VICTORIA — Premier Christy Clark left it to cabinet minister Amrik Virk Thursday to respond to the information watchdog’s devastating findings about the culture of coverup inside the B.C. Liberal government.

Clark knew very well what was coming. Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham, respecting protocol, had shared her findings with the government in advance.

The government fired back with a legal letter, disputing some aspects of the report and seeking more time to respond. Denham, to her credit, stuck to the scheduled release time of 9:30 a.m. Thursday.

By that time Clark, who was in the capital on Wednesday, was ensconced in the cabinet office in Vancouver, ostensibly to participate in a telephone conference with other provincial leaders.

So it fell to Virk, as minister responsible for the Freedom of Information (FOI) legislation, to handle the press gallery — reporters were given all of 15 minutes to read the 60-page report before the minister met with them — then a barrage of questions in the legislature from the New Democratic Party Opposition.

He said much the same as Clark will no doubt say, when she gets around to it. Findings being taken seriously. Recommendations being implemented. Government expects everyone to respect FOI.

Unfortunately these isolated incidents crop up from time to time — rarely, mind you — where some rogue staffer — a total miscreant really — departs from the guidelines that everyone else — and I do mean everyone — follows to the letter and respects without reservation. Or other empty words to that effect.

Granted, one finding in the Denham report was both shocking and unprecedented: Transportation ministry staffer George Gretes lied under oath a half dozen times about deliberately deleting emails and confessed only when confronted with the overwhelming forensic evidence of his deletions.

He’s now resigned, his case has been sent to the RCMP, and the whistleblower in this affair, ex-Liberal staffer Tim Duncan stands vindicated. Indeed one now has to credit Duncan’s claim that other Liberal political staffers routinely delete what they shouldn’t, and otherwise tamper with the documentary record.

Moreover, the Denham report provides ample evidence to substantiate those suspicions. The commissioner looked into other instances where the Liberals were accused of failing to respond openly, accurately and completely to public requests for access to information, and each time found them guilty as charged.

Two of her most damning findings were targeted directly at the office of the premier.

Turns out that Clark’s senior staffer in charge of fielding FOI requests, Evan Southern, does not generate any electronic records in connection with his efforts. Rather, he speaks to other staffers in person, sometimes resorting to the occasional sticky note, which is soon discarded.

Denham professed surprise at this deliberate avoidance of a documentary record. But it is perfectly in keeping with the oral culture inside government, well documented in earlier reports from her office. Nor is Southern the only member of the premier’s circle of staffers who is shy about leaving an electronic paper trail.

Deputy chief of staff Michele Cadario deletes pretty much every email she writes at the end of every day. When reminded by investigators of the legal obligation to retain records of advice, decisions, instructions and other policy matters, Cadario insisted “very few” of her emails would qualify.