Shapiro Report: Reaction
Ethics Commissioner Bernard Shapiro has released his report regarding The Harper-Emerson Inquiry (PDF)
My quick reaction: no-one on the ground here in Vancouver-Kingsway expected Shapiro to investigate in the first place, and many realized that the ethics commissioner’s mandate is too restrictive to be useful in this, the Harper-Emerson affair—sadly so because what could be a bigger ethical issue than the usurping of our democracy?
The Ethics Commissioner’s mandate rightfully or wrongly restricts him from looking at the deeper issues presented by Prime Minister Harpers’ decision to negotiate with David Emerson the day after Emerson was elected to represent my riding.
That’s unfortunate, because there should be some body within our government empowered to improve our democracy, but because there isn’t, the people here have taken that burden upon themselves. The Shapiro report will not deter the growing movement here one bit.
All will concede that Emerson won the public’s trust and his seat by running a highly partisan campaign which sold his constituents on specific Liberal party policies—and its those very policies which Emerson has now sworn to oppose as a member of Harper’s cabinet. Not a single person in my riding voted for Emerson to do that.
Harper can only restore public confidence in our democracy by calling a by-election and allowing Emerson the opportunity to earn the public’s trust, instead of stealing their votes as he has done.
Bottom line:
Whether or not Shapiro has the mandate to look into the deeper, legitimate, grievance felt by people in my riding, its my sense that public outrage and opposition will only grow as people realize that the only body fully empowered to improve our democracy are the people themselves. Many politicians are on the wrong side of this issue and the people are leading the way.
Harper and Emerson’s spin doctors will undoubtedly paint this ruling as damaging to our cause; I predict in fact that the Shapiro report will have exactly the opposite effect.