Members of a campaign to remove Liberal-turned-Tory David Emerson said yesterday they’re disappointed the Vancouver-Kingsway MP has decided not to run again in an upcoming election.
Emerson, who defected to the Conservative party less than 24 hours after he was elected as a Liberal, will not seek re-election, it was reported yesterday.
“We wanted him to run again,” said Mike Watkins, a director with the Campaign to De-Elect David Emerson.
“Without the ability to express ourselves through the ballot … it feels like there’s a bit of a hole.”
Watkins said Emerson’s defection (along with the 2006 senate and cabinet appointment of Michael Fortier) represents a “dangerous precedent taking us towards a more U.S.-style of appointed cabinet.”
Don Davies, the NDP candidate of Vancouver-Kingsway, said the decision to not run breaks Emerson’s pledge that voters would be able to pass judgment on the defection.
Watkins said the De-Elect campaign will likely dissolve after a coming election — unless Emerson gets appointed to the senate and made a cabinet minister.
“If that happens, this thing won’t be over,” he said. “We’ll be back.”
