For immediate release

VANCOUVER-KINGSWAY Wednesday April 19, 2006 -- On Tuesday April 18 volunteers of the Campaign to De-Elect David Emerson carried on a respectful protest outside a media event put on for Prime Minister Harper. Since February 6th, thousands of Canadians from across the country have called upon Stephen Harper to do the right thing and require David Emerson to resign and run in a by-election in Vancouver-Kingsway.

Yesterday over a dozen Canadian citizens took time off work and from families to attend Mr. Harper's event and repeat our call for a by-election.

A number of supporters of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister Harper also attended. The two groups by and large co-existed behind the same barricades in a respectful manner.

However, during the protest a Stephen Harper supporter and Conservative Party member, Peter Appleton, told two critics of David Emerson, who happen to be immigrants and Canadian citizens, to get out of the country. Appleton said "why don't you just go back to the country where you came from?"

Appleton is a Conservative Party official, duly elected to his post by members of the party in his riding. Appleton wore around his neck a name badge identifying himself as the president of the New Westminster--Coquitlam Conservative Electoral District Association.

Appleton's comments are completely unacceptable and are deeply offensive to millions of Canadians.

The Campaign to De-Elect David Emerson calls upon Mr. Appleton, his riding association, the Conservative Party and the Prime Minister to do the right thing and apologize for these hurtful and jingoistic remarks made by one of its party officials.

And while the party is writing apology letters, the Campaign calls upon the same courtesy from Vancouver--Kingsway MP David Emerson, who on Saturday last week called his critics - our campaigners and supporters - "locusts".

The Campaign to De-Elect David Emerson