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John Reynolds roasted at tribute dinner by Prime Minister Stephen Harper

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his wife Laureen poses for a group photo prior to the start of a tribute dinner for John Reynolds. (CP PHOTO/Richard Lam)
VANCOUVER (CP) - John Reynolds was roasted and toasted by the prime minister at a tribute dinner and portrayed as tough talking lover of red wine, who can't carry a tune.

Reynolds, once the interim leader of the Canadian Alliance and official opposition, can't sing and now that he's out of politics, the anthem sounds much better, Harper told a large crowd at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. Harper marvelled at the large group of people from all sides of the political spectrum who came out to support Reynolds.

"Who else could bring such a disparate group of people together? The answer, of course, is the NDP," Harper joked.

The prime minister played a mock TV news clip showing Reynolds refusing to move out of Stornaway, the residence of the leader of the official opposition, when Harper took over.

The clip shows Harper banging on the door, yelling at Reynolds to get out of the wine cellar and let him in.

Canadian Press reporter Jennifer Ditchburn was the journalist telling the story and when the joke reel wrapped, Harper said it was "courtesy of his good friends in the Ottawa press gallery."

His tongue was firmly implanted in his cheek.

Harper accused Ottawa reporters this week of being biased against Conservatives. Harper has said from now on he will speak only to local media, not journalists in the press gallery.

That wasn't the only controversy joked about at the tribute dinner, which was attended by the Liberal B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell.

He noted that Reynolds, 64, served as an MLA in British Columbia, and an MP. He's represented the Social Credit Party, Progressive Conservative Party, the Reform Party, the Canadian Reform Alliance Party and the Conservative Party.

"He's been switching parties so often he's giving David Emerson advice," said Campbell.

Reynolds approached former Liberal cabinet minister David Emerson the day after he was re-elected, and convinced him to join the Conservative party which had just swept to power.

Reynolds, who didn't seek re-election and was working instead as a party strategist, has since crowed about his talented recruit.

At the time he said: "I'm sure a great percentage of the NDP people in his riding are yelling and screaming today. But everybody else is happy."

The public reaction to the floor crossing has been loud and angry and Emerson has been dogged by jilted voters for months.

About 10 protesters stood at the entrance to the stately Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, calling on Harper to fire Emerson for crossing the floor.

"Eighty-two per cent of the electorate in Vancouver Kingsway did not vote for the Conservatives. We're not going away," said Andrea Richardson, a resident of Emerson's riding.

The protesters say they are planning a bigger demonstration for early June Emerson addresses a forestry meeting.

About eight police officers stood by watching the placard waving demonstrators who also wrote their message on the sidewalk in chalk.

Emerson and Reynolds have been friends for 20 years, since they were both involved in B.C. provincial politics.

Reynolds was first elected as a Progressive Conservative in 1972 in Burnaby-Richmond-Delta, but left federal politics in 1977 after Joe Clark became PC leader.

He came back in to his old riding as a Reformer and was interim leader of the official Opposition after Stockwell Day stepped down to contest the Canadian Alliance leadership.

Reynolds served as co-chair of the successful national Conservative Party campaign for the January 23, 2006 federal election, in which Harper was elected prime minister.

Reynolds was appointed in March as a senior strategic advisor to Lang Michener law firm in Vancouver.

source
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Posted: 05/ 27/ 06 1:26 am Post subject:

Is Reynolds able to get around without his wheelchair now since the accident. Him and Harper probally both thought it was funny.

Posted: 05/ 27/ 06 1:15 pm Post subject:

He should be roasted. The CPC's BC Czar managed to oversee the loss of 9 seats in 2 elections, when the Liberals were losing seats elsewhere, and to assist in the recruitment of scum bag Emerson. That's quite a track record. Had the chairs of the other provinces done as well as Reynolds, the CPC would be in 3rd place in the House. Barf

Posted: 05/ 28/ 06 1:08 am Post subject:

Posted: 05/ 28/ 06 1:45 am Post subject:

Posted: 05/ 28/ 06 2:00 am Post subject:

After Day lost the leadership of the Canadian Alliance Party Reynolds was an interm leader and had a cast on his leg.

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