Where's Len Barrie's bailout?

Those fickle government officials are lavishing big fat doughy packages of taxpayer cashola on OTHER highway projects, but none for Bear Mountain. How is Len Barrie going to make a billion dollars now? A year ago he was riding high, living the dream. He was golden! WTF happened? Boo freaking hoo.

Brother, can you spare a million bucks?
Right now, during this economic crisis, no one is suffering more than the rich. The old rules – where the investors got to make huge profits but also assumed the financial risks – don't apply anymore. That's why we need to give your tax money to condo developers. After all, they need it more than you do! And maybe they'll hire you for a couple weeks. Or do you want to be a welfare parasite for the rest of your life?

Please join us in supporting ex-hockey player and struggling Vancouver Island resort developer Len Barrie. This week, we inducted Barrie into the WTF? Hall of Flame and awarded him the first annual West Coast Wetiko “Cannibal of the Year” prize. (See sidebar, below.)

In 2006, Barrie set the stage for his entrance into the Hall of Flame by deliberately blowing up a native cave to build his golf course, after sending gangs of construction workers to harass native elders. Naturally, Barrie was hailed as a hero by his posse in Langford, which is home to some of Vancouver Island’s most racist rednecks.

Barrie clinched the Wetiko Prize by uniting with fellow developer Ron Coutre and Langford City Council behind an application for a $24.5 million federal infrastructure grant that would benefit the developers.

You see, Barrie has fallen on hard times. But your tax dollars can help make sure he doesn’t lose his 15,000-square-foot castle at Bear Mountain Resort, 20 km west of Victoria. If you haven’t owned a castle, you can’t possibly know how humiliating it is to rent a crappy condo and fly coach instead of first class.

The West Coast Wetiko (“WEE-ti-go”) Prize is dedicated to lost heritage and self-destructive insanity. Noted author Jack Forbes describes the Wetiko worldview this way: “Brutality knows no boundaries. Greed knows no limits. Perversion knows no borders. This is the disease of the consuming of other creatures’ lives and possessions. I call it cannibalism.”

To honour Barrie's status as "The Most Racist Developer on Vancouver Island," an award ceremony is planned for later this year.

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Related posts:

Why Boycott Bear Mountain?

Would you support a company that paves over rare species, breaks its promises, relies on force and intimidation, and destroys native cultural sites?

Here on Vancouver Island, Bear Mountain Resort is indelibly marked by conflict and racism. Since early 2006, company officials have bullied and intimidated First Nations leaders and environmentalists in their rush to develop sensitive ecosystems and cultural sites. Bear Mountain owner Len Barrie and his top deputy Les Bjola admitted to reporters that they orchestrated two violent confrontations, directing over a hundred Bear Mountain construction workers to confront a native gathering at Spaet Cave and a small rally on the highway. Encouraged by their bosses, the contractors - including workers for Scansa Construction - swarmed both gatherings en masse, and pushed, shoved, kicked, spat at and threatened native leaders and local conservationists. Their actions were captured by TV cameras and YouTube.

Barrie actually brags about destroying the sacred cave and sending his goon squad to abuse native elders. His resort is built on native grave sites. He destroyed beautiful and rare ecosystems to build a tacky golf resort on a cold, rainy mountaintop. His arrogance, double-dealing and brutality have made him one of the most-hated men on Vancouver Island.

Barrie and his investors chose to make backroom deals with the City of Langford and the province to fast-track his resort development. He chose not to consult with local residents, respect aboriginal rights, comply with environmental best practices, or cooperate with the community in any way. And now he is facing the consequences.

Why would ANYONE do business with Bear Mountain Resort?

15 comments:

  1. Well no surprise here. No politician is going to touch BM with a 10' foot pole, rumours aside. Even $10K a plate dinners won't buy any friends at this point.

    The lawsuits are starting to pile up with even Canadian Western Bank now asking for money. Even his Dubai buyers have now walked away.

    Methinks that Mr. Barrie is finding out very quickly that once the money starts to dry up so do the friends. Too bad since if he wasn't such an a$#$@%^ then there are people in town who would have ponied up for a piece of the action.

    Tick tock.

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  2. Len Barrie is bringing more jobs to the area than any piece of Native earth ever will. And it's his own property! If they didn't want anyone altering it beyond its pre-European state, maybe, just maybe, it should not have been sold.

    BTW, he's sold 100 units there this year. Who's laughing now?

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  3. I think your comments are a lot of crap. It never ceases to amaze me that some people are so ready to spout off and make comments about things they know nothing about. Before pretending you know what you are talking about and spreading rumors and innuendos you might want to make sure you get the facts right.

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  4. you are all idiots. because you are not gettting "your cut" you are spouting off. To be honest, there are some positive and negative things about the development. The opposition sees only one thing and the ones that agree with the development only see the other side. no-one seems to have common sense and certainly no one speaks out calmly without emotion. Give your heads a shake.

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  5. Stewie and Bob (Beckett) told me we needed an Interchange. It would ease traffic north and south. How come it's not finished yet? When the shit truck wiped out on the highway the other night and caused a three hour delay to commuters. All I could think of is where the hell is an interchange when ya need one? Boneheads.

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  6. Len Barrie took money improperly from the Bear Mountain resort and its investors in order to pay for his share of the Tampa Bay Lightning, according to a member of the real-estate development’s executive committee.

    Scott Bye, a financial adviser to a group of NHL players who was appointed to Bear Mountain’s executive committee after the players became concerned about its finances, said yesterday that Barrie, the chief executive officer of Bear Mountain, owes the company "between $16-million and $20-million dollars."

    — David Shoalts, The Globe and Mail

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  7. leave len alone do you know how much revenue he has brought to langford thanks to the beautiful resort on the mountain? people come from all over the world to play golf on the 2 wicked golf courses

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  8. Len's in deep crap now. Canada Revenue Agency on his ass regarding his so called " dipping into " Bear Mountain money. What a tool!

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  9. You call Len the most racist developer.

    I think it is more apt to describe him as the most honest developer. Deinitely not PC, that is a good thing.

    You can hear insincere platitudes from any number of developers, how many realy speak what is on their mind?

    None of them is the correct answer. All too worried about negative impressions. Good on Len for speaking his mind whether you agree with it or not - at least it is honest.

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  10. I went to school in Kelowna with Len Barrie Jr. and his siblings. I have nothing but good things to say about his family and was taught by his father (his father was a teacher @ Hudson Rd. Elem.), but i'm not surprised one bit by his attitude and his arrogance. It was painfully obvious back then and its painful to see it continue now. He is without a doubt scum and its unfortunate that Langfords city council has been bought. Langford residents should take back their town and drive this arrogant bastard into bankruptcy. Wake up Langford! He hasn't changed one bit, this isn't something that just happened over night. SCUM 35 years ago, still SCUM today.

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  11. The rich? Len was born to a father who was a teacher. He has built everything from scratch...including his short hockey career. It amazes me how people who don't have the balls to step up, take some risks and go for it....are the same ones who think that world owes them something. He had a dream...he went for it - and he is condemned for it. What a shame.

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  12. Start from Scratch??? He had a Dream???
    You mean he had a Dream to use other peoples'/friends' money to make it look like he started from Scratch. Len could not have started this whole scam for himself if he hadn't used, and never repaid (let alone given back a ROI), other peoples money. So who "OWES" someone,( the world ), something???

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  13. Len you screwed up. you should have enjoyed your success but no you had to show you were bigger than you were. why ? now people our laughing at you because of your stupidity . i actually feel sorry for you !

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  14. Len Barrie is the last guy that you should feel sorry for. We will see who is laughing at who very soon. I am betting that Len Barrie rises like a Phoenix. Too often little people = little minds and they rejoice in the difficulties of others.
    People like Len Barrie are much more resilient than people give them credit for.

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