OTTAWA – The federal long gun registry is still in place after a vote on Wednesday in the House of Commons. However that does not mean the fight is over according to Conservative MP Greg Rickford. “While Wednesday’s vote of 153 – 151 was disappointing, I feel that it was a clear indication that we are closer than ever to seeing the dismantling of the long – gun registry,” stated Rickford. “ People now have a better understanding of exactly what this debate is all about, and the majority of people who actually understand the issue support dismantling the long – gun registry”
Rickford scoffed at the chatter from then Liberals and what the Kenora MP calls “the nervous NDP caucus” about a compromise, “The Liberal and NDP talk of compromise was just that, talk. The compromise came in the form of a straightforward Private Member’s Bill on this sole issue. The wide margin at second reading of C-391 (164 – 137) suggests that the compromise threshold had been met.”
“I would like to commend the opposition MP’s who voted against this motion yesterday, and who respected their constituents wishes. However, I believe the fix was in. I think that the Liberals and NDP tried to garner as much political capital as they could from a Private member’s Bill that they never intended to support. How else do you explain that many MP’s flip flopping on such an important issue from second reading where there was wider support than even I expected. The fact that this was a vote on a motion to discontinue the debate and not on the registry itself, two things are abundantly clear: first, the Liberals and NDP always supported the long gun registry as parties, and secondly this was effectively a whipped vote strategically managed by the coalition Liberal – Bloc Quebecois – NDP party. The public has been misled by the leaders of each opposition party, and at some point they will have to answer to the constituents who they turned their backs on.”
As for the future of the long-gun issue, “The Conservative Party has always been clear: the long – gun registry is wasteful and ineffective, and must be abolished,” said Rickford.“I am glad I don’t have to go back to my constituents and tell them that I flip flopped on this issue. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the good people of the great Kenora riding, and all of Northwestern Ontario for their continued support with regards to scrapping the ineffective long gun registry.”