A spring federal election is unlikely after another Liberal joined the Conservatives, according to Blair Wilson, MP for West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country.
"Now that there's been a defection by Liberal MP Wajid Khan, who has turned his back on his constituents, much like Mr. Emerson, and crossed the floor, the numbers have shifted so the Conservatives plus the NDP have a majority in the house," said Liberal MP Wilson. "I'm more inclined to think an election won't be held until 2008."
Canadians wouldn't be happy if an election was held so soon after the last two, Wilson also said.
"I think they want a minority government that works closely together and helps solve their problems."
The cabinet shuffle last week wasn't a sign of an election either, said Wilson. Prime Minister Stephen Harper placed John Baird, who was president of the Treasury Board, into the key position of environment minister.
The previous environment minister, Rona Ambrose, was shifted to head up Intergovernmental Affairs and Western Economic Diversification.
Wilson said he looked at the cabinet shuffle from a business perspective and likened it to a change in management.
"What causes you to change management or shuffle your cabinet is either you're not happy with the performance of the cabinet ministers or you're not happy with the policy of the department," Wilson said. "I think in this case, with the way that the shuffle has been made, it's probably a little bit of both. I think Stephen Harper was a little unhappy with the work some ministers have done, but at the same time, he's had so much centralized control of the policy that I feel sorry for some of the individual ministers, Rona Ambrose being one."
Wilson described Ambrose as a "bright, articulate" MP, whose "hands were tied" because "pretty much all of the control over the department was run through the Prime Minister's office. She was the fall person for the fact that they had no plans or policies to deal with climate change until 2050."
Wilson said the cabinet shuffle was a smokescreen to cover up the fact the Conservatives have done little on key issues, such as the environment, child care and Afghanistan.
"I think the Conservatives have completely missed the mark on the entire environment file and I don't think they realize how strongly Canadians, and especially British Columbians, feel about climate change and global warming," Wilson added.
Wilson pointed out that a few days ago he was jogging on the sea wall under blue skies and the weather was 12C.
"Now we've got four inches of snow and buildings collapsing," he said. "If that isn't some indication that there's climate change under way, I don't know what is."
He was referring to an incident on Jan. 5, when a panel in the domed roof of B.C. Place Stadium tore after snow and wind made a hole in the structure. Staff quickly deflated the dome, while the panel flapped wildly in the wind.
In the cabinet shuffle, two ministers traded portfolios, with Monte Solberg getting Human Resources and Diane Finley taking on Citizenship and Immigration.
Wilson, a member of the Standing Committee for Citizenship and Immigration, has been dealing with Solberg.
"I think the big issue here in Western Canada is this massive labour shortage," Wilson said. "We've been arguing for nine months that the federal government has to be a lot more proactive in opening up the number of new Canadians that are allowed into Canada. "Monte has had a difficult time adjusting to that portfolio with respect to, again, that it seems to be run right out of the Prime Minister's office and the minister's hands are tied."
In 2007, Wilson said, he wants to "keep my head down," work hard and come up with solutions on the environment and the labour shortage.
