Recall David Emerson PetitionA group of Vancouver Kingsway constituents have set up an online petition demanding that Mr. Emerson "should be immediately recalled and a by election held so that the people of Vancouver Kingsway and in general all Canadians can be represented by the party and candidate of their choice". While I don't think online petitions have much effect on offline politics, it will be interesting if this younger cabinet is more likely to notice this.
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Emerson's Switch-a-Roo
Seems to me not too long ago, the Tories cried foul when Belinda Stronach crossed over to the Liberals. Some Tory party members even called her a "political whore". Now the shoe is on the other foot. If Mr. Emerson wants to represent the riding under the Tory banner then he should have been elected by the constituents under that party. Mr. Emerson states that the best interests of the riding are being served. Who's he kidding? This is one of the most glaring, self-serving decisions I've ever heard of.
Recall of David Emerson
McOrmond is right in believing that the public memory is short. But even if the media's interest cools, the issue will remain alive, I think, if the signatures on the Internet petition continue to pile up and the comments continue to attack Emerson's lack of principle and integrity. He and Harper may go on being tough and contemptuous, but the effect on Emerson's family by being placed in Coventry by his community will ultimately tell. By the time Parliament meets, the die will have been cast.
New Blog and citizens action group
News Release
One Citizen against Hypocrisy
Harper Recall Essential for Democracy
For immediate release, St. John’s NL-February 10-06
Sometimes in our democracy it is essential that the common citizen get their say. This is one such time! Despite the fact that news is traditionally focused on government, business, and matters of public policy it is important that a single citizen may express their views to other Canadians. In the past, this has been done by public rallies, or appearances on open-line programs, and letters to the editor; this should continue. This time I ask, as a citizen, to be heard in the form of “News”.
On January 23-06, Stephen Harper’s Conservatives were elected to federal office in the form of a minority. This election was precipitated primarily by opposition parties who stated that the Liberal administration was corrupt and unfit to govern. “As a Canadian I was force-fed ethics by Stephen Harper who convinced me and millions of others that our democracy had to be saved by ‘a new code of conduct’, in federal politics”, says Newfoundland and Labrador voter, Sue Kelland-Dyer.
Campaign promises of an elected Senate and restructuring grass-roots politics to represent the people of a riding were predominant in Harper’s platform. This on the heels of the Gomery Inquiry, expected to top the 70 million dollar cost, into the “ad scam”. Harper further reiterated the distaste of appointing unelected people to Cabinet just weeks before the new Prime Minister tried it out himself in the naming of Michael Fortier, Public Works Minister. Kelland-Dyer says, “this is a breach beyond belief and it has cost me and all other Canadians over 200 million to elect deceit.”
Harper is expected to have a breathing period as the disharmonized liberals, the shocked Bloq, and the newly minted NDP get their houses in order before the next writ. “This is unacceptable and Harper should be entitled to no reprieve, let’s cut our losses now and recall the Conservatives at the first chance in the House of Commons”, states Kelland-Dyer. She adds, “Canadians are not sick of elections, we are sick of broken promises and a complete lack respect from our elected politicians.”
Kelland-Dyer plans to contact Canadians in all provinces to establish a new “political ethics watch-group”, for Canadian citizens. “The big machine of any political party cannot be permitted to dictate to the citizens when they should or should not have another election. This belief that all things will blow over in time, has ended now”, suggests Kelland-Dyer.
The new group will be called RSVP, (Respect the Selections of the Voting Public), and will reflect the rights of Canadians to choose who they invite to serve them. “The dictatorial attitude of Harper who decided to serve-up his own brand of disrespect is a clear example of the ‘tail wagging the dog’, and he must realize it will not be tolerated”, concludes Kelland-Dyer.
Kelland-Dyer will be establishing a website for the new group and expects to have it up and running in the next couple of weeks. She currently has a blog entitled “Recall Harper”, at recallharper.theblog.net. Kelland-Dyer who has participated in VOCM’s open line programs in Newfoundland and Labrador for 15 years, plans to expand her participation to include talk-radio programs in other Canadian provinces.
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Contact information:
Sue Kelland-Dyer
Email: sue.kellanddyer@gmail.com
recallharper.theblog.net
Emerson flaunts the Canadian democratic system !
The fact that Canadians have grown cynical and jaded about politics comes as no surprise. But the root cause of our cynical attitude is the fact that we have never had a bloody revolution in this country, and that we an excellent social welfare system. Canadians, by their nature, have been turned into sheep, having been paid off by the comforts afforded by our excellent social supports.
For me, the cynical defection of David Emerson across the floor just two weeks after an election is a slap to the face of Canada's democratic principles. I do not fault David Emerson, Stephen Harper, or any specific politician for the sad current state of Canada's governance. They are but symptoms of our national condition - no spine.
David Emerson's personal competence is not under question here. And if Stephen Harper needs to use the back-door of a senate appointment to bolster his Cabinet, more voters can roll with that - it's been done before, I believe. As a voter, the Fortier appointment simply underscores the inexperience of Harper's team. But the cynical purchase of an opposition party member into a Cabinet just does not wash.
Voters' doubts over Brian Mulroney's unresolved Airbus scandal, Jean Chretien's unanswered Shawinigate, and Paul Martin's offshore shipping fleets (especially while being Finance Minister!) would have had the people of many countries marching in the streets. But Canadians? We're so well-fed that we'll never go to the streets.
I am heartened that up to 800 people have physically gathered together to protest Emerson's defection. But that comes no-where near the 500,000 souls who braved sub-zero temperatures on the streets of Kyiv Ukraine for over a week just one year ago to protest the abrogation of their democratic rights - the Orange Revolution. In that country, regional irregularities (ballot-stuffing, intimidation, etc.) by one party to try to win its majority were met with a nation-wide uprising.
Hopefully, someday we Canadians will finally take a similar stand, and stop letting themselves be walked over by the ruling elites.