It was lesson never forgotten. When I attended university back in my youth in Montreal, I applied for a student loan/bursary from the Province de Quebec. I was turned down, because … they said … my family’s financial income/assets were deemed sufficient to pay for my education.
But my father apparently knew more about how “the system” worked than I did. He made a phone call to our local MLA’s office, told them how he had always supported the Liberals and, I later learned, he made a “donation” … although I never learned exactly to what or to whom. Suddenly, my loan/bursary application was “reconsidered” and I now not only qualified … but received the maximum available year after year, while pursuing my degree.
Quebec sait faire! (Quebec knows how to do it!)
I was thinking about that again after watching a first-rate story on Global BC about all kinds of generous freebies and gifts accepted by Vancouver city councillors from wealthy individuals, corporations and developers.
To his credit, reporter Ted Chernecki credited the Vancouver Courier for originally breaking this story a few weeks ago. But no matter if his story was a “follow”; it was a first-rate piece of journalism … the kind that used to make BCTV’s Newshour compelling television … and both the Global and Courier reports raise some very concerning contemporary issues.
The Vancouver Charter requires the Mayor and Councillors to disclose any gifts or personal benefits exeeding $250 in value. Both media stories carried the names of specific councillors who accepted and declared their “freebies” and you can find those in the news reports. But did ALL councillors declare their “gifts”? I wonder.
And what really concerns me is that elected officials would take sizable gifts at all from those who they might have to deal with on developments, contracts or policies.
We’re not talking about a box of chocolates. We’re talking about hundreds of dollars worth of high-priced tickets to major concerts, seats in private boxes at Canucks games, and “star-studded gala at a palatial waterfront home” and a fully catered cruise on a private yacht to watch the fireworks in English Bay. Plus a lot more.
Politicians who accept major gifts are, in my mind, politicians on the take.
It doesn’t, of course, necessarily mean any decisions they make are corrupted. But whenever they do a rezoning, approve a development, or establish a new public policy that favors ANYONE who has given them a gift, they look bad and may legitimately raise public suspicions of bribery, corruption and/or plain simple bias.
Haven’t Vancouver councillors ever heard the expression “He who pays the piper, calls the tune”? They should be bright enough to know better.
If they cannot afford to buy tickets … do what the rest of us do: stay home!
This is a policy I always followed in my own career. Even when I was covering a story, I always tried to avoid even the smallest “freebies” … apart from a cup of coffee, or a chocolate (ok, maybe two!) when doing a story at a chocolate factory.
In fact, I recall doing a light feature on Vancouver’s true arrival as a sophisticated city: the opening of Siegel’s Montreal style bagel bakery! Of course, I chewed on a bagel on-camera during the course of the story…. mmm!
But when we were done, the owner presented me with a bagfull of my favorites (sesamy and poppy bagels). I turned them away, with thanks. However, on my day off, I was back at the store, which isn’t far from my home, with my Entertainment Book coupon: buy six, get six free.
“What’s this?” the proprietor asked. “I wanted to give you a dozen!”
“Yes, I know,” I answered. “But you don’t just give them away to everybody. However, anyone can get a coupon .. so I don’t mind using it.”
That’s the point too many Vancouver councillors seem to have missed: don’t take ANYTHING from ANYONE unless it’s in the course of actually and immediately performing your job.
Not just having a good time, with your spouse, your kids … or your campaign officials at your elbow as you wine, dine and destroy your own image and add another nail in the coffin of public opinion about your profession.
Harv Oberfeld
13 responses so far ↓
1 BC Mary // Nov 13, 2008 at 6:08 pm
This is important stuff, Harvey. Maybe we all need these tutorials on media etiquette — based in real considerations.
It got me thinking some more about the book I’m reading very slowly, trying not to miss anything. It’s a first-rate book of investigative journalism about Canadian issues, very timely as it explains how media itself becomes corrupted.
Dispersing the Fog: Inside the secret world of Ottawa and the RCMP. By Paul Palango. Key Porter Books, Oct. 2008.
2 frosty // Nov 13, 2008 at 6:36 pm
we used to call it “payola” in my business…for which you’d be fired, if not end up in jail.
By the way..those couple bagles sure started soemthing didn’t they?
3 Donald // Nov 13, 2008 at 6:50 pm
Sadly, our politicians think they are above any laws, including the law of common sense. To many times have civic officials ‘been on the take’ demanding freebies and gifts. We are no better than a 3rd world country.
Sadly our Premier lacks the moral fiber to reign in our out-of-control politicians, lest they demand the same rules for provincial politico’s as well.
Slowly, ever so slowly the public are getting tired of this corrupt and elitist political scene and are searching in vane for someone, anyone to clean up the mess.
Ain’t going to happen, and we wonder why so few vote in our oligarchic dictatorship, we call democracy.
4 Romeogolf // Nov 13, 2008 at 9:42 pm
I think we’re overdue for an ICAC-type body (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independent_Commission_Against_Corruption_of_Hong_Kong), and not just at the municipal level.
I wonder what Transparency International would turn up if they did a proper investigation here and in Victoria.
5 Gary E // Nov 14, 2008 at 4:22 am
Donald. I don’t think Campbell lacks moral fiber to reign in our out-of-control politicians. He leads by example. Remember how he got to Beijing?
6 Patrick Bell (NOT the MLA) // Nov 14, 2008 at 4:44 am
I am loving how the media has jumped all over these politicians lately about all the under handed deals going on.
Harvey, did you have to mention chocolate? I had to scrounge around the house for my wife’s stash…ahhhh, I found it… The good old Cadbury’s Fruit and Nut bar….
I’ve always found Ted Chernecki to be a very compelling reporter.
7 A. G. Tsakumis // Nov 14, 2008 at 7:11 am
Yes, Chernecki is first rate…
… but I think we need a greater breadth of checks and balances. When the Premier’s former top advisor is charged and convicted of being an unregistered lobbyist (while still holding down a swivel chair in the West Annex!!!); one of his top cabinet lieutenants (stupid enough to want to gentrify Riverview) gets caught doing business between the govt and a lumber company run by his brother(!!!); one of his other top advisors and his personal campaign manger are both accused of unregistered lobbying…you’ve got to wonder what the devil we’ve done to due process and any kind of fairness doctrine.
Is it that much of a stretch for people to be yelping about corruption??? These guys do this to themselves. The arrogance of it all is infuriating.
Gordon Campbell has treated openness and transparency in this province like a blow up doll at a frat party.
(Writer’s note: I had a much more sublime university life and never joined a frat…
))))
8 RossK // Nov 14, 2008 at 8:49 pm
Uhhhhh……
‘payola’?
In his business??
In the old days???
Is that ‘frosty’ at the thread who I think it might be?
(and how’s that formerly WIC, now Corus, stock doing these days anyway?)
(Response: Frosty is retired too … but not forgotten by anyone ..and still a good friend! ho)
.
9 North Van's Grumps // Nov 14, 2008 at 9:29 pm
The best part that I “like” about what is happening in Victoria, so that Premier Gordon Campbell may hire the best, with the best perks (but not so for private industry) is the Forgive the Loans act which is only available to the BC Government.
The example given on the government’s website covers:
nursing
nurse practitioner
medicine
midwifery
pharmacist
speech language pathology
pediatric occupational therapy
audiology
pediatric physiotherapy
teachers for the visually impaired
teachers for the deaf and hard of hearing
technology education teachers
school psychologists
What is not mentioned, are public servants, like the three who are before the courts because of the charges of Corruption having been laid against them in the BC Rail Consolation Prize debacle.
10 A. G. Tsakumis // Nov 15, 2008 at 9:29 am
Yes, Ross old buddy, that’s THE Frosty…
No one ever had a better morning program, and no one ever will.
(Yes… and I’m sure it was because of all the target material I provided him! LOL ho)
11 RossK // Nov 15, 2008 at 10:17 pm
Oh boy.
Just one more reason to keep using the theatre of my mind when I stop by at Harvey O’s place.
.
12 Tired of Lies // Nov 16, 2008 at 8:15 am
The level of corruption in all levels of government is so utterly disappointing I can barely find the words.
It is not only the odd morally corrupt slime ball who is on the take (dandruff, wife and son) but the many MANY common or garden civil servants who are so simple minded as to think their behaviours are acceptable.
Public Eye Online has had a number of stories about these ‘freebies’.
The one story that stood out for me was the one about the Ministry of LCS … soliciting vendors for credit cards to pay for a party!!! The result? ….. And they wonder why the bc public service has such a piss poor reputation?
Can we outsource government?
(Slightly edited for legal reasons ..
ho)
13 LP // Nov 30, 2008 at 5:05 pm
So I have to become a politician to get free great seats for a concert? For a Canucks game? To see a light show in the sky from the comfort of boat? Crap! I’m in the wrong business. I want to be a whore too!
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