Vancouver-Kingsway particularly as The Greater Vancouver Area prepares for the 2010 Olympics. The defection also has the support of Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan, British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell, the Vancouver Board of Trade, former Prime Minister Kim Campbell, as well as several prominent businessmen in Vancouver. In a letter dated Monday February 6, the Vancouver Kingsway Liberal riding association requested that Emerson repay $97,000 spent during his re-election campaign. Emerson has stated that he does not intend to repay any expenses, arguing that he has raised large sums for the Liberal party from his corporate connections. On February 8, 2006, Emerson described Liberal attacks on his defection as a sign of "deep sickness" and said that his children were being treated with hostility at school because of his defection. Harper called the attacks on Emerson "superficial", the switch was made "in the best interests of not just British Columbia but good government". Emerson has given some thought to resigning over the furore, but told CBC News in Vancouver on February 10 that he would not resign or run in a byelection. Aside from that appearance, Emerson cancelled a telephone press conference on February 9 due to traffic. The furore has reinvigorated support for legislation requiring MPs who switch parties to step down and run for their own vacancy in a by-election. NDP MP Peter Stoffer announced on February 13 that he would reintroduce a private member's bill making such a provision. Turner plans to introduce a similar bill, despite pressure from his party to back off. Speaking on Vancouver radio station CKNW, Emerson said he would be glad to discuss the bill in Parliament: "I'll participate in that debate, I may even vote for it, and I will certainly abide by it." Stoffer's earlier floor-crossing bill (C-251) was defeated during the last Canadian Parliament. Emerson has vowed to resign only if such a law were passed retroactively or if the ethics commissioner found him to be at fault. A crowd of over 700 gathered at an NDP-organized protest rally in Emerson's riding on Saturday February 11. Another smaller rally took place at Emerson's riding office the next day. On April 2, a crowd, variously estimated between 1000 and 1200 participated in a Walk for Democracy organized by a group calling themselves Real Democracy. At times the tightly packed crowd stretched out over five blocks along one lane of Kingsway as