GOV'T BUCKS DON'T BACK TOUGH-ON-CRIME STANCE

Solicitor-General Rich Coleman admits organized crime is a problem in
B.C., but he's very touchy about anyone pointing it out other than
him.

And he really gets miffed at people who suggest he's not doing enough
to combat it.

When the Vancouver Board of Trade complained about the city's
property-crime plague -- comparing our problem to crime-riddled Miami
- -- Coleman lost his cool in the legislature and called the board
"irresponsible."

Now Coleman is taking shots at NDP Leader Carole James for daring to
suggest that he hold a public inquiry into the growth of organized
crime in the province. Coleman accused James of "grandstanding" in the
wake of the Dec. 28 police raids on the legislature.

That's tough to take from the top cop. Of course the NDP is taking
political advantage of the government's predicament. The Liberals did
the same thing after the cops searched Glen Clark's house when the NDP
were in power.

But is it really "grandstanding" to suggest a public inquiry? After
all, it was RCMP Sgt. John Ward who said after legislature raids:
"Organized crime is a cancer eating away at the social and moral
fabric of British Columbia."

I don't think Ward was grandstanding any more than James. I believe
what he says. So should Coleman.

Coleman's tirades would be easier to swallow if he could back up his
talk about getting tough on crime. But while Coleman is good at
jumping on politically sexy issues like street racing or schoolyard
violence -- "grandstanding" some might say -- the fact is his
ministry's budget is being slashed by $35 million next year.

Under Coleman, the government has frozen funding for the B.C.
Organized Crime Agency. The budget for policing and community safety
is being cut by $19 million next year. The government has cut the
Crown prosecutors' budget by $5.5 million.

Is the government's priority to make our streets safer or save
money?

Coleman's protestations come against the backdrop of his handling of
the legislature raids.

As B.C.'s top cop, Coleman has been briefed on the details of the
police investigation. Coleman, in turn, briefed Premier Gordon
Campbell and Campbell's chief-of-staff Martyn Brown.

Why was Brown included in the "need-to-know" category? He's the top
non-elected political figure in the government, not a law-enforcement
official.

It was after Coleman briefed Brown and Campbell that they decided to
fire Dave Basi, the ministerial assistant whose office was searched at
the legislature. Coleman even signed the cabinet order to terminate
Basi!

It seems to me that these folks have their wires crossed. Brown should
be the guy doing the hiring and firing at the legislature, not
Coleman. And Coleman should be the guy with the inside knowledge of
the police probe, not Brown.

Strange days, indeed.