Bill C-391 gone, but not the fight

OFAH FILE: 842
September 23, 2010

Bill C-391 gone, but not the fight
Northern Ontario NDP MPs seal fate of long gun legislation

Bill C-391, the private members bill that would have repealed the ineffective long gun registry, was defeated in the House of Commons earlier yesterday as a result of six NDP MPs, five of whom represent ridings in Northern Ontario. The MPs reversed their support just days before the vote, despite longstanding positions of opposition to the registry.

“Losing Bill C-391 is a profound disappointment to legal, law abiding firearms owners. Most disappointing are the actions of the five Northern Ontario NDP MPs who switched their vote at the last minute. Consequently, the bill fell just two votes short of moving forward, and the demise of Bill C-391 lies with them,” said Greg Farrant, O.F.A.H. Manager of Government Affairs and Policy. “The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters has fought long and hard to get politicians to understand that the long gun registry is not, and never will be, a public safety tool, and we will continue in that battle.”

The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (O.F.A.H.) has fought for fifteen years to scrap the ill-advised registry on the grounds that it is ineffective and wasteful. Today’s decision is a setback, but not the end of the fight for the Federation that represents over 100,000 outdoors enthusiasts, including hunters and recreational shooters.

Bill C-391 was designed to repeal only the long gun registry portion of the Canadian Firearms Act. Candice Hoeppner, MP, Portage-Lisgar, Manitoba, introduced the bill in the spring of 2009. Its sole purpose was to remove the requirement to register nonrestricted long guns. The bill did not alter the requirement to register handguns or other types of firearms, nor did it affect the extensive training and licensing application process involved in obtaining a firearms licence.

“Legal law abiding license firearms owners, farmers, recreational and Olympic sports shooters, and thousands of front line police officers across Canada have made it clear that they do not support the long gun registry,” added Farrant. “Those MPs who voted to kill Bill C-391 ignored the fact that the RCMP’s own report stated that front line officers surveyed are split on the usefulness of the registry; ignored the fact that only 50 percent of firearms in Canada are registered; ignored the fact that the registry is inaccurate and inconsistent; and ignored the fact that the registry costs taxpayers over $100 million dollars a year, yet does nothing to enhance public safety or save lives.

“We will not be giving up the fight to scrap the long gun registry and will continue to press for better ways to protect Canadians from criminals who use firearms, while respecting the rights of law abiding citizens.”

With over 100,000 members, subscribers and supporters, and 670 member clubs, the O.F.A.H. is the largest nonprofit, charitable, fishing, hunting and conservation-based organization in Ontario, and the voice of anglers and hunters. For more information, visit www.ofah.org.

-30-

Contact

Click here to download the PDF version of this release