Caption contest: Emerson and Solberg

I haven't had a caption contest in what seems like forever. But with the news that both David Emerson and Monte Solberg are leaving the Harper government, this picture is just dying for captions.

And on Monte, I'm genuinely sad to see him go. Partisan disagreements aside, he seemed like a pretty good guy, a sincere guy, and a competent minister that did his job diligently. In opposition, he was a solid, capable opposition performer that caught my eye as a student on the hill in the late 90s, and an early pioneer of political blogging in Canada. He's still a young guy so it's odd to see him leave, particularly given it's a fairly safe seat. Still, I wish him well.

Anyway, caption away!

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David Emerson: Conservative Party has no vision or strategy

Interesting news today that David Emerson, the turncoat Liberal turned Conservative cabinet minister that decided not to let the public pass judgment on his floor-crossing by seeking re-election, has been named one of the Conservative campaign co-chairs, along with one-time Conservative bright light Bernard Lord.

The less than dynamic duo follow in the footsteps of an even less inspiring pair, John Reynolds and Michael Fortier. Reynolds, of course, went onto be a non-lobbyist and Fortier was infamously called-up to the Senate, where he remains today at last check.

I have to confess to being a little surprised at the Emerson appointment. He's always seemed more an executive than a politician...indeed, he always seemed to eschew the whole political game.

He could get into it from time to time, though. Such as the speech he gave to the convention of the Liberal Party of Canada (British Columbia) in November of 2004 (which the Vancouver Sun has handily posted on its Web site), the fall after he was first elected to the House of Commons as a Liberal MP.

For those Conservatives just getting to know Emerson the politician, the speech is informative reading.

For example, he sees the Conservatives as vulnerable in BC:

There should be no assumption of Conservative dominance in the future.

And what does David think of the Conservative Party?

The Conservative Party and NDP have a lot in common. They are both trapped and confined by ideology, an ideology that precludes many of middle-of-the-road, moderate solutions to the challenges Canada faces today. Their narrow focus shrinks their political base. They are drawn to policy extremes that divide, rather than unify. I look at the Conservative Party, and the way they have exploited negative sentiments in BC. There has been no positive vision or strategy.

Are BC’s issues top of mind in Ottawa because of all those Conservative MPs? No.

Wow. Anything to add about the Conservatives, David?

Clearly, despite their numbers from BC, the leadership of the Conservative Party is more focused on Eastern Canada than ever before. ...we have a Conservative Party without a social heart...narrow, extreme, and out of step with mainstream British Columbians.

What do the Liberals stand for, and why are, er, were you one?

They want dependable health care.

They want environmental protection.

They want a good education for their kids.

They want secure jobs, and they want a local future for their kids. They want fair-minded and balanced government, that will bring people together, whether to pursue economic development or address key social concerns.

They want prudence and integrity in the way government manages taxpayers’ hard-earned money. They want us to balance the budget. They want us to invest surpluses wisely.

They have a sense of compassion for those in society who are vulnerable, through circumstances out of their control. British Columbians do not want people left behind.

They believe in equality – equality of opportunity, equality of treatment, equality under the law… they believe in social justice.

These are widely held beliefs, here in BC, and across Canada. I’m an optimistic Liberal because those are my beliefs.

And I am Liberal because those are Liberal beliefs.

Couldn't have put it better myself David.

Mr. Emerson, what did the Liberal Party do for BC?

The RAV Line, 2010 Olympics, the Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre, the Kicking Horse Pass highway upgrade, the Port of Prince Rupert… these are important priorities we are delivering on.

We have delivered on returning the GST to BC communities. And the balance of the “New Deal for Cities and Communities” will provide for positive, environmentally sustainable on our transformation where people live.

Yes, he's David Emerson, your Conservative campaign co-chair. And he's still Stephen Harper's worst nightmare.

UPDATE: Forgive me for missing this comment by David on Friday...

"I was never a Liberal," he told CBC News on Friday, during an interview in which he explained why he chose not to run again in the riding of Vancouver-Kingsway.

...which makes his comments highlighted above...

"I am Liberal because those are Liberal beliefs"

...all the more interesting.

A man can change his mind, of course. But can he re-write history, even if it was all the way back in 2004?

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Conservative cabinet ministers jumping ship: Emerson, Hearn head for the lifeboats

From coast to coast, Conservative cabinet ministers are jumping-off the floundering ship of state that is Stephen Harper's cabinet. OK, it's only two ministers, but they're on opposite sides of the country so it's still an accurate statement. I hear Ryan Sparrow says they're leaving because they hate The Green Shift.

First, on the right coast (if only geographically) we can say goodbye to fisheries minister Loyola Hearn of Newfoundland, who is expected to shortly announce his retirement and his intention not to run in the imminent election:

Hearn is retiring after spending decades in politics as a Newfoundland provincial cabinet minister and later as a federal Tory MP and cabinet minister.

He served as education minister in the province before joining the federal Progressive Conservative party. He then became the first House leader for the new Conservative party.
In the last year, Hearn defended Newfoundland and Labrador's seal hunters after the European Union threatened a possible ban on seal products from Canada.

Hearn also weathered several attacks from Newfoundland Premier Danny Williams over Ottawa's equalization formula for the provinces. Williams has said he will do everything in his power to defeat the federal Tories.

Has Danny claimed his first casualty in his war on the Harper Conservatives before the election is even underway? Just days ago, Loyola was full of piss and vinegar, sticking-it to Danny-boy hard and looking ready to go down fighting:

In his statement, Mr. Hearn took a swipe at the government led by Mr. Williams on a number of issues, including the quality of drinking water in the province after a series of boil water advisories were issued.

It also appeared to dismiss Mr. Williams as a threat to the federal Tories.

“Voters will make up their own minds as to how they will vote in the upcoming federal election, whenever it will be, based on what's best for their families, their communities and their wallets,” Mr. Hearn said.

Maybe someone pointed-out to Loyola that attacking someone over boil-water advisories when your government is under fire to having advocated lower listeria and food safety standards just before a major public health crisis that has now claimed at least 12 lives is kind of a bad idea.

Hearn always seemed like a decent guy, so I wish him well in his twilight years. One can't help but wonder though if he's getting while the getting is good. With Danny on the war-path and Harper's broken equalization promises, the Conservatives could be facing a wipe-out in Newfoundland and Labrador.

And is this a sudden decision on Loyola's part? Generally, if a minister doesn't intend to seek re-election, they inform the PM before the last cabinet shuffle so some fresh talent can get a shot at the cabinet table. Then again, looking at the weak Harper front bench, Hearn probably had to stay on.

Emerson de-elects himself

Meanwhile, back out on the left coast, the best coast, Harper is losing the only B.C minister he had that had demonstrated any competence (OK, Stockwell Day hasn't jet-skied anywhere, but that's grading on a curve) with David Emerson's apparent decision to call it quits:

Foreign Affairs Minister David Emerson, one of the bright stars in the Conservative cabinet, will not be running in the election expected to be called on Sunday, CTV News has learned.

Emerson won the riding of Vancouver Kingsway in the last election and switched to the Tories when Stephen Harper formed a government.

He was unlikely to win this working class riding as a Conservative although the party was prepared to find him a safer riding.

But sources say Emerson decided he didn't want to make the lengthy commute back and forth to the capital.

Emerson is considered to be one of the most experienced cabinet ministers in Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government. As the minister of international trade, he managed to reach a softwood lumber agreement with the United States, ending a long-simmering trade dispute.

By reach a softwood lumber agreement, they mean surrender a billion dollars in fines illegally collected by the U.S. from our cash-strapped lumber producers and turn it over to their competition in the States to launch more legal attacks on our industry. A real victory for Canada, that was.

This isn't really a surprising decision by Emerson. He never really liked politics or campaigning. Being a cabinet minister, he liked though. I'm almost sad to see him not run again just to see, if he won re-election and the Liberals formed a government, if he'd try to cross back over again. Perhaps he's already been told not going to happen?

He likely wouldn't have won re-election anyway, not as a Conservative, but it's still good news for Wendy Yuan, our Liberal candidate in Vancouver-Kingsway who has been working hard on the ground for some time now to re-claim this riding for the Liberals. Good news also for Liberal MP Joyce Murray in Vancouver Quadra, another riding where Emerson was rumoured to be landing.

And across the country, it's not looking good for Harper ministers. Emerson and Hearn, gone voluntarily before they could lose at the polls. Tony “foot in mouth” Clement in trouble, and both John "you can't see our green plan but trust me its super-awesome" Baird and Jim “I hate my province” Flaherty will be in real fights. Even poor Senator Michael Fortier has to actually run for something now. And Peter McKay better hope Elizabeth May gets kept out of the leader's debates.

Hopefully the last one out will turn off the lights.

New Liberal candidate

Meanwhile, in Liberal-land, we're actually gaining candidates:

REGINA - Former Regina City Police Chief Calvin Johnston will be the Liberal candidate for Palliser, Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion announced today.

“I am proud that Calvin Johnston has decided to run as the Liberal candidate for the riding of Palliser,” said Mr. Dion at a press conference in Regina. “As former Chief of Police of Regina, Mr. Johnston understands that the most effective way to tackle crime is not simply through tougher prison sentences, but it is also about addressing the root causes of crime. This is why Mr. Johnston was so successful in making Regina a safer place.”

Born and raised in Regina, Mr. Johnston became Chief of the Regina Police Service in September, 1998, after serving in the Calgary Police Service for 18 years.

With the retirement of incumbent David Batters (who has been dealing with health issues and who I wish well), Johnston running for the Liberals makes Palliser an interesting race. A former police chief coming on board also makes it harder for the Conservatives to attack the Liberals on law and order issues, although I have every confidence my Conservative friends will rise to the occasion, so to speak.

UPDATE: The news that launched a thousand ship sinking metaphors. Or at least three. But it's still early. Give us time.

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Tuesday quick takes

Let the Argos in: The taxpayers built and paid for BMO Field, so frankly, I don’t care much for the complaining of the fat cats at Maple Leaf Sports that want to keep it a soccer-only stadium. Want to keep it soccer-only guys? Reimburse the taxpayers for every dollar they invested into the facility, plus interest, or buy your share at market value, whichever is higher, and then you can do whatever the heck you want with it. Until then, if the Argos want in, I say so be it. Of course, the Argos should pay for the costs of any upgrades to accommodate football. It looks the Toronto FC wants more seats for soccer anyway, so that cost can be shared. And steps should be taken to maintain the soccer ambience. I’d like to see the Argos at BMO though, and Mayor Miller better have a good story if he tries to block them. If taxpayer dollars are going to subsidize professional sports facilities (which I believe firmly they should NOT) then we shouldn’t play favourites.

Can I have a grant too?: This story is just too funny. If anyone in the government is reading this, if you want to give me $3000 in cash I didn’t ask for and send me to Cuba for a week, and then have Ryan Sparrow make fun of me in a few months, I’m fine with that. But really, its stories like this that give lie to the “Harper/Conservatives are strategic genius” meme. Unless looking like fools is part of their master plan…

Not a leader: In a story I could have sworn I read a few months ago, the talk is again that David Emerson might run again, in a more friendly riding of course. Don’t believe your own press clippings David. Sure, you may look like the second coming at the cabinet table, but take a look around you. If he doesn’t run again though, I think we should get a head start on making-up reasons for why because, of course, the media will be turning to the Liberal Party to explain why a Conservative isn't running again. That’s just how these things work. (For reasons why NDPers aren't running again, you ask the Bloc Quebecois). Will he not run because Harper doesn’t have a real plan for the environment? Or because Harper isn’t a leader? Because he thinks the Liberals will form the next government and we’ve already told him he’s not crossing back over? The last one if my favourite, but get your votes in now to LPC Spin Central.

Not in my back sky: This story takes NIMBYism to a whole new level, so to speak. First of all, something really needs to be done about air traffic management in the New York area, it’s incredibly congested and the delays are severe. Second, interesting that it’s the wealthy neighbourhoods fighting to keep the routing over the poor neighbourhoods, when it’s far more likely to be people from those wealthy areas that are actually flying on the dammed planes.

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Does this mean we get our billion dollars back?

Troubling news on the softwood lumber front. You remember that fantastic deal Steve Harper got us by giving away over $1 billion in illegally collected tariffs to the Americans? Apparently, he did as good a job of “fixing” that one as he did ending the long, tired era of federal/provincial bickering:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States asked for binding arbitration against Canada on Wednesday in the latest flare-up of a two-decade-long dispute over softwood lumber.

U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab said the United States "has no choice but to initiate arbitration proceedings to compel Canada to live up to its SLA (Softwood Lumber Agreement) obligations."

The agreement, reached last fall, was intended to end years of wrangling over Canada's shipment of softwood lumber to U.S. buyers. It also allows binding arbitration under the rules of the London Court of International Arbitration, a commercial mediation body.

The Liberal Party’s international trade critic, Navdeep Bains, weighs-in:

"The Conservatives have repeatedly said that the softwood lumber deal was better than litigation," said Mr. Bains. "Yet we now hear that the U.S. is taking Canada to court."

"Thanks to a bad deal that left $500 million in the hands of the American lumber industry to fund legal and political attacks against the Canadian industry we are facing a situation where Canada's ability to assist its forestry sector could be curtailed by a court in London with no possibility to appeal the decision," said Mr. Bains.

"It is now time for the Conservatives to admit what the Liberal Party has been saying since the deal was first announced last year: that their deal is flawed and that it has solved nothing," said Mr. Bains.

No wonder Harper strategists were planning on a spring election. His carefully doctored image as a straight-shooter that gets results is collapsing like a house of cards, along with CPC polling numbers.

From the start, Harper’s softwood strategy was more about politics, showing we could get a deal, any deal, when the Liberals couldn’t, then it was about getting a good deal for Canadian industry. He and David Emerson (remember him?) signed a bad deal that gave away a over billion dollars in illegally collected tariffs and had to bully and browbeat the industry to drop their legal challenges.

Some value-added manufacturers even saw the U.S. market closed to them by the Harper “deal.”

And now here we are again, back in court with the U.S. and likely in a weaker position.

Bravo, Mr. Harper. Bravo.

P.S. For a quick and informative softwood primer, Rick Mercer has Everything you've always wanted to know about softwood, but were afraid to ask.

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Breaking: Emerson re-crossing the floor

I've been working this story for a week and I'm now finally able to break it: former Liberal and current Conservative cabinet minister David Emerson is (re) crossing the floor.

There have been rumblings of Emerson's discontent with Steve Harper and the Conservative government, culminating in a reported meeting meeting recently between Emerson and a senior advisor to Stephane Dion, where Emerson reportedly expressed his desire to return to the Liberal fold.

With his overtures soundly rebuffed however, Emerson is not returning to the Liberal fold.

After intense negotiations, I have learned that NDP leader Jack Layton has called a press conference for Apr. 1st in the National Press Theatre in Ottawa, where he will introduce David Emerson as the newest member of the NDP caucus, and the NDP candidate for Vancouver-Kingsway in the next federal election.

Sources close to Emerson tell me David feels the NDP offers him the best shot at re-election in his riding. Also, with the strong showing of the ADQ in Quebec, Emerson feels the NDP is ripe for an electoral breakthrough and he's sure to reclaim his deserved cabinet car and driver.

If this story is subsequently reported on television, radio, in a newspaper, or on an MSM website, please give proper citation to this blog.

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Will run a cabinet ministry for a car, driver and Challenger Jet access

I think this is just too funny to be true, but then again, knowing Emerson....Quito reports that he's heard David Emerson has been sniffing around the Dion OLO, looking to see what role he might be able to play in a future Liberal government.

David, of course, used to be a Liberal cabinet minister, and promised to be Harper's biggest enemy. Then, after the Cons won the last election, he crossed the floor over to the Cons...well, I guess he just stayed on the same side of the floor while everybody else crossed, but anyway, he became a Con cabinet minister.

And now, in case the Cons lose, he's hedging his bets and looking to come back to the Liberals...only if we win I'm sure. Sounds crazy, sure, but there have been reports Emerson has been regretting joining Steve's merry band.

Anyway, I gather the good folks in the OLO told David to screw off, and rightly so. Looks like Steve needs to tend to his caucus...

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