Emerson: A lesson in bad politics
April 6 (Matthew Burrows, The Georgia Straight) Teen decries party defection
Two months have passed since Vancouver-Kingsway MP David Emerson defected to the Conservatives, but Zoë Miller is still mad as hell.
At 17, Miller may not be voting age, but on Sunday, April 2, the Grade 11 student at Kitsilano secondary school showed up at Norquay Park and delivered a speech on-stage. She had just marched past Emersons Kingsway constituency office with several hundred citizens in what was billed as a March for Democracy.
As a young adult, soon to be a young voting adult, I am absolutely appalled at Mr. Emersons blatant disregard for Canadian democracy, Miller said at the rally. Mr. Emerson has taken my whole belief system and turned it upside down I challenge you to resign and run in a by-election. So, Mr. Emerson, come out and face the people.
Watching in the crowd was Paul Orlowski, who told the Georgia Straight he teaches Miller and other students in a Civics 11 class at the school, helping get young people into the democratic process. Orlowski was pleased to see Miller on stage but warned that young people will get discouraged if nothing happens as a result of the ongoing protests against Emersons actions. Millerwho lives in NDP MP Libby Daviess ridingtold the Straight she concurs.
Emerson and his handlers have no idea of the scope of damage that opening this box of Pandora’s is causing. Stay tuned.