He's the politician who just won't go away for the residents of Vancouver - Kingsway.

David Emerson may not be running again -- but in the middle of the campaign -- constituents are still receiving his mailings, promoting the Conservative Party's track record, mailings paid for with taxpayers dollars

One of them is Vancouver - Kingsway resident - Jonathan Williams, who got some unexpected mail this week.

In the middle of an election campaign - Williams received newsletter from MP David Emerson promoting the Conservative party.

"It struck me as odd getting it," Williams said, adding that it seemed odd because Emerson isn't running.

Emerson is the B.C. bureaucrat, who prompted a firestorm of criticism when he retained his set as a federal Liberal in 2006, only to cross over to the Conservatives, two weeks after the election was over.

The move angered voters in the riding which had not elected a Conservative since 1958.

Since Emerson has chosen not to face voters again, it raises the question as to why people are getting what amounts to a taxpayer funded ad for his party in the midst of a campaign

According to elections Canada, mail-outs like this during a race are not allowed.

Political advertising must be paid for by the party or candidate. The catch though is that if the newsletter was sent prior to the election being called -- even just one day prior -- it's technically within the rules.

CTV news contacted the Conservatives at the number listed on the newsletter.

We were told that yes this was indeed sent out using your tax dollars - but that it was supposed to have arrived before the election was called.

But with people still receiving this now a week and a half into the campaign, not everyone is buying that explanation

"Anything you get from a sitting member obviously has the taint of propaganda about it. So it's obviously communicating on one hand, but promotional on the other," said Williams

Other candidates in the riding agree.

"This is another example of the sort of sharp practice that people have come to expect from the Harper Conservatives," the Don Davies NDP candidate in Vancouver-Kingsway.

"On the doorsteps people took this out and they say what is this? This is our hard earned taxpayer dollars and how can they just spend like this?" said Wendy Yuan, the Liberal Party candidate in the riding.

But what remains to be seen is whether the newsletter even has an effect? Last time the Conservatives finished a distant third in the riding and many aren't expecting the Tories to do much better this time.

With a report by CTV British Columbia's Stephen Smart