The plot thickens: Emerson is, apparently, not going to run in Quadra, yet still no announcement. He's had two years to consult "friends and family" yet can't make up his mind? Doubtful.

Former MP and B.C. Conservative godfather John Reynolds is quoted by CP as saying he believes Emerson will run in Kingsway where a win is if not impossible, as far from certain as it gets, yet at the same time hints Emerson would run (somewhere) if he felt he could get elected. The two notions do not add up.

With Vancouver-Kingsway almost certainly out, Quadra apparently out, that leaves West Vancouver or nowhere as the remaining options. My vote, no pun intended, is on nowhere.

Emerson still undecided on re-election run, say friends, colleagues (Sept. 2 2008, Canadian Press)

Former West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast MP John Reynolds said Tuesday it's "50-50" whether Emerson would run. "I think the most positive side obviously is he's enjoying his new job," said Reynolds, whose initial conversation with Emerson led to him switching parties. "I think he knows he'd stay there if he got elected."

Reynolds said he also believes Emerson will try to run in Vancouver Kingsway, despite lingering resentment among opponents who say his jump to the Tories robbed voters of their choice.

Vancouver Quadra rematch: Deborah Meredith versus Joyce Murray (Sept. 2 2008, The Georgia Straight)

Today, Conservative Party of Canada president Don Plett announced that Deborah Meredith will run again in the Vancouver Quadra riding. Plett's announcement scotches rumours that Foreign Affairs Minister David Emerson will switch ridings from Vancouver Kingsway to Vancouver Quadra.

Tories quiet as questions surround Emerson's political future (Sept. 2 2008 The Globe and Mail)

His press secretary said this weekend that Mr. Emerson has yet to decide what to do, suggesting he is discussing his future with friends and family. Lynn Meahan said Mr. Emerson would announce a decision by the time the election is called.

The question of the as yet unofficial election appears to be will David Emerson run again or not? The invisible member of parliament is on record as committing to run in Vancouver-Kingsway, or not at all.

Still no word from Emerson; the local riding association is in the dark. Clearly there's no real democracy in that organization. Emerson was never elected as a candidate for the Conservatives thus that riding has no legitimate candidate, and no time to run an honest contest.

But of course there never was an intent to run Emerson here again. And despite polling which may have shown Emerson has a chance at winning elsewhere in the Vancouver area, one has to assume the Conservative powers that be are no dummies - they know that pro-democracy activists are revving their engines, hoping against hope to have another whack at Emerson.

Within the Vancouver area at large popular opinion was overwhelmingly opposed to what Harper and Emerson did to the votes of 46,168 Vancouver-Kingsway electors in the 2006 election. Even in staunchly pro-Conservative areas of the province such as Prince George opinion was a solid 75% against the undemocratic move.

Pro-democracy activists from across the political spectrum responded to Emerson and Harper's 2006 attack on our democracy and we all vowed to pursue this into the next election in order to ensure that voters are reminded how little Stephen Harper regards their votes. I'm convinced that we can mount an effective public relations campaign that will indeed cause voters all over the Vancouver area to take a hard look at their ballot and remember the last time they cast their vote.

This issue is bigger than Vancouver-Kingsway and as a result you'll see the efforts of pro-democracy campaigners from Real Democracy and the Campaign to De-Elect David Emerson in ridings all around the Vancouver area.

Emerson isn't the only blight on democracy to arise from this latest parliament. We've also got Wajid Khan (Liberal to Conservative floor crosser), Garth Turner (kicked from Conservative caucus, floor crosser without submitting himself to electorate). There's the unelected supporter of Stephen Harper, Michael Fortier, put into not only the Senate but also Cabinet despite specific promises from Harper that he would do neither. But Emerson clearly is the coup de gras for democracy in Canada, having proved beyond a shadow of doubt that Harper pays lip service to democratic principles while lecturing China and Russia on their behaviour.

Today's press:

Tories quiet as questions surround Emerson's political future (Globe and Mail)