The Campbell government's defense on the Walls audit is that it was just incompetent, not crooked. They claim that there was no political involvement, yet the emails show that Walls was able to command attention at the highest levels of government.

Christy Clark and her colleagues attempt to blame former Deputy Minister Chris Haynes, and they do everything possible to emphasize that Walls did some government work under the NDP. They prefer not to mention that the virtual blank cheque for Walls was not written until his buddies moved into the Premier's office, and they haven't been able to satisfactorily explain why a deputy would be responsible for the financial irregularities yet receive a severance payment of $289,000, plus holiday pay, plus a substantial pension.

The emails copied below are found in Appendix D.5, page 155, of the Price Waterhouse Coopers audit with respect to Doug Wall's dealing with government. It demonstrates the inside track enjoyed by the undischarged bankrupt, who is a former president of a BC Liberal constituency association, and a relative by marriage to Gordon Campbell. Martyn Brown, Chief of Staff to the Premier, is more powerful than most, if not all, cabinet ministers. Most people cannot obtain his government email address, let alone his home email address. Walls had both, and received a reply within 12 hours. There is more to the Walls story than can be hung on scapegoat Chris Haynes.

According to an August 13, 2001, information sharing meeting, in mid-July 2001, Walls met with Deputy Minister to the Premier, Ken Dobell for the purpose of pushing for "individualized funding" and to "try to mitigate the effects of cuts of up to $160 million to community living by February 23." How would Walls know just two months after Campbell came to power, that massive cuts were planned for community living in Finance Minister Collins' first full budget? Walls access to power went far beyond his friendship with Chris Haynes.

----- Original Message -----
From: Doug Walls
To: BCL - Martyn Brown
Cc: BCL - Martyn Brown (home)
Sent: Thursday, May 24, 2001 8:48 AM
Subject: Interviews
Martyn,
Hearing about all the interviews and just want to make sure that Chris is not
being overlooked. I talked with Gord about this and he said we didn't have
to do anything - it was taken care of - but Chris is not being interviewed. If
he doesn't wind up Deputy of MSDES it would be an absolute travesty. His
appointment would be universally recognized throughout the service as the
right one. Mike Corbeil has to be going anyway - he already has his boxes
packed - yet he's being interviewed (apparently with 3 or 4 others) tomorrow.
Is something off the rails here - if it is I have to do something. Please let me
know.
Doug
p.s. I am just heading out to a meeting and will be on my cell from 9:00 am to
2:00 pm [Section 22]. Would welcome a call.

----- Original Message -----
From: Martyn Brown
To: Doug Walls
Sent: Thursday, May 24, 2001 8:21 PM
Subject: Re: Interviews
I'm really not involved in that area, Doug, as it's truly Ken Dobell's call.
However, I understand that Chris' skills are well known and appreciated by Ken
and all who have had some hand in the selection of the deputies for the new
Cabinet.

On May 18th, the government finally put Premier Campbell up for debate on the $44 million budget for the Office of the Premier. Around 5:30 PM, Jenny Kwan started to dissect the Premier on his involvement in the Doug Walls' scandal. Read Hansard to see how Campbell ducked and weaved.

Thanks to Mike Smyth for focusing on these emails in his Province column on Sunday, May 16th.