David Emerson: Media Watch

Media Highlights for Wednesday March 8 2006 – David Emerson

Mar 8 (CBC News) Browbeating the ethics czar and other fun pastimes

At this juncture all the commissioner has said is that he is embarking on a preliminary investigation. He is out to see if there might be any grounds to the allegation that Emerson was somehow induced by the perks of power, or prestige, to cross the floor with the alacrity he did.

And even if Shapiro concludes there was some ethical breach, instead of the usual political intrigue that surrounds floor crossing, the sanctions could be anything from a slap on the wrist to, what many are calling for, a by-election in Emerson’s riding of Vancouver Kingsway. It would certainly be one way of testing the PM’s cabinet-making prerogative, to see if Vancouver voters really do want their own man on the inside.

That’s what we want – a by-election. As soon as possible.

Mar 8 (Toronto Star) Editorial: Is this Harper’s ethical cleanup?

Prime Minister Stephen Harper promised during the recent election campaign to “clean up Ottawa.” He said “accountability and ethics will be at the centre of our governing agenda.” He pledged to “improve Canadians’ faith in public institutions.” And he vowed to lead by example.

There was little of that high ethical purpose on display yesterday as Harper stiff-armed federal Ethics Commissioner Bernard Shapiro, who is trying to decide whether Harper broke any rules by recruiting former Liberal MP David Emerson into the Conservative cabinet.

There is no denying that Shapiro’s decision to probe the Emerson affair is controversial. Belinda Stronach’s defection to the Liberals triggered no inquiry. But even so, once the ethics commissioner has decided, rightly or wrongly, to launch an inquiry, the Prime Minister should set aside any reservations, and set an example by assisting.

While the Stronach defection saw no inquiry launched, in conjunction with that matter, then Conservative MP John Reynolds filed complaints against former Liberal Premier David Peterson with the Law Society of Upper Canada. Lets not forget our own ethical double standards.

Mar 7 (Bruce Cheadle, Canadian Press) Broadbent critizes Harper’s tactics to remove ethics czar

OTTAWA—Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s heavy-handed “boycott’’ of an ethics investigation has made the resignation of Parliament’s much-maligned ethics commissioner all but impossible, says former MP Ed Broadbent.

And that’s deeply ironic, said the veteran NDP parliamentarian, given that there was a broad consensus among MPs that Bernard Shapiro needed to go.

“The prime minister put him in a position that he can’t resign now. You can quote me on that,’’ Broadbent said in an interview Wednesday.

“It will look like he was hounded out of office and then it will make it difficult for anyone coming in to look like other than someone who is going to be totally acceptable to the prime minister.’’

So let Shapiro get on with the job, with the full assistance of everyone, including the PM, in the House.