If you Can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em: Emerson and Khan two peas in a pod.

If you Can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em may have been what was going through David Emerson’s mind when he defected to the Tories the week after the Liberals were forced from power. How is Mississauga Liberal MP Wajid Khan’s acceptance of Stephen Harper’s appointment as a special adviser on the Middle East and South Asia that much different?

Although we don’t know what took place behind closed doors between the Tories and Emerson when Harper was planning his cabinet, Khan apparently offered his services and Harper accepted, in spite of the criticism of Khan’s by his fellow Liberal MPs as reported today by the CBC. I suppose this is one way for Harper to silence the Liberal Defence Critic and an opposition movement that has helped to create a recent drop in popular support for the Tories as measured by recent polls. Such strong opposition made certain that Canadians noticed how Harper has “dropped the ball” on foreign policy. Where are we now?

For ambitious Liberals, this trend at least provides incentives for them to provide the government with strong opposition - perhaps an appointment will emerge... Those who resist the temptation of such “carrots” should be commended on their commitment to their party, their constituents, and to their party’s ideology.

Perhaps Kahn rationalizes the acceptance of this appointment on the basis of his ability to “positively contribute”. Nevertheless, in so doing, he is also ignoring the extent to which this move renders the opposition to Harper’s foreign policy less effective at a critical time.

What ever happened to “biding one’s time”? Or, is this a signal that Khan truly believes that the Liberals will have to pursue a “two election” strategy for replacing the Tories in office?

This is pretty weak if you ask me.