Local independent publication Common Ground has published an editorial I wrote on the Harper-Emerson affair. Its worth picking up a copy or reading on-line for the editorial cartoon alone, drawn by local artist and columnist Geoff Olson.
When Vancouver-Kingsway MP and former Liberal cabinet minister David Emerson was sworn in on February 6 as a member of the Conservative cabinet, he not only crossed the floor, he crossed the Canadian people.
Democracy—meaning rule by the will of the people—is under attack by the very people who have sworn an oath to protect our country. Prime Minister Stephen Harper can’t be relied upon to stand up for democracy. He personally endorsed negotiations with Emerson, talks which began less than 24 hours after the January election. David Emerson clearly doesn’t understand democracy. The noveau-Conservative cabinet minister sees nothing wrong with what he’s been party to. In a letter sent out last month to aggrieved Vancouver-Kingsway constituents, Emerson as much as says “sorry, but I’d do it again.”
Knowing no law could touch them, Harper and his middleman in the negotiations, former West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast MP John Reynolds, from the start brashly admitted that they had been in talks with Emerson the day after Canadians went to the polls. Seemingly oblivious to the concerns of Emerson’s constituents, both Emerson and Harper have steadfastly refused to acknowledge the rising tide of anger and sense of betrayal felt by Canadians across the country. At every possible turn both have made matters worse by insulting citizens who feel they’ve been wronged.
No matter what the justification is, no matter whom one voted for in this riding, not one single person voted for what they got. That’s not real democracy. More >
Common Ground’s print run was 68,000 copies and each issue is read by some quarter million Canadians.
Conservative fund-raisers are always on the hunt for dollars, but they won’t be getting another dime from me until Stephen Harper and David Emerson do the right thing and arrange for a by-election in Vancouver-Kingsway. I call upon all Conservatives who prize democracy to keep their wallets closed as well. Individual donors are the lifeblood of the Conservative Party – turning off the flow of cash is one of the few ways we can send a powerful message to Stephen Harper and know it will be heard.
I’m writing you today because we need your help to rally support behind our government’s Speech from the Throne and the five priorities Prime Minister Harper outlined for this Parliament.
Michael, as you know, the Speech from the Throne is a new government’s way of outlining the priorities for the coming Parliament. More importantly, it’s about starting the work of keeping the promises we made to Canadians during the election campaign.
Those promises were:
1. To restore the trust of Canadians by bringing forward the Federal Accountability Act…
Your past and continued support for our Party is both appreciated and is vital to our success.
…To make this parliament work, we need as much popular support for the five priorities this government has outlined as possible. We re starting a nationwide campaign to mobilize Canadians in support of the Speech from the Throne and for the legislation that will follow. To reach out to the rest of Canada costs a lot of money…
Sincerely,
Irving R.Gerstein, C.M., O.Ont.
Chair, Conservative Fund Canada
Well there’s a another promise made, promise broken. Earning the trust of Canadians requires much more than fiscal accountability. My party isn’t even being true to our own party’s history and philosophy. For years we conservatives have talked about fixing the so-called democratic deficit, but clearly for some of us that was all talk – all they really wanted was power, at any cost.
I’m sure I’m not the only Canadian who openly laughs when listening to government of the day pimping Stephen Harper’s Federal Accountability Act. Its hard not to laugh at the absurdity of the title, when considering that as his first act as Prime Minister, Harper appointed an unelected and unaccountable person to cabinet (Michael Fortier), and conspired with David Emerson via his middleman and power-broker John Reynolds, the very day after the election, to ignore the will of 46,167 of my fellow constituents.
No one here got what they voted for, but there will eventually be at least two held accountable.
As for Mr. Gerstein (who was the chief fundraiser of the former Progressive Conservative Party) – I’ll not donate another dime until David Emerson resigns and Stephen Harper apologizes to the people of Canada for violating basic democratic principles, devaluing our votes, and treating the people of this country with contempt.