Open Letter to Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff on Bill C-391

June 2, 2010

 Honourable Michael Ignatieff, M.P.

Leader of the Official Opposition

House of Commons

Ottawa, Ontario

K1A 0A6

Dear Mr. Ignatieff:

On behalf of the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (O.F.A.H.), the largest nonprofit conservation-based organization in Ontario, our 100,000 members, subscribers and supporters, and our 670 member clubs across the province, we are writing to express our profound disappointment over the motion submitted by Liberal M.P. Mark Holland yesterday at the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security.

Despite your recent public pronouncements about a Liberal “compromise,” Mr. Holland’s actions on behalf of the Liberal party clearly demonstrate that your understanding of the word differs greatly from that which is commonly understood.

Mr. Holland’s attempt to completely derail the bill at Committee clearly demonstrates a lack of conviction in your own words and on the part of the Liberal party, and sends a clear message to the millions of anglers, hunters, recreational sport shooters, farmers and First Nations across Canada who support Bill C-391.

The fact that the Liberal party had to whip the vote when Bill C-68 was passed to ensure that party members stayed in line, and will again whip the vote on C-391, a private member’s bill no less, is a clear indication that despite all of the rhetoric, that unanimity does not exist within the Liberal caucus.  Instead of recognizing the rights of individual members to vote their conscience, and more importantly, their right to vote in the best interests of their constituents, they are forced to toe the party line and continue to support a badly flawed, horrifically expensive and highly divisive long gun registry that has not saved lives, and has not enhanced the public safety.  This win at all costs/scorched earth policy ignores all of the obvious signs that the program has been a dismal failure, and demonstrates conclusively that common sense and fiscal responsibility have been sacrificed at the altar of philosophical adherence.

There is no empirical evidence to demonstrate that the long gun registry has fulfilled its mandate, while a plethora of factual evidence exists to support the contention that it has failed.  The continued support of the Liberal party for this albatross is not only disappointing, but flies in the face of public opinion and fact. 

If Mr. Holland’s actions are indicative of what you call “compromise,” the eight Liberal members who supported Bill C-391 on Second Reading have themselves been “compromised” by being forced to support a rigid and highly unpopular stance in many areas of the country, with the exception of downtown Toronto and a few other major urban centres. 

  
Other jurisdictions, notably Baltimore, New York, Virginia, and New Jersey, have found that the creation of a “prohibited offenders” registry, much like the sex offender registry, which targets those who are prohibited from possessing firearms by virtue of past offences, or those most likely to offend, has made a significant difference.  If you truly believe in “compromise,” stop the blatant attempts to derail Bill C-391, and allow your members a free vote on Third Reading.