Day Two – Some Food for Thought, Plus Radio/TV Notes

"Let’s pledge to the people of Canada, not that we will be perfect, but that we will deal with problems before they become scandals and that we will always try and do the right thing."
--Stephen Harper, Saint John, New Brunswick, January 16, 2006


Newstalk 1010 (Toronto) morning host Bill Carroll seethed at length this morning about the Emerson defection and elevation to cabinet. Carroll said he considered it a personal betrayal, and now regrets that during the election he attempted to convince many people to put aside their unfounded suspicions of Harper and vote Conservative.

By the way, while tossing with insomnia overnight I caught the replay of Belinda Stronach’s Monday afternoon cold call to Newstalk 1010 afternoon host John Moore. Stronach delivered a self-righteous rant about how hypocritical the Harper Conservatives are, given their reaction to her defection. (“See? They’re just as bad as I am!” Not the best doggy to put in the window, Belinda.) Initially I was impressed with Stronach’s ease on air, especially given that she claimed to be driving on the Don Valley Parkway at the same time, but then she reverted to classic Belinda form: once she reached the end of her talking points, she started again from the top.

Dave Rutherford of Calgary’s CHQR AM 770 also kicked off his show today talking about Emerson and Fortier. His first interview was with Jamie Elmhirst, president of the Liberal Party’s B.C. wing. Elmhirst was at pains to distinguish Emerson’s defection from Stronach’s, and his main argument seemed to be the length of time that had lapsed since each had last faced the voters and her/his subsequent defection. Perhaps not wishing to burn any bridges, Elmhirst noted that “David Emerson is a guy who is tremendously respected in this province.”

CTV Toronto’s Talkback Toronto feature on the noon news ran this web/phone survey:

Should MPs be allowed to cross the floor?
Web survey: 95% No, 5% Yes
Phone calls: 90% No, 10% Yes

Charles Adler also led with the Emerson story on his CHQR show, with guests Tasha Kheiriddin, Ontario Director of the Canadian Taxpayers’Federation and Alberta’s Scott Hennich (sp?).

Later, Toronto Sun Senior Associate Editor Lorrie Goldstein was a guest of Adler’s and proceeded to excoriate Harper, expanding on his column in the Sun today.