what a joke

someone better step up to the plate to support / advocate and help the people who live in emerson's riding. and end this type of mockery of our voting system.

Harper cleared of ethics violation
Canadian Press, March 20, 2006

OTTAWA -- Parliament's ethical code was not breached when David Emerson crossed the floor to join the cabinet of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the federal ethics commissioner has ruled.

Bernard Shapiro says the timing of Emerson's move, just days after he won his Vancouver seat as a Liberal in the Jan. 23 federal election, raised ethical questions that lie outside the strict rules in the code of conduct for MPs.

''In the final analysis, the most appropriate place to settle issues of this kind is not in the office of the ethics commissioner but in Parliament itself,'' Shapiro wrote in his report, released Monday.

Three opposition MPs had alleged that Harper improperly induced Emerson to switch parties by offering the former Liberal industry minister the perks and pay of a cabinet minister.

This, they argued, broke three sections of Parliament's Conflict of Interest Code for MPs.

Shapiro ruled otherwise.

''I am satisfied that no special inducement was offered by Mr. Harper to convince Mr. Emerson to join his cabinet and his party,'' he wrote.

''In addition, there is no reason and certainly no evidence to contradict Mr. Emerson's own claim that accepting Mr. Harper's offer seemed, at least to him, a way to better serve his city, province and country. I therefore find no reason to pursue these matters further.''

The report also indicates that Harper, despite public assertions from his office that he was ''loath to co-operate'' with the investigation, in fact provided Shapiro with both an interview and a written response.

Opposition MPs had discussed having the prime minister held in contempt of Parliament for apparently balking at co-operating with the independent investigation.