Shoot down the long-gun registry

If Candice Hoeppner has her way, the long-gun registry will be scrapped in Canada.

The Conservative MP, representing the Manitoba riding of Protage-Lisgar, brought in a private member's bill that will come to a vote Nov. 4 in Ottawa.

Hoeppner is not only calling on all MPs to vote to toss out the legislation she calls a 'failed, wasteful, Liberal legacy,' she is asking all constituents to call up their MPs and ask them to vote to pass bill C-391. She requested an interview with the Aurora last week to appeal to the constituents of Liberal Todd Russell's Labrador riding.

"I have not heard yet what he is going to do. I don't know if he has said publicly if he was going to support it," Hoeppner said of the Labrador MP. "I would like him to let his constituents know what he is going to do. I do think he has an obligation to tell them why; if he is not going to support it."

Because of the strong Aboriginal presence in Labrador and the high number of hunters in the constituency, she thinks Russell should support it, but she allows he may be torn by his leader's lack of support for the bill.

"There were some media reports (last week) that the vote would not be whipped. That came from Mr. Ignatieff's spokesperson-which, who I understand is no longer his spokesperson. I am not sure if that is related I am still hoping it will be a free vote if that report was true. And if it isn't true, then Mr. Russell has no excuse not to support it."

Labrador unfairly targeted

Hoeppner said the people the Labrador MP represents are the ones being unfairly targeted by the useless long-gun registry and have made good people into criminals.

"If you don't register your firearm under the current legislation, then you are charged as a criminal and that absolutely impacts the people of his riding," she said. "Mr. Russell needs to stand up and let the people know what he will do. I hope that he looks at his riding and the makeup of his riding and realize the people he represents deserves an MP who will say no, enough is enough the registry was wrong and let's try to end it."

Handguns are the problem

Hoeppner said she introduced the bill because the problem with gun crime in Canada is not related to long-guns and the $2 billion the registry has already cost taxpayers would be put to far better use concentrating on the real cause of gun crime.

"Gun crime is related to handguns, which are smuggled into this country as well it's related to gang-related crime and drugs and not law abiding long-gun owners," she said. "Long-gun owners are sport shooters. There are also Aboriginal groups that are very affected by this registry. The registry has not done anything to combat crime, it has cost more money than we can even count and it needs to end. We need to refocus on criminals and criminal activity and our government has put forward some very strong pieces of legislation to tackle drug crimes and other gang-related crimes. We need to refocus and see these resources going to help police officers."

The paperwork and time this registry requires is taking too much from the police duties and have officers in backrooms measuring barrels of guns when they could be on the streets policing.

Flawed idea

"It's a conceptually flawed idea," she said of the registry that was brought in by the Liberals 14 years ago. "You make them (gun owners) go through the process as they should. A background check done to see if there is a history of domestic violence or restraining orders. If you go through all that and it's said you are legally safe and not a risk...you a good candidate to have a firearm but, 'we are going to follow you and track you anyway.' It doesn't make sense. There are criminals that we need to be focusing on, not law-abiding citizens and the police know that."

Hoeppner expects the vote to be close on Wednesday and she knows every vote will be critical to the success of the bill. She is calling on all constituents (in a advertising blitz) to call up their MPs to express their opinion on the long-gun registry and how they'd like their member to vote.

Russell to support the bill

The Labrador MP told the Aurora he intends to vote for Bill C-391, but scoffed at the Manitoba MP's attempt to impress upon his constituency.

"It's a bit of a stretch for her to cry to the people of Labrador with radio ads and contacting the newspaper in Labrador," he said of Hoeppner. "They can go ahead and waste their money. I don't listen to the Conservatives when I make my decision on a particular piece of legislation. I listen to my constituents."

"What a joke"

Russell accused Hoeppner of playing political games and questions her motives.

"For Candice Hoeffner to contact Labrador, what a laugh, what a joke," said Russell in a ticked-off tone. "What is close to her heart is nothing but craft politics. I don't believe anything she says. I think she is a bit of an untruthful person. If they were sincere, the Conservative party, then they'd bring in a government bill. It's a private member's bill and if they were really serious about this, it should've made it a government bill, which they haven't done. For her to contact the Aurora or any Labrador paper, there is a question mark. Do they call about health crisis, people getting laid off or call about what's happening with the Lower Churchill?"

A free vote

Russell said he is not expecting any negative repercussions from his party leadership and said he is supporting his people, not Hoeppner, in this vote to repeal the long-gun registry.

"It's an issue that was brought up to me in the past," said Russell. "A number of Aboriginal groups had concerns with it, the gun club in Labrador City also expressed concern. I know that it has affected a number of people in Labrador and that is why he will support the bill."

The Labrador MP pointed out it will indeed be a free vote for all members and some Liberals will vote for it as well as against it, not unlike members from other parties.