Democracy Watch Files Ethics Complaints

Democracy Watch on Tuesday filed complaints against a raft of folks – party-hoppin’ MP’s Belinda Stronach and David Emerson, and Prime Ministers Paul Martin and Stephen Harper.

In a rather unique turnabout, Democracy Watch also called on the Ethics Commissioner to resign as well, adding their voice to the already busy chorus.

Interestingly, Democracy Watch takes issue with the claim made by Prime Minister Harper, and various other pundits and editorials, that the on-going investigation into Stephen Harper and David Emerson exceeds the Commissioner’s jurisdiction.

Democracy Watch notes that while it agrees with Stephen Harper’s position that Cabinet appointments are solely within the power of the Prime Minister, it disagrees with Harper’s position that an investigation by the Ethics Commissioner into whether specific appointments comply with federal ethics rules exceeds the Commissioner’s jurisdiction. First, as the rules cited above make clear, the ethics rules apply to everything every federal politician does whether on the job or off and, second, the Ethics Commissioner does not have the power to reverse the Prime Minister’s appointment decisions only the power to determine whether the appointments comply with the ethics rules.

Emerson has said that he would resign if found to be in breach of ethics rules.

If I’m found guilty of any wrongdoing, I will leave. David Emerson

However last Friday, Emerson took several steps back from his earlier position and said:

I’m not going to cross that bridge until I come to it. David Emerson

Could the embattled Mr. Emerson be signalling his concern?