324 replies to this topic

[mysage]

It is amazing the mileage this thread gets out of continually bashing Len Barrie. Whether you like him or not, his vision for Bear Mountain provided a huge ecomomic boost to the island, and I don't see that happening anywhere else at the present time.

I have always wondered about the credibility of what has been said here, but that has been answered in this latest round, as the culprits are busy cleaning off their shoes.

My point exactly. This whole Len Barrie/Bear Mountain thread was hijacked 18 months ago or so to forward political and personal agendas that many people around here never bothered to question. It was easier and more entertaining to believe the "muckraker" when they play the "whistleblower" and supposedly exposed the truth. In reality when you lift that rock they scurry for cover at the first sign of light.

If nothing else this latest round of "pseudo reporting" has finally erased any doubts as to the who the muckrakers really are. Any credibility they had is erased and only fools will believe what they have to say in the future.

Regardless of what goes on with Len Barrie and/or Bear Mountain let's deal in fact not fiction.

[VicHockeyFan]

http://cfax1070.com/...hp?newsId=16553

CORRECTION AND APOLOGY TO LEN BARRIE

Dec 16, 2010

A story published online at www.cfax1070.com on Sunday, December 12, 2010, incorrectly stated that Len Barrie, former CEO of Bear Mountain resort, was facing two charges of tax evasion.

[...]

Murray Langdon also does a 20-second editorial today apologizing. Not sure why the apology is dated for tomorrow.

[Mike K.]

It looks like a good chunk of the local media community goofed big time with this one.

Did any televised networks report the same? I'm guessing A-channel's affiliation with CFAX might suggest that they also ran a similar story?

[rjag]

I heard Langdon today at Noon issue the apology, I dont blame Barrie or his Lawyers to be jumping all over this.

Lets hope the media has learned their lesson about ensuring that their sources are legitimate

[mysage]

One would hope than in the Capital City of the Province the local print media, in particular, would be far far superior to what it is. They have been consistently late on many major stories in the past and recklessly premature on this latest Bear Mountain issue. There are very few in depth and insightful articles and really nothing more than off the wire pick ups and "Man bites Dog" stories.

As far as our local on air media is concerned it is not much better. It is a starting point for those just out of broadcasting school and consistently have a "hick town" look about their sets, their staff and the quality of their stories.

All and all I think we in the Capital City deserve much more than what we are getting.

[Zoe]

Funny, I've never seen a story take off like that. I guess it shows that it's true, people see what they expect to see, and how fast word can travel on social media. Sorry if people have tried to reach me – my inbox and voicemail keep getting filled up with funny comments. It's cleaned out now and everyone's calmed down.

By the way, Court Search Online has a new function – it shows when each civil action was last updated. So we can tell which lawsuits are still active and which ones aren't.

PS – I really appreciate the "ignore" function on this forum. It's done a lot to raise the intelligence level of this thread!

[Zoe]

So, all you intelligent, unbiased observers with no agendas or financial ties to this project,* is the smart money still on Len to buy his resort back? Maybe after he settles with Revenue Canada and the foreclosure action? Just wondering.






*this excludes "mysage," who I have on "ignore" anyway.

[Lorenzo]

So, all you intelligent, unbiased observers with no agendas or financial ties to this project,* is the smart money still on Len to buy his resort back? Maybe after he settles with Revenue Canada and the foreclosure action? Just wondering.

Stranger things have happened.

[Zoe]

Current, former NHL players lose more than $13-million in resort deal

DAVID SHOALTS AND ERIC DUHATSCHEK
From Wednesday's Globe and Mail

Len Barrie’s misadventures in leading the Bear Mountain golf resort and real-estate development into bankruptcy left more than 100 angry investors and creditors in his wake, including 18 current and former National Hockey League players who lost a total of more than $13-million.
...
Scott Bye, a former member of Bear Mountain’s executive committee, confirmed Tuesday he was interviewed by the RCMP, as did another source who did not want to be identified. In September of 2009, several months before Bear Mountain wobbled into bankruptcy protection, Bye said Barrie admitted using company funds to buy his share of the Lightning.

Read more.

[Zoe]

Here's the investors' list from the Globe article.
NHL INVESTORS AMOUNT INVESTED
Mike Vernon $2-million (plus $7.6-million loan guarantee with HSBC)
Ray Whitney $3-million
Rob Blake $600,000
Sean Burke $600,000
Trevor Kidd $600,000
Scott Mellanby $600,000
Joe Nieuwendyk $600,000
Gary Roberts $600,000
Brian Savage $600,000
Ryan Smyth $600,000
Brian Carlin $600,000
Wes Walz $500,000
Jeff Finley $300,000
Todd Simpson $300,000
Matt Pettinger $150,000
Rob Niedermayer Unknown
Greg Adams Unknown

The comments are worth reading! Rudy Haugeneder (formerly with the Goldstream Gazette) had this to add:

The Bear Mountain scandal has more skeletons in the closet than meets the eye. It is worthy of a detailed investigation by the Globe and Mail, looking into the entire fiasco, from municipal politics, the background and character of many of the development's managers and bosses, right up to Mr. Barrie.

It might knock the socks off of many [lesser] lights involved in rapid development and, perhaps, reveal fiscal, political and cash transfer oddities the public deserves to know about -- things that may, or may not, be revealed in civil court.

[LJ]

Zoe, I was wondering when you would have something to post, it's been quiet lately.

What was missed was the amount Len and Kory put in to have a majority stake, that's the real interesting part.

[mysage]

What I find interesting is the publication of the story at all. Normally you would think that given the length of this saga a story would only be run when something interesting had happened.

It would seem that the author of this piece has just rehashed some old well known facts and added a few new rumours fed to him by a disgruntled investor. There really was no reason to bring this story up at this time. It would seem that there would be more to say after Barries had his first day in court with the CRA ( a charge that I think has little basis in fact to begin with), rather than before.

Must be a slow news day in TO or someone has a private agenda and needs to keep the pressure on Barrie. I have heard a number of rumours on how the author (Shoalts) obtained his info in the first place and was the one to break the Barrie/TB story way back when.

Curiouser and curiouser.

[Sparky]

Someone has compiled a list of unsecured investors, there will also be a list of unsecured creditors. There is no question that the financial failure of this development has had an affect on a large number of stakeholders.

Someone may recognize a familiar name of a person or company in a similar situation as their own and perhaps may have an opportunity to exchange information. This was a factor for me in the Traveller's Inn insolvency.

As long as the information is true, I do not see harm in making it public. When people or companies fail to pay their invoices on time, the facts should be everyone's business.

[Zoe]

This story was also featured in The Province. It sounds like the RCMP investigation is still ongoing. (Offshore accounts were mentioned in the comments on the Globe article.)

Ex-NHLer takes shots at Barrie
Bear Mountain investor Sean Burke wonders where the money went

Plus: we're DELIGHTED to hear that Len is buying back the resort! For real this time! But the new condo plans are going on the trash heap.

Bear Mountain partner may buy project back
Len Barrie says if he gets control again, it won't include condos

[Zoe]

RCMP confirm criminal investigation into Bear Mountain investments
By Andrew A. Duffy, Times Colonist

Spokesman Const. Michael McLaughlin confirmed Thursday that Burke, who this week publicly criticized former Bear Mountain CEO Len Barrie, approached the RCMP with a complaint in October 2010.

“(Burke’s) very clear about wanting to leave the criminal portion of the investigation in the hands of police, but he had concerns that fraud has happened and had concerns that he was victimized by fraud,” said McLaughlin. “He approached the commercial crimes section and they immediately started a criminal investigation.”

[mysage]

Same old, same old, Zzzzzzzzzzz

[MarkoJ]

It is disturbing the way they run business up there, still. While the CEO has been replaced most people working up there were people hired by 5-6 years ago that have no clue as to what they are doing.

My father and I only built and sold two houses up there but are going to be proceeding with a lawsuit shortly against Bear Mountain.

I would think twice before buying up there.

[spanky123]

Same old, same old, Zzzzzzzzzzz

Rumors about various investigations have been circulating since 2008 but this is the first time that the RCMP has confirmed a criminal investigation of Len Barrie.

I would not expect a parade of politicians, developers and business people in jump suits though Zoe. From what I have heard, paper trails are scare, lots of transactions were done in cash, and there was a huge amount of intermingling of funds. None of that is illegal of course on it's own, but it will make any investigation extremely difficult. Lots of people involved with Barrie have already put distance between themselves and him so I would expect that any paperwork that did exist is now long gone.

My prediction is that the RCMP will not recommend charges in this case at least.

[gumgum]

One thing is for sure though. It's impossible for Barrie to get out of his mess unscathed. Whether or not there there is a criminal investigation, Barrie is in real trouble.
There will be plenty of lawsuits.

[Zoe]

My prediction is that the RCMP will not recommend charges in this case at least

Anyone taking bets on this? How about odds?