petelle and West Coast Environmental Law Society staff counsel Andrew Gage about efforts to ban cosmetic pesticides in British Columbia. If you have a question for one of our guests, you can email us or leave a comment below. CKNW's Brett Mineer discusses his big scoop last week, revealing British Columbia Lottery Corp. If you have a question for one of our guests, you can email us or leave a comment below. had been fined more than $670,000 for over 1,000 violations of the Proceeds of Crime and Terrorist Act... read more

Sunday morning, on Public Eye Radio, we speak with CropLife Canada regulatory affairs and non-ag uses director Pierre Petelle and West Coast Environmental Law Society staff counsel Andrew Gage about efforts to ban cosmetic pesticides in British Columbia. ... CKNW's Brett... Sean Holman... read more