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Revision as of 06:25, 18 March 2006 by Domperignon (talk | contribs)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Erik Bornman (DOB: 1976) political consultant and articling student at the law firm McCarthy Tétrault in Toronto. Former President of the Young Liberals of Canada (British Columbia).
YOUNG LIBERAL
As a former member of the Young Liberals in BC, Bornman's name surfaces frequently in relation to certain controversial events that occurred within the BC Federal Liberal wing from 1996-1999. In 1996, shortly after the Liberal Biennial Convention, approximately $30,000 worth of unpaid bills were received by the Party from an airline and hotel in connection with an event held involving 100 Young Liberals. Only one person was eventually charged with fraud in relation to this matter. And although Bornman held cheque signing authority over the Young Liberals' finances, he was not charged or disciplined by the Party.
Bornman earned his nickname "Spiderman" after he entered a locked federal Liberal Party office through the ceiling in order to obtain the BC membership list.
In 1999, Young Liberal President Bornman organized a federal Young Liberal convention in Victoria’s Traveller's Inn that turned into a drunken hotel-trashing. The party was sued for $10,000 in damages by the owner but settled out of court.
POLITICAL CONSULTANT
Bornman was the registered provincial lobbyist for OmniTRAX, the US-based rail company that was bidding for the billion dollar BC Rail deal against eventual winner CN Rail and CP Rail, which dropped out of the bidding because of what it said was a "clear breach" of fairness in the process due to other bidders receiving confidential information.
RCMP INVESTIGATION INTO DRUG DEALING, ORGANIZED CRIME, AND THE BC RAIL DEAL
On December 28, 2003 police executed search warrants at the BC Legislature and the homes and offices of prominent Liberals in connection with an investigation into drug dealing, organized crime, and the BC Rail privatization deal. Several high ranking provincial and federal Liberal Party supporters were served. The principles include David Basi, ministerial assistant to Finance Minister Gary Collins, and Bob Virk, ministerial assistant to thentransportation minister Judith Reid.
Four other search warrants were also executed: at Basi's home; at Bornman's home office; at the Victoria office of Pilothouse Public Affairs, the firm owned by Bornman and former Province newspaper columnist Brian Kieran; and at the home office of Bruce Clark, another federal B.C. Liberal executive member and brother to deputy premier Christy Clark.
The search-warrant "information to obtain" or ITO released by police in September, 2004 claim that Bornman offered provincial ministerial aides Dave Basi and Bob Virk a benefit -- help in obtaining $100,000-plus jobs with the federal Liberal government -- in exchange for obtaining confidential information about the BC Rail deals.
POSTSCRIPT
Recently, Bornman was hired as an articling student at Canada's largest law firm, McCarthy Tétrault (Toronto).