Tory MPs okay with Emerson, Fortier 
by Romeo St. Martin

[PoliticsWatch Updated 4:15 p.m. February 7, 2006]

OTTAWA  —The controversial new members of the Conservative caucus were greeted with applause and strong reviews from their caucus counterparts on Wednesday as the Tories met for the first time since their election win. 

Prime Minister Stephen Harper's unusual decision to appoint recently re-elected Liberal MP David Emerson as trade minister and Tory campaign co-chair Michael Fortier to the Senate and cabinet was supported by all MPs who spoke with reporters. 

Reporters were present in the caucus meeting room as Harper introduced the two new Tories to his caucus. 

Harper said their presence is a sign the Conservatives have "the strongest national government as possible."

The PM's honeymoon was short-lived after he made the controversial appointments Monday, which appear to largely run counter to past Conservative principles on MPs who cross the floor and Senate appointments. 

Harper made a campaign promise to fill Senate appointments with people who were voted in after elections designed by the provincial governments. 

On MPs who cross the floor, Harper said in May that he was not interested in attracting MPs from other parties because he was "trying to create a principled party where people act in a principled way."

"We're fairly cautious about encouraging party jumping because I think that's the kind of thing that generates cynicism and frankly when somebody jumps once you're not sure to trust them that they won't jump the next time," Harper said in May. 

But to hear Harper and his MPs now, those comments made a year ago outlining the party's principles now take a back seat to having qualified MPs to provide representation for cities. 

Emerson avoided reporters after the caucus meeting, but Fortier took questions. 

The Tory campaign insider will now sit in the Senate until the next federal election when he will run as a Tory in a Montreal riding. He has already ruled out trying to run any possible by-election race in Montreal that could arise in the meantime. 

Fortier will also serve as Harper's public works minister - one of the biggest government departments -- but will not have to face opposition questions in the House of Commons. 

"It is not perfect," Fortier admitted. "I recognize that and the prime minister recognizes it as well."

Harper said he put Fortier in the cabinet via the Senate because he wanted representation from Montreal. However, in choosing to appoint Fortier, Harper overlooked numerous Montreal-area Tory candidates who were not elected and at least two Tory Montrealers who are already in the Senate. 

Fortier was asked why did he not run in the election campaign. 

"I didn't run in the election because I didn't want to run in the election," he said. 

"I had a great career, five young kids and it wasn't the right situation for me to run when the election came around."

But he said he changed his mind after receiving a call from Harper about "this gapping hole in the Montreal area."

Tory MPs walking out of the caucus meeting were repeatedly questioned about the two appointments and all remained on script. 

"We have to reach people in the big cities," said Immigration Minister Monte Solberg, who was first elected as a Reformer in 1993. He said he welcomed the Liberal turncoat Emerson because he is "well respected on all sides of the House."

Not only is Emerson, who last fall said Tory MPs raising questions about David Dingwall's lobbying were part of a "vicious guttersnipe," now respected in the minds of Conservatives, but he appears to be, in their opinion, the best person in Canada capable of resolving the softwood lumber dispute.

"To be the lead on the softwood lumber dispute I can think of no one who can handle this file better," said Natural Resources Minister Gary Lunn of Emerson, who as recently as two years ago was an executive with lumber giant Canfor.

"It will be great not only for British Columbians, but the softwood lumber industry across the country as a whole."

The Tories spent all summer and the fall blasting Emerson and the Liberals' handling of the softwood lumber dispute, especially raising the government's strategy to raise rhetoric level with the U.S.

Emerson once compared the Americans' role in the dispute to that of hockey goons. 

Lunn said the grassroots of the party would be "absolutely" fine with the Senate appointment and Emerson's floor crossing.

"I have a lot of respect for David," said Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay after the caucus meeting.

"I certainly believe that the qualifications and his own personal commitment to these files on behalf of Canadians is going to be one that will warrant the respect and acceptance of his decision to leave the Liberal party and join this government."

Public Security Minister Stockwell Day called Emerson's defection "terrific" for Vancouver and said it was "a very good thing."

Then there is Vancouver area MP James Moore, a highly regarded young Tory, who was left out of cabinet and now finds himself in the middle of both controversial appointments.

Not only did Emerson's appointment crowd Moore out of the cabinet for B.C., but now Moore will serve as Fortier's parliamentary secretary at public works. That means he will field Fortier's questions in question period while Fortier hangs out down the hall in the Senate.

"I will be working with Mr. Fortier. It will be interesting circumstances," Moore admitted.

He also admitted the two appointments are "going to be controversial," but that "people can be upset or not based on their own feelings. But all I know is that David Emerson is a very talented guy who will do good things for British Columbia."

After sticking to the lines that Emerson was a great talent who would do a good job for B.C., a reporter pointed out to Moore his past comments about Belinda Stronach's defection to the Liberals in the spring. 

"I think it shows there are two kinds of people in public life," Moore said in May "people with principle and people like Belinda Stronach,"

When asked what he thought about Emerson's decision, Moore said, "David Emerson is a very strong British Columbian who will do good things for the province."

Other less prominent Tory MPs supported Harper's decision, but were reluctant to give out rave reviews. 

"I'm not going to second call the quarterback," said veteran MP Ken Epp.

"I'm not willing to get into the middle of this thing, you guys," he said to reporters. "You're not going to get anything out of me. I'm supportive of my leader and my team."

Tory MP Maurice Vellacott was the only MP to admit being "uncomfortable" with both cabinet picks. 

"It's the nature of coming into the role," Vellacott said of his discomfort with Emerson. 

"But I understand well the pragmatics of it in terms of having a good representative from the Vancouver area. But if you want me to be honest, I've got a bit of an uncomfortable feel about it."

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