(updated)
via CKOM radio – David Emerson ( Vancouver Kingway) has “crossed the floor” to sit as a Conservative.
Scary Stephen Harper pulls up in a minivan. Heh.
Well, there are a lot of people losing money in the Cabinet Minister pool. No Deputy MInister, either.
CTV has the list of key appointments.
Oh, and yay for our own MP, Carol Skelton!
Oh, and that “what about Belinda, you hypocrites!” meme starting in the comments? As I said at the time (when I was chastized for publishing her cell phone number);
Two wrongs don’t make a right.
However – three wrongs break a tie!
(hey, and at least Emerson is qualified) Coyne has more, including a full list, the “diversity scoreboard” and something I hadn’t realized –
Tories get a two-seat swing in the balance of the House. Standings now are 125-102-29-51-1. So Tories plus NDP equals majority. Andr� Arthur is no longer the swing vote.
oops – Dan Cook emailed to fact check me.
To pass any bills, they need 155. Not to mention they have yet to appoint a Speaker of the House, which I would assume would be one of their own. This would bring the numbers back down to 153.
I fact checked him by pointing out it’s Andrew Coyne who can’t count.
I report, you do the addition.
Now, I”m going to town to do errands. You can yell all you want in the comments till I get back. Get it out of your system. Keep the profanity to a low roar, though, or to Deleteville you will go. (I’m now back and the trolls have been expunged.. And more.)
Further response to comments like this;
Spin away Kate. This is hilarious. Soon your floor crossing posts will come up.
Regular readers will know that when Stronach crossed the floor, that I criticized her roundly for doing so. Now, please be advised dear Liberal readers, that I am in no way impeding or objecting to your criticism of David Emerson for doing the same. Have at ‘im!
Now, back to regular programming.
Crossing the floor is part and parcel of a parliamentary system of government.
This MP will have to answer to his constituients.
IMHO, at this point in time, many of his constituients are probably very much relieved that they are to be included in this sitting of parliament.
As a CPC member, I’ve already e-mailed them and given them a (CD ROM?) full. Emerson should have resigned and run in a byelection. I’d like to see real leadership in which leaders do the right thing exactly because it is the right thing to do. I think (hope) the difference between the conservatives and the liberals will be that the conservative grass roots will object to this strenuously on democratic principle in contrast to liberal grassroots treatment of BS and SB who were overjoyed by the pure opportunistic gain without regard for any democratic principle whatsoever.
I think it stinks. I don’t think that the cost of the bad optics beats the benefit of an additional seat.
I think that this was a poor choice. I have yet to hear any justification that I’ll buy as reasonable. Most of it so far seems to sound like, “what goes around comes around.”
Rather, I don’t think the cost of…no…I don’t think the benefit of a seat….wait….well, you know what I was getting at.
The whole by-election idea is a good one, but nobody of any political stripe is about to jump on it any time soon. But I agree in principle: Emerson’s constituents should be given the right to “aye or naye” his decision to migrate to the CPC. ESPECIALLY within a month’s time of an election!
Harper was fairly restrained when Belinda strutted to the liberals, though. And when asked before the election if he’d change the system to enforce mandatory by-elections, he played it pretty low-key, noting that it would get pretty costly to hold BE’s after anybody decided to leave their party.
However, why not have him sit as an independent until the next election? That’d be easy to mandate, and no big costs to the taxpayer.
Failing that… WHY did Harper elevate Emerson to cabinet? Yes, it wasn’t a definite bribe as was done to Stronach… but it has the whiff of “kickback”, instead. At any rate, the smell isn’t rosy, and the electorate can easily discern what appears ethical or not: witness the conservative comments on this blog, & others.
Didn’t we run on restoring ethics to government? And the FIRST thing Harper does…
*sigh*
I think William Wylie has made the most interesting point in this thread, however. Is this the beginning of the end for the liberal party as it’s known, now? One wonders how many liberal pro-life and anti-SSM’ers would jump ship to the CPC if the alternative was a very hard left turn towards Moustache Jack & his left-wing loonies?
mhb23re
(email is above username at Google webmail service)
I hope that all of you who are supporting Emerson’s defection supported Stronach’s as well…
Comments like – “The difference between Emerson and Stronach is in the first case he probably thought that his move would lead to the greatest happiness of the greatest number in the riding he represents. In Stronach’s case I think it was more an act that lead to the greatest happiness of Belinda Stronach herself” – may help you sleep better at night, but one is no different than the other.
Both defectors – straight to cabinet. By election within the year, please.
That zombie-like moaning you hear is the sound of liberals who like to dish it out but can’t take it. Liberals would like nothing more than to force Steven Harper to govern with both hands tied behind his back in order to hold up to their impossible double standard on political conduct. It doesn’t get more amusing than watching the “freethinking” liberal intelligensia complaining about party loyalty.
OT
Just want to remind all about something brought up earlier. More evidence.
Russia remains the real wild card in this whole conflict.
Russian Warning on Iran
hahaha so much for the “moral high ground”. seems like cpc is just like every other party out there…
I wonder how many more Liberals would like to do the same now.
I know I supported Stronichs and Brisons defections.
They are not Conservatives and we should NEVER let them back, even when they come crawling. ;0)
I don’t like this either.
Wasn’t the party’s position during the election that any floor-crossers should have to sit as Independents for 6 months? If that’s the case, let him do that without a Cabinet post for that time even if it’s not the bribe that BS’s and SB’s crossings were. I’m sure that it’s not going to go over well with non-political junkie types, especially with a hostile media reporting.
But I’ll ask my buddies next weekend (none of whom stuck with the Grits this election) if they care. And if they do, then we should fight this as much as the Harriet Miers’ nomination was.
And I look forward to seeing the Grit bloggers and trolls defend this as being acceptable just as it was for BS and SB. (Or is that “good” hypocrisy?)
same old shit -new paper only.
That does it, I have no problem with this decision now that Warren Kinsella “deplores it”. If it upsets a weasel it’s got to be the right thing! The Liberals posting here are easy to see through. The slimes.
Emerson does raise questions about whether the change in political ethics Canadians asked for has really taken place.
We’ll have to wait and see how Harper plays this with the national press.
It would go a long way, if Emerson is as popular as I read earlier in this thread, if Harper forced a by-election in his BC riding to see if Emerson’s constituents agree with his decision to cross the floor.
My first reaction, when the rumour of Emerson crossing the floor was broadcast on CKNW yesterday afternoon on the David Berner show, was that it was the wrong way for PMSH to start his mandate.
Unhappiness with the move is, however, tempered by the qualities Emerson brings to the government and the delicious experience of seeing the Liberals being poked in the eye with a very sharp stick…priceless!!
By my count, the race for the Liberal leadership is now down to (a) Brison (b) Belinduuhh and (c) Fred the homeless guy who sleeps by the ATM on Main Street…
Disappointed in this move, not so much that Emerson crossed the floor, but that he was REWARDED for doing so; not nearly as transparently avaricious as Stronach’s move, but I had hopes that we would hold ourselves to a higher standard.
Perhaps the last straw for Mr. Emerson was the predictably deceptive and cynical decision to conceal the January 20th awarding of severance to David “Bangkok Massage” Dingwall until two days before the Martin Liberals skulked off into the Opposition wilderness?
Just a thought.
I agree with Dirk Dirt.
If Kinsella is deploring it, it has got to be good. :0)
Also, IMHO the libs on this site are somewhat tiresome too.
Don’t they have homes?
It is a question of integrity. It seems the point of being “elected” by the locals for a certain candidate representing a certain party, what gives the elected rep the right to switch horses?
Sit as independant. Or the candidate in question hold a townhall to see if that is what your constituents want.
Isn’t this why we have a democracy in the first place? For the people, by the people. Oh wait that is the US…
the true travesty with the lieberal lite party now ruling is the appointment of an unelected official to cabinet.
are you able to pull the strings on the puppet during an election? then you too could be a minister a la mike fortier
Forget Emerson being elected as a Liberal. Fortier was elected at all!
Is this what the Conservatives mean by “democratic reform”?
Emerson has to go back to his constituents IMMEDIATELY and objectively survey them to ascertain when THEY want him to schedule an election in their riding. There are no alternatives. The Conservatives brought this up as an issue, and he is now a Conservative. This government campaigned on integrity. They won on that platform. Let’s not forget it.
cpc talk:
“we’re going to have the best darn code-of-conduct for all elected officials ever”
translation:
“we’re just going to appoint non-elected officials to cabinet posts where our pork-barrellers feed”
There is little meaningful discourse here on the trade portfolio that Emerson is taking on.
The softwood issue is key for BC and his appointment may signal a change.
I believe it was Pettigrew who pushed away from the table the last time.
IMHO,The Libs and the NDP picked up the political 2×4 known as softwood and used it to promote big government and to bash the USA while downloading the costs onto the industry in the West.
BC needs a deal.
Hopefully Ottawa will now get it done.
And just how clean are his hands? Can any ex-Librano be trusted? Is he friends with Warren Kinsella?
How intimate is he with that blond Mata Hari?
This is how you should have played it, Kate…at least if you wanted to come off principled and consistent.
…*snort*
Ofcourse, now the defection and cabinet post makes sense. Harper needid a ‘Minister of Complex Files’ in his cabinet.
I look forward to Harper’s explanation… needid urban representation, he is a conservative at heart, etc, etc… hack, cough.
I wonder what prize I could get for being a turncoat or turncoat rewarder in my business? More than likely the result would be the soup line.
Sarcasim aside, when do you “stand-up” for what is right and honorable? And just for the record I am not a Liberal sore looser. I voted Liberal once when I was 18. Been embarrased ever since.
Mike_RoA
the true travesty with the lieberal lite party now ruling is the appointment of an unelected official to cabinet.
How so? Under the system of responsible government Cabinet members don’t have to be drawn from the pool of governing party MPs, although that is the convention. What’s important is that the Cabinet maintain the confidence of the HoC.
What this really means is – and damned if I didn;t think of it earlier – is that Emerson could be appointed to Cabinet and still maintain his Liberal party standing, albeit as a renegade who would likely be kicked from caucus. Anybody know if this musing is correct (ie, possible)?
JOhnnyB: Whoever said you had to be elected to be a cabinet minister? That said, I don’t like floor crossing at all, I know I would be pissed if my mp crossed the floor! Perhaps Emerson knows something big is about to happen to the Liberals, Something BAD!
“I’d wait on that hypocrisy comment BCL… it seems that a lot of CPC supporters are not happy about this one bit. Myself included.”
Interesting that you don’t like it, but the CPC clearly does. It is the hypocrisy of the leadership that is at issue here.
The thing is, nothing has changed (except the government) since Emerson ran and won on Jan 23. So he really can’t say that the LPC is not his political home. Unless he has been a plant all along. Hummm…
But seriously, to abuse his constituents like this by crossing the floor before the new House has even met take a lot of gall.
Maybe Steve should have put Emerson in charge of Democratic Renewal just to complete the circle.
Wrong move, Stephen! I told the Conservative fundraiser who called the other day that I was going to wait to donate until I saw what happened for a couple of months. Now I’ve made up my mind. Floor crossing does not earn my respect, my vote, or my financial support.
One of the problems is believing ministers must be elected.
That is not true.
The PM needs to appoint the best.
I think if anyone here really thinks that Peter Mackay will be as smart or as good as Condi Rice just because he was elected and she wasn’t they are wrong.
I think the worst choice was Fortier for Public Works. An unelected, former Mulroney hack in Quebec for the most corrupt, scandal-prone ministry in the country. Not a good signal to Quebec, and a slap in the face to all those who support an elected Senate.
Vancouver Kingsway last went Conservative in 1958. Woo hoo!
I like Emerson. Scares the living hell out of me as a potential finance minister, but he’s very bright.
He’s also a prick. I’m gonna send him a bottle of Balvenie 10 year old. He drinks it, and doesn’t think the 12 year old is worth the money.
Keep in mind this guy made CDN$2.8 Million in a single year. Cheap doesn’t beging to describe him.
Go urban tories.
Softwood…Mountain Pine Beetle…West Coast/Peace River region Gas and Oil….Pacific Gateway…Olympics (well, ok, only for the cost over-run troubles)….Vancouver and the lower mainland have representation with experience in business and the area…
Yes, the way it was done is ‘a moment’..but David Emerson will work for Canadians and be instructive for Western and Coastal affairs.
emerson should resign and rerun.
Its an old reform platform.
Incidentally, during the 2004 campaign David said more than once that the would have run for the Conservatives if they’d asked.
The problem is the party has no organization, and is so wedded to the idea of populism that it causes massive problems.
Politics is about comprimise. So long as Harper didn’t have to sell his soul to get Emerson to cross the floor I don’t see a problem with what he’s done myself.
It is encouraging to see conservatives capable of examining the CPC critically. Most politicians are like dogs, if you don’t keep them on a tight leash they will stray.
Personaly I don’t see this as Harper “selling out” but making a comprimise. That’s a good sign, if he’s going to make it he’s going to have cut a lot of deals.
Kakloa,
Make that 2 people who won’t be donating to the Conservatives. I am sure glad I waited before I joined the ‘party’.
I agree. I think he should resign and re-run.
greg: Isn’t it a little awkward to push for an elected Senate when one of your own cabinet ministers is an unelected political appointee?
And the argument that the U.S. appoints its cabinet is moot. In Canada, we generally elect them. Even in the States, the Senate gets to vote to confirm appointees.
I noticed over on CBC’s website they describe harper as showing up at rideau hall in a black limosine. CTV says he showed up in a minivan with his kids. What gives? Did the CBC get it wrong? I’d say so, judging from the fact that everyone else showed up in their cars and taxi’s.
like your blog name, ‘small dead animals’
so will this government be … won’t last long,
they should enjoy the short ride.
FYI: He arrived in a black minivan.
JOhnnyB, As much as I would like to see an elected senate, it isn’t going to happen in my lifetime. And I wasn’t refering to the U.S.
o.a.,
Go find a leader for your failed party!
PMSH should have made a public invitation to anyone on the Liberal side not tainted by scandal to join the Conservative Party. This looks sleezy and something oldpolitics would do.
greg:
you’d like to see an elected senate but since you won’t in your lifetime its ok to use the senate as a public trough to feed at. good for you – glad you finally admitted to being a hyprocrite
The West Wants In!
Now the West is in.
Much of the future for Canada lies in the West and this appointment acknowledges that fact.
I hope that Ontario will welcome Vancouver to Ottawa.
But unlike socialists, I am not delusional.
Ontario and Ottawa will welcome the West (PM Harper) just like Washington and New York welcomed Texas (Pres. Bush).
In other words, they won’t.
Conservatives, HOLD YOUR LINE.
This is not just dodge ball, this is series. sarc.
haha.. Well, it looks like we’re even for the Belinda ‘thing’.