Harper, You're Not As Accountable

Emerson Spends Taxpayer Money to Avoid National Media

February 23, 2006
Source: Liberal Party of Canada

OTTAWA – The Harper government’s crisis of accountability increased today as they used Canadians’ tax dollars to fly civil servants to Vancouver, allowing David Emerson to avoid political embarrassment and scrutiny by the national media, said Ujjal Dosanjh, Member of Parliament for Vancouver South.

“Prime Minister Stephen Harper's appointment of Mr. Emerson to his cabinet has already created a crisis of accountability in the Conservative government - and Mr. Harper has exacerbated the problem by keeping Mr. Emerson hidden from the national media since his controversial appointment,” said Mr. Dosanjh.

It is highly unusual, and costly, to dispatch civil servants to hold briefings in a Minister’s riding outside of Ottawa. Despite this, several senior civil servants from the Department of International Trade have been flown to Vancouver to brief Mr. Emerson since he left Ottawa under fire for switching parties immediately after the election.

Mr. Harper promised Canadians a new government solidly grounded in ethics and integrity. But only one month into his mandate and he has already broken numerous campaign promises, jettisoned his principles, and shaken the trust placed in him by Canadians.

"This irresponsible move is further evidence that this is the pattern of behaviour we can expect from a Harper government,” Mr. Dosanjh added.

“Mr. Harper is so intent on keeping Mr. Emerson away from the cameras and microphones in Ottawa that he is willing to ask the taxpayers to pay for his evasive maneuvers. This is clearly a case of tax dollars being used for political gain, allowing Mr. Emerson to weather this political storm in his own riding.”

This is yet another example of the virtual invisibility of Mr. Harper and his ministers over the past month, as they play hide-and-seek with the media and the Canadian public.