tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400574.post113926681178967108..comments2024-03-28T04:04:03.006-07:00Comments on Paying attention: Emerson, Harper deal democracy another blow Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400574.post-1139529854671042712006-02-09T16:04:00.000-08:002006-02-09T16:04:00.000-08:00"Emerson is in a position to get action on B.C.'s ..."Emerson is in a position to get action on B.C.'s priorities, from the Pacific Gateway project to pine beetle aid..."<BR/><BR/>These may be Emerson's priorities or the business community's priorities or Gordon Campbell's priorities but since when does that make them BC's priorities? More to the point, why on earth would anyone think these are priorities for Vancouver Kingsway residents like myself whom Emerson represents.<BR/><BR/>Not to discount the devastation of the mountain pine beetle, but this wasn't exactly a Vancouver-Kingsway priority. And why would we elect Emerson to promote some "Gateway" project that will just encourage more Surrey residents to pollute our air and worsen the gridlock on Kingsway Ave by each driving their own personal 2-ton V8 truck to commute every day into the city?<BR/><BR/>What about the national child care plan that the Conservatives are set to demolish? Now that's a priority for young working families! Or how about Emerson's promise during his first election campaign to secure federal funds to speed seismic upgrading of our schools? Call me parochial, but knowing that my child is not going to be crushed to death in a pile of masonry in the slightest tremor is what I would call a priority.<BR/> <BR/>If Surrey or Whistler or Howe Street or Victoria or the BC Interior want someone to represent their priorities in Cabinet, they are free to elect someone like Mr. Emerson in their own ridings. Except now they realize that he'll just serve the highest bidder, and that the interests of his constituents mean nothing whatsoever to him once they hand him a seat.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400574.post-1139451117368518072006-02-08T18:11:00.000-08:002006-02-08T18:11:00.000-08:00Paul, I usually enjoy your writing, but I couldn't...Paul, I usually enjoy your writing, but I couldn't get past the first sentence: "Pragmatically..."<BR/><BR/>"Pragmatically", it makes sense to bonk someone in the head and hijack their car if you want to get somewhere and yours isn't working. But "reasonable" people wouldn't even entertain such a sorry excuse for an excuse.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400574.post-1139428775677049222006-02-08T11:59:00.000-08:002006-02-08T11:59:00.000-08:00But Mr. Willcocks.....didn't Mr. Emerson always te...But Mr. Willcocks.....didn't Mr. Emerson always tell us that he was a 'small C' Liberal?<BR/><BR/>Regarding the Rovian comment by the curiously mortal feline above.....you might want to check with the apparent broker of the deal about that; after all it was he who, according to Sean Holman, spent considerable time at the RNC in 2004 attending strategy sessions. And now, Jordan Batemen is reporting that there is a rumour that the broker is soon to join VANOC.<BR/><BR/>Ahhhhhh, Power - expediency is thy name.<BR/><BR/>.RossKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07677239332112652522noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400574.post-1139373652053317642006-02-07T20:40:00.000-08:002006-02-07T20:40:00.000-08:00"...Day gets public safety..."As Stockwell will h...<I>"...Day gets public safety..."</I><BR/><BR/>As Stockwell will have oversight of CSIS, I think the headline should be: <B>Day gets Intelligence</B><BR/><BR/><I><B>;</I>)</B>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400574.post-1139345100316090872006-02-07T12:45:00.000-08:002006-02-07T12:45:00.000-08:00I heard another customer in a local store sum it u...I heard another customer in a local store sum it up in what's probably a well-worn phrase, but indicative of the attitude that Harper's moves will engender in voters: "Same trough, different pigs"<BR/><BR/>Except as far as Emerson goes, it's the same pig.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400574.post-1139340049523082842006-02-07T11:20:00.000-08:002006-02-07T11:20:00.000-08:00I like the comment in a letter to the editor in th...I like the comment in a letter to the editor in the local paper today. Seems an old Socred said" I've been shovelling shit for this party for years and now this guy rides in on a shiny pony". Wonder how many conservatives feel the same way? And of course the, in the trenches liberals who battled to elect Emerson over Waddell must be thinking the same. Wonder where sleazy folks like Emerson will jump to next time? Belinda jumped to get a budget passed, she was called a whore by those nice conservative gentlemen. She got reelected as a Liberal contrary to so many predictions of her falling on her face. So what do we now call Emerson? Oh great for BC etc. etc. The guy didn't have the gonads to run for the conservatives as he knew he wouldn't get elected as one.<BR/>Must have gotten used to the fancy car and driver and theo ther assorted perks of a cabinet minister.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400574.post-1139338561810196462006-02-07T10:56:00.000-08:002006-02-07T10:56:00.000-08:00Stephen Who?On his very first day as PM, Stephen H...Stephen Who?<BR/><BR/>On his very first day as PM, Stephen Harper showed clear signs of following in the footsteps of the bungling Joe Clark, who not only lost his luggage but succeeded in losing his bearings in Parliament as well. Like Joe, Harper seems to have forgotten that his is a minority government, not a majority one, and seems to have assumed – at great risk to his fledgling government – that the Liberals, NDP and Bloc will not oppose him and force another election for 12 to 18 months.<BR/><BR/>We shall see if that assumption is valid. <BR/><BR/>If an election is held soon, the Tories will start off with egg on their faces, due to Holier-than-thou Harper’s baffling judgment on Day One.<BR/><BR/>Why on earth did Harper harpoon his own left foot? <BR/><BR/>He did it once, with his turncoat-conversion and the Liberal into the cabinet before anyone can see it sleight of hand.<BR/><BR/>He did it twice, with his appointment of – among others – Stockwell Day to his cabinet, instead of more women, and more women it important posts. Does the other half of the population – women – not count in Stephen Who’s world?<BR/><BR/>He did it thrice, with his U-turn on an elected senate. Principles dumped for expediency? <BR/><BR/>He did it fourthly, with his appointment of a former lobbyist – and then breathtakingly wants to legislate against others being allowed to do the same.<BR/><BR/>He did it fifthly, with his introduction into Canada of the Karl Rovian doublespeak. Thanks to Stephen Who, Canadians can now also spend delightful hours parsing the speeches of politicians, to decipher just how they are being bamboozled.<BR/><BR/>What a beginning!<BR/><BR/>I wonder if he will last as long as Joe Who....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400574.post-1139275228629670922006-02-06T17:20:00.000-08:002006-02-06T17:20:00.000-08:00I think this is the first reporter's story that di...I think this is the first reporter's story that did not describe what Emerson did as "crossing the floor" Thank you, thank you, thank you. What he did was change parties after being elected as a Liberal and before the Parliament was even convened. I suspect it is unprecedented in Canadian history. Kudos also for noting the irony of an unelected, campaign chairman from Quebec being appointed, of all things- Minister of Public Works. Cronyism and patronage look to have a good future under the Harper regime.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com