the fix

Andrew MacLeod at The Tyee had late breaking news yesterday from the Acting Chief Electoral Officer, Craig James. He’s the guy I talked about here, who arbitrarily and without explanation, fired the Deputy Chief Electoral Officer in a sudden bid to re-organise the previously non partisan organisation. Apparently he has decided to return to work, after a sudden and mysterious sabbatical and he speaks! Well, not publicly, but he answered a letter sent by Naniamo MLA and Justice critic, Leonard Krog.

“The organizational adjustments I have made will result in more efficiency, effectiveness, economy and responsiveness and advance the managerial capacity of Elections BC,” James wrote. “The changes I have made will offer better opportunities for emerging leaders within the office.

“I am confident that with the current structure, the office will be able to better execute its statutory mandate, a goal that will serve the interests of anyone who may hold the position of Chief Electoral Officer.”

…better opportunities for emerging leaders within the office? What was wrong with the woman who was actually qualified for the position, Linda Johnson? Other than her ability to do her job properly? She has been silent on the issue, after her initial shock. I’m guessing Ms. Johnson is in a position to negotiate a very attractive retirement package. For her sake, I hope that’s the case. And who within the organisation stands to be promoted?

Elections B.C. spokesperson Don Main said James won’t be commenting on the matter beyond what James said in his letter to Krog.

Asked for more details about the restructuring, Main said the only other changes he’s aware of at Elections B.C. are the promotions of two executive directors, Nola Western and Anton Boegman, to assistant chief electoral officer positions.

Nola Western, Executive Director at EBC, was in the news back in April of this year, when EBC discovered illegal and objectionable pamphlets circulated in the election campaign for Kash Heed, former Solicitor General, and formerly a Vancouver Police Officer. From Carlito Pablo, of The Georgia Straight,

According to Elections B.C. executive director Nola Western, electoral paraphernalia that did not bear legally required authorizations were reported in a number of Vancouver constituencies. Western also recalled in a phone interview that it wasn’t the RCMP that Elections B.C. first asked to look into the matter. “We had originally…talked to the Vancouver city police about it, because it was in the City of Vancouver,” she told the Georgia Straight.

Western has no explanation as to why the RCMP investigation has homed in on the campaign office of Heed.

“When we received the complaint about the election advertising, it wasn’t specific to any particular riding,” she said. “It was in Vancouver. And Vancouver, of course…it’s got lots of ridings, lots of electoral districts very close together.”

“In accordance with our memorandum of understanding, it goes to the police of the jurisdiction in which the potential infraction occurred,” Western said.

That whole chapter in recent BC politics is shadey, with strong undertones of jurisdictional jockeying for the Policing Prize of the Almighty BC Turf War, which, of course, is ongoing. But I digress, back to Nola Western. She was also highlighted in the news back in 2006, for noticing irregularities in Liberal campaign donation declarations.

Again, from the Straight…

Nola Western, the director of electoral finance for Elections BC, told the Georgia Straight that the Liberal party should have included the donation, from a personal law corporation, in its 2001 statements. “I contacted the political party and gave them a heads-up, and told them I expect in 2005 to not see any of these errors,” Western said.

Although intentionally filing a false or misleading statement is an offence under the Election Act, the error appears to involve a simple omission, she added.

The gift was made to 2001 Liberal candidate Tony Bhullar, who ran successfully in the Surrey-Newton riding. Bhullar’s own candidate’s financial statement listed the donation. However, the Election Act requires all candidates’ donations to be rolled into their party’s annual financial statements, and this was not done for the $1,000 gift.

Did Ms. Western go out of her way to co-operate with the Liberals, thus earning her promotion? What about Anton Boegman, Executive Director, Corporate Planning and Event Management? As recently as 2 weeks ago, he is on record (to Vaughn Palmer) admitting this much about the wording of the Referendum question…

“Elections BC’s position is that the question should be developed by the chief electoral officer to remove any potential questions around partisanship and to ensure neutrality of the question,” said assistant chief electoral officer Anton Boegman, who conceded that the cabinet (which has final approval) could try to shape the wording.

“Whether the cabinet is allowed to provide input or not would be dependent on any legal advice and is not a question that Elections B.C. can provide a definitive answer or not to,” he said. “The legislation is silent, so there is no certainty in legislation which states who writes the question.”

I wonder if his interpretation of the law is in any way helpful to the Liberals, in the sense that he who frames the question, wins? Corporate media gets a Fail this week, for ignoring this story, as well as for leaving Betty Krawczyk to singlehandedly fight for our freedom of expression, and yes, of dissent without the support of the Formerly Free Press, (aka Postmedia).  Blogging company excepted, Alison, Rafe, and Murray.

Okay, the soapbox is yours, take it away…