B.C. CASE PUTS SPOTLIGHT ON MOUNTIES' METHODS

VANCOUVER -- The RCMP has a lot riding on a sensational case arising,
in part, from the force's bold raid on the British Columbia
Legislature almost three years ago. If you're going to pull off a
move like that -- and instantly ruin careers and reputations in the
process -- you'd better have the goods.

So far, at least, the actions of the Mounties in this high-profile
case have not been cast in the best light.

This week in pretrial hearings at B.C. Supreme Court, for instance,
it was revealed that the force was twice refused permission by the
courts to wiretap a provincial government cellphone, but got the
go-ahead on a third attempt by not telling the judge the phone was
registered at the legislature.

After getting approval, the Mounties then inadvertently eavesdropped
on a conversation between Premier Gordon Campbell and his finance
minister, who was using the phone of the ministerial aide the RCMP
was targeting.

Most of the attention stemming from the raid on the legislature has
focused on that aide, Dave Basi. Mr. Basi has been charged with
influence peddling in connection with a company's bid for the
publicly owned BC Rail, which was previously up for sale.

Although Mr. Basi has yet to be found guilty of anything, he was
fired a day after the raid was conducted on Dec. 28, 2003. The
Premier's office was apparently informed by the RCMP that charges
against Mr. Basi were imminent.

As it turned out, he wouldn't be charged until a year later.

In September of 2004, the RCMP announced that after a two-year
investigation it was laying drug charges against Mr. Basi and seven
others. In Mr. Basi's case, the charges involved a grow-op the
Mounties found in a house owned by the former political aide but
rented out to another individual.

Charges against Mr. Basi would later be withdrawn.

When the case against Mr. Basi gets to court, more information is
likely to surface regarding some of the RCMP's actions that are at
least highly questionable.

For instance, the lead investigator for the Mounties in the massive
drug and money-laundering case was Corporal Andrew Cowan.

It is Cpl. Cowan who swore the search-warrant information leading to
the raid on the legislature.

Mr. Basi's defence team plans to raise the fact Cpl. Cowan purchased
a home from the Basi family in June of 1999. He dealt specifically
with Dave Basi leading up to and after the sale. However, in the
immediate months that followed the sale, according to Mr. Basi, Cpl.
Cowan took issue with several problems he found at the home.

Discussions between Cpl. Cowan and Mr. Basi over those issues became
quite acrimonious, again according to Mr. Basi. In the end, however,
the Basis refused to financially remedy Cpl. Cowan to fix the problems.

(Contacted Wednesday, Cpl. Cowan said that was not his recollection
of events, but if someone "can present evidence to the contrary I'd
be prepared to look at it.")

It gets stranger.

Beginning in the spring of 2004, Mr. Basi, desperate for some source
of income, began applying for jobs at companies in the Victoria area.
One of them was a consulting firm. Mr. Basi knew its owner.

Months later, however, the owner of the business was called upon at
his home by Cpl. Cowan and another RCMP officer. According to the
owner, who was later interviewed by the officers at RCMP headquarters
in Victoria, Cpl. Cowan made it clear to him it would be a mistake to
continue having a working relationship with Mr. Basi. Mr. Basi's
relationship with the firm ended soon after.

How did the RCMP even know that Mr. Basi was working for the firm?
And why would the police discourage the company from having Mr. Basi
on its payroll? What business was that of the RCMP?

That was never made clear.

The RCMP also visited the owner of a manufacturing company that was
considering giving Mr. Basi work. According to the owner of the
company, who was interviewed by The Globe and Mail, one of the
officers told him it would be a mistake to hire Mr. Basi because he
was a troublemaker who would likely "unionize his company."

The man never hired Mr. Basi.

(Cpl. Cowan said he could not comment on these allegations because
the case is before the courts).

Michael Bolton, defence lawyer for Mr. Basi, confirmed yesterday that
he intends to raise both of these matters at some point in the court
proceedings.

There's no question these allegations raise troubling questions not
only about motive and possible prejudice, but also about the
investigative techniques used by the police.

As I said, the RCMP has a tremendous amount riding on this case. The
last thing it wants is this case becoming an investigation into the
actions of the force itself.