David Emerson: Media Watch
Media highlights for Friday April 7
April 7 (Vancouver Sun) Emerson a ‘patriot’, PM says
Defending his high-profile defector, Harper says the former Liberal MP ‘put his country ahead of his party’
Emerson put his own ambition ahead of his party and ahead of our democracy. That makes him a traitor, not a patriot, and Harper is smeared by the same brush.
April 7 (Peter O’Neil, Vancouver Sun) Emerson will step aside to avoid appearance of conflict
International Trade Minister David Emerson—the former chief executive of forestry giant Canfor Corp.—said Thursday there is a possibility he may have to step back in some instances from the planned Canada-U.S. softwood lumber negotiations to prevent the appearance of a conflict in connection with his former company.
Emerson accused the Liberals of hypocrisy in the House of Commons this week for complaining about his trade role now, even though as industry minister in the Paul Martin government he played a major role in negotiations.
“I shake my head at the hypocrisy,” Emerson said Wednesday.
Hypocrisy: essentially meaning say one thing, do another. Right up until voting day, Emerson said one thing, over and over again – that Stephen Harper and the Conservatives would wreck havoc on Canada; would destroy social programs; would pit the strong and wealthy against the weak and poor in our society. Emerson’s record is very clear on this.
Then the next day Emerson started negotiating with Harper’s envoy to join his government. That’s REAL hypocrisy.
April 7 (Editorial, Vernon Morning Star) Throne speech misses the mark
It was almost laughable that the throne speech trumpeted the need to increase public confidence in government, when the Tories are the same bunch that appointed a non-elected Montrealer to the Senate so he could sit in cabinet, and embraced David Emerson crossing the floor. Those two instances, alone, left many Canadians wondering if the new government will be old-style politics.
Bear in mind that Vernon is located in the riding of “Okanogan—Shuswap”:, which voted solidly Conservative, yet, according to Ipsos Reid is part of BC that is 75% in favour of a by-election being called for Vancouver-Kingsway.
You can let their MP, Conservative Colin Mayes know how you feel about Emerson and the floor crossing issue by writing his office at Mayes.C@parl.gc.ca. The riding was formerly represented by Conservative MP Darrel Stinson who criticized on record both the Belinda Stronach and David Emerson party jumpers.
April 5 (CBC News) Harper faces first day in question period hot seat
NDP MP Pat Martin called on Harper to commit to a bill to end the practice of floor crossing, saying the prime minister “seduced” the former Liberal to defect to the Tories.
Harper said members of Parliament should have the freedom to cross and be held accountable by their constituents, adding that the “only parties that have this as an obsession are the parties that no one ever crosses to.”
Harper intentionally misses the point. Canadian voters expect their MP’s to live up to their commitments. They don’t expect them to hop from one party to the next the day after the election. Voters expect newly elected MP’s to abide by the will of the people, not thumb their nose at us. MP’s – and that includes Harper – work for us, yet Harper (and many politicians, truth be told) forget or arrogantly ignore this fact this time and again.