Taking the issue to the Prime Minister

In this morning’s edition of The Globe and Mail you’ll find Emerson critics vow to pounce on Harper today—Minister’s defection ‘an issue that is not going away’.

By Shannon Kari – Prime Minister Stephen Harper is scheduled to appear at a community centre in Burnaby this morning and members of the Campaign to De-Elect David Emerson say they will be at the event.

“It is important the Prime Minister understand this is an issue that is not going away,” Mike Watkins, a spokesman for the anti-Emerson group, said yesterday.

Mr. Watkins suggested that “the citizens of Canada were treated with contempt” by both Prime Minister Harper and Mr. Emerson when the onetime Liberal defected from his party within days of the Jan. 23 federal election and entered the Conservative cabinet.

Not only my fellow riding constituents but all Canadians have been treated with contempt since the February 6th swearing in, at every opportunity by both Harper and Emerson.

Harper, reacting to polls and petitions showing overwhelming dissatisfaction with his appointment of Emerson:

I expected some of the superficial criticism I’ve seen

There’s nothing superficial about it. People I’ve never met before still strike up conversations with me after noting my “De-Elect” button on my jacket—at the grocery store, the park, downtown – wherever. Canadians have a real sense that their vote has been devalued and the entire sordid affair has awakened within the population cynicism backed by a level of anger not seen before in the electorate, immediately after an election. What’s more, this sense that people have is not fading.

Emerson’s own treatment of voters is the stuff of legend. Thousands of constituents have turned out to protest his callous disregard for our vote. His reaction? “Frankly, I don’t care”. Legitimate community groups trying to reach Emerson have had their calls go unanswered for weeks and weeks. He likens citizens calling for him to do the right thing – resign and run in a by-election – bugs.

Mr. Emerson told the Vancouver Province that his work as an MP is returning to normal. However, “every once in a while the locusts descend on me and it creates situations that are a little abnormal, but I carry on with my work,” Mr. Emerson said.

After making these comments he told the newspaper that he respects his critics.

“How can he call us locusts and say he respects us?” Mr. Watkins asked. “Apparently, Mr. Harper’s muzzle on cabinet ministers isn’t tight enough.”

The fight will continue. Canadians simply won’t stand quietly by any longer while our democracy continues to be attacked by an elite few or two men in a back room. 46,168 Canadian citizens in this riding voted in the last election, and not a single one got what they voted for. That’s not real democracy.