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Revision as of 21:03, 22 March 2006 by 24.84.47.216 (talk) (→Young Liberals)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Erik Bornman (b. 1976) is a political consultant and articling student at the law firm McCarthy Tétrault in Toronto. He is a former President of the Young Liberals of Canada (British Columbia).
Erik Bornman was president of the Young Liberals of Canada in BC during the mid-90s, a time which saw the Young Liberals grow in numbers and emerge as a national political force in the Liberal Party of Canada.
He later served on the Liberal Party of Canada in BC Executive in a variety of positions, continuing his strong commitment the Liberal Party. During the late 90s and early 2000s Bornman organised for the soon-to-be Prime Minister, Paul Martin. During this time he put in place a structure and a group of people that helped ensure Paul Martin won the vast majority of Liberal Delegates to the 2003 Liberal Leadership Convention in Toronto.
It appears that Erik Bornman is not currently involved in federal politics.
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. Basi and Virk face multiple charges of fraud, bribery and influence-peddling. Basi also faces separate charges of production and possession of drugs for the purposes of trafficking.
Bornman was also alleged to have known that Basi and Virk had given him résumés with "flaws and fabrications" regarding their academic records but forwarded them to Mark Marissen, who sent them on to the prime minister's office unaware they were inaccurate.
Current whereabouts
Recently, Bornman was hired as an articling student at Canada's largest law firm, McCarthy Tétrault (Toronto).
It is also rumoured that he is back with the Federal Liberals in Ontario.