LIBERAL-LED COALITION ONE STEP CLOSER TO DERAILING LONG-GUN REGISTRY BILL

Liberals Demanding Extra Vote in House on Bill C-391

OTTAWA, ON – The Liberal-Bloc Quebecois-NDP coalition is one step closer to derailing Candice Hoeppner’s bill to end the wasteful and ineffective long-gun registry.
Earlier today, the Opposition-dominated committee passed a motion to report to the House of Commons that the Public Safety committee “does not proceed further with Bill C-391.”

“Mr. Holland’s actions on behalf of the Liberal party and their coalition partners clearly demonstrate that there is no willingness to compromise or work together,” MP Hoeppner said.  “If the Opposition truly believed in compromise, they would stop these blatant attempts to derail Bill C-391, back down from their threats to whip the vote, and allow their Members to vote freely at third reading to represent their constituents.”

“Twelve NDP and eight Liberal Members of Parliament supported my bill at second reading.  The question remains – what will those MPs do when it once again comes time to vote on this in the House?” Hoeppner continued.  “Will they tow the party line and vote to keep the registry, or do the right thing, listen to their constituents, and vote to scrap the registry?”

Hoeppner stressed that there is little evidence to demonstrate that the long-gun registry has fulfilled its mandate, and that a number of front-line police officers as well as four provincial and territorial Attorneys General and Ministers of Justice have publicly supported Bill C-391.

“It’s high time to look for other answers and put government resources into building a system that targets offenders and not law-abiding firearm owners like farmers and outdoors enthusiasts,” Hoeppner concluded.

If the motion in the House of Commons is successful, the Liberal-led Opposition coalition will have succeeded in stopping Hoeppner’s bill to finally end the long-gun registry.

Call your MP and voice your concerns.