David Emerson crosses floor to the Tories

[JiriHrdina]

Shennanagins! I call Shennanagins!

Very dissapointing. A big part of the Conservative campaign was founded in ethics. This is an auspicious start.

[Hack&Lube]

Yep, on other forums, a lot of Vancouverites are angry. They've finally got representation in government and even cabinet and still they are unhappy about the Conservatives.

[kermitology]

Imagine that.. the squeeky clean Conservatives can be just as unethical as the Liberals! Our political system is in definite need for reform. ****..

[ernie]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

As I said, there are reasons that I would accept for a member to cross the floor, but to do it 2 weeks after the election just stinks.

Never said anything different. Just bringing up that he some reasonable "outs" in this. No outs I agree with.

[FireFly]

Originally Posted by evman150

Harsh. He was a Liberal "star" candidate. What an *******. I know if I lived in Vancouver Kingsway and voted for this ###### I'd be pretty damn choked right now. Even more so if I was a volunteer in his campaign.

He was a star candidate because people liked HIM, not the party necessarily. The Liberals knew he'd win his riding regardless. People who worked on his campaign most likely did so because of HIM, not the party.

In regards to his stance on gay marriage, etc., it doesn't matter due to Conservative policy of free votes.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Mike F

Disgusting.

The government bribing an MP with a cabinet position to cross the floor is a slap in the face to democracy, and is yet another example of why it is so important to kick the Fiberals out of office and elect a Harper Conservative government who will return integrity to. . . . the. . . . uh, wait a second .

In both instances, I blame the person, not the party that gained them.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by FireFly

He was a star candidate because people liked HIM, not the party necessarily. The Liberals knew he'd win his riding regardless. People who worked on his campaign most likely did so because of HIM, not the party.

I don't buy that. People don't volunteer for a candidate based on the fact that he's a nice guy. Ideology and party affiliation are pretty important.

Anyway, there was just a member of the Vancouver Sun's editorial board on CBC. Just before the election Emerson was in there for an editorial meeting (not sure how that works, but that's what she said) and Emerson said "voting for the Conservative Party is like going down a black hole", that they have "crappy policy" and he was "going to be their worst nightmare".

They also interviewed a few people on the street in his riding and they were not happy with this turn of events.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by FireFly

He was a star candidate because people liked HIM, not the party necessarily. The Liberals knew he'd win his riding regardless. People who worked on his campaign most likely did so because of HIM, not the party.

In regards to his stance on gay marriage, etc., it doesn't matter due to Conservative policy of free votes.

?

As per MarchHare's comment above:

Vancouver-Kingsway has also been a solid lock for the Liberals. Since the riding was re-created in 1997, the Liberal candidate has won everytime. In 1997, 2004, and 2006, the Reform/Conservative candidate was not able to muster more than 20% of the vote. The Alliance candidate had 30% in 2000, compared to the Liberal's 43.7%. Bingo is quite right; it's highly unlikely the voters of Vancouver-Kingsway wish to be represented by a Conservative.

And as far as the campaign workers, usually they support the party, have a nomination meeting, then support the member who was nominated. There are probably some who would work for him regardless of the party, but I'm willing to bet that would be a minority.

As was pointed out numerous times in the Rob Anders debate, people often vote for the party, not the candidate.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

All these replies and nobody has called him a "power-hungry whore" or any other misogynistic terms yet?

Perhaps if you gave some of us some time to respond? Definitely a power-whoring move in the same mould as Stronach. Also agreed that he definitely should have to resign and re-run as a conservative.

[FireFly]

People also often vote for the candidate, and not the party. Pardon me for not reading all the posts in the thread....

However, IMO, the Conservatives probably asked him to do it for a number of reasons, most of them good, again, IMO. They needed more support in large cities, he's an experienced Cabinet Minister in an area they needed one, etc. Yes, there should be a by-election, but I don't think he'll lose over this. All he needs to do is explain himself to his constituents. Really, we don't know his motives at this point in time.

[Cowperson]

Originally Posted by FireFly

Yes, there should be a by-election, but I don't think he'll lose over this. All he needs to do is explain himself to his constituents. .

I think he'd get his ass kicked. There's going to be an enormous amount of anger in his riding and across the country and even Conservative supporters aren't going to like the stench associated with their heroes.

Really, we don't know his motives at this point in time

Gurgle.

Cowperson

[MarchHare]

Stephen Harper on MPs who cross the floor:

We do not go out of our way to romance MPs to cross the floor. Liberals will do anything to win. We try to create a principled party and going about it in a principled way. We are cautious about party-jumping because it creates cynicism and if they jump once, you are not sure they will not jump again. I will always handle that with extreme caution.

http://www.pulse24.com/News/Top_Stor...7-011/page.asp

What's that I smell, Stevie? Is that the stench of hypocrisy?

[Winsor_Pilates]

I think the Conservatives were desperate for a Vancouver MP. All the triumphant "West Is In" chants sounded pretty stupid considering they had no candidates in the West's biggest city. Now they can stop pretending the West ends in Alberta.

I'm in agreement with most here, that this shouldn't be allowed. The voters get the shaft and this is a mockery of democracy.

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by FireFly

People also often vote for the candidate, and not the party.

Yeah that Rob Anders fellow.. everyone LOVES him..

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by kermitology

Yeah that Rob Anders fellow.. everyone LOVES him..

Yeah, and really. Who actually knows who their candidate is anyway? I would guess not very many besides that taped phone-call (that only the libs sent me). Let's just give that Quebec guy Ander's seat. I'm sure NOBODY would complain (cept for Rob but he's a ######).

[transplant99]

I think the Conservatives were desperate for a Vancouver MP.

Agreed. And this is actually a good thing for Vancouver in general, if not for his constituents in particular.

Same thing with Fortier getting a post as a newly appointed Senator...Montreal needed someone in government, as did Vancouver.

Toronto needs some representation as well, though lots of outlying/bedroom communities seemingly went Conservative and that may be all Harper needs to feel like the area is repped.

[Cowperson]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Agreed. And this is actually a good thing for Vancouver in general, if not for his constituents in particular.

Its not a good thing for anybody.

If this had happened in mid-term, no one would blink an eye and then you could safely make the argument that a little grease might run into his constituency, thereby making it good for Vancouver and for his constituents.

The timing, however, is what makes it no good for no one.

Its an affront and frankly people of all stripes and of all parties shouldn't take it.

We should all demand he resign and face a by-election.

Cowperson

[FireFly]

Well then bust out the recall!

[Shawnski]

Hard for anyone to say they didn't see something like this coming. I bet there were some discussions with TO and Montreal MP's-elect to do the same thing. Personally, I am not impressed, and concur with most posts here (yes, including the "power slut whore" ones!!)

Now, if Layton had of crossed the floor, THAT would have been funny.

[Winsor_Pilates]

I wonder if we're gonna see comics in tommorow's papers with Emerson and Harper in bed together....or maybe going to get a civil union together. I sure hope so.