Crossing the floor
My hero Winston Churchill crossed the floor of Parliament not once but twice during his long and outstanding political career. Both times it was on point of principle, where he felt compelled to depart from his party on an issue of the day.
There is nothing illegal or improper for a Member of Parliament to switch parties during his elected term, unless the motivation is less than principled.
Belinda Stronach and Paul Martin claimed that Stronach crossed to the Liberals on principle. This is clearly a blatant lie. She crossed over to the Liberals immediately before a confidence vote which would have unseated the Liberals, who needed every single vote they could get to cling to power. She was given an immediate cabinet post, for which she had not qualifications, as a reward. It was a clear case of recruitment and reward at a time of crisis for the Liberals. No principle higher than that was involved.
Stronach's move to the Liberals was not illegal, and there were no calls for her to resign and run in a by election. Conservatives rightly held her in contempt, but there was nothing they could do about it.
There is a difference in Emerson crossing the floor to the Conservatives this past month. True, he was given a cabinet post - the same one he had held as a Liberal.
He is clearly qualified for the job. It must be noted that his move to the Conservatives makes no political difference to the power position of the government. His vote does not change the minority situation. Political expediency does not apply here, as it so vividly did in the Stronach case.
Stephen Harper has said that accepting Emerson and Fortier into the Cabinet was an attempt to give representation to Vancouver and Montreal, which shut out the Conservatives in the election of January 23. That explanation has the ring of truth, especially considering the storm of criticism that Harper must have anticipated would arise from these appointments.
Harper made a judgment call. Whether it was a good one, remains to be seen. It has certainly raised hackles in the media and within the Conservative party. Despite all that, one thing is clear. Emerson's move across the floor was on principle, and was not a venal purchase of a vote to prop up a sinking government.
There is nothing illegal or improper for a Member of Parliament to switch parties during his elected term, unless the motivation is less than principled.
Belinda Stronach and Paul Martin claimed that Stronach crossed to the Liberals on principle. This is clearly a blatant lie. She crossed over to the Liberals immediately before a confidence vote which would have unseated the Liberals, who needed every single vote they could get to cling to power. She was given an immediate cabinet post, for which she had not qualifications, as a reward. It was a clear case of recruitment and reward at a time of crisis for the Liberals. No principle higher than that was involved.
Stronach's move to the Liberals was not illegal, and there were no calls for her to resign and run in a by election. Conservatives rightly held her in contempt, but there was nothing they could do about it.
There is a difference in Emerson crossing the floor to the Conservatives this past month. True, he was given a cabinet post - the same one he had held as a Liberal.
He is clearly qualified for the job. It must be noted that his move to the Conservatives makes no political difference to the power position of the government. His vote does not change the minority situation. Political expediency does not apply here, as it so vividly did in the Stronach case.
Stephen Harper has said that accepting Emerson and Fortier into the Cabinet was an attempt to give representation to Vancouver and Montreal, which shut out the Conservatives in the election of January 23. That explanation has the ring of truth, especially considering the storm of criticism that Harper must have anticipated would arise from these appointments.
Harper made a judgment call. Whether it was a good one, remains to be seen. It has certainly raised hackles in the media and within the Conservative party. Despite all that, one thing is clear. Emerson's move across the floor was on principle, and was not a venal purchase of a vote to prop up a sinking government.
posted by Brian Purdy, Calgary at 9:20 p.m.
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