I am writing to let you know about an important vote that is coming up in the House of Commons on Nov. 4. Members of Parliament will get a chance to vote to scrap the long-gun registry.
Since first being elected in 2006, our Conservative government has been working to end the failed long-gun registry. Billions of dollars have already been wasted, and the registry unfairly targets honest hunters and farmers. Most Canadians in rural communities agree that the long-gun registry is a colossal waste of money. The Auditor General told us in 2006 that the information in the long-gun registry is frequently wrong, both about individuals and weapons.
Here are some more disturbing facts about the long-gun registry:
- The Liberals told us the registry would cost $2 million. The price has sky-rocketed into the billions.
- According to the RCMP, 94% of the guns used in crimes are smuggled into Canada illegally.
- The registry has been in place since 1996, but lists fewer than half of the legally owned guns in Canada.
- The fact is that the registry wastes billions of dollars that could be put towards making our communities safer. It targets law-abiding hunters and farmers instead of focusing on criminals.
On May 4, 2009 I spoke in the House of Commons regarding the Long Gun Registry:
“Mr. Speaker, how can the NDP members say they are standing up for their constituents? The member for Western Arctic said he would vote against the gun registry because the majority of the residents of the Northwest Territories wanted the registry abolished. The member for Thunder Bay—Rainy River said, “I am very pleased to tell the House that, for eight years since the turn of the century, my constituents have told me that we need to get rid of the long-gun registry”. The member for Timmins—James Bay said, “It was never set up to deal with the realities of northern Ontario”. The member for Winnipeg Centre said, “I wouldn’t want one more penny to go to that gun registry”. Yet, they all voted in favour of the registry. How can members of the NDP say they will vote against something then sit on their hands or oppose it? How can the NDP members say that they are standing up for their constituents?”
There are enough MPs who believe the long-gun registry is a waste of money that we could win this vote. We need to send a message that it’s time to end the long-gun registry. We have a real opportunity to scrap this failed program.
We can finally end the long-gun registry once and for all.
Jim Abbott is the Conservative Party MP for Kootenay-Columbia
Hi constituency office is at:
125 D Slater Road,
Cranbrook, BC V1C 4M4
You can reach it by phone at: 250-417-2250 or toll-free in BC at 1-800-668-5522
Fax: 250-417-2253
