not letting up on emerson

signs printed, signs going up in the riding of vancouver-kingsway; they are determined for a by-election. and so there should be. vancouver-kingsway did not want a conservative to represent them; and that is the heart of all of this ... betraying the voters.

Emerson targeted at ceremony
GROUNDBREAKING: Grassroots group kept away from new Tory minister
The Province, Sunday, March 12, 2006

Lawn signs helped elect David Emerson as a Liberal MP. Now critics are hoping they will send him into a byelection as a Tory cabinet minister.

A grassroots group, The Campaign to De-elect David Emerson, is having about 1,000 signs printed up to be posted on lawns across Vancouver-Kingsway, starting Saturday.

The signs, which read De-elect David Emerson, are the next tactical step for a group of voters outraged over Emerson's defection.

Yesterday, they held rallies at four intersections in Kingsway to raise money and rally support for a byelection.

"[The signs] will be visual confirmation to anyone that riding constituents are the power behind this movement, not a political party," said Kevin Chalmers, campaign chair. Chalmers said yesterday the group was about $500 short of paying for the signs, but hoped to meet their financial goal in time to pick up the signs later next week.

The plan came as Emerson made his first appearance in Vancouver as a Tory at an event for which the media was given advance notice.

On Friday, Canada's new international trade minister was among dignitaries marking the beginning of construction of the 2010 Olympic Village at False Creek.

Emerson, promising continued federal support for the Games, joked about his political troubles in his speech, remarking on the wave of coverage of the Games in Turin. "It . . . gave the TV channels something to run other than David Emerson stories," he quipped.

Emerson declined to meet with about 30 protesters outside the ceremony, which was fenced and guarded by police. He arrived and left by a back route. Emerson, who has said he will not quit and allow a byelection, dismissed the protesters as "partisan zealots." ....