The Liberal corpse isn't cold yet—Emerson finds another spouse.
(We post letters to the editor prominently sent to our attention. EDITOR-LFP)
Dear LFP,
I sent this letter to the Langley Times in time for the Wednesday edition. Perhaps they'll see fit to publish it. As well, I took up your suggestion to send a similar version to Mr. Emerson.
It’s too bad Stephen Harper couldn’t have waited to bring in his federal Accountability Act before he announced that his cabinet would include recently converted Conservative, David Emerson and newly appointed senator Michael Fortier.
Perhaps the new government will revisit the "Seven Point Ethics Package" as suggested by Ed Broadbent, former Member of Parliament for Ottawa Centre. Broadbent proposes that democratic accountability should mean that no MP can ignore their voters and wheel and deal for personal gain. No MP should be permitted to ignore their voters’ wishes, change parties, cross the floor and become a member of another party without first resigning their seats and running in a by-election.
Broadbent’s initiative may have prevented Emerson’s betrayal of Vancouver-Kingsway voters. There were hundreds of volunteers who gave countless hours to get Emerson elected. There were many that donated their hard-earned dollars to his campaign, only to be victims of a political flimflam just fourteen days after the election. There were hundreds, if not thousands who voted strategically for Emerson, thinking they were keeping out the Conservatives in Vancouver-Kingsway.
During his election night victory speech, Emerson told his campaign supporters "I'm going to be Stephen Harper's worst enemy," He added, "We're going to stir the pot and you better believe we are going to make a heck of a lot of noise."
Since the election, the only noise Emerson has made was while he uttered his cabinet oath of office. Some worst enemy…some noise.
As a side note, last November, Langley MP Mark Warawa voted against Bill C-251, an act to amend the Parliament of Canada Act to prohibit MP's crossing the floor.
And in a stunning further continuation of the democratic deficit, Fortier has been appointed to the Senate in order to sit in cabinet as the public works minister. It's slim consolation that he promises to resign from the Senate and seek a seat in the House in the next election.
In the one and only time that I've spoken to Warawa, I wished him good luck in the election and asked him to speak out for an elected senate. He assured me that he would.
Perhaps now, he will speak out for an elected cabinet.
Cheers
Shane Dyson
Shane Dyson is a veteran political and community activist having run a few times as a New Democrat in Langley and most recently as a Langley Township Council candidate. Shane works as a communications consultant. - Editor LFP
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