The Crime of Privatization

Here is another example of the criminal nature of contracting out and privatization.

Payments may have lasted six years

The American company accused of offering secret commissions to two Edmonton police officers to get an untendered $90-million photo-radar contract may have offered the inducements for more than six years.

The RCMP did not release details of the charge against Dallas-based Affiliated Computer Services, but the publicly traded company was required to report the allegations to its investors through the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

According to a document filed Wednesday with the SEC, the charge covers the period from Jan. 1, 1998, to June 14, 2004.

The RCMP charged the company Wednesday with offering secret commissions to two members of the Edmonton police service's traffic section. The officers were also charged with Criminal Code offences.

Det. Tom Bell faces three counts of breach of trust and one of accepting a secret commission.

Staff Sgt. Kerry Nisbet, the former head of the traffic section, faces two charges of breach of trust and one of accepting secret commissions.

Let's understand one thing, whether it is legal or illegal, its all about insider deals and low ball bidding. There are no real savings to taxpayers, you and me, the workers who are also employed either in the public sector or private sector. The only savings made in contracting out is by underpaying workers. Profits are pocketed not for the public good but the private fortunes of a few. And here is a perfect case where companies engage in bribery, good old crony capitalism, and kick backs to get contracts. Not unlike the Third World. In fact the very nature of privatization of government services is prone to exactly this problem, not as an anomaly but as business as usual.

"The commission is going to look at where did this go wrong, and how did it go wrong," Billett said at a news conference.

"Do we continue with ACS? Do we extend their contract? The (request for proposals) has gone out and we do have some options," he said.

The charges stem from a 19-month RCMP investigation into allegations that at least three traffic officers accepted perks from ACS. The city granted the company an untendered photo-radar contract worth an estimated $90 million over 20 years, based on the recommendation of the police service.

The fact is that the photo radar should never have been privatized. It was just the cops were too lazy to want to administer it, and the police, the city and the police commission mutually agreed that it was better to spend the money on cops than on civilians to operate the photo radar. Even though it brings in oddles and oddles of money.

So instead a private company was hired untendered, opps there is part of the problem, and then tips cops for their private profit. And this is saving us money? No we are being ripped off. And the police commision should have canceled the contract immediately and brought the whole thing back in house. It will pay for itself, and if the cops don't want to do the work, another city department could.

Here is another irony the RCMP investigation is secret but under U.S. corporate reporting rules the news is released for public perusal thanks to the SEC. So we find out what is happening not from the police commission, a civilian oversight committee but from the SEC. And these guys on the commission still want to go ahead with contracting photo radar out as if nothing has happened. That's criminal.


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Abetting Addiction

Gambling promises the poor what property performs for the rich--something for nothing. George Bernard Shaw

The state in Alberta is addicted to gambling and the proftis from gambling which putrevenues into the governments coffers equivalent to other business, oil, gas and personal taxes. Gambling produces over $1-billion dollars annually in profits for the Province of Alberta

This gambling boom has translated into a windfall of revenue flowing to provincial government coffers. In crafting the 1999-2000 budget, the Alberta government projects that lottery revenue will total $770 million. This lottery revenue comes from video lottery terminals (VLTs), slot machines, and ticket lotteries only and it does not include other gambling revenues, such as licensing fees or income to non-profit organizations derived from horse racing, bingos, raffles, or charitable casino gambling. To place this in perspective, the estimated $770 million in lottery revenue compares with $1.1 billion collected annually from school property taxes, $690 million from health care insurance premiums, $570 million from fuel taxes, $452 million from liquor taxes, $350 million from tobacco taxes, and $346 million from crude oil royalties. Fully 4.5% of Alberta's estimated budget of $17 billion is expected to come from lottery revenues and this compares with 37% from combined personal and corporate income taxes and 14% from all natural resource revenues.EJGI:Policy:Gambling on the Edge in Alberta

And we have Premier who is also addicted. Just like he is to booze and smoking.

And with the Ralph Reich we have seen the government download its responsibilities to charities, who have become addicted to gambling revenues because of the states failure to provide adequate funding for them.

In fact privatization of gambling in Alberta coincided, not coincidentally, with the down turn in the economy in the eighties, and as a result of its success a new form of mass gambling was introduced,VLT's in the ninties. As the Klein government created a debt and deficit hysteria to justify reducing funding to the public sector it increased reliance on VLT's.

Wide spread success of the VLTs and expansion of privatized gambling was part of the governments overall privatization of public services strategy, whatever could be sold off or privatized was.History of Gaming in Alberta

Indeed every single school and hospital in Alberta relies on lotteries, casinos and bingo's to top up funding . These were once the pervue of the Non-profit's, arts groups, community leagues, boy scouts and girl guides. Now gambling is used to offset government funding shortfalls.

Alberta is Canada's gambling hotbed. Nine out of ten adult Albertans gamble on some form of legally-sanctioned "game" and this province has the distinction of having the widest array of gaming entertainment options available to its citizenry of any jurisdiction in North America. Even the kids are getting into the act as seven out of ten adolescents age 12 to 17 have gambled for money, either on a legal game or informally with family or friends (Wynne, Smith, & Jacobs, 1996).EJGI:Policy:Gambling on the Edge in Alberta

But then the individuals who are addicted to gambling, in many cases to VLT's the real problem in the industry,have seen little in the way of help from the Alberta government. And that does not include lottery tickets, or horse racing (which gets tax subsidies from the government because ex Premier Don Getty was a racing owner and enthusiast).

A Canada West Foundation study on gambling in Canada released on June 21, 2005 is alarming but not surprising. The study found that governments took in over $12.7 billion from gambling last year. It pointed to a big difference between how much Canadians report they are spending on gambling and what the actual figures show. Reported annual household spending was $272, yet the average spending level was four times higher, at $1,080. The Canada Safety Council suggests that very high losses by pathological gamblers may account for much of this discrepancy.Gambling problems risk further neglect

What is also interesting is that the debt incurred from gambling corresponds to the decline in savings that is occuring. Money is being spent on gambling that in the past would have been saved and earning interest, a far surer bet.

Alberta has an increasing gambling addiction problem. Until now. The Alberta government has come up with a solution for gambling addicts.

Problem gamblers to get help in casinos
CBC News - 14 hours ago
The province, in an attempt to stem a growing addiction problem, is putting treatment centres in select casinos. The first such centre opened Thursday at the Palace Casino in West Edmonton Mall.
Addictions staff posted in casino Edmonton Journal
Problems gamblers find help on site CBC Edmonton
StarPhoenix - Edmonton Journal - Calgary Sun - all 8 related »

Yep its the Alberta way. And you don't lose any of that gambling money the government is addicted to. I wonder what brilliant genius thought this up.

It makes as much sense as putting alcohol addictions counsellors in bars. Now come to think of it.....This is the prefect solution for King Ralph....this has got to be the dumbest idea yet.....

But it does little for the real source of gambling addiction; VLT's which this supposed solution does not address, because VLT's are in every corner bar and hotel. These are the real source of the states wealth because the games are rigged. You can't play for losing.

Gambling policy designed to create losers
Albertans are being swindled while the province rakes in the money

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Ban Tasers

I have said it before we need to ban tasers from the cops.

Clearly its not tasers that are the problem its the cops. Remember its not tasers that kill people its the people using tasers.....and in this case its turned a cop from a Hero to a Zero.

And he tasered a kid, a kid, in a closed cell. Ohh big man. After he strip searched him, obviously this guy has sexual issues....like just a bit of sadism on the side...sexual violence is about power......but what do you expect from the authoritarian nature of cops as agents of the state...they are either in control or they get outta control.

Laurie Wood, the boy's lawyer, says the case raises more questions about the police department's use of Tasers. "I've always said that a Taser should only be used as a last resort," she said. "I think Tasers are being used by police officers as toys."

Yep this gives new meaning to boys and their toys.

Officer charged in Tasering of teen in police cell
Edmonton Journal - 19 hours ago
EDMONTON - The Edmonton Police Service charged one of its own members with assault Wednesday after an officer allegedly strip-searched then Tasered a 15-year-old boy in late 2003.
Assault charge for 'hero' cop Edmonton Sun
Edmonton cop charged in jail-cell Taser case Calgary Sun
CBC Calgary - Edmonton Journal - all 6 related »

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A New Gun Registry

Just as the Tories are planning to close one gun registry they may have to look at opening up a new one.

TO area mayors consider banning toy guns
CTV.ca - 14 hours ago
Toronto area mayors are being asked to endorse a ban on kids possessing toy guns in public. Scugog Mayor Marilyn Pearce is leading the plan to prohibit anyone under 18 from having toy guns in public spaces.
Leave toy guns to parents Toronto Star
Toronto area mayors eyeing toy gun ban Edmonton Sun
Toronto Star - 640 Toronto - all 5 related »

Now this is just silly. Really silly. No I mean it. This is taking the whole gun thingee too far. After all its not toy guns that kill kids, its Cops. As I have said before we should disarm the police if we really want gun control.



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Western Slander

So the news is that Western Slander editor publisher Ezra LeRant has sent a begging letter via email asking subscribers to help bail out the magazine due to the economic crunch it is facing because advertisers and distributors are pulling out. Now why would that be do ya think? See here. Simon Pole asks; Western Standard Cash Crunch?

Well that never mattered to the Alberta Report, in fact they thrived on controversy it got them more subscribers. Which was always a matter of using that good old fashioned ad rag technique of cold calling subscribers and brow beating them to take out a sub.

Now that is how many an ad rag, you call them the Alternative weeklies in your city, or the niche press, or whatever, they are those free rags you see which are 80% ads and 20% content. Well that's how the business is done.

And Alberta Report did it by dropping copies in dentist and doctors offices, free of charge, just cold mailing free subs to them and so could prop up their publication numbers. Then they had the call centres doing cold calls for subs.

And despite three bankruptcies, one bail out by the Alberta Venture Capital Fund (yep you and me taxpayer) they still collapsed but that was after a record thirty years in business. A lot of ad rags collapse well before that. Though in Alberta the Report was not alone in its longevity, many of Moser Communications publications have lasted that long including his Native News.

I don't think this hail Mary pass by Lerant to save the Slander when Air Canada has dropped the mag, which is the Slanders version of the doctors and dentists office, will amount to much. The Slander is too young to lose distribution and ad business so early in its short publishing existence. Subscribers do not make up the shortfall never did never will, they are actually an ongoing expense. You need a call centre team doing both advertisers and subscribers, and ads bring in more money.

And for the heat he has brought on himself and his rag, well more folks will shy away with advertising, which is the real source of $$$$$$ that these kinds of rags survive on. Without which the publisher/editor doesn't get paid. So Ezra really is begging for his job. Delicious. And no amount of subscribers can keep the Slander afloat it didn't work for Alberta Report it won't for Ezra.

Also see

Standard Western Racism

The World According to Adam

Conservative Conundrum

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Edmonton Bloggers Get Together

Candace at Waking Up at Planet X has taken the initiative to call an Edmonton Bloggers get together for this upcoming Long Weekend. Oh you forgot its a long weekend, yep Family Day....and we're all family here cause we fight and bitch like one....so here is the info.....And no you cannot bring your baseball bat its not that kinda bash......

Edmonton Bloggers Bash

Well, "bash" may not be the best word, given the timing, but here are the details:

Date: February 18, 2006
Time: 1:00 pm until whenever
Place: Brewsters - 104th Ave & 116th Street (the London Drugs part of that monster strip mall)

Spouses welcome. Friends welcome. Firearms...not so much.


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Still Waiting

Yep Canadians are still waiting for this......

The Choice

The time for accountability has arrived.

On January 23rd, Canadians will finally be able to hold the Liberals accountable. Accountable for the stolen money; accountable for the broken trust; accountable for all that did not get done because this government has been totally preoccupied with damage control; lurching from one scandal to another; always trying to avoid the people’s verdict.

For those Canadians seeking accountability, the question is clear: Which party can deliver the change of government that’s needed to ensure political accountability in Ottawa? The change of government that will replace old with new; entitlement with accountability; benefits for some with leadership for all.

Yep which party is that?

At least they kept this promise "benefits for some"

That sounds about right. Like these folks who have benefited from the 'new' government.

• Mr. P3
• Super P3
• Ottawa Conservative Lobbyist Heaven
• You Are Paying For This
• Don't P.O. Garth
• You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet

• A Week of Scandal

• Not Your Daddies Conservative Party, well maybe...
• Recall

• A One Day Wonder

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Whats with the Finger?

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Remember This?

This was the campaign slogan for the 2004 election.
I think we still have the right to Demand Better don't you.

And look into his eyes, if they are the gateway to the soul
.....brrrr scary.

I wonder if he is one of those 4000 year old Lizard aliens.



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Harpocrite

A BCer In Toronto blogged about a suitable monicker for our new PM and I voted for Harpocrite which would makes his followers Harpocrates. Cause they have to take loyalty oaths to the Great Leader.