Polls & Research

British Columbians Upset at New Tory Emerson

(Angus Reid Global Scan) - Many adults in British Columbia are dissatisfied over the recent defection of a federal politician, according to a poll by Ipsos-Reid. 62 per cent of respondents in the Canadian province disapprove of the actions taken by David Emerson.

Canadians renewed the House of Commons on Jan. 23. The Conservative party—led by Stephen Harper—received 36.3 per cent of the vote, and secured 124 seats in the 308-member lower house. Harper, who was sworn in on Feb. 6, will lead a minority administration after more than 12 years of government by the Liberal party.

Emerson, who was elected as the Liberal candidate in the Vancouver Kingsway riding, left the party and joined the Conservative government as international trade minister. For 18 months, Emerson served as industry minister during the administration of Liberal prime minister Paul Martin.

Canada's New Democratic Party (NDP) has organized several protest rallies in Emerson's riding, and a few online petitions—which call for Emerson's resignation and a by-election in Vancouver Kingsway—have been signed by thousands of Canadians.

On Feb. 13, Emerson said he does not plan to resign, and added, "I did not realize that it would be the kind of firestorm of protest and so on that has developed."

Polling Data

As you may know, David Emerson, who was elected as the Liberal party MP for the riding of Vancouver Kingsway, recently decided to leave the Liberal party and sit as a member of the Conservative party. Stephen Harper immediately named David Emerson to the Conservative cabinet as minister of international trade with responsibility for the Pacific Gateway. Do you approve or disapprove of the actions taken by David Emerson ?