The Rants of Issachar

So Carla figures I'm going to regurgitate Mr. Harper's talking points about Mr. Emerson. Well no I won't but I'll give you one he should be using.

I can't claim to own this idea. It's an amalgam from the schooling I got at dinner last night for being more concerned about optics than talent.

The softwood lumber dispute is the largest trade dispute in the world. It is doing serious damage to the Canadian economy and costing us too many jobs. I (Stephen Harper) looked at the new Conservative caucus and I couldn't find anyone who was up to the task of handling that file. I had many good MP's, but they were all out of their depth on this issue. The lumber industry provides too many jobs to Canadians to leave in the hands of very good, but unfortunately underqualified people. Mr. Emerson has described himself as a "small c liberal" in the past and is able to work within the Conservative party to solve this trade dispute. He is the most qualified person in Canada to work on this file, so I offered him the job.

I understand that many voters in Vancouver-Hastings are upset but British Columbia depends on the forest industry and there are too many jobs at stake in BC and throughout Canada. Mr. Emerson will have to stand for re-election in the next election and I believe that at that time Canadians will understand why it was so important to have Mr. Emerson as the Minister for International Trade.

That's what Mr. Harper should be saying. Telling us this is about having someone from Vancouver in cabinet is just foolish.

Update: Yes I'm still upset with Stephen Harper. It seems like he's not even trying to make things any better.

Posted by:  Sarah

OMG did he actually say he wanted a cabinet minister from Vancouver? Eeek. I'm fascinated to see how PMSH's spouting about having a transparent goverment is panning out.
Even if you were to be his speech writer, Andrew, and PMSH were to use your reasoning for appointing Emerson, I don't agree that industry should be put ahead of democracy (that's what makes me left-wing I guess). When it comes down to what's best for Canada, I thought the electorate was meant to decide that...Vancouver-Hastings voters have a right to be throughly pissed off. If Emerson really was the best man to be trade minister and dealing with softwood lumber really was the motivation, this should have made this clear BEFORE the election, not on the day of swearing-in. That would have been the act of a transparent government.

Posted by:  issachar

"(that's what makes me left-wing I guess)"

Oh phttbbb... :P (That's a raspberry in case you can't tell). :)

Posted by:  Sarah

lol