Straight Talk

Special prosecutor’s firm assigned to Kash Heed case on B.C. government payroll

by Carlito Pablo on May 5th, 2010 at 4:00 PM

The law firm of a special prosecutor assigned to investigate the election campaign of twice-resigned solicitor general Kash Heed billed the province more than $500,000 over four fiscal years.

According to public accounts records, the B.C. Liberal government paid Vancouver-based Harper Grey LLP $189,730 in the fiscal year 2008–09. Documents also show the following payments in previous years: $108,387 in 2007–08; $67,861 in 2006–07; and $145,862 in 2005–06.

Terrence Robertson, a partner in Harper Grey, was appointed by the province to look into potential legal violations related to Heed’s campaign in last year’s election race in Vancouver-Fraserview. Heed first stepped down as solicitor general on April 9.

On May 3, Robertson announced charges against Heed’s campaign manager, Barinder Sall; his financial agent, Satpal Johl; and bulk mailer Dinesh Khanna. However, he cleared the Vancouver-Fraserview MLA of any wrongdoing.

On May 4, Premier Gordon Campbell reinstated Heed as solicitor general. But shortly after, on that same day, Robertson withdrew as special prosecutor because his firm had contributed $1,000 to Heed’s campaign. The lawyer knew about this donation but initially didn’t think it was a conflict.

Heed resigned for the second time on May 5.

Elections B.C. records show that Harper Grey contributed $8,500 to the B.C. Liberal party during the campaign period leading up to the May 12, 2009, election. Annual financial reports filed by the party with Elections B.C. indicate the following donations: $3,500 in 2008; $4,150 in 2007; and $2,990 in 2006. In the 2005 election campaign, Harper Grey gave the B.C. Liberals $2,990.

In a phone interview, NDP MLA Mike Farnworth, the Opposition critic for public safety and solicitor general, suggested that a new investigation of the Heed campaign should be undertaken. The case relates to the distribution of unauthorized anti–NDP pamphlets.

Gabriel Yiu ran for the NDP in Vancouver-Fraserview but lost to Heed by 748 votes. “I’m starting to feel sorry for Mr. Heed now,” Yiu told the Straight by phone.

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Comments

4 Comments

BCLiberal Media Relations Manager

May 6, 2010 at 12:02pm

Other cases where Terrence Robertson acted as special prosecutor need to be re-opened, starting with the one involving Ken Dobell, (Ken Dobell is the former deputy minister to Premier Gordon Campbell).

“Nobody seems to be making the Dobell connection,” said Dean Skoreyko, who ran as a Conservative in Vernon-Monashee in last year's election. “It's an identical situation, if not even worse.”

http://thetyee.ca/Blogs/TheHook/BC-Politics/2010/05/06/HeedDobell/

Anonymous

May 8, 2010 at 9:35am

somebody made a mistake accidently or on prupose some people in this riding placed thier vote under conditions that may have unfairly influenced thier thinking i say the answer is simple instead of spending tax payers money on laywers have a re election let the people decide

glen p robbins

May 11, 2010 at 12:16pm

Be careful what you wish for--the BC Liberals want Heed to take some Campbell heat (if one BC Liberals' head falls--the theory goes that there will be less public demand to slaughter Campbell--sacrifice of a 'savage' (Heed-the brown one-- if you will--for the great King of Lies--and his trusty dog--Callin Handsome).

Sensible thoughtful attacks need to go at the Attorney General Mike de Yawn--and more specifically Gordon Milhouse Campbell---.

The NDP will go along with the distraction because when Campbell goes the vacuum could be so pronounced that the NDP starts heading to the sewer with the BC Liberal rats--and the NDP want Campbell to go closer to election time--not now--where just about anything could happen.

I witnessed a meeting with Vander Zalm et al--and they were going through the paces of what will happen if the Petition is successful--and the government doesn't respond--essentially a three year timetable--I was crying inside because the real political language from VZ et should properly be depicted as a dead end.

Let me do this for Bill (without his consent)---if the Petition is successful and the government does not respond--civil disobedience is the only viable option. Any harm that comes from this will be charged to Campbell's account--even when the press starts doing their holier than thou enabling of this crook (my opinion).