In 2006, David Emerson was elected as a Liberal in the riding of Vancouver-Kingsway. His decision to cross the floor to become a cabinet minister in Stephen Harper’s Conservative government sparked a vocal and sustained public outrage and calls for Emerson’s resignation. With this month’s election call the unpopular MP finally announced he would not be seeking re-election. Emerson does, however, have a high profile in the Conservative campaign, serving as one of Harper’s campaign co-chairs. Meanwhile in his old riding, the race looks like a two-way battle between the Liberals and the NDP.

Don Davies is the NDP candidate in Vancouver-Kingsway. He is a lawyer with the Teamsters Union and a long-time supporter of the B.C. labour movement. He met up with Am Johal on Granville Street.

Am Johal: You were nominated over a year ago. How do you feel about the writ being dropped?

Don Davies: Iâe(TM)m excited about the race getting started. Weâe(TM)ve had 18 months to get in to the community and make contact with people. Weâe(TM)ve done a lot of the community, grassroots work and heard from a lot of constituents. Iâe(TM)m looking forward to getting these ideas out there for Vancouver-Kingsway and getting on with the race.

You are a lawyer with the Teamsters and used to work in the Alberta legislature. The Teamsters have an intense reputation. Are you planning to whack peopleâe(TM)s kneecaps in the back room with a 2 by 4 if they get in your way?

Iâe(TM)ve been with the Teamsters for 16 years, and Iâe(TM)ve dealt with that mythology for almost all of that time. Itâe(TM)s really American-based and has no reality in Canada. We are a strong union, though.

We do stand strongly behind our members and our families. We donâe(TM)t apologize for being a force in society that is standing up for good jobs, healthcare and benefits. We are proud to support fairness and economic security for working folks.

But no, I am not expecting peopleâe(TM)s knees to be broken.

There is the central campaign and the local campaign during the election. What will you be doing in Vancouver-Kingsway?

I think there will be five or six local issues. The David Emerson affair taints both the Liberals and the Conservatives. Both encourage floor-crossing and both voted against New Democrat legislation that would compel by-elections when it happens. It raises the question, what are the obligations of a representative to their constituencies?

I think we have lacked solid representation in Kingsway for some time.

Emerson lived in Shaughnessey and both the current Liberal and Conservative candidates live in Richmond. My family and I have been here in Kingsway for 10 years. Iâe(TM)m a member of this community. I think that an MP should serve the community in which they are a part and not just use it for their own political career advancement.

Iâe(TM)ll be raising the fact that Liberals talk like New Democrats when theyâe(TM)re out of office and act like Conservatives when theyâe(TM)re in office. Weâe(TM)ve had affordable housing promised, renegotiation for NAFTA promised, national daycare promised âe” and despite 11 years of majority government the Liberals failed to deliver any of them.

80 per cent of what an elected representative does is constituency level work âe” helping with peopleâe(TM)s visas, EI and CPP claims, community and business grants, helping their constituents. This service has been ineffective for a long time in this riding. Iâe(TM)ve handled thousands of cases as a lawyer and I think I would be a strong advocate at that level.

MPs like Libby Davies and Svend Robinson were elected and respected for their solid constituency work. I hope to follow that tradition.

As a local candidate, you have to negotiate your way through the central messaging of a national election campaign and be able to highlight those bread and butter issues on the ground. How are you going to effectively do that?

It really is a marriage between central messaging and a national approach on the one hand, and running on local issues for people that live here on the other. In a lot of cases, theyâe(TM)re the same, though.

We think Jack Layton has been a strong leader. Stéphane Dion has been a disaster. He supported the government on 44 confidence motions. Jack Layton is the best leader to stand up to Stephen Harper, and people know that nationally and locally.

On the environment, housing, childcare, immigration – we are well positioned. Getting our message out locally within the context of that central campaign is really the challenge in the coming weeks.

Taking a look at the Reform Party, it as an example of a populist movement that moved from the status of a rump party to the doorstep of a majority in about 15 years. What needs to be done to make the NDP a more powerful political force in the country in the future âe” the idea that it needs to mature from being an opposition NGO in to a real governing political alternative?

I am optimistic with the direction our party is moving. Weâe(TM)re poised to make a big breakthrough. We have the best leader. I think we have the most popular policies. Like the change winds in the U.S., I think that the time is right for our message.

We are going to challenge in Quebec. The Quebecois are willing to embrace the NDP. Finally getting our message in to Quebec is one really big key to develop our prominence on the national stage. We also will compete strongly in Ontario. In Saskatchewan and Manitoba, we are solid. In B.C., the provincial NDP is polling higher than the Liberals. We have great opportunities in the Atlantic.

Canadians want a government that is very close to what the NDP policies are. 75 per cent of people are socially minded. So if we can get our messages out, I think the NDP will be a force to rival the other two old parties. I do think we need to be more creative in how we communicate out to the public âe” the on-line world has the capacity to really revolutionize political communications.

Anything else?

This election really is about defeating Stephen Harper. His vision for the country will take us in the wrong direction. I am optimistic and confident about the NDP direction. We also know that the Liberals are not the answer. The Liberals will not stand up to Harper. The NDP will.

Iâe(TM)ve been working my rear end off. If I’m elected, I’ll stand up for Vancouver Kingsway in Ottawa and work hard for the residents here in the riding.

Am Johal

Am Johal

Am Johal is an independent Vancouver writer whose work has appeared in Seven Oaks Magazine, ZNet, Georgia Straight, Electronic Intifada, Arena Magazine, Inter Press Service, Worldpress.org, rabble.ca...