Les is less

Solicitor General John Les is stepping aside as news breaks that he has been under investigation for the past nine months. Attorney General Wally Oppal will fill the post until the next cabinet shuffle, expected in June, at which time a new minister will be installed until Les is cleared of wrongdoing.

Burnaby remains the largest municipality in the province without a full cabinet minister.

Let it Begin...

TEAM Burnaby no longer has Gary Begin among its ranks. The longtime civic pol of various non-BCA stripes left the party over a dispute about supporting the slate's policy positions, which have yet to be laid out in full prior to November's civic vote.

A constant theme throughout the current term has been Begin vs. TEAM, an angle played up by the wise BCA majority and the local press. In earlier months Begin and former TEAMmates Garth Evans and Lee Rankin played down the divide when Begin voted with the BCA. Last week's development has led to things boiling over on the TEAM side with mayoral hopeful Rankin letting it fly with comments about Begin's softspot for the civic NDP.

This could get uglier. The best solution for both sides is keeping their opinions out of the public spotlight. If it gets uglier, voters may choose to add to the ranks of the BCA, which is bad for TEAM, Begin, and the civic democratic process. Keep it quiet, boys.

Trudeau minus the mania

Liberal candidate and political celebrity Justin Trudeau hit Burnaby today during his Lower Mainland visit. Trudeau visited a school and a seniors' centre while in Burnaby.