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Blog of Adam Daifallah -- author, journalist, law student. Lover of politics, writing, golf, curling, fitness, fashion, bacon and maple products -- not necessarily (but probably) in that order. Partisan of the Anglosphere. Contact me via email at adam@daifallah.com. This summer I am joined by Keir Wilmut and Omar Soliman.
Saturday, February 11, 2006
Truth and fiction on David Emerson
Look, I'm just as tired of this story as most of you are. So I'm hoping to make this the last post on the subject ... at least for a while. Some of the stuff being said, both here in comments and on other blogs, must be addressed. And this is easiest way to do it:
-FALSE: Emerson did what he did for unselfish reasons; it was for the good of BC and the country.
I'm sure David Emerson is a great guy and a good minister. But do not be fooled. Too many people have fallen hook, line and sinker for this ridiculous idea that Emerson defected out of selflessness so he can solve the softwood lumber crisis. If Emerson only cared about that issue, he could have assisted the Tory government minister responsible for it (might have been the bright young James Moore, who is not in cabinet because of him) and solved it that way. He didn't need to be the lead guy.
-FALSE: Emerson is the only guy who can solve softwood lumber because of his work on the file in the Martin government and his expertise in the forestry industry.
Likely anyone who establishes good working relations with our American counterparts can bring this issue to a close. I'd be surprised if this issue takes longer than a few more months to solve, it not because of the legwork already done by Emerson.
FALSE: People criticizing the Emerson/Fortier appointments are being disloyal Conservatives.
At the end of the day you have to be able to look at yourself in the mirror. Silence is consent. Conservatives should speak out when the party strays from conservative values. Most Conservatives I know and like are not like liberals. They care about ideas deeply, and ideas trump all. In my case, as someone who not a member of the Conservative Party but is supportive of the conservative philosophy, I consider it a duty to speak out in these situations.
-TRUE: Fortier is a good guy who will bring a lot to Cabinet.
He's an accomplished lawyer and I-banker, perfectly bilingual, and actually quite conservative. I expect good things from him.
-FALSE: David Emerson's defection is different than Belinda Stronach's. The two cannot be compared.
Sure, sure, sure. We've all heard this one peddled. He brings something to the table, she did not. She did it to stop the government from falling, he is is doing it to help a government. It doesn't fly.
-FALSE: The Liberals did this sort of stuff, so the Tories should too. It's just politics.
It's precisely why the Conservatives should not have done it. (UPDATE: I forgot to add the most important point here: You especially do not do this after running on an "ethics in government" platform.)
TRUE: The Conservatives need representation in Montreal and Vancouver.
So why not, as Paul Wells noted, appoint Sen. Pierre-Claude Nolin -- already a senator -- to cabinet instead?
As Chris Chapman so rightly noted here in comments, "To foolishly try to rationalize these appointments with one ad hominem tu quoque after another is not conservatism as I know it. It's weak-kneed liberalism." Thank you Chappy.
# posted by Adam Daifallah : 12:33 AM
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