VANCOUVER (CP) – Trade Minister David Emerson says he will run again in Vancouver-Kingsway in the next federal election despite the continuing uproar over his defection to the new Conservative government just days after leading the Liberals’ B.C. campaign attack on the Tories.
“I do plan to run as a Conservative in the next election,” Emerson said Tuesday in an interview with The Canadian Press. Emerson won his east Vancouver riding as a Liberal in the Jan. 23 election, winning by a solid majority over veteran New Democrat Ian Waddell. The Conservative candidate was a distant third.
Emerson said he has not contemplated shifting out of Vancouver-Kingsway, which has not elected a Conservative since 1958.
Few believe Emerson will ever run for Parliament again, let alone in Vancouver Kingsway, but if he is serious, Emerson is one half way towards meeting the demans of his constituents.
All he needs to do now is resign and start campaigning as a Conservative to satisfy us.
David Emerson’s apology is rather interesting:
I know many of my constituents are having difficulty with the choice I have made. To those of you who are upset with my decision – I apologize. However, I did not come by this decision lightly and I stand firm behind the decision to become a part of this new government.
Translation?
You might be unhappy BUT I’d screw you again in a second if I was given the chance.
Ok, that’s not polite. Lets try this alternate translation:
I’m sorry if you are unhappy that I ignored your vote and started negotiating with Harper’s people the very next day, less than 24 hours after you elected me as a Liberal Cabinet Minister, sworn to defend the Liberal party platform. BUT I don’t see anything wrong with it and I’ll do it again, if you folks are naive enough to give me yet another chance.
Or maybe Emerson really wanted to be more plain:
I’m sorry, BUT lets speak bluntly. As westerners you ought to be used to politicians giving you the finger. Remember Trudeau? Get used to it.
After hiding from his constiuents last week at the Ministerial Regional Office, and spending thousands of taxpayer dollars to fly out staffers to brief him while he hid at home the week prior, this week David Emerson hiked off to Ottawa to hide some more.
March 1 2006 VANCOUVER/CKNW(AM980) – Noticeably absent from Tuesday’s Olympic flag-raising at Vancouver City Hall was Vancouver-Kingsway Tory MP David Emerson, even though the 2010 Games are part of his portfolio.
Emerson did send out a statement, saying the flag-raising ceremony is a proud Olympic tradition, but it doesn’t mention why he chose not to fly out from Ottawa for it.