Harper treats 46,168 Canadians with contempt

April 5 (Terry Weber, Globe and Mail) Parties spar as Parliament returns

Similarly, NDP MP Pat Martin asked whether the government would include floor-crossing measures in its upcoming accountability legislation following the decision of former Liberal David Emerson to join the Tory cabinet.

“Will the prime minister use his new accountability act to put an end to floor crossing and this musical chairs once and for all?” Mr. Martin asked.

Mr. Harper said Mr. Fortier’s appointment was made to ensure representation in cabinet for Montreal.

With respect to the floor-crossing question, Mr. Harper said: “I believe members of Parliament should have that freedom to be accountable to their constituents for their decisions at the next election, but I will say this, Mr. Speaker, in my observation, the only parties that really have this as an obsession are the parties that no one ever crosses to.”

Harper and Emerson continue to treat with utter contempt tens of thousands of Canadians in this riding alone, not to mention the hundreds of thousands of Canadians across the country who believe that Emerson should resign, and that floor-crossing legislation is long since due.