Just off the phone with the organizers of the People’s By-Election and here are the official results:
919 votes in total
48 No, I don’t want a by-election now.
869 Yes, I demand a by-election immediately.
94.7% want Emerson to resign and face the electorate NOW.
That about matches our on-going honk for democracy straw poll!
Today we held a “Funeral For Democracy” where pall bearers lifted the coffin of democracy along Vancouver’s busy Kingsway corridor, solemnly marching to David Emerson’s constituency office.
On two or three different television networks I challenged other Conservatives to speak out, and specifically singled out Chuck Strahl—long time Reform / Canadian Alliance and now Conservative MP. I’ve always held Strahl in high respect, in part for his courage in forming the Democratic Representative Caucus (DRC) which split from the Canadian Alliance on matters of principle and leadership. It wasn’t all that long ago that commited democrats like Strahl and Deb Gray were sitting with the Progressive Conservatives in the House of Commons.
While the DRC worked with the PCPC a country-wide policy initiative was undertaken. A particular focal point of the regional policy conferences was the issue of Democratic Reform where ethics and accountability where hot topics as we sought ways to eliminate the so-called democratic defict. I’ll always remember Mr. Strahl’s support for such initiatives.
Its therefore surprising that Mr. Strahl this week broke his long silence on the David Emerson-Stephen Harper affair, meekly adding his support to the so-called pragmatists in our party that have chosen expediency over what is right.
Who knows if my demand will survive editing and make it to air, but I’ll repeat the essence of what I said here: Where are the Chuck Strahls and Deb Grays of yesteryear? Don’t tarnish your good name by supporting such bad decisions.
There are many passionate democrats in our party that are silent, but its not too late to speak out and join the citizens that are already way ahead of you. If you don’t, our party is going to be left behind.
Michael Watkins
A Vancouver Kingsway Conservative
This morning citizens held a funeral for democracy to highlight what Stephen Harper and David Emerson have done to the people of my riding. The procession marched slowly through the intersection of Kingsway and Victoria, bearing solemn witness to outrage felt across this city.
In front of David Emerson’s constituency office I challenged conservatives via the assembled media to stop holding their tounges and speak out. After over a decade out of power working for the day when we’d bring forward an ethical and accountable government, most Conservatives I know did not bargain for what we’ve witnessed here and in Montreal.
A public awareness protest will start again at Kingsway and Victoria at 1:30pm today; don’t forget to also support the People’s Election which is being held today from 1 to 4pm.
Media Highlights for Saturday March 4 2006 – David Emerson
Mar 4 (Editorial, Globe and Mail) It’s a political issue, not an ethical one
No tears for David Emerson, who finds himself the subject of an ethics investigation over his decision to cross the floor and join the Conservatives. The former Liberal could probably have avoided all this if he had done the right thing and agreed to resign his seat and run again as a Tory. He claims he could win such a contest, so why doesn’t he put his money where his mouth is and try?
Despite the title, the lead paragraph of the Saturday Globe’s editorial talks about ethics!
Mar 4 (Peter O’Neil, Vancouver Sun) Emerson, Harper to be subjected to inquiry
OTTAWA—Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Conservative Trade Minister David Emerson will be subjected to a preliminary inquiry into possible violation of the MP conflict of interest code, it was revealed Friday.
Harper’s [new and 4th in a year] director of communications lashed out at Shapiro.
“We’re not going to cooperate,” said Sandra Buckler, the prime minister’s director of communications. “This is a partisan attack.”
Mar 4 (Toronto 640) Stephen Harper Under Investigation
Stephen Harper made ethics the central issue in the election campaign.
And now the prime minister himself is under investigation by the federal ethics commissioner.
That’s a new Canadian record – when was the last time a Prime Minister was under formal investigation within less than one month after being sworn in?
Mar 4 (Les Whittington and Andrew Mills, Toronto Star) PM attacks ethics chief
OTTAWA—Prime Minister Stephen Harper is attacking the legitimacy of the federal ethics watchdog after he announced an investigation of Harper’s conduct recruiting David Emerson to the Conservative cabinet.
In a letter made public yesterday, Bernard Shapiro said he has decided to embark on a preliminary investigation into whether Harper complied with the conflict-of-interest code for MPs when he brought Emerson, who had just been re-elected as a Liberal, into the Tory fold.
Shapiro’s decision prompted new criticism that Harper is ignoring his vow to practise more ethical, accountable politics.
“Mr. Ethics himself is now under investigation by the ethics commissioner,” crowed Liberal MP Wayne Easter, one of three opposition MPs who asked Shapiro to look into the events surrounding Emerson’s unexpected emergence as Conservative trade minister.
But in a surprising move, Harper’s office responded by trying to discredit the ethics commissioner, who was named to his post by former Liberal prime minister Paul Martin.
No, not surprising, consistent. When the odious Grewal affair stunk up the last parliament, Harper refused to cooperate with the ethics office, even though many Conservatives called for Grewal’s head and rightfully so.
Mar 4 (Kathleen Harris, CNEWS) PM scorns ethics czar
OTTAWA—Just weeks after winning an election with a bold pledge to clean up Ottawa, Prime Minister Stephen Harper is under investigation by Canada’s ethics commissioner.
“In fact, my office has received numerous requests from the public to launch an inquiry on the behaviour of Mr. Emerson” [said ethics commissioner Bernard Shapiro].
Prime Minister Harper scored the citizens of Vancouver Kingsway, and all of Canada, too…
Mar 3 (Xinhuanet, China) Canadian PM to be investigated over cabinet appointment
Commissioner Bernard Shapiro said he will look into what influence may have been wielded in the decision by former Liberal David Emerson to switch parties immediately after the Jan. 23 elections and join Harper’s Conservative-led cabinet.
Mar 3 (CP, Toronto Star) Ethics czar to probe Emerson defection
OTTAWA Theres a possibility Stephen Harpers first act as prime minister may have breached the parliamentary ethical code for MPs, the federal ethics commissioner indicated Friday.
OTTAWA (CP) – There’s a possibility Stephen Harper’s first act as prime minister may have breached the parliamentary conflict-of-interest code for MPs, the federal ethics commissioner indicated Friday.
Bernard Shapiro has launched a “preliminary inquiry” into Harper’s controversial appointment of former Liberal David Emerson to the Conservative cabinet.
“After careful consideration, and pursuant to . . . the members code, I have decided to combine a preliminary inquiry of the prime minister . . . with a preliminary inquiry on my own initiative of Mr. Emerson,” Shapiro wrote in an open letter to the Speaker of the House of Commons.
“My intention is to issue one report.”
The announcement comes almost a month after Harper shocked the political establishment by plucking Emerson, the former Liberal industry minister, from the opposition front bench and placing the Vancouver MP in his first Conservative cabinet.
The move came the same day Harper was sworn into office and just two weeks after Emerson won his Vancouver-Kingsway seat running as a Liberal.
Mar 3 (Reuters) Harper investigated in ministerial defection
A storm of criticism over Emerson’s defection prompted the minister to admit he had considered quitting and also to apologize to those constituents who had been upset by his move. More recently he has stressed he has no intention of resigning.
Mar 3 (Bloomberg) Canada’s Ethics Commissioner Probes Emerson’s Switch
Canada’s ethics watchdog is investigating Prime Minister Stephen Harper for convincing Trade Minister David Emerson, a former Liberal legislator, to switch to the governing Conservative Party after the election.
The probe will examine whether the men broke Parliament’s conflict of interest code, Ethics Commissioner Bernard Shapiro said in a March 2 letter obtained by Bloomberg News. Spokesman Jonathan Choquette declined to provide details.
Emerson, 61, served as industry minister under former Liberal Prime Minister Paul Martin, defeated by Harper in elections on Jan. 23. Emerson announced he was switching parties on Feb. 6, the same day Harper appointed him to cabinet as trade minister.
Mar 3 (Terry Weber, Globe and Mail) Ethics czar to probe Emerson move
In a letter sent to three opposition MPs Liberals Wayne Easter and Byron Wilfert and NDP Peter Julian Mr. Shapiro said he was launching the probe to determine whether Mr. Harper complied with his obligations under the conflict-of-interest code for members of the House of Commons.
“Although the subject of this inquiry is the prime minister, given that the actions of Messrs. Harper and Emerson in this incident were intertwined, questions will no doubt be raised during the course of the preliminary inquiry on the conduct of Mr. Emerson as well,” Mr. Shapiro said in the letter.