Get Jack Layton On The Phone
From the Metro paper in Vancouver, comes reports (albeit from Liberal sources) that David Emerson is unhappy with the Conservative government:
Emerson sad about move, report says
DARRIN HANGS WITH JET AND JASON
PAGE 16
Trade Minister David Emerson is telling former associates privately that he is unhappy being a member of the Conservative government, which he sees as far too politically partisan and centrally controlled under Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Emerson, the former Liberal industry minister, set off an uproar when he switched parties and joined Harper's government shortly after the Jan. 23
election.
In a report of a private conversation making the rounds among Liberals, Emerson told a former associate recently that he is shocked by the Harper government's fierce adversarial approach. The main aim of the government seems to be to make the Liberal opposition look bad, he reportedly remarked. "They really hate the Liberals."
posted by calgarygrit at
8:05 p.m.
34 Comments:
Big deal.
EVERYBODY hates the liberals.
Horny Toad
By
Anonymous, at 8:27 p.m.
I also heard (albeit from liberal sources) that Harper and the CPC were funded by right wing so-neo-cons from the United States. It was all over the TV a few months ago.......
I'm not making this up
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Anonymous, at 8:31 p.m.
I agree with Horny Toad that everyone hates the liberals and besides I don't believe that story about Emerson. If it is true he is a real loser. Harper does hate corruption and politicians who are just in it for themselves. And that is what mostof the liberals are about.
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Anonymous, at 8:40 p.m.
I find it interesting that no link has been supplied with that "story".
By
George, at 9:02 p.m.
Emerson won't seek re-election. He may be frustrated with the Cons, but he made his decision. There's no way that he can rat himself back into the Libs.
By
Zac, at 9:03 p.m.
The CPC's entire raison d'etre is hatred of the Liberals. We heard it from Harper for years, even Tony Clement's rantings about "King Jean" even during his tenure as Ontario Health Minister. Didn't Harper propose "Fortress Alberta" to protect from Liberal influences?
Just like in the Gospel, "live by the sword, die by it". Emerson knows it's true.
David Imrie
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Anonymous, at 9:15 p.m.
"I find it interesting that no link has been supplied with that "story"."
Yup, because he just made it up...
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Dan McKenzie, at 9:29 p.m.
I thought we weren't allowed to make stuff up though?
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Anonymous, at 9:41 p.m.
"... which he sees as far too politically partisan and centrally controlled under Prime Minister Stephen Harper."
And what were the Liberals like under Martin ? C'mon you guys maker your fabrications a little more credible, or at least funny !
By
Anonymous, at 9:56 p.m.
Lazy, dumbass, anonymous conservatives
can't find this.
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C4SR, at 10:02 p.m.
What's funny is the fisrst line Calgary Grit writes is "From the Metro paper in Vancouver comes reports..." and the post is in quotes. To be accused of making something up with no source, when the source is stated in the first line and you use quotes, now that's some ripe trolling boy. Trolls Wow, you just got a beleive what they say.
lmao
By
S.K., at 10:10 p.m.
hahah sb attacking someone else's credibility? lol you so crazy shoshana.......
By
Anonymous, at 10:20 p.m.
This is like the gift that keeps give. :)
I LOVE IT. I LOVE IT. I LOVE IT. I LOVE IT. I LOVE IT. I LOVE IT. I LOVE IT. I LOVE IT. I LOVE IT. I LOVE IT. I LOVE IT.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if he quit?
I LOVE IT. I LOVE IT. I LOVE IT. I LOVE IT. I LOVE IT. I LOVE IT. I LOVE IT. I LOVE IT.
By
Anonymous, at 10:34 p.m.
Sorry for the lack of a link - someone e-mailed the story to me.
It's been updated.
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calgarygrit, at 10:37 p.m.
Isn't it funny how all the anonymous are bitchers and are really cons. They seem to be the nastiest to the liberal bloggers.
Are they afraid to say who they are?
By
Anonymous, at 11:03 p.m.
hate is the path to the dark side
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Anonymous, at 11:10 p.m.
If this story had a hint of truth to it, CBC, G&M would have it front page in 10 inch letters. Julie Van Dusen would be all over this like dirt!! I can not find it in any newspaper at all.
Great thing about the blogoshere, unsubstantiated rumors can be squashed in a blink.
By
wilson, at 11:12 p.m.
I think the part "darrin hangs with jet and jason" can be cut out. hehe
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Dan McKenzie, at 11:16 p.m.
I read it with my own eyes this morning, the Vancouver edition of the Metro (freebie papers put out by all political parties in Canada, or if not, then by all major newspapers desperate to hang onto ppl buying print form news).
Yep, what I thought was -- hat's off to Ms Emerson, who seems scarier to Mr Emerson than Harper.
You go girl!
Just like any mom would say: you made your bed, you lie in it!
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Anonymous, at 11:20 p.m.
Yup . I love the way the Globe and Flail, CBC, CTV and especially the Toronto Star have this cadre of "high level Conservatives" or "secret leaked memos" or senior beurocrats who all remain anonymous don't you know so the reporter can just make up whatever they want and flog it as a "news" story. The unelected unaccountable media.
Sort of like Jean Chretien claiming to have had coffee with the "anonymous" homeless guy.
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Anonymous, at 11:46 p.m.
The Federal Accountability Act should include MSM; politics aside, some of these scumbag reporters have really destroyed peoples lives and /or careers.
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wilson, at 11:51 p.m.
I am not surprised. I agree the Conservatives are all about destroying the Liberals. After all they cannot really win on their own record so the more they destroy the Liberals the better. This is typical Republican style politics of conquer and divide. Not the consensus style of politics we are use to here in Canada.
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Monkey Loves to Fight, at 12:52 a.m.
Hah Wilson61, tell ya what. List your real name and address and we'll see if they can even find that you've got one to ruin...
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Anonymous, at 12:56 a.m.
I'll be anyone 100 bucks that this guy won't run again.
...unless Layton takes him
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Mark, at 2:27 a.m.
Oh man, did I just see a liberal saying that conservatives cannot run on their record?? hahah you crazy libs at it again!
Because we all know the liberals have run on their record for the last 3 elections right? Because the central theme to their campaign was always "judge us on our record" and not booga booga booga Harper is scary, right?
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Anonymous, at 9:18 a.m.
Interesting story although I doubt its veracity very much.
The basics of the story are probably true, maybe Emerson said something about how surprised he was at Harper's form of governing. But likely the story gets exaggerated from there out. Happens all the time, we all interpret what others say through our own prejudices (in this case, liberal).
It also is probably a big switch for Emerson, going from the experienced cabinet of Paul Martin to the inexperienced cabinet now.
As for the 'hate Liberals' thing.. well... d'uh! The same could be said for many Liberals, that they 'hate Conservatives'. I mean, over the last two or three elections, the Liberals vilified the Christian right as being anti-human rights (SSM), anti-Canada (US) trigger happy (gun control), war loving (Iraq) idiots (Stockwell Day).
Hate comes along with issues when people are passionate about them.
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Eric, at 11:09 a.m.
The TDH Strategies blog reports this story is false and will provide more detail later.
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Anonymous, at 11:59 a.m.
There's a difference between the natural dislike one will have for one's ideological opponents, and having your sole raison d'etre be destroying the opposition, who aren't even in government.
Still, is this news to anybody? Yes, the Conservative party of Canada hates liberalism. (No, not big "L", little "l") We all knew this, long before the election. The United States isn't much different, except that the American public expects bipartisanship and the Canadian one doesn't.
Harper is working with Layton to kill the Liberal party. That's the point. That's the long-term goal. All else is froth and BS. Harper wants the Conservatives to be the new dominant party, and Layton wants the NDP to govern someday, and neither will happen unless the Liberals are gone.
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Anonymous, at 12:00 p.m.
Didnt anyone see the front page of the Toronto Star today?
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Anonymous, at 1:31 p.m.
Emerson frustrated, ex-aide says
Said to complain Tories `too partisan'
Minister's office denies remarks made
Apr. 20, 2006. 05:21 AM
LES WHITTINGTON
OTTAWA BUREAU
OTTAWA—Trade Minister David Emerson is telling former associates privately that he is frustrated being a member of the Conservative government, according to an ex-aide.
His main complaints are that the government is too partisan and too tightly controlled under Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the ex-aide says.
Emerson, the former Liberal industry minister, set off an uproar when he switched parties and joined Harper's government on Feb. 6, the day it was sworn in, two weeks after the Jan. 23 election.
Jay Epworth, Emerson's legislative assistant when he was industry minister in the Paul Martin government, said Emerson recently told him he has been shocked by the Harper government's fierce adversarial approach.
"Behind closed doors, the Conservatives are worse partisans than the Liberals ever were," Emerson said, according to notes Epworth wrote after his conversation with the minister.
"They hate the f---ing Liberals and they're doing everything they can to screw them," he quoted Emerson as saying.
Emerson had been explaining that the partisan nature of politics is "just something he was not able to really wrap his head around," recalled Epworth, who is now the legislative assistant to Opposition Leader Bill Graham.
"He was telling me what Harper was like in cabinet," Epworth told the Star. "His words were that Harper's a hard-ass, that he is incredibly focused but has no people skills and that, if in the cabinet meeting he disagrees with the opinions of one of his ministers, he makes it perfectly clear that he believes the minister is wrong and that his way should prevail.
"And I said, it seems to me that he is running the whole show over there," Epworth recalled. "And Emerson said to me, `He's definitely got a tight grip on things.'"
Another source said Emerson has told other former associates that he is chaffing at the tight rein Harper is exerting over his cabinet ministers, whose public utterances are being carefully controlled by the Prime Minister's Office. As a high-profile Liberal minister in the Martin government, Emerson had considerable leeway in his activities.
Repeated attempts to reach Emerson were unsuccessful.
But Bob Klager, his communications director, denied categorically that the minister had ever made such comments to Epworth or any other source.
"I think they're desperately misinformed," Klager commented, adding he was speaking on behalf of Emerson. "The minister views his role and his colleagues with the highest respect. He's regarded by them as an invaluable asset. And he's making active and meaningful contributions to this government daily."
The conversation with Epworth took place while Emerson, as he often does, ate lunch at his desk in his office on the third floor of the Confederation Building down the street from Parliament.
During the initial public outcry over his defection to the Liberals in February, Emerson explained he decided to switch parties because he is not a partisan politician.
By being in cabinet, he felt he could best serve his riding and B.C., Emerson said.
Last weekend, he said his current situation is feeling "normal," according to a report by Canadian Press.
"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," said Emerson, adding that he respects his critics.
Epworth, asked to evaluate Emerson's remarks to him, said, "I don't think he was feeding me a line or anything. He was saying what he felt."
Emerson also said he is not content being in the Conservative cabinet and would like to get out of politics if he could, according to Epworth.
"He said he would have quit by now but his wife wouldn't let him."
Epworth added: "You know what else he said to me? He felt that his influence in this cabinet would obviously be much less than in the last cabinet.
"And I said, `Well, duh, minister, they don't really trust you. They're glad to have you on side, but they're not going to trust you.'"
Emerson, a former British Columbia public servant and corporate executive, has told confidantes he is deeply wounded by the adverse public reaction to his abrupt decision to abandon the Liberals and join the Tory government right after the election, a source said.
Since joining the Harper cabinet, Emerson has been dogged by protests from voters in his Vancouver-Kingsway riding who say they feel cheated by their MP's decision to jump to the Tories.
In Vancouver this week, Harper dismissed the demonstrations.
Asked if he was willing to accept the protests as the price of having Emerson in the Conservative party, the Prime Minister said, "Absolutely. The same 10 people every time. You know, it's kind of getting old hat, isn't it?"
Revelations about Emerson's discontent come at a time when Harper's management style is attracting increasing attention.
The Prime Minister's efforts to discredit Ethics Commissioner Bernard Shapiro — who investigated Harper in connect with Emerson's defection but found no wrongdoing — have raised eyebrows.
Also, the Prime Minister has been accused of muzzling his ministers and engaging in heavy handed information control.
Harper is also under fire for deciding, contrary to his previous arguments, to handpick the MPs who will chair the influential House of Commons committees.
By
Anonymous, at 1:33 p.m.
Hold the phone, this is ironclad, bulletproof stuff right here!!
I mean, the guy took notes!!! Notes!!! how do you beat that? Notes!!!!
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Anonymous, at 3:02 p.m.
That's what I love about comment threads. Desperate anonymous conservative trolls are always funny, whether it's an American or Canadian blog.
By
Anonymous, at 4:53 p.m.
Because "Demosthenes" is so much different from anonymous right? At least anonymous don't steal their handles from Enders Game.
By
Anonymous, at 5:55 p.m.
From TDH Strategies:
April 20, 2006 - As everyone already knows, Jay "Big Daddy" Epworth is David Emerson's former legislative assistant.
Self-admittedly, Epworth was extremely bitter about the minister's decision, having spoken out on more than one occasion to colleagues that he has "a lot of anger" towards Mr. Emerson. In fact, he told several people of his plan to vent that anger face to face with the minister if given the opportunity.
Jae dropped in on the Emerson unannounced, and while walking through the building, bumped into the minister's driver (whom he knew from before), and convinced him to let him into the office while Emerson was having lunch at his desk.
Epworth sat and chatted with the minister in a casual setting, where Emerson told him his reasons for switching to the Conservatives. Emerson spoke positively of the role he now had with the government, but mostly the two men just shot the breeze. Of note is the fact that throughout the entire conversation, Epworth never had a pad or a paper in hand to record the specific quotes given to the Toronto Star.
Within hours of the meeting, Epworth began to tell other staffers to keep an eye on the headlines for a story on the meeting.
This website has not been easy on Emerson over the past couple of months. In fact, it was TDH Strategies that dug up the Hansard quotes that Emerson had delivered as a Liberal cabinet minister (including calling his current colleagues "vicious guttersnipes") just 24 hours after his cabinet appointment. But when we read the story claiming that Emerson had uttered his frustrations to a Liberal staffer, something just didn't add up. Here are some basic questions that emerged:
Why would Emerson make those comments to a guy he knows to work for the Leader of the Opposition?
How did he have such detailed quotes? Did he make a secret recording?
Why was the Toronto Star the only newspaper that covered this story and published his recollections? The Vancouver Metro newspaper never attributed their very brief coverage to any specific source.
Sounds mighty fishy.
By
Anonymous, at 12:18 a.m.
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