VANCOUVER — The critics of David Emerson are promising to descend upon the Prime Minister today to continue the protest against the International Trade Minister's defection to the Conservatives.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper is scheduled to appear at a community centre in Burnaby this morning and members of the Campaign to De-Elect David Emerson say they will be at the event.
"It is important the Prime Minister understand this is an issue that is not going away," Mike Watkins, a spokesman for the anti-Emerson group, said yesterday.
Mr. Watkins suggested that "the citizens of Canada were treated with contempt" by both Prime Minister Harper and Mr. Emerson when the onetime Liberal defected from his party within days of the Jan. 23 federal election and entered the Conservative cabinet.
Mr. Watkins explained that no protest happened when Mr. Emerson attended a Sikh celebration on Saturday, in part because it was Easter weekend.
"If he believes that we are fading in the background, he is quite mistaken," Mr. Watkins said. He indicated that another protest is planned for Friday when Mr. Emerson addresses the Vancouver Board of Trade.
The Emerson critics also appear to be spurred on as a result of comments attributed to him in a local newspaper on the weekend.
Mr. Emerson told the Vancouver Province that his work as an MP is returning to normal. However, "every once in a while the locusts descend on me and it creates situations that are a little abnormal, but I carry on with my work," Mr. Emerson said.
After making these comments he told the newspaper that he respects his critics.
"How can he call us locusts and say he respects us?" Mr. Watkins asked. "Apparently, Mr. Harper's muzzle on cabinet ministers isn't tight enough."
Mr. Emerson has previously called his critics "partisan zealots." Mr. Watkins stressed that he is a "card-carrying Conservative" and his group is made up of supporters of every political party.
"I am not surprised by the insults. We are used to them," said Manuel Pereda, who is the chairman of another anti-Emerson group. The Message in the Air Society hopes to plant hundreds of small flags during a protest on Parliament Hill next month to put an end to what it calls "Emerson-style defections."
The name of the group refers to an event in which Mr. Pereda hired a pilot to fly over Parliament Hill this month with a banner urging Mr. Emerson to "call home."
Mr. Pereda said the group is going to lobby for legislation that would require MPs to resign and run in a by-election if they cross the floor. While he said he does not expect Mr. Emerson to run in a by-election, the minister's negative comments about his critics have given the protest groups a boost.
"He is helping us. The more he insults us, the more supporters we get," Mr. Pereda said.
Mr. Pereda, general manager of a renovation and repair company who has lived in the Vancouver-Kingsway riding for 15 years, said he received dozens of e-mails of support yesterday within a few hours of announcing the details of the latest protest.
The only way to "put a stop to what we are doing," said Mr. Watkins, would be for Mr. Emerson to resign and run in a by-election. While he conceded that this is extremely unlikely, he said Mr. Emerson could not be re-elected in Vancouver-Kingsway.
"He is never going to run in this riding again, he knows that," said Mr. Watkins, who joked that Mr. Emerson may have to go to Calgary to find a safe riding.
A spokeswoman for Mr. Emerson declined to comment yesterday about the minister's "locusts" comment.
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Prime Minister Stephen Harper is scheduled to appear at a community centre in Burnaby this morning and members of the Campaign to De-Elect David Emerson say they will be at the event.
"It is important the Prime Minister understand this is an issue that is not going away," Mike Watkins, a spokesman for the anti-Emerson group, said yesterday.
Mr. Watkins suggested that "the citizens of Canada were treated with contempt" by both Prime Minister Harper and Mr. Emerson when the onetime Liberal defected from his party within days of the Jan. 23 federal election and entered the Conservative cabinet.
Mr. Watkins explained that no protest happened when Mr. Emerson attended a Sikh celebration on Saturday, in part because it was Easter weekend.
"If he believes that we are fading in the background, he is quite mistaken," Mr. Watkins said. He indicated that another protest is planned for Friday when Mr. Emerson addresses the Vancouver Board of Trade.
The Emerson critics also appear to be spurred on as a result of comments attributed to him in a local newspaper on the weekend.
Mr. Emerson told the Vancouver Province that his work as an MP is returning to normal. However, "every once in a while the locusts descend on me and it creates situations that are a little abnormal, but I carry on with my work," Mr. Emerson said.
After making these comments he told the newspaper that he respects his critics.
"How can he call us locusts and say he respects us?" Mr. Watkins asked. "Apparently, Mr. Harper's muzzle on cabinet ministers isn't tight enough."
Mr. Emerson has previously called his critics "partisan zealots." Mr. Watkins stressed that he is a "card-carrying Conservative" and his group is made up of supporters of every political party.
"I am not surprised by the insults. We are used to them," said Manuel Pereda, who is the chairman of another anti-Emerson group. The Message in the Air Society hopes to plant hundreds of small flags during a protest on Parliament Hill next month to put an end to what it calls "Emerson-style defections."
The name of the group refers to an event in which Mr. Pereda hired a pilot to fly over Parliament Hill this month with a banner urging Mr. Emerson to "call home."
Mr. Pereda said the group is going to lobby for legislation that would require MPs to resign and run in a by-election if they cross the floor. While he said he does not expect Mr. Emerson to run in a by-election, the minister's negative comments about his critics have given the protest groups a boost.
"He is helping us. The more he insults us, the more supporters we get," Mr. Pereda said.
Mr. Pereda, general manager of a renovation and repair company who has lived in the Vancouver-Kingsway riding for 15 years, said he received dozens of e-mails of support yesterday within a few hours of announcing the details of the latest protest.
The only way to "put a stop to what we are doing," said Mr. Watkins, would be for Mr. Emerson to resign and run in a by-election. While he conceded that this is extremely unlikely, he said Mr. Emerson could not be re-elected in Vancouver-Kingsway.
"He is never going to run in this riding again, he knows that," said Mr. Watkins, who joked that Mr. Emerson may have to go to Calgary to find a safe riding.
A spokeswoman for Mr. Emerson declined to comment yesterday about the minister's "locusts" comment.
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