It looks like supposed federal Liberal leadership aspirant Scott Brison is about to get an early start on campaigning in British Columbia. According to a leaked email, former provincial Liberal cabinet and mayoral nomination candidate Christy Clark will be hosting an evening reception for Mr. Brison this Wednesday at her Vancouver home. But for those of you might think that this means Ms. Clark and her equally-famed husband Mark Marissen are allying themselves with the ex-cabinet minister, think again. The event invite includes this fascinating disclaimer: "This is neither intended nor should be interpreted as an endorsement of any particular candidate for the upcoming leadership race in the Liberal Party of Canada but rather a chance to meet and help form the debate to ensure BC issues are front and centre." In fact, according to our operatives, Ms. Clark and Mr. Marissen have made it known they're happy to host receptions for anyone interested in running for leader. The following is an edited copy of that invite.
From: Bill Cunningham
Subject: You are cordially invited
You are cordially invited to a reception with
Hon. Scott Brison
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Hosted by: Christy Clark
Please join us as we discuss the future of the Liberal Party of Canada and the LPC in B.C.
This reception will be the first in a series of similar gatherings in British Columbia featuring prominent Liberals from across Canada.
We think it is important to have an open dialogue about the future of our Party and who should lead it. This is neither intended nor should be interpreted as an endorsement or support of any particular candidate for the upcoming leadership race in the Liberal Party of Canada but rather a chance to meet and help form the debate to ensure BC issues are front and centre.
A floor crosser is running to be the Liberal leader. This is too much. All I've heard from Liberals in the last month is how MP's that cross the floor are the evil that will bring down democracy in Canada. And now a crosser may be their leader. Rich. What does the "non-partisan" Kingsway Liberal team, that stands up for the "principles of democracy", think of having a floor crosser as their leader when they are orchestrating a re-call campaign because of a floor cross. Remember it's about principle, not partisanship.
Even the most intellectually challenged among us can understand the difference between;
1) a guy like Brison who when his origional party ceased to exist, decided for philisophical reasons to join the Liberals, did not enter cabinet, and within months sought confirmation of the move from his voters. Incidentially, he has now been returned twice as a Liberal by his constituents and
2) A guy like the member in Kingsway who simply thought he was too smart and important to the future of Canada,(he was wrong) to be left out of cabinet, even if it meant that he had to turn his back on people he said he cared about, not to mention everything he said he believed in and fought for for more that two years.
Bottom line, there is nothing wrong with floor crossing in a parlianmentary system of democracy if is for reasons of principle and is done in a way that respects voters.
Brison did this in spades.
Emerson did not.
With regards to the first comment above, I do not believe most Liberals are opposed to members crossing the floor on serious matters of principle, policy or irreconcilable concern with a leader's direction or conduct.
Emerson's case though, as many have noted, was wildly different. He sought a mandate from Kingsway voters as a Liberal, and immediately changed his colours after using liberal volunteers and abusing voter trust to place him back into power.
He crossed the floor before there was even a floor to cross, and his only justification was that he thought he could do a fantastic job in Cabinet.
What arrogance!
There are hundreds of honest members of parliament from all parties who would make fantastic cabinet ministers, but fortunately none (other than Mr. Emerson) have been arrogant and opportunistic enough to so quickly and blatantly abuse the democratic system to wrongfully put themselves in those positions.
I wonder how Hamish is doing, and who he supports?
Classic partisanship. It's OK, and great in a parliamentary system, for people to go from Conservatives to Liberals. But someone going from Conservatives to Liberals is giving voters a smack in the face.
The Conservative to Liberal switch is honourable and always for all the right reasons, yet the reverse of that is a "shot in the head to democracy".
Is that principles or partisanship? I'll give you a hint. When qualifying statements regarding principles are involved, it's partisanship.
People who change parties should be required by law to go through a byelection. That includes Scott Brison and Belinda Stronach and Keith Martin just as much as it does David Emerson.
While Liberal hacks can pretend to see great differences between Brison and Emerson (eg the number of days that elapsed between the election and the defection, or the precise altitude of the Cabinet Minister/Parliamentary Secretary reward obtained) the truth is that these are strained arguments that show only a difference of degree, not of kind.
The Liberals know that, but they keep peddling the bafflegab because that's the entire Red/Blue packaging game as between their party and the Tories, making a large apparent issue of what are in reality small matters. Someone once called it "the tyranny of small differences", the tendency of political types to argue endlessly over sub-amendments, particular wording, meaningless distinctions, etc., etc. The real loser in that game is the voter who is naieve enought to believe the promotional material.
Dryden for Liberal leader! Go, Habs! :)
Let's assume that Parliament passed legislation requiring people that switched parties to face the electorate in a by-election. Would there be a provision for people whose party ceased to exist that they face an election? When the merger of the PC Party and the Canadian Alliance happened, it could be argued that there should have been over 70 by-elections, since no one in any of those ridings had the Conservative Party of Canada on the ballot in the 2000 election. I think that any legislation must provide for this possibility. Let's consider the case of Brison. In the 2000 election he (PC) received 40% of the vote, the Liberals 30%, NDP 18%, CA 12. Now, since the PC Party with 12 seats joined the CA Party with 60 seats, a person could argue that a significant percentage of that 40% did not want anything to do with the 12% party. You might think that a hefty percentage of that 40% felt more closely aligned with the LPC. As the 2004 election showed, that is exactly what happened. Brison (LPC) got 47%, CPC 30%, NDP 18%, and others 5%.
I think that the Emerson case is disgraceful. There was no significant change other than a change of government and he decided he wanted to be on the government side. However, with Brison, there was monumental change since his party disappeared. This factor much be taken into account in any potential legislation.
If I told the liberal operatives Mark and Christy that I was going to run for leader of their party, do you think they will invite me over for a reception at their house?
If they do I can see how the kid is doing with a stay at home mom who bailed out of politics to be near him
"... Let's consider the case of Brison. In the 2000 election he (PC) received 40% of the vote, the Liberals 30%, NDP 18%, CA 12. Now, since the PC Party ..."
Chris, these stats are all irrelevant and you know it. They are designed to make things look different when they are not. That's the game.
I wish Christy Clark would run for leader, rather than host coffee parties.
She is one of the few people in the country that could add some excitement into this race.
Whats the point of even having a leadership race ?
Doesnt everyone already know that Marizo Belevaqua will be the next leader !
Get on the bandwagon now !
Resistance in futile !
* above message sponsored by Conservatives for Belevaqua (affiliated with Conservatives for Fry )
Bigger disturbance for me is that if this is how the Fed Libs (who barely possess any resemblence to thier liberal roots as it is)are looking to Refocus God help us. I for one am tired of these "Pretend" Liberals from both sides.
Peace.
Chris B talks about Liberal roots. I trust he remembers that Liberals at one time were free traders, expansionist and continentalist. Lets not think that everything Liberal is rooted in the Trudeau years.