Roof rip 6 years ago caused costly domino reaction

B.C. Place's roof ripped and collapsed Jan. 5, 2007

UPDATE (Jan. 14): NDP Critic Spencer Chandra Herbert complained to Auditor General John Doyle on Jan. 11, seeking an investigation of the cost of B.C. Place Stadium renovations. Read my story in The Tyee here and see the letter to the Auditor General at the end of this blog post.

UPDATE (Jan. 18): Auditor General John Doyle responded to Chandra Herbert on Jan. 16 and will conduct a fact-finding exercise. A very important first step. See his letter at the end of this post. Here's my latest story in Business in Vancouver. 

Was the skyrocketing cost of B.C. Place Stadium renovations the product of simple scope change or its evil twin, scope creep?

Government has refused to release a business plan or cost/benefit analysis for the renovation of B.C. Place Stadium, begging the question: does one exist? 

When it comes to B.C. Place, there are always more questions than answers. 

Ultimately, there is one question about B.C. Place that needs to be answered, after the half-billion-dollar project. It is this: did taxpayers get value for their money? 

The only hope may be for the Office of the Auditor General to step-in and investigate the blizzard of spending that happened at the 1983-opened stadium after its roof ripped and collapsed on Jan. 5, 2007 in a disaster that was deemed preventable. (It happened, whether by coincidence or convenience, after a drastically censored, 15-page, June 20, 2006 report to the Tourism Ministry by B.C. Pavilion Corporation that proposed major improvements at the stadium because it had "worn out assets which are critical to basic tenant operations.")

John Doyle’s predecessors investigated the NDP’s controversial Fast Ferries project (which was supposed to cost $210 million but rose to $462 million) and the Liberals' Vancouver Convention Centre expansion (which was supposed to cost $495 million but rose to $883.2 million). So why not put B.C. Place under similar official scrutiny? Why not before voters go to the polls to elect a new provincial government on May 14, 2013? 

In a Sept. 28, 2012 interview with Bill Good on CKNW AM 980, outgoing B.C. Pavilion Corporation chairman Podmore maintained “there’s only one budget, that’s the $563 million.”

"What government did is they authorized an expenditure of $12 million to allow us to completely design and engineer the building. To go out and obtain firm prices from contractors and subtrades. 

“And then we bundled all that together and went back to government and said OK, we completed the engineering, this is going to cost $563 million, we can get a fixed price contract to cover that work, do you want to proceed?”

Podmore also maintained the final price tag was $514 million. His math and chronology are a tad too simple for both you and me. 

What is now known is that he told Vancouver city manager Judy Rogers in a Jan. 22, 2008 letter that the cost was “in the order of $100 million, which includes replacement of the roof.” Podmore did not use modifiers, qualifiers or asterisks in his confidential letter. He didn’t mention whether the roofing cost for the stadium "rehabilitation" included an updated inflatable top or a new retractable system. 

By late April 2008, PavCo internal documents estimated the cost of a renovation with a "spoke-wheel" Frankfurt-style retractable roof would be $253 million. Application of such a roof before the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics was nixed, because the best estimate for completion was less than two weeks before the Feb. 12, 2010 opening ceremony.

Podmore and Premier Gordon Campbell announced the project in a May 16, 2008 news conference at B.C. Place, but both steered clear of telling taxpayers how much it would cost for that Frankfurt-style retractable roof. 

On Jan. 9, 2009, PavCo issued a news release announcing a $365 million funding envelope for top-to-bottom renovations. 

The budget was updated to $458 million on Oct. 23, 2009. Government eventually admitted the all-in price would be $563 million. On Aug. 15, 2012, the ruling BC Liberals claimed it was $514 million -- or $49 million under budget. (Still, that’s $414 million more than what Podmore said in his 2008 letter to Rogers.)

Along the way, Podmore said the sale or lease of PavCo lands around the stadium and a naming rights sponsorship would help lessen the burden on taxpayers. The sale option was tossed and the name remains the same. 

Paragon Gaming’s proposed casino/hotel complex west of the stadium was put on hold indefinitely when Vancouver city council denied an expansion bid in April 2011. Edgewater Casino is staying put at the Plaza of Nations until at least 2015, but Paragon is talking to PavCo about using city council authority to move the existing licence to a scaled-down complex. 

Telus had a $35 million to $40 million, 20-year deal to rename the stadium Telus Park, but government cancelled the agreement in February 2012. Evidence suggests the sponsorship was scuttled because of ongoing complaints and legal threats by competitors Bell, Rogers and Shaw over the June 2011 direct award of a $1 billion, 10-year government-wide telecommunications contract to Telus. 

Instead of giving Telus a second tier, official or exclusive supplier designation in exchange for goods and services already provided, government did a straight supply-without-recognition deal with Telus in August for an undisclosed sum. Yes, the government doesn’t want to tell us how much it paid Telus for goods and services that were supposed to be provided under the sponsorship. 

And, finally, the trial of the year is scheduled to begin in B.C. Supreme Court on Oct. 21, 2013 and it's all about the roof. Cable installer Freyssinet Canada sued steel contractor Canam Group for nearly $6.5 million. Canam fought back with a $26.15 million countersuit. PavCo and general contractor PCL are listed as defendants. The legal battle has been complicated by the grease that leaked from the Geobrugg-supplied cables which stained the fabric roof. The next procedural hearing is Jan. 10 and will involve applications to add more defendants and third-parties. (Meanwhile, B.C. Place workers represented by B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union local 1703 voted 96% in favour of striking. Contracting out and scheduling are the big issues.)

Recent legal filings by a lawyer for Canam suggest the cost of damage to the roof from leaking grease may be worth $15 million and it may not be covered by insurance. PavCo knew the leaks existed more than six months before roof fabric installation.

Apologists for PavCo and those desperately hoping to keep the B.C. Liberals in power and the NDP out of power after May's election will try to play-down any concerns about B.C. Place costs by claiming stadium-related economic activity rose from $58 million to more than $100 million after the renovation. But they have no real evidence to show you or me. This is par for the course around North America, according to The Stadium Gambit and Local Economic Development by sports economists Dennis Coates and Brad Humphreys. They say that stadium and arena developments never do for a local economy what the boosters say. 

“A stadium is a public investment in real capital, as such, the rules for sensible public investment apply to stadium finance as much as they apply to public provision of highways, schools and airports... 

“Unlike most studies commissioned by stadium advocates, the consensus in the academic literature has been that the sports environment has no measurable effect on the level of real income in metropolitan areas.”

The money that’s spent on B.C. Place is spent. It’s like toothpaste that cannot be stuffed back into the tube. But now is the time to analyze what went right and what went wrong. The public has a right to know how its money was spent and whether it was spent properly. Look what happened to Quebec’s construction industry because of opaque government tendering and spending. Revelations of Mafia involvement and resignations of mayors have been among the results so far of the Charbonneau Commission inquiry into that province's construction corruption.

Lessons can be learned which can be applied to future government mega-projects in B.C. New ideas can and should be floated to make the stadium a daily revenue generator, so that it can deliver dividends to government instead of rely on annual subsidies. It is a building with great potential. 

NDP complains to Auditor General to investigate B.C. Place renovation costs by BobMackin

Auditor General agrees to examine B.C. Place renovation costs by

Gary Bettman, the $8 million man?

The Form 990 (Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax) for 2010 filed by the National Hockey League is a 40-page document and a tad interesting for those curious about Big Hockey which finds itself mired in another Big Lockout. 

The league reported $378,926,644 in assets and liabilities on this form, which says its mission is to "perpetuate professional hockey in the United States and Canada." (Note to Canadians: this is your beloved sport, but Canada comes second in the collective mind of the NHL.)

Commissioner Gary Bettman received $4,628,853 compensation from the NHL and $3,354,900 from related organizations. That's $7,983,753 combined. Compared to player compensation for the 2011-12 season, Bettman was paid more than Marian Hossa and less than Steven Stamkos. 

NHL related organizations are listed as: NHL Enterprises, NHL Enterprises Canada, NHL Network US, NHL World Cup of Hockey, 3918921 Canada and 3918939 Canada, NHL Network (Canada), NHL Interactive Cyber Ent., NHL Enterprises BV, NHL Coyotes Holding, Coyotes Newco, Arena Newco, CFV Holding, 3051349 Nova Scotia, Universal Ice Services, CFV 1 and CFV II

Bettman gets some of the same perks as the players. The form says "the Commissioner travels predominantly via a chartered plane. The other officers and key employees travel via a chartered plane occasionally… per the Commissioner's contract, he is permitted to use a charter plane for certain personal use, which is treated and included as a taxable benefit."

Bettman also received a $5 million loan from the NHL, approved by the board or committee. The balance due was listed as $1,071,428. 

Bettman is a lightning rod for criticism, mainly by Canadian hockey fans, but the form reinforces the fact that he serves at the pleasure of the 30 franchise owners. 

"The governing body reviews and approves compensation and the written employment contract of the Commissioner put forward as recommendation by the compensation committee."

It's also interesting what can be found in the small print. It says: "Part VI, Line 19 The National Hockey League's governing documents, financial statements and conflict of interest policies are made available to the public upon request."

Remember: if you're a hockey fan and this lockout makes you angry, you have the power to do something about it. Stop being a customer of the NHL and its entities. 

National Hockey League form 990 for 2010

#LiquorLeaks reveals: B.C.'s booze cops a busy lot

They're part of a little-known division of law enforcement in British Columbia, responsible for policing the service and consumption of liquor. They're decked out in body armour and they take use of force lessons from trained professionals.

B.C.'s liquor cops have a big territory to cover, with more than 1,000 retail outlets and 8,000 restaurants and bars. To gain insight into their activities, there are agendas and minutes of Liquor Control and Licensing Branch compliance and enforcement managers meetings that I accessed via Freedom of Information 

Some highlights of meetings held between Jan. 10, 2012 and Nov. 13, 2012:

Jan. 10: a cop in Kelowna rang in the new year in a fight with a Hells Angels' member and a government vehicle was struck by a drunk driver.  

Feb. 21: LCLB got headsup that the government would try to privatize the Liquor Distribution Branch's warehousing and distribution. 

March 6: A promoter was giving away beer in Vancouver streets, called Beer in a Bag. (Hey, why didn't anybody tell me about this?) 

April 6: Cash used by undercover teens in the Minors as Agents Program was going missing and LCLB was seeking a "petty cash alternative following problems with the issuance and tracing of petty cash for minor agent purchases."

May 15: LCLB ordered 60 coffee mugs, ostensibly for coffee (not "special" coffee) and an application for a 500-person beer garden at the Vancouver Festival of Lights (Celebration of Light fireworks) was denied. 

July 10: a ubrew/uvin was selling 40% alcohol and testing found it was actually 43.2%.

Aug. 21: increased gang activity was noted in Gastown, a possible spillover from the Granville Mall (aka entertainment district) and LCLB investigators were granted access to the Canadian Police Information Centre database.  

Sept. 4: Three of seven private liquor stores in North Vancouver contravened liquor laws according to the undercover teens from the MAP program who tried to buy booze.  

Nov. 13: gang activity was noted in the Okanagan. 

A peek inside the B.C. booze cops

Why I don't miss the National Hockey League

The battle of millionaires and billionaires that is the National Hockey League lockout continues until the day they kiss and make-up.

This lockout, like the one that cancelled the season in 2004-2005, has been all about economic issues that concern the players and owners. The fans, who ultimately pay the bills, are seemingly not on the minds of either side. Those fans have taken their wallets elsewhere and some of them may not return to NHL arenas in this shaky economy. 

During the era of Gary Bettman as commissioner, prices have risen and the quality of the game has fallen. Any discerning hockey fan who has attended a midseason NHL game knows this to be true. (Are all the people attending games, particularly in Canadian cities, true fans? Or are many taking advantage of corporate expense accounts?)

Following are my 10 reasons why I don't miss the NHL. 

No team has been rewarded with a point for losing a game in overtime or shootout. (C'mon NHL, be like soccer: 3 points for a win, 1 for a tie, 0 for a loss. Stop the socialism! Let a tiebreaker be a true tiebreaker!)

No worthless fights have occurred. (Does hockey really need fighting anymore?)

No player has been suspended 10 games while his victim is out for 20 games or more with an injury. 

No player has returned too early from a concussion. 

No player has suffered a season or career-ending concussion.

No player has been caught doping. (Yes, only one player has been suspended for failing one of the maximum two-per regular season tests that aren't conducted in playoffs or regular season. Former World Anti-Doping Agency boss Dick Pound says the NHL anti-doping program is a joke.)

Nobody is complaining about underperforming multimillionaires. 

Nobody is getting gouged at NHL franchise ticket box offices. 

No fans have been subject to price-gouging at arena concession stands, where arena owners (who are often team owners) exploit their hunger and thirst in a captive marketplace. (The fan cost index for the NHL -- the average cost for four tickets, hot dogs, two small beers, two small soft drinks, parking, two programs and two caps for a family of four -- was $328.81 in 2011. Six of Canada's seven teams were above the average. The Toronto Maple Leafs were tops at $626.45, followed by the Montreal Canadiens ($486.28) and Winnipeg Jets ($485.52). The Vancouver Canucks were sixth at $371.94.)

No specious sellout streaks. (Evidence shows the Canucks' sellout streak may not have existed after March 15, 2007. NHL teams use ticket scanners at gates and know precisely how many people enter their buildings. Many teams lazily and deceptively report a full house, even while there are obvious game-long groups of empty seats in various price categories. Fans are owed transparency. Show them, on the official scoresheets, the actual numbers of people who attended games. Tickets distributed is not attendance.)

Merry Christmas to one and all!

Thanks for your time, attention and feedback. Let's all make 2013 better than 2012.

Exclusive: storm makes B.C. Place a danger zone

Red "danger" tape surrounded B.C. Place Dec. 19.

So-called "ice bombs" from the cables of the new Port Mann toll bridge damaged dozens of vehicles on a stormy Dec. 19 -- just 18 days after its official ribbon-cutting by Premier Christy Clark.

Problems were apparent in the early afternoon when callers to the Simi Sara Show on CKNW AM 980 reported gridlock and being inside vehicles that had broken windshields or dented hoods and roofs. 

The Transportation Investment Corporation, the Crown corporation that oversees the $3.3 billion Port Mann Highway 1 Improvement Project, wasn't prepared for the storm and ought to have known the risk. The cable-stayed bridge wasn't built with mitigating measures, such as heaters to prevent icing. Falling ice is a problem at other, similar bridges, from Tacoma, Wash., to Toledo, Ohio. There is even a Danish academic study on the specific problem. 

But the Kiewit-Flatiron-built Port Mann Bridge wasn't the only cable-supported structure where chunks of ice were crashing to the ground. 

Workers at B.C. Place Stadium in downtown Vancouver were ordered to surround the building with red tape emblazoned with "Danger" in black, capital letters to keep pedestrians from walking under the towers to which the cables are connected after mini-avalanches of snow and ice crashed to the plaza below. 

Terry Fox Plaza was closed because of falling ice.

One of the Terry Fox statues at the foot of Robson Street was behind the tape and a stanchion. Outside the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame, the red tape was awkwardly tied around the right foot of the Percy Williams statue. The stadium was surrounded by a half-inch layer of slush and ice. 

According to a source, while daytime temperatures fluctuated, drainage pipes on the roof overflowed, causing flooding inside the stadium. 

This happened, coincidentally, the same day that lawyers for steel contractor Canam and cable installer Freyssinet were in B.C. Supreme Court for a judicial management conference. Canam claimed Freyssinet caused a $26 million cost overrun. Freyssinet is suing for $6 million. General contractor PCL and Crown corporation B.C. Pavilion Corporation are listed as defendants. The blockbuster trial is scheduled to begin in October 2013 and last 17 weeks.

Percy Williams statue outside B.C. Sports Hall of Fame

Heavy, wet snow was allowed to pile up on the roof of the stadium on Jan. 5, 2007 and management neglected to order the roof heaters be activated. A sudden spike in air pressure forced an avalanche that ripped open part of the former air-supported roof. That incident led to the $514 million, post-Olympic renovation that includes a retractable roof. Crews continued through the summer of 2012 to patch holes and replace panels stained by grease leaking from the cables. 

UPDATE (Dec. 20): PavCo interim CEO Dana Hayden did not respond to my query, but the stadium's marketing manager Duncan Blomfield claimed the closure was simply a temporary precautionary measure in "anticipation of falling wet snow." He denied there was any flooding in the stadium, but admitted that a "downpipe became temporarily disconnected and water spilled onto the field area. Buckets were used to catch the water until the pipe was reconnected in short time. The field area is self-draining, so there was never any issue with flooding."

Air Christy update

Updated May 14, 2013
In a Dec. 3 post, I updated the cost of Premier Christy Clark's charter flights on Blackcomb Aviation during her less-than-two year Premiership to $201,133.37.

If you're a B.C. taxpayer worried about where the government's finances are heading, I have bad news.

The latest records I received via Freedom of Information (below) were for flights on carriers other than CN Rail boss David McLean's Blackcomb.

During the first nine months of her Premiership, Clark flew in style and comfort on an additional eight trips worth $43,384.43. That included a $20,313.79, two-day charter for a group of 10 on London Aviation Services from Vancouver to Prince Rupert and Terrace and back on Sept. 18-19, 2011. During that jaunt up north, Clark took a side trip worth $2,330.40 to Kitimat.

In Prince Rupert she announced port funding, while in Kitimat, Premier Photo Op hyped her ambitious liquefied natural gas plan (that may never come to fruition).

That brings Clark's disclosed total to date to $244,517.80 for 36 trips.

(I am in the progress of tallying the cost of Gordon Campbell's trips for his last two years in the Premiership, but I do know that he flew exclusively on LAS for 18 trips in 2009 and 2010 all within B.C. Clark has chartered Blackcomb Aviation for flights to Yellowknife, Edmonton, Regina, Seattle and Boise.)

Government travel regulations allow ministers to book charters if there are no conveniently scheduled, commercial flights available.

UPDATE: May 14, 2013 - If Christy Clark’s two-year tenure as Premier of British Columbia is not extended by voters today, it will be wheels-down for good for “Air Christy.” 

On Jan. 18, 2013, I reported that her spending had exceeded $250,000 through Oct. 5, 2012. 

In the period from her March 14, 2011 swearing-in through March 22, 2013, the Office of the Premier billed taxpayers $285,422.70 for charter jet flights that traveled a combined distance of 22,407 nautical miles. By comparison, the equator is 21,638.8 nautical miles.

In 2011, there were 15 trips, with the most expensive being $20,313.79 on Sept. 18 of that year to Prince Rupert and Terrace for the unveiling of Canada Starts Here: The BC Jobs Plan. 

That trip included her aide Gabe Garfinkel, press secretary Chris Olsen, Transport Minister Blair Lekstrom, ProShow audio/video technician Ben Laurence and photographer Jeff Vinnick. 

Minister Pat Bell and aides Stacie Dley and Jessica Hodge were on the return flight to Vancouver on London Aviation Services. 

In 2012, the most-expensive trip was $15,470.07 for a one-day trip to Regina and Edmonton aboard Blackcomb Aviation with Garfinkel, assistant deputy minister Neil Sweeney and her security guard aboard a Cessna 550. She met Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall and Alberta Premier Alison Redford privately in advance of the national premiers’ summit. 

Clark also spent $9,781.88 for a two-day Calgary visit that included a BC Liberal fundraiser on Oct. 1, 2012 after the famous “short and frosty” summit with Redford. Garfinkel, press secretary Mike Morton and Sweeney were along for that trip. Sweeney traded his seat on the return flight to Katherine Bergen, Clark’s event and project coordinator. 

Only one trip in 2013 was disclosed: a Feb. 15 Penticton appearance for $3,414.15 to tour the city’s hospital. 

Prince George was the most-popular destination, visited nine times by Clark and her entourage: three times in 2011 and six in 2012. 

The latest on Air Christy

“She’s got her mug on TV out there, selling her propaganda campaign”

“Half of all advertising is a waste of money; we just don’t know which half.”

Henry Ford 

On April 1, 1999, the opposition BC Liberals attacked the governing NDP on spending taxpayers’ money foolishly on government advertising. 

Liberal leader and Premier-in-waiting Gordon Campbell rightly called it “propaganda.” NDP Finance Minister Joy MacPhail displayed the arrogance of someone who had been on the government side of the Legislature aisle too long. 

Campbell: "How many heart surgeries have you cancelled for $600,000 of NDP propaganda? 

MacPhail: "Actually, I'd like to correct the Liberal Leader of the Opposition. We're actually spending closer to $700,000 on our advertising campaign. People want to know how they're going to access the programs that have been funded in this budget..."

Campbell’s tag-team partner in holding the NDP feet to the fire was none other than his future successor, Christy Clark.

“People don't want the government to spend 700 grand of their money so they can find out how to access services; people want this government to spend their money so that those services are there for them to access. That's what British Columbians want," said Clark, who became the Liberal leader and Premier in 2011. 

"So I'll ask the minister this. We were up all night debating this budget because they can't introduce it until the very last minute and before we're even finished our debate on second reading, she's got her mug on TV out there, selling her propaganda campaign. Can the minister tell us this: how many hospital beds, how many firefighters, how many police officers will not be on the street because she's spending $600,000 on her advertising campaign?”

Gretchen Brewin, the Speaker of the House, ordered Clark to withdraw the “mug on TV” comment. Clark complied, but the quotes remain on the public record in Hansard. Clark resumed her hard questioning.

“The minister says that the public just doesn't understand the NDP. It's not that the NDP have done anything wrong; it's not that they've taxed people out of the province; it's not that they've driven up waiting lists to amongst the highest in the country; it's not that parents are having to buy textbooks for their children's basic curriculum in schools. The problem is that the NDP are just misunderstood, so they've got to spend $700,000 of taxpayers' money to make sure that the public is just smart enough to try and understand the well-meaning government. Well, anybody who's seen their grandchildren move to Alberta or their grandfather not get his heart bypass or their kid not get a course in university understands NDP budgeting.”

Fast forward to 2012 and it’s the Liberals who are clinging to power, believing they’re so misunderstood that need to spend your money on advertising. 

New records released via Freedom of Information include briefing notes containing scripts of answers to anticipated questions from reporters about government advertising spending.

One briefing note contains a chart that compares expenditures under the NDP from 1993-94 to 2000-01 to those during the Liberal era.

The NDP budgeted a combined $154.761 million, but wound up spending $160.462 million. 

The Liberals have outspent the NDP at $166.958 million since 2001-02, but wisely budgeted $211.532 million to make it appear they're responsible with the public purse. 

But the statistics demand a closer look and you'll find that the Liberals are no better than the NDP in election years. 

In 1995-96, the NDP budgeted $20.73 million but spent $22.468 million. Glen Clark led his party to victory and the NDP spent $13.496 million of the budgeted $22.439 million in 1996-97. 

Five years later, Ujjal Dosanjh was the Premier and the NDP budgeted $20.435 million, but spent $21.381 million. It didn't help the NDP because the Liberals under Campbell came to power in a landslide. Campbell kept his promise to slash spending. In 2001-02, the Liberals began their “new era” by spending only $5.276 million of a $22.853 million advertising budget. 

That prudence did not carry on. In 2004-05, the Campbell Liberals budgeted $12.108 million, but spent a whopping $21.617 million. Their second term began with a return to modest spending, only $8.365 million doled out of the $13.967 million budgeted. 

Campbell and the Liberals got their hat-trick in 2009. They budgeted $29.502 million for government advertising, but came in at $28.311 million. The recessionary, post-election budget for 2009-10 was $6.95 million, but only $3.587 million was spent. 

In 2011-12, $36.065 million was approved and $34.56 million was spent. The spending trend is heading to $64 million over her less-than-two-year Premiership. Her BC Jobs Plan is the biggest expenditure and she told CKNW the goal is to drive consumer confidence. Evidence presented by Sun Media's David Akin shows that the BC Jobs Plan is not really working. 

Meanwhile, the B.C. deficit has risen to $1.47 billion and the debt is $51 billion. Auditor-General John Doyle said the government understated the 2011-12 deficit of $1.84 billion by $520 million. And Moody's has downgraded the B.C. government's debt rating to negative.

Clark is spending a lot of your money to buy your votes. She could instead be spending on hospital beds, firefighters and police officers.

If the NDP under Adrian Dix win the May 14, 2013 election, will they enact new laws and policies to end the wasteful ad spending habits of power-hungry governing parties in B.C.? 

Advice to ministers on B.C. government advertising.

Is this the Women's World Cup Canada 2015 logo?

The eyes of the women's soccer world will be on Vancouver's B.C. Place Stadium on Dec. 14 where the logo for the FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015 will be unveiled during a live TSN.ca webcast at 11 a.m. Pacific/2 p.m. Eastern.

B.C. Place is one of six host venues for the expanded 24-nation tournament and is in the running to host the championship final for the planet's biggest women's sport tournament. (That announcement is expected sometime in the spring of 2013.)

A non-coloured logo with the Canada 2015 word mark, however, is already on public view on the website for the Canadian Intellectual Property Office's Trade-marks Database. 

The website says the trademark was filed Nov. 29 by Smart & Biggar of Ottawa on behalf of FIFA. The logo on the CIPO page features a stylized, 11-point maple leaf with feathers, rays of light, trees, and mountains inside. A female figure is in the foreground, with arms raised in victory, above the Canada 2015 word mark. 

To say the list of goods and services to which the logo may be attached is exhaustive would be an understatement. The last items on the list of wares are "cigarettes; tobacco." 

Hey, wait a second, FIFA… 

The FIFA Women's World Cup 2015 logo? 

UPDATE (Dec. 14): Yes, indeed that is the logo. Here it is in better detail and in living colour.

Facts about the logo, from the organizing committee:

• The inspiration or the design comes from Canada's national motto "A Mari Usque Ad Mare", which means "From coast to coast"
• The unmistakable iconic maple leaf forms the basis of the Official Emblem design and in itself transports a strong sense of national pride and heritage. In a way the maple leaf may be seen to represent the country outline
• Three sections contain elements that are open to interpretation but present Canada as a multicultural nation, showcasing both national and urban environments - the ocean, mountains, cityscapes and flora and fauna
• There are eight elements which comprise the Official Look of a multifaceted Canada - Coast; Sky, Ice & Cityscape; Ambition & Mountains; Modernity & Urbanism; Pride & Honour; Water, Ocean & Inspiration; Celebration & Fans; Passion & Innovation
• At the heart of the maple leaf stands a figure, a victory pose. As the stem and vein of leaf, it symbolizes not only the energy of the Canadian nation in hosting this prestigious competition but also awakens a sense of hope, joy and friendship
• The Official Emblem is designed within the FIFA brand architecture

Liberals pondered liquor store privatization

One of the biggest provincial stories of 2012 was the BC Liberals' controversial, aborted attempt to privatize the Liquor Distribution Branch's warehousing and distribution.

There was no business plan and no formal industry consultation. There was plenty of intrigue, because BC Liberal backroom boy and BC Rail adviser Patrick Kinsella was lobbying for Exel Logistics. The government did its best to wrap the deal in a shroud of secrecy. We still don't know precisely how and why it was kiboshed before the shortlisted bidders could make their final presentations.

But the government didn't count on me and my li'l library of #LiquorLeaks shining some much-needed light on the specious process. Thanks, also, to good ol' fashioned brown paper envelopes and the documents inside. (I'm not finished yet. Far from it.)

So, what's the latest, you say?

Remember when the government released Treasury Board and Cabinet reports in late May? They were so heavily censored that the only information visible had been cut-and-pasted from already published service plans and financial reports. I appealed and pressure from the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner caused the government to uncensor portions of those reports. I'm not satisfied yet, but I am happy to report what the government was hiding from you.

Specifically, that the government was studying the sale of its chain of 197 B.C. Liquor Stores, along with the LDB logistics! I revealed this in Business in Vancouver on Dec. 13. The documents are below, which indicate anticipated opposition from the B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union was the biggest obstacle.

The government opted to keep the stores, but tried to sell the warehouses and distribution. Then, on Sept. 27, it agreed to a new two-year deal with the BCGEU that included a moratorium on any LDB privatization. This happened after liquor minister Rich Coleman spent six months banging the drum for a private warehouser and distributor to come along and help government save money (despite industry players warning that higher prices would be the outcome).

Cabinet & Treasury Board documents recommending privatization of liquor distribution in British Columbi...