Russell whipped by leader

Back in November (2009) Labrador Liberal MP Todd Russell said he would vote in favour of a bill to get rid of the long gun registry.

Russell said, though it was a Conservative private member's bill, he would support it stating the following in Nov. 2 issue of the Aurora.

"It's an issue that was brought up to me in the past. 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 I will support the bill."

The MP said his decision was in support of his people and there'd be no repercussions from the Liberal Party as the vote was free. The bill to abolish the registry passed the second reading with eight Liberal MPs (including Russell) voting in its favour.

Whipping it

Jump ahead five months and Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff said he will whip the vote to support the registry.

Newfoundland MP Scott Simms has not said how he will vote, but Todd Russell has indicated he will go with his leader and support the long gun registry.

The Conservative MP for Portage-Lisgar (Manitoba) says she is disappointed in Russell but offers some kind words on Simms.

"Good for Scott, because I am sure he is having a really hard time with this," said Candice Hoeppner in an interview last week with the Aurora. "I think Scott really wants to represent his constituents and I am sure he is under tremendous pressure right now. Todd Russell, obviously he succumbs to that, obviously the voice that is strongest in his mind-and I think he is making a big mistake-is Ignatieff's voice. I think he is making a mistake because the people who put him here are the people who will be voting in the next election."

Changes not easy

Hoeppner predicts Russell will say he changed his mind because his leader wants to implement changes such as failure to register being changed to a ticketed offence rather than a criminal one. Hoeppner says that is not how it is and the Liberal leader can't just magically make that happen.

"When the registry was first created, the only way legally they could create it was to put it in the Criminal Code [of Canada] because it has to do with property rights and provincial jurisdiction and those kinds of things," she pointed out. "Mr. Ignatieff would have a big problem, I would think, trying to say it is just a ticketable offence the first time and then after that it's a criminal offence."

Costly and ineffective

Having a registered gun is doing absolutely nothing she said when it comes to cutting down on crime and when it comes to getting tough on guns, the registry has been nothing but a waste of money.

"If we want to get tough on guns, the only place we can do it is in the licensing," said Hoeppner. "Once they get a license, registering a long gun is not going to do anything to stop a crime. Let's say there's a crime of passion, because the gun is registered is not going to do anything to stop the crime. There is no argument for that."

In Canada, she said, there are approximately seven million guns now registered at a cost of more than $1 billion.

"There are about 16 million long guns in Canada right now," she said. "Can you imagine registering all those guns, the cost? Not only registering costs but also the police have to try to enforce it. But none of the opposition want to talk about that, they are hell bent and determined to protect this long gun registry."

No understanding

Hoeppner said she questions whether the Liberal leader even understands the registry given he has no association with rural Canada where long guns are more commonly used for hunting.

"Mr. Ignatieff has been out of the country for a long time and he doesn't know how a lot of things work in Canada," she said. "He doesn't understand rural Canada, he never has because he doesn't live in rural Canada."

Put pressure on Russell

Hoeppner says she hasn't given up on the Labrador MP and hopes he will choose his people rather than give into Ignatieff who is whipping his vote.

"I still think the constituents, the people who live in Todd Russell's riding, can make a difference," she concluded. "I think if they become very vocal and speak loudly to him, phoning and letters whatever, there still is a chance because Mr. Russell has to think about what will happen in the next election. So, I am thinking, he has changed his mind once, maybe he will change it again."

Todd Russell was not available for comment last Thursday before deadline.