The Vancouver Scrum

Pilarinos guilty, Clark not
And were you expecting any different?

While not many observers were certain about which way the verdict of the Clark/Pilarinos trial, the end verdict didn't come as much of a surprise to this observer. Dimitrios Pilarinos was clearly trying to use the Premier as a means of getting his application for a casino licence at the North Burnaby Inn fast-tracked and approved. The Crown was unable to prove that Clark was actively peddling to influence; in short, the court found that Dimitri was the dirtbag in this case, while Clark was trying to keep it clean.

Clark obviously didn't do a good job of appearing to run a clean ship -- the former Premier seemed to be getting favours from a man who stood to benefit from favouring the Premier. However, Clark did not seek those favours -- Pilarinos bractically forced them upon Glen Clark. With 20/20 hindsight, Clark should have never even considered hiring his friend and neighbour to do his deck work; he should have trolled through the Yellow Pages for a contractor.

Nonetheless, the case has been settled, pending any appeals by the Crown.

There were some streeters on the news tonight where some people suggested that Clark should have been found guilty and that Justice Elizabeth Bennett should have considered "everything else that he did in office." Rubbish. Criminal proceedings are not where one's overall performance in office is to be judged; elections are. For it to be any other way would truly be a travesty.

The people of British Columbia spoke forcefully on the matter in May of 2001. This trial was about a specific series of instances, and in those onstances, Clark was found to not be guilty. To those who are disappointed at the judgment: Deal with it. It's over.

For what it's worth, I hope to not hear the name "Glen Clark" again unless I'm in the market for a neon sign, or possibly some other outdoor advertising. Perhaps I might tolerate an anecdote of Clark's college days from a professor, but that's about it.

It's over

Thank Goodness.

The judgment in the case of HMTQ v. Pilarinos and Clark

Media Coverage

Vancouver Sun provincial-affairs columnist Vaughn Palmer talks about the Clark trial on CBC Radio (RealAudio, 6:15)

Globe and Mail: B.C court clears Clark
Globe and Mail: Pilarinos fades into the background
Globe and Mail: Ordeal never ends, Vander Zalm says
Globe and Mail: What the judge said
canada.com: Glen Clark not guilty of breach of trust
canada.com: Joy MacPhail wishes former NDP leader well
canada.com: Pilarinos' lawyer asks for sentencing stay
CTV News: Former B.C. premier exonerated (contains many links to TV stories)
CBC News: Glen Clark not guilty in breach of trust case (with links to TV and radio reports)
CBC News: Clark supporters question merits, cost of case
CBC News: The National Feature Report: Glen Clark Raid
Toronto Star: `I feel great,' B.C.'s Clark says after being acquitted
CANOE: Clark found not guilty
Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Former Canadian Premier Acquitted

I'll have more commentary on the whole sordid affair after I've had the time to digest the judgment. (link above)