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-- Emerson defection to CPC related to softwood lumber deal?

Emerson defection to CPC related to softwood lumber deal?

nothing appears to be "wrong" or illegal...so don't start defending anyone, but talk about a subplot...

no wonder Harper brought Emersn in...if this story is true, and how could Harper NOT know any of this, it certainly sheds some light on the defection and casts doubts on Harper's claim that this cabinet post was given to assist in having nationwide representation...it appears that it was really in order that the CPC could complete the softwood lumber deal that the Liberals had all but finished and temporarily shelved due to potential election fallout.

if a deal is signed now, the CPC looks like they've "repaired U.S. relations" and brought an end to the lumber dipute...when in reality it was a Liberal brokered deal that was put on hold because, if the details are accurate, it will potentially piss off BC lumber industry and look like Canada made too many concessions to the U.S....something that may have damaged Liberal credibility, given Martin's firm stance on the issue.

or...the deal remains shelved and this is just an interesting subplot to the election.

but If this comes to pass, I wonder how it will be pitched...i.e. will it be admitted that the Liberals had this deal ready to go or wil the CPC take all of the credit?

interesting...I'm looking forward to seeing how this plays out.

quote:

Did Emerson block deal? Feb. 9, 2006. 10:37 AM JAMES TRAVERS NATIONAL AFFAIRS COLUMNIST OTTAWA�Here's the plot of a real-life political thriller: David Emerson defected to the Conservatives this week carrying a multi-billion dollar softwood lumber deal that Liberals, for political reasons, didn't finalize before the federal election. Former colleagues as well as officials and diplomats privy to the secret, backchannel talks insist Emerson was instrumental in delaying a breakthrough in the decades-old dispute that cost thousands of Canadian jobs. They say the former Liberal industry minister worried that a pre-election announcement would damage Liberal prospects in key British Columbia ridings. In a telephone interview last night, Emerson confirmed he raised concerns about the proposal after discussions with the B.C. government and softwood industry. But he said it's a "false story" to suggest his resistance was politically motivated and insisted the deal on the table before the election wasn't good enough for Canada then and isn't now. Liberals and non-partisan sources tell a different story. They say the B.C. government and its powerful forestry industry only lost interest in the plan after meetings with Emerson. His objections, along with concerns in Paul Martin's office that a pre-election deal would stop the then-prime minister from using George W. Bush as a campaign punching bag, convinced Liberals to delay formal negotiations at least until after the January election. Informally discussed on parallel tracks here and in the U.S., the plan calls for Washington to reimburse about 75 per of the disputed $5 billion in tariffs imposed on Canadian lumber in return for Ontario and Quebec export quotas. In B.C., there would be higher stumpage fees to keep mills in the province's interior from flooding the U.S. market with cheap wood culled from forests hard-hit by mountain pine beetle infestations. Those behind-the-scenes talks, led in Washington by Ambassador Frank McKenna and nursed in Ottawa by then-international trade minister Jim Peterson, were rapidly moving the two countries toward brief formal negotiations and a quick deal until they tripped over political realties. At the time, Martin's government was publicly resisting Bush administration pressure to return to the negotiating table, arguing that Canada had won serial tribunal decisions and would settle for nothing less than complete victory and full compensation. Emerson was among the most outspoken Liberal ministers. In August, he called on Canadians to unite around fair trade. "Are we going to be stronger than the sum of our parts, or are we going to be endlessly bickering amongst ourselves and allow the bully to basically mop the floor with us." But while making noisy demands that the U.S. abide by the letter and spirit of cross-border treaties and by threatening a trade war if it did not, Martin's government was quietly building a Canadian consensus. First, the three biggest softwood provinces tentatively agreed to the hybrid formula, and then key parts of the industry were brought into the talks on condition of strict confidentiality. In Washington, McKenna discreetly tested how the U.S. would respond to the hybrid Canadian proposal and Washington's willingness to reimburse tariffs. Conscious of the powerful lumber lobby, U.S. officials were encouraging as well as equally discreet. By early November, the critical components were in place. "A deal was there to be had," a well-informed source says. "It was easily within reach." Other sources, including diplomats, confirm the template was complete before Martin's minority government fell. But for reasons Liberals now blame on Emerson, it stepped back from a deal that now falls into Stephen Harper's lap. That would be a dramatic early success for a new government and for a new trade minister. And that has some of Emerson's former colleagues steaming. They and others who spoke on condition of anonymity say they accept that Tories will claim a softwood victory as the spoils of war. But they can't stomach that Emerson is now positioned to take credit for an agreement Liberals say he blocked. They say Emerson didn't want a less-than-perfect agreement to become a Conservative and NDP target. According to the sources, Emerson, a former top lumber executive, also warned that some companies could object to the higher stumpage fees. Rather than take an unnecessary political risk, Liberals parked the deal, assuming it could be restarted when they were, as they wrongly expected, returned to office. It's not clear if or when Conservatives learned about the advanced softwood talks. What is known is that the small circle of those aware of the backroom discussions expanded during the final campaign weeks. In any case, Conservatives had many reasons to encourage Emerson's defection. Highly respected at home as well as by mandarins here, Emerson, who jokingly calls himself a small-c Liberal, gives the party downtown Vancouver representation and an experienced minister to handle the financially troubled Olympics and Pacific rim issues. So less than 24 hours after the election, Emerson and Conservative campaign co-chairman John Reynolds were discussing the defection that on Monday caught the national capital by surprise. In retrospect, it wasn't so surprising. Independently wealthy and more interested in policy than politics, Emerson would find little in opposition to justify the grinding travel between the capital and West Coast. Equally important, Harper was willing to give Emerson the international trade job former Liberal cabinet colleagues say he coveted. Now that he has it, Emerson gets a second chance to complete the deal that diplomats say requires little more than signatures. That would be an unpleasant surprise ending Liberals didn't anticipate when they put the softwood talks on hold.

or perhaps he sincerely wants to close the softwood lumber saga no matter how its done for the best interests of BC?

Haw Haw

quote:

Originally posted by Jayx1 or perhaps he sincerely wants to close the softwood lumber saga no matter how its done for the best interests of BC?

I'm from BC, and was there when the softwood lumber problems started - it fucked BC over big time. many many mills closed, and a lot of people lost their jobs. That was the main reason why I liked Martin, he stood up to the US on that issue.

If Harper bows down to the US on this issue, then we are pretty much telling the US they can fuck us any way they want.

quote:

Originally posted by Jayx1 or perhaps he sincerely wants to close the softwood lumber saga no matter how its done for the best interests of BC?

but is it in their best interests? Emerson himself "insisted the deal on the table before the election wasn't good enough for Canada then and isn't now."

The U.S. will only repay 75% of the tariffs...and "In B.C., there would be higher stumpage fees to keep mills in the province's interior from flooding the U.S. market with cheap wood culled from forests hard-hit by mountain pine beetle infestations."

it's a solution to the dispute...but is it a good one?

we'll see...

i would say that 75% is better than the 0% we have now.

But lets see what happens.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/serv...y/National/home

quote:

Emerson defection �different,' MacKay says TERRY WEBER Globe and Mail Update International Trade Minister David Emerson's controversial leap to the Conservatives was �different� from past party defections and suggests a politician who was �obviously very disillusioned� with the Liberals, Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay said Friday. Defending Mr. Emerson's move this week into the Conservative cabinet, Mr. MacKay told CBC Newsworld that the former Liberal's decision also suggests a clear dedication to the people of his B.C. constituency. �What David Emerson did, I would suggest, is different, in the sense that he has done this early after the election in hopes of continuing the important work that he was doing inside a government which he was obviously very disillusioned with,� Mr. MacKay said. �Unlike other moves, it didn't happen at a critical juncture that propped the government up. There wasn't that sense that there was strict reward or leadership ambition. Mr. Emerson, he added, has said �quite clearly he is dedicated to the people of his constituency.� �He wants to continue work on the government side,� Mr. MacKay said. Prime Minister Stephen Harper raised eyebrows Monday with Mr. Emerson's appointment to the international trade post within the Conservative cabinet. Just two weeks earlier, Mr. Emerson, a former Liberal cabinet minister, had run and won as a Grit in the Vancouver-Kingsway riding. Following his election night victory, he vowed to be Mr. Harper's �worst nightmare� when Parliament resumed. Mr. Emerson's appointment has been met with a growing call from disgruntled constituents and some dissident members of Mr. Harper's own caucus for the newly appointed minister to resign his seat and face the voters again in a by-election as a Conservative. Last spring, former Conservative Belinda Stronach faced harsh criticism when she crossed the floor to the Liberals on the eve of a crucial confidence vote in the House of Commons, with some of her former Tory colleagues demanding a by-election in that case. Mr. Emerson has rejected calls for him to step down and has dismissed suggestions from his Liberal riding association that he return more than $96,000 spent on his campaign. Ian Waddell, the NDP candidate who narrowly lost to Mr. Emerson in January's election, has called on the federal ethics commissioner to investigate the situation. On Thursday, Mr. Emerson had been scheduled to speak to the media on a conference call, but the session was cancelled after a government official told waiting reporters that the minister was stuck in traffic. Mr. MacKay also said Friday he will be working closely with Mr. Emerson, whom he praised for his business experience and his expertise in the area of softwood lumber. �He's somebody who I think will be of critical importance as we try to get some positive traction on this file,� Mr. MacKay said. He said both he and Mr. Emerson expect to be travelling to the United States in the near future to talk with U.S. officials about �how we can find a positive resolution for the softwood impasse.� Mr. Emerson's position on the softwood lumber dispute also came under close scrutiny this week following reports that he killed a potential softwood deal with the United States when he served as Paul Martin's political minister for British Columbia before the Jan. 23 election. Meanwhile, Conservative MP Garth Turner � who publicly criticized the decision not to call a by-election following Mr. Emerson's appointment � says he expects to be assigned an office in �a renovated washroom somewhere in a forgotten corner of a vermin-infested dank basement� as a result of his position. In his on-line blog, Mr. Turner says he had a series of �unhappy meetings� with caucus officials Thursday over his comments, including one with Mr. Harper. �I think it is now safe to say my career options within the Conservative caucus are seriously limited,� writes Mr. Turner, a former columnist and Progressive Conservative MP, now representing the Ontario riding of Halton. �If you would like a course on how not to be popular in Ottawa, then take a seat.� With Canadian Press

Bullshit

^^^ LMAO

they can rationalize this all they want...this remains an example of hypocrisy at it's finest. Who the f**k would NOT prefer to be in power than in the opposition? They're trying to spin this as him wanting to continue the good work he started...um...I bet that's not an uncommon feeling among ALL outgoing gov't ministers and regular MPs

CPC MP Garth Turner is being funny (though serious) about the whole thing (from today's Toronto Star):

quote:

Halton MP in hot water over Emerson Feb. 10, 2006. 11:55 AM STEPHEN THORNE CANADIAN PRESS OTTAWA � Conservative MP Garth Turner says he expects to be assigned an office in "a renovated washroom somewhere in a forgotten corner of a vermin-infested dank basement" after suggesting a former Liberal resign his seat and seek re-election before taking a Tory cabinet job. In his online blog, Turner says he had a series of "unhappy meetings" with caucus officials Thursday over his comments, including one with Prime Minister Stephen Harper. "I think it is now safe to say my career options within the Conservative caucus are seriously limited," writes Turner, a former columnist and Progressive Conservative MP, now representing the Ontario riding of Halton. "If you would like a course on how not to be popular in Ottawa, then take a seat." Turner said earlier this week that former Liberal cabinet minister David Emerson, a Vancouver-area MP who crossed the floor Monday to take the post of International Trade minister in Harper's cabinet, should step down. In what he called a principled position, Turner said all government members � not just cabinet ministers � should be elected as members of the party that forms the government. "Anybody who switches parties should go back to the people. To do otherwise is to place politicians above the people when, actually, it's the other way around." Turner said his comments were deemed "not helpful." Harper has been under fire this week for appointing Emerson and unelected Montrealer Michael Fortier to cabinet. Fortier, a Tory organizer who was handed Public Works, will be appointed to the Senate until he can seek election in a Commons seat. The appointments, which Harper says were designed to give two of the country's biggest cities representation in cabinet, rankled many Conservative MPs. The party had previously contended that floor-crossers like former Conservative Belinda Stronach should have to face the electorate before taking their new seats. And Harper has been a strong advocate of an elected Senate. Turner said he had "swallowed with gusto" promises of more free votes, more powerful committees of "free-thinking" MPs, a more responsive government, and an elected and responsible Senate. He said Harper's decision to appoint a floor-crossing Liberal and an unelected party official to cabinet "seemed to fly in the face of everything I had told voters about accountability and democracy." "It also made me question the whole process." Turner, who moved into his constituency office Thursday night, said he knew in advance the potential consequences of taking his stand. "Speaking of offices, after today I'm expecting the Whip will be assigning me a renovated washroom somewhere in a forgotten corner of a vermin-infested dank basement in Ottawa," he said. "That should go well with my seat in the House of Commons that will be visible only during lunar eclipses."

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