I suppose the legislature's intention is clear. And with that guns become anonymous in Canada -- well, fair is fair, gun advocates organised, got the votes and won. That's the way it's supposed to work so good for them. I disagree but recognise and respect the decision. I do hope this doesn't presage removing the limits on handguns in Canada.
Vote to kill gun registry passes
Private member's bill now goes to a Commons committee for review and possible amendment
Bill Curry
Ottawa— Globe and Mail
The House of Commons dealt a major blow to the federal long-gun registry Wednesday night as 20 Liberal and NDP MPs broke ranks with their leaders to endorse a Conservative bill that would bring the program to an end.
The vote exposed clear splits among Liberals and New Democrats along rural and urban lines, as the 12 NDP MPs and eight Liberals who voted with the Conservatives were primarily from rural ridings.
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Both Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff and NDP Leader Jack Layton allowed their MPs a free vote, even though both leaders officially support the registry.
Following the vote, the two parties were sharply criticized by Wendy Cukier, the President of the Coalition for Gun Control, who was in the House of Commons for the vote.
"It's appalling," she told reporters Wednesday evening. "It wasn't even close. You had urban MPs not stand up for gun control. … Many Canadians are going to wake up [Thursday], I predict, and will be absolutely horrified."
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Earlier in the day, Mr. Ignatieff said he supported decriminalizing the federal long gun registry.
In the highly polarized debate that has raged in Ottawa for years, Mr. Ignatieff said his party is working on a proposal that aims to find a middle ground.
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5 comments:
Thank you for the respectful disagreement.
I have to tip my hat to Layton and Ignatieff for letting their MPs vote as per their conscience. For Ignatieff especially, knowing the political embarassment that might cause himself, yet letting a free vote happen anyway was decent.
Um James Bill C-311 (The NDP's environment bill) passed second reading and sits in committee. Yet it's widely thought that people will vote different for third reading and it won't ultimately pass. There will be committee hearings where policy cheifs will plead with MPs to vote this down at 3rd reading. Who will speak in favour of this bill at committee?
C'mon now you must know the parliamentary process and there have been bill that passed second reading and died in committee or at third reading or yet in the Senate (who also have to go through all 3 readings).
Not to mention, private member's bill take FOREVER to pass. For example, ones introduced in March are still in committee now and haven't yet gone for 3rd reading. The likelihood of this getting royal assent before the next budget are slim to none.
So if you support the gun registry don't get up yet for goodness sakes!
EDIT: So if you support the gun registry don't GIVE up yet for goodness sakes!
True anon, however, if it does manage to get through committee and third reading, off to the Senate it goes when the Tories will likely have a majority there.
John Geddes reported in MacLean’s that ,in 2006, police across Canada used their computer systems, often terminals right in their patrol cars, to pull information from the Canadian Firearms Registry over 9,400 times a day.
That is 3,438,729 times a year.
Good work Conservatives! Working hard every day to make Canada that much worse.
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