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A week in review: Fraud in Surrey, The Anti-Cyclist Video, casino news

April 15th, 2011 · 26 Comments

I remember one editor I had many potlatches ago, who said he just couldn’t believe there was no fraud or hijinks going on in Vancouver, with all the cranes around. Surely someone was paying someone off, he suggested. I said that I thought the whole system ran on a more instutionalized payoffs: developers who wanted their projects to move along paid hefty fees that went to all of us.

In my 15 years covering city issues, I’ve heard of only very few exceptions to my guess at the time. That’s why I’m finding this Surrey case so interesting: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2011/04/14/bc-surrey-watts-bribery.html

2. Since about 10 people have sent me this, okay, here it is, children, I will pass the Vancouver Nazi Bike Lane video on to my wider audience (though I do think the Michael Jackson death version was funnier). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0C7AYsfB_dM

3. On the casino front, David Podmore suggested the number of slots be reduced from 1,500 to 1,200 (still 200 more than what River Rock has); a group of police officers came out with a statement against the casino expansion (letter below); and the Marriott was announced as the hotel chain that would go into the casino project, if approved.

Happy weekend.

Mayor and Council,

City of Vancouver

453 West 12th Avenue

Vancouver BC V5Y 1V4

Via E-mail

April 7, 2011  

Dear Mayor and Council,

Re:  Proposed Relocation and Expansion of Edgewater Casino

We, the undersigned, are members or retired members of the VPD, RCMP and other law enforcement agencies operating in BC, Canada, and internationally. We all have decades of experience in law enforcement, and many of us have particular experience or undercover expertise with organized crime, gangs, and money-laundering. Organized crime and gang activity have become deeply entrenched in the Metro Vancouver environment and represent an ongoing threat to public safety. 

We urge this Council not to approve the proposed expansion and relocation of the Edgewater Casino. Casinos and racetracks are well known for their vulnerability to the activities of gangs and organized crime–money-laundering, loan-sharking, extortion, and prostitution, as well as for the vulnerability to public corruption which they engender.

That organized criminals and gang members frequent BC casinos, and easily use them to launder money, or use them as sites for the operation of loan-sharking and prostitution, is well known. Policing in casinos and racetracks requires a robust commitment to real enforcement of the law–a commitment that is plainly lacking at the present time.

Further, we are very concerned about the impact of increased gambling on our addict population, or those at risk of entering it.  We note the 2009 report of the B.C. Medical Association, Stepping Forward, which found that the incidence of severe gambling addiction has more than doubled between 2002-2009, and that BC now has nearly as many severe gambling addicts as it does drug addicts.  Additionally, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health has recently released a study showing that 29,000 Ontario teens in grades 7-12 now show signs of problem gambling. 

It is no coincidence that these youths are also significantly more likely than their peers to engage in gang violence, carry a handgun, and deal drugs other than cannabis.  Tragically, they are also 18 times more likely than their peers to have attempted suicide in the past year. 

Locating a major casino in a major regional sporting complex sends a poor message to our youth.

Addiction is a blight on society. It has a close and mutually reinforcing relationship with crime.  It promotes additional offenses such as property crimes and drug-dealing, as victims seek the money to feed their habits–whatever those may be.  There is no way to measure the social cost of this suffering on victims and their families, but the health, policing, criminal justice, social services and corrections systems as well as charitable service agencies all bear the brunt of the increased pressures brought about by this public problem.

Securing new sources of government funds from addicts to pay for their increased demand on government services is not wise public policy.

Without significant changes in the policing protocol, and the adoption of rigorous crime control standards for casinos such as those employed by the Ontario Provincial Police, we are in no position to deal with the increased criminal activity that will necessarily attend the development of a massive casino on the scale proposed here.

As citizens and public servants, we owe a duty of care to society’s weakest and most vulnerable, to our youth and seniors, and to the public at large.  As police officers, we have seen the ravages of addiction and of gang and organized crime first-hand.  The connection is closer than most members of the public may imagine.

We urge Vancouver City Council to vote against the expansion and relocation of the Edgewater Casino.

Yours truly,

Assistant Commissioner Earl Moulton – RCMP Commanding Officer Saskatchewan

(Ret’d)  Chair of Vision Quest Recovery Society  (Addiction recovery services, BC)

Deputy Chief Constable Peter Ditchfield, Organized Crime Agency of BC (Ret’d)

Detective Ian Pope, Organized Crime Agency of B.C., formerly VPD, (Ret’d)

Sergeant Bob Cooper, VPD Asian Organized Crime Section, (Ret’d)

Sergeant Ivan Chu, New Westminster Police Service (Ret’d)

Superintendent GlennWoods, Officer in Charge of Behavioural Sciences, RCMP (Ret’d)

Staff Sergeant Otto Bertagnolli, RCMP Drug Section (Ret’d) 

Staff Sergeant Scot Filer, RCMP Major Crime Section (Ret’d)

Staff Sergeant Peter Montague, RCMP Commercial Crime Section (Ret’d)  

Corporal Howard Parks, RCMP Money Laundering Expert (Ret’d) 

Corporal Chris Mathers, RCMP Money Laundering Expert (Ret’d) 

Sergeant Pat Powell, RCMP Threat Assessment Expert (Ret’d)

Inspector Keith Davidson, RCMP Major Crime Section (Ret’d)

Staff Sergeant Bob Hartl, RCMP Security Engineering Expert (Ret’d)

Dr Teal Maedel, RCMP Operational Psychologist (Major Crime Section)

Staff Sergeant Robert Stenhouse, RCMP Drug Section (Ret’d)

Staff Sergeant Sid Slater, RCMP Major Crime Section (Ret’d)

Staff Sergeant Tibi Roman, RCMP Border Integrity (serving)

Categories: Uncategorized

  • Max

    @ Frances:

    Perhaps you would like to post a link or links to the ‘Michael Jackson Death’ version bike video.

    I Googled it, and nothing funny.

    Sad to think that anyone would consider his or anyone’s death ‘funny’.

    But then again, Robertson made reference to the deaths of women at the hands of Picton equivalent to those deaths caused by the negligence at the Pandora Street slum flop.

    Perhaps there is is mind link with Vision followers.

  • spartikus

    But then again, Robertson made reference to the deaths of women at the hands of Picton equivalent to those deaths caused by the negligence at the Pandora Street slum flop.

    ?

  • George

    During the campaign at an all candidates meeting, Robertson stated, he would crack down on guns in Vancouver.

    He stated this was so that what happened to the women in the Picton case never happened again….umm Gregor, guns weren’t used in that case…when questioned about it, his response…

    well you know how it is, you have to get the most for your media buck…

  • Gerry McGuire

    What I like about the Watts story is that the investigation is being carried out by the Surrey RCMP-Watts employees…

  • spartikus

    Okay George. I’ll have to look that one up. Though I don’t see how this has anything to do with Picton equivalent to those deaths caused by the negligence at the Pandora Street slum flop but I’m sure I’m just dumb.

    Interesting how you and Max both spell Pickton “Picton”. Happenstance, I guess.

  • Gerry McGuire

    re Anti-bike lane video-are you sure it’s anti-bike lane? In the video Hitler capitulates…

  • Gerry McGuire

    re .”…locating gambling in a sports complex sends the wrong message to youth”-as does our “sports” networks featuring hours of poker tournaments. Have they never been taken to task for this? I consider it a deplorable practise and is probably contrary to the terms of their licenses. Boring too-I’d rather watch grass grow, or even cricket, than that garbage.

  • George

    Spartikus,
    nothing nefarious with the spelling, I spelled it with a” k” and got an error so I assumed Max had it correct…mea culpa to Mr. Pickton,and the spelling police..I’m visually impaired so I rely on my spell check very heavily… as for Gregor’s comment I was the person that corrected him after his speech…he made the comment directly to me.. There was much more to his blunder, but out of respect for others feelings I’ll keep that to myself..
    As for my comment having anything to do with the Pandora flop house, it has nothing to do with it..I provided additional information to Max about foot in mouth comments made by Gregor. Especially when it comes to Gregor capitalizing on poor, marginalized folks for disingenuous media attention….
    I hope that answers your question.

  • Max

    Apologies to both Spartikus and George on my misspelling of ‘Pickton’ – I had my contacts out and well, should have proof read better!

  • Everyman

    @ George #3,
    Well our Gregor has never been known as the sharpest crayon in the box.

  • Max

    Surrey has its issues, but hey, people in glass Vancouver towers should not throw bricks.

    With that, today Surrey has their ‘Party for the Planet’ ce,ebrating Earth Day taking place at Surrey Central City and Spirit of the West is playing tonight at 8:00.

    I have to admit, Surrey does some great free events for it citizens. Much better organized than what we see locally, which inlcuded the 125th B-day held at Jack Poole Centre.

    It amazes me the sponsors they get on board.

    The Fusion Festival held in July is well worth attending.

  • Creek’er

    Nazi bike lane vid is hilarious.

    The war on the car was won?

  • Max

    On the topic of cars, this was my friend’s mother.

    Woman dead after hit and run crash
    VANCOUVER/CKNW AM 980

    4/7/2011

    Vancouver has recorded its sixth traffic fatality of the year.

    A 77-year-old woman died after being struck by a car while crossing the intersection of Renfrew Street and East 22nd avenue at 2:30 yesterday afternoon.

    The driver fled but later turned himself in.

    This sixth death of the year compares to three for the same period last year and six year-to-date in 2009.

  • George

    Max,
    Sorry for your loss…

  • Sandy Garossino

    One interesting footnote to the police letter story is the public hearing submission about loan shark activity by former Registrar in Bankruptcy, Katherine Wellburn.

    It’s interesting because loan sharks operate in a kind of murky area. Police never receive calls about them, but the bankruptcy and insolvency lawyers know all about them through debtor statements. Wellburn described how, in addition to threats and violence, they also counsel debtors on how to commit frauds and embezzlement of their friends, relatives and employers.

    The silent and unseen ways that addiction feeds even commercial crime inside the community would make for very compelling investigative journalism.

    Not that anyone has the time or budget for that kind of thing anymore, unfortunately…

  • Morry

    it isn’t anti bike at all!!

  • Bobbie Bees

    Remember what the dormouse said!
    Feed your head!

  • Tessa

    Re: Podmore:

    His suggestion is completely disingenuous. Not only does it not respond to critics’ concerns (opponents don’t want expanding of gambling, period), but he openly said that their plan was to apply for the remaining slot machines at a later date anyway. So, what? You think people will just go home now?

  • The Fourth Horseman

    Tessa, #18

    It seems it’s always the same story when it comes to trying to pull the wool…er, getting projects by Vancouver voters A very connected group of guys in this town quietly trying to push their projects through, with a minimum of public muss and fuss. When that doesn’t appear possible, they come back at the 11th hour with “bait and switch” tactics when they think their efforts will be thwarted.

    Never mind that the proponents have insulted the electorates’ intelligence from the outset of these hearings, and by the Premier’s premature pronouncement and benediction of the project, made last May.

    They all act like circus masters under the big top: Look, another big, shiny project that ONLY has upsides! Nothing to see here, folks! Move along…

    And don’t get me started on the putative reason that this casino was to be expanded in the first place—the improvements at BC Place. There are NO other jurisdictions in North America today that would tolerate taxpayer money going towards stadia that support professional sports teams. And, I can’t help but think there is also a relation between the Whitecaps owner, who already knows his way around the casino business, and who once lost a bid for his own playground in the downtown area.

    But, I digress. Those are posts for another day—possibly around the time when the next provincial election is called.

    If PavCo/Paragon/BCLC had the grace and wit to actually present a real cost benefit analysis to the public and admit that there are always inherent problems–and significant costs to taxpayers— with the gambling business, one that counts on the fragilty of human behaviour to fire their overly optimistic fiscal projections, perhaps I might have had a little more respect for them.

    Nahhh. Actually, I am still gobsmacked that two levels of government and two Crown Corps. think that it’s perfectly OK and legitimate to build revenues and participate as a “partner” in this type of business.

    When did we officially give up on ensuring that there would be a diversified job base, economy and businesses here in the City of Vancouver that would add value ,and exchange and recycle expendable dollars to other businesses here in the city? When did we say it was OK to suction money away from addicted people, and the middle calss in a government supported industry, that has given itself every advantage–jurisdictionally, regulatory and marketing-wise–and that directly competes with privately financed small businesses? What the hell are they doing/thinking over there in the Small Business ministry in Victoria or at the city’s Vancouver Economic Development office?!

    BTW, since we are talking about things that are good or bad for a city’s long term health, read an historical analysis from Geoff Olson, over at the Courier. Let’s learn something from the past, folks.

    http://tinyurl.com/42u97cz

    That the proponents were caught off guard by the strength of the backlash—and the undeniable show of anger from a wide ranging and non-partison group of concerned civic leaders, the public and organizations from across the city– is made more outrageous by the knowledge that they smugly thought they had this whole expanded casino in the bag, from the outset.

    I hope that this will not be the case, when our councillors meet on this question on Tuesday.

    Enough, already! Listen to the people, Vancouver City Council. You have the power and the duty to say “no!” to this expanded casino.

  • Sandy Garossino

    Very interesting to see the staff memo of April 5. Read it here: couver.ca/ctyclerk/cclerk/20110217/documents/phea6memo2.pdf

    This memo seems to have come up after you posted the HLT report, Frances. This report brought to light such massive differences between the public representations of PavCo, BCLC and Paragon, and what their own independent studies were telling them, that it seems Council wanted staff to take a second look at the financials.

    Far from the advertised (literally, in a full-colour glossy dropped on every doorstep), $224 million to the province and $24 million to the City every year (per something we now know to be the GMA report), the HLT report threw a barrel of icy water all over everyone & their calculators. The cold reality is that HLT is telling everyone to chill–that there is about $35 million annually in this for the province, and $3.5-4.7 million for the City. IF everything goes well and the full market potential is realized.

    So city staff came back on April 5 with a memo saying this:

    “City staff are not in a position to evaluate the validity of the authors’ (GMA/Deloitte) assumptions. The BC Lottery Corporation has informed the City of Vancouver that they have not independently verified GMA’s assumptions and projections for additional gaming revenue.”

    And then city staff got their hands on a gaming industry survey that said, inter alia:

    “only a small share of the industry representatives in British Columbia expressed the view that there was room in the local market for more casinos. Of the industry representatives surveyed, 86% of BC respondents indicated that casino supply was just right or exceeded demand, and only 14% said that the demand exceeds supply.”

    That’s a solid industry consensus that we are at the saturation point–possibly even beyond it. And finally this:

    “Staff notes that this collective view stands in contrast to the ambitious increases in market size assumed by HLT and GMA.”

    There is a LOT of wriggle room here for Council to say that the projections of all this money coming to the City are unverified.

  • Sandy Garossino

    ps: The calculation of $35 million to the province comes from calculating the BCLC share of HLT’s estimate of gross incremental (i.e. new) revenue of $64 million attributable to expansion.

    64 x .553 = 35.4

  • Frances Bula

    @Max. That piece of video is one of the most popular for adaptation to parodies around. I couldn’t find the Michael Jackson one either, but I know I saw it. I did manage to find a site that listed about 25 other parody uses.

  • F.H.Leghorn

    @4th: “What the hell are they doing/thinking at the city’s Vancouver Economic Development office?”.

    Ssshhhhh, not so loud. They’re trying to sleep over there. Their big problem is that all of them already have well-paying jobs, most of which they got throught the OBN (Old Boys’ Network).

    After extensive study and consultation, the only jobs created by Vision and their blue-ribbon panel have been at the Senior Mgmt level at the Hall and for several Councillors (at least three of them are making four times what they made in their best year before taking office). The rest of you job-seekers can read the Commission’s 500-page report while you train to become a cocktail waitress, blackjack dealer or croupier.

  • Glissando Remmy

    The Thought of The Midnight

    “I’m thinking…did anyone feel tonight’s tremors?”

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRCi83P4-VY

    We live in Vancouver and this keeps us busy.

  • Dan Cooper

    The bike video is, in my humble opinion, hilarious. I’ve been forwarding it to bicyclists and transit planners I know in other cities.

    The humour aside, I think the message is somewhat unclear as either “for” or “against.” After all, it’s Hitler and other Nazis (“bad guys”) who are complaining about the lanes! and in the end they capitulate. Ah well, at least they weren’t hit with answering machines…

    http://www.link4u.com/taliban.htm

  • Ned

    Yes Dan #25 the Bike Nazi video is very funny, but is funny in this
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IDcmUQa0WM
    kind of category…the democracy cubed kind of funny!

    Glissy #24
    I loved that video of Olly Murs. New guy in Britain right? very entertaining. And I felt the tremors too 🙂 (in case you referred to …Adrian Dix taking over the NDP to a future defeat by the Liberals…again… Or are you announcing running against Robbie?) Typical.