When Vancouver-Kingsway MP and former Liberal cabinet minister David Emerson was sworn in on February 6 as a member of the Conservative cabinet, he not only crossed the floor, he crossed the Canadian people.
Democracy -- meaning rule by the will of the people -- is under attack by the very people who have sworn an oath to protect our country. Prime Minister Stephen Harper can't be relied upon to stand up for democracy. He personally endorsed negotiations with Emerson, talks which began less than 24 hours after the January election. David Emerson clearly doesn't understand democracy. The noveau-Conservative cabinet minister sees nothing wrong with what he's been party to. In a letter sent out last month to aggrieved Vancouver-Kingsway constituents, Emerson as much as says "sorry, but I'd do it again." Knowing no law could touch them, Harper and his middleman in the negotiations, former West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast MP John Reynolds, from the start brashly admitted that they had been in talks with Emerson the day after Canadians went to the polls. Seemingly oblivious to the concerns of Emerson's constituents, both Emerson and Harper have steadfastly refused to acknowledge the rising tide of anger and sense of betrayal felt by Canadians across the country. At every possible turn both have made matters worse by insulting citizens who feel they've been wronged.
No matter what the justification is, no matter whom one voted for in this riding, not one single person voted for what they got. That's not real democracy.
Vancouver/Kingsway ground zero for democracy
Located in the east-central area of Vancouver, more than 115,000 people live in the riding that ranges from Oak Street to Boundary and from 16th Avenue to 41st Avenue. It's a largely middle and working-class urban riding where 64 percent speak a language other than English or French as their mother tongue. In the past, the riding has been represented at the federal level by either a Liberal or NDP MP except on one occasion in 1958 when the seat went to a Progressive Conservative during Diefenbaker's sweep of the nation.
It's a place where people live and generally go about their own business without generating or getting involved in controversy. So why are people, eight weeks later, still up in arms about the Emerson affair?
Understanding the issues
Over time people's understanding of the Emerson affair has deepened. At first, many experienced a visceral reaction to the hypocrisy of a Liberal cabinet minister being in negotiations to join the Conservative cabinet less than 24 hours after being elected. Emerson's actions, following Harper's orders, have further put our system of electoral politics and governance in disrepute.
As further layers of the rotting onion are peeled back, many now realize that political parties do have a role to play in shaping policies which affect us all, and at times the differences in vision are profound. Emerson, the nouveau Conservative, must by rules of conduct now oppose many policies that he staunchly defended as a member of former prime minister Paul Martin's cabinet. One such example concerns the evident differences in policy each party holds towards child care.
At the core of the issue lies another level of concern that the dual appointments further undermine the notion that the federal cabinet should be composed of elected parliamentarians. This dangerous road leads ultimately to an all-appointed, completely un-elected, US-style cabinet.
The reaction
In a world where the common response to distasteful political manoeuvres is a shrug -- and if any commentary is evoked, a resigned "but what can we do?" -- the public reaction to the Harper-Emerson affair, and the subsequent action, truly is the story that must be told. It is clear that Canadians are not impressed with Prime Minister Harper's first actions as leader. Numerous public opinion polls covering Canada, BC, and the Vancouver-Kingsway riding itself have shown that Canadians overwhelmingly oppose the Emerson defection specifically. Tellingly, polls conducted even in Conservative strongholds within BC indicate that support for Emerson's resignation and a by-election is running at 75 percent.
Does anybody in Ottawa stand up for democracy?
Acting on the request of opposition party MPs and strong demand from the Canadian public, parliamentary Ethics Commissioner Bernard Shapiro launched an inquiry into the Harper-Emerson affair, only to return with a predictable verdict: no rules were broken, according to the limited scope of inquiry permitted by the commissioner's mandate. Close observers of the process always expected Harper and Emerson to get off on a "technicality" -- what couldn't be predicted is how Shapiro would frame the issue:
"Accordingly, although technically there has been no violation to the rules of conduct of the Members' Code, the incident in question does raise the whole issue of whether the principles upon which it relies have been respected."
"Fairly or unfairly, this particular instance seems to have given many citizens a "sense" that their vote -- the cornerstone of our democratic system -- was somehow devalued, if not betrayed."
-- Ethics Commissioner Bernard Shapiro
What the Shapiro report really underscores is this: there is no one, no body and no politician in Ottawa who can be relied upon to protect our democracy. There is no alternative; the people must carry this task.
Activism
It had to happen, pent up frustration pushed many individuals to launch their own form of protest. People made signs and started impromptu protests on street corners -- and then bumped into others who had the same idea. Slowly but surely like-minded individuals came together, and soon there were a number of campaigns underway, all seeking Emerson's resignation as their primary objective.
With very little organization, and even less funds, ordinary individuals and small groups of people are pulling off extra-ordinary achievements.
"De-elect" lawn signs and "Recall Emerson" buttons are not only dotting the Vancouver area, but now can be found in Ottawa, Victoria, Montreal and even in Saint John, New Brunswick.
Public awareness of the issue has been rising steadily, thanks to the efforts of all involved, and this undercurrent of discontent, which knows no riding boundaries, has helped ensure that Canadians across the country are aware of that which we fight for -- democracy. What's drawing regular folks -- many have never before participated in the political process beyond voting, and most have never carried a protest sign in their entire lives -- out of their comfortable routine is the justness of the cause.
We all owe Stephen Harper and David Emerson a great deal of thanks, because their undemocratic and unprincipled actions have underscored an uneasy sense that many of us have always felt -- that the voice of the people means very little to many of those who represent us.
Sensing public opinion and persistence, editorialists and columnists from across the country have joined Canadians in urging Stephen Harper and David Emerson to do the right thing and help restore faith in our democracy by participating in a by-election. So far those calls have gone unanswered.
Call to action
Thanks to Harper and Emerson, the issues have never before been made clearer, resulting in an awakening of public consciousness which is unprecedented in modern times. What's most important is that we all remain awake to how precious and fragile democracy truly is, and that requires we continue to get new people involved, and raise everyone's level of understanding.
Volunteer, donate, honk your horn, plant a sign, march in a rally, wave a flag -- join your fellow neighbours and citizens in standing up for our democracy. Don't rely on someone else to carry the torch -- we all need to take our turn.
For further information visit www.realdemocracy.ca -- this non-partisan group provides the single best place to get informed and get involved in the ongoing fight for democracy. You can respond to this article at info@realdemocracy.ca