Sihota showdown at the
not so OK legislature

SOME WAG once remarked (my life is replete witht Mrs.
Malaprops): ‘‘them cartoonists sure have a way with

words.”’

As the frayed remnants of Moe
Sihota’s self-respect were swept
out of the Ombudsman's hearing
room not long ago, columnists,
broadcasters and editorial writers
struggled to describe what had
happened to the brash young
NDP MLA.

But cartoonis' Kreiger in the
Vancouver Province said it best.
He did nothing. He drew nothing.
He displayed three photos: Curly,
Larry and Moe.

Sihota has spent so long in the
never-never land of Victoria, in-
venting and slaying imagined
dragons under the guise of
parliamentary privilege and in
front of a tame, lazy press gallery,
he was ill-prepared for the com-
pany of his profession’s ablest
practitioners.

Blissfully sheltered behind an
opaque ego, the NDP justice critic
seemed to be the only one who
failed to note the legal! luminaries
who were assembled in his path.

The attorney genera! (ex) was a
star witness. Noted barrister
Bryan Williams acted for the
commission. Appearing for the
recently resigned assistant deputy
minister W.F. Stewart was Bill
McIntyre of the town’s largest law
firm, Russell & DuMoulin. Bill
who? Mr. Justice William F.
MeIntyre, formerly of the B.C.
Court of Appeal, who retired
from the Supreme Court of
Canada just two years ago.

Among the skilled prosecutors
called to testify was the most
eminent, John Hail.

Riding shotgun on this
distinguished stagecoach, was a
nice guy who grew up in the East
End of Vancouver. Tom dropped
in to have a chat with young Mr.
Sihota.

kik

Like Rumpole of the Bailey,
T.R. Braidwood QC is a barrister.

His work is now and always has
been ‘‘at the bar,”’ a phrase that
has been abused and obscured by
the Canadian assumption that all
lawyers are equally gifted as bar-
risters and solicitors. These are
not only different modes of prac-
tice, but excellence in each is
achieved by totally opposite
means.

The similarity between Braid-
wood and John Mortimer’s fic-
tional Rumpole ends with a slight-
ly dishevelled combat demeanor, a
love of life itself and a mastery of
courtroom tactics.

Unlike Rumpole, in concert
with a diverse team of legal part-
ners, Braidwood and wife Anne
enjoy the rewards of a successful
career: family, a British Properties
home, Whistler retreat, and a
luxury yacht.

His corner office atop a
downtown highrise has the
obligatory harbor and Stanley
Park view. The Braidwood,
MacKenzie, Brewer & Greyell firm

550,000 people
work hard to
protect Conacia’s
endangered

FB Fo: moro ecsmanon contact
a » Wiscnte

Canodion Federation
_¥ 4 $673 Caring Avenue

Ottawa, Ontane K2A 324
(O83) 725-2004

Gary

OPEN LINES

now lists 36 lawyers and a support
staff of 60.

When you phone Tom Braid-
wood these days, you'll be asked
“Will that be senior or junior?’’
Almost at the bottom of the
masthead is his son, called to the
bar earlier this year.

If young ‘‘Tommy” aspires to
fill giant footprints, he can be
assured thai it has been done be-
fore, These craters have contained
two sets of feet.

At the very bottom of the
masthead is the name ‘Angelo E.
Branca QC.”’ The legendary
Branca built this firm.

His “Young Tommy” — from
the Vancouver East End — was
simply the best among hundreds
of students over six decades of
legal practice.

anak

It is tough — if not impossibie
— to be financially successful in
law today if you specialize in
criminal matters or litigation.
That’s why you see the barristers
chasing ambulances or ICBC and
everyone else looking for mass
processed solicitor work.

Braidwood has defended not

a
3026 Min. Hwy.
(Across from 7-Eleven)

Bannerman

with each promotional bicycle sold
Offer extended until Sept. 30/90. (while supplies last)

only the downtrodden and af-
fluent corporate ciients, but his
legacy includes murderers, rapists,
fraud artists, organized crime
leaders and ... ahem ... broad-
casters.

A swell group to belong to.
Like his mentor before him,
sometimes the unpaid cases,
delivering respect and public
awareness, have paid the biggest
dividends of all. The right kind of
publicity enriches an entire firm,
and some of the courtroom
episodes have paid rather nicely.

A erateful lady client once ask-
ed the eminent advocate Clarence
Darrow how she could ever repay
him. The lawyer replied: ‘‘Ever
since the Phoenicians invented
money, there has only been one
answer to that question.”*

Around the Vancouver court-
house, Braidwood stories are
many.

There was a rape trial in the
distant past where the victim was
due to testify and identify Tom’s
client as the assailant. As the
court was about to go into ses-
sion, the accused’s brother was
sloppily disguised with a stick-on
toupee and wig, complete with
exposed tape. In the courtroom
the client and his ridiculous look-
ing brother were seated side by
side.

This caused a great fuss with
the prosecution. They were quick
to advise the victim of the subter-
fuge. Unfortunately, they were
misled by what they thought was
obvious. Under oath, the girl was
asked to identify the rapist. She
pointed straight at the disguise:
“That's him!”’ She confirmed that
she was absolutely certain.

eee

As to Moe Sihota, he is not
Braidwood'’s problem. He is Mike
Harcourt’s problem. Is this your at-
torney general, Mr. Harcourt? He
of the limited research and
overstated evidence?

At one point in the proceedings,
Mr. Sihota’s lawyer shouted for
mercy, advising Tom Braidwood
that his client was ‘‘not on trial.”

Yet.

BUSH PILOT
Reg. 359.95

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