Leadership when it matters most

Earlier this year, Michael Ignatieff made a controversial decision.

Working with his caucus, the Liberal leader (as the interchangeable blowhards reading Harper Tory members' statements before question period refer to him) developed a plan to save the long gun registry.

Amendments would be presented by a Liberal government to address program irritants and caucus would be whipped to stop the NRA-inspired Harper Tory scheme to undermine Canada's gun control system.

But Michael Ignatieff couldn't do it himself. He needed his caucus' backing and last night every last one was there. And every last one voted to protect vulnerable Canadians.

And so did most - but not all - New Democrats.

From last nights results, it appears that the NDP leader's save the gun registry strategy was also 100% dependent on Liberal Party leadership and the Liberal whip holding. All the while, the smart people on Jack Layton's team were attacking that very strategy.

If Michael Ignatieff had not taken a clear, decisive stand, if he had not whipped the Liberal vote when he did, last night's vote would have gone in different direction.

Without the whip, Liberal division would have given cover to a divided NDP caucus.

And Canada would be one step closer to losing this important public safety tool.

The bottom line is that Michael Ignatieff saved the gun registry.

And for that, we should all say thank you.

On hypothetical finger pointing or fingerpointing on hypothetical outcomes

Tomorrow, five New Democrats will vote with the Tories to extend the debate on the long gun registry repeal bill.

One NDP MP is still struggling with her decision or at least with making her decision public.

Much has been made recently of the need for all Liberal MPs to show up for the vote.

And it's true.  They do need to show up tomorrow and they need to support their colleague's motion.

Tonight, the vote stands at 153-150 with one undeclared.

Despite, Jack Layton's late in the game Hail Mary pass and a highlight reel political catch by Peter Stoffer, it's the five (maybe six) NDP opponents who make it this close,

The NDP might want to take issue with the hypothetical absence of Liberal MPs tomorrow.

Can't blame them.

It is a better story than admitting that the only reason that Jack Layton belatedly acted was the example that Michael Ignatieff set in the spring or that the cover of a free votes on "private member's bills" was a fraud.

Putting crime victims first

Stephen Harper's second hand picked Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime, Sue O'Sullivan, today announced her support for the long gun registry.  O'Sullivan explained:

Though there is no consensus, the majority of victims' groups we have spoken to have made it clear: Canada should maintain its long-gun registry.

It shouldn't really be a surprise.

Stephen Harper's first hand picked Victims' Ombudsman supports the long gun registry too.

Unintended consequences?

The Harper Tory government has changed the rules about who may act as a lobbyist and the reporting of lobbyists' contacts with designated public officials.

The most important change is that Members of Parliament are now designated public officials.

That means that groups lobbying Parliament must be registered and their contacts with MPs must be reported.

Will the NRA associated gun lobby actually register before they contact any MPs tomorrow?

Or are they just going to walk away from Bill C-391?

Who knew? (Obviously not Tony Clement)

Rural communities depend on long form census information too.

Setting priorities

Turns out that the Harper Tories believe that the gun registry vote (which they will lose if Jack Layton's NDP caucus understanding doesn't spin apart) is more important than the United Nations Security Council vote.

We wish we could say we were surprised.

To the Conservative Party, some criminals are more equal than others

For a government that's hung up on its law and order image, it would seem that someone convicted for converting a firearm to fully-automatic fire and tampering with serial numbers would be exactly the sort of person the Tories would not want to be associated with.

Turns out that convictions for multiple firearms offences are not as disqualifying in Stephen Harper's Conservative Party as most Canadians would hope.

Even before all the possible appeals are exhausted, the Conservative Party will make the offender serve as Vice-President of a Tory MP's riding association.

BTW, as of today, all possible appeals are exhausted.

An open letter from John Baird to the people of Toronto

OTTAWA
September 16. 2010

Dear Friends,

Fuck off.

With every warm wish,

Your bestest friend John

Good morning Ambassador* Breitkreuz

We're guessing that today isn't working out quite as well as you had hoped.

* In 2004, the World Forum on the Future of Sport Shooting Activities named Harper Tory MP Garry Breitkreuz as one of their WFSA Ambassador in recognition of his many years of work on anti-gun control issues.

WFSA is the global collective of national gun lobby groups including the National Rifle Association and the group that Pierre Poilievre claims the government does not know.  WFSA is the global gun lobby.

But actually

The NRA has been active in Canada.

And they lost.

Supreme Court to hear gun registry challenge? We'll know on Thursday

UPDATED FOR SNARK: Dear God, please let Doug Christie stay on as Bruce Montague's lawyer.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court of Canada will announce whether it will hear an appeal on the constitutionality of the Firearms Act launched by former Dryden, Ontario gunsmith Bruce Montague.

In its summary of the case, the Supreme Court press release explains:

William Bruce Montague is a firearms dealer and manufacturer.  He allowed his firearms licence to expire in November 2002 without renewal.  His Firearms Acquisition Certificate expired in November 2003.  His wife, Donna Jeanne Montague's firearms licence expired without renewal in March 2004.  In September, 2004, acting on the authority of two search warrants, the police seized more than 200 firearms and related devices, together with in excess of 20,000 rounds of ammunition and boxes of military-related books and associated paraphernalia from the Montagues' home.  Many of these weapons were discovered in a hidden storage room in the basement of the house. The evidence at trial established that Mr. Montague believed himself to be preparing to defend himself, and others, in the event of a war.  Mr. Montague was charged with various firearms-related offences under the Criminal Code on a 53-count indictment.  Mrs. Montague was charged with one count of unlicensed possession of a firearm.

Mr. Montague was convicted of 26 firearms-related offences.  Mrs. Montague was convicted of one count of unlicensed possession of a firearm.  Mr. Montague was sentenced to a global sentence of 18 months' incarceration, followed by 90 days imprisonment to be served in the community, plus probation for one year. A lifetime weapons prohibition order was also made.  Mrs. Montague received a suspended sentence and was placed on probation for six months.  The Montagues both appealed against conviction and Mr. Montague appealed as well against sentence.  Their appeals were dismissed however it was ordered that the issue of forfeiture was to be addressed by the trial judge.

For a little more context, Bruce Montague wrote about meeting Harper Tory cabinet ministers and MPs as a delegate to the 2008 National Conservative Party convention in Winnipeg (emphasis added):

Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2008 07:19:55 -0600
From: "Bruce Montague"
Subject: Conservative Convention

Dear Supporters:

Although this is not directly related to our charter challenge of the Firearms Act in the courts I thought I'd give you my brief perspective about the Conservative Convention in Winnipeg last weekend.

As many of you know I have been politically active for years now. The CPC convention in Winnipeg is where the party works on their official policies (new as well as amendments to existing ones) that guide the party in their day to day decisions and initiatives. I attended the convention as a voting delegate from our riding association along with four others. Dan Baron (one of our other voting delegates) and I worked together throughout the convention primarily to make sure firearms owners were properly represented during any discussions in this area.

We are happy to report that a couple of poorly worded amendments to the firearms policy were defeated so that the net result is no change to the current policy. We were pleased to see that the firearms issues were still very much alive for both delegates and MP's. Whenever the topic of firearms rights came up the crowd always went into a spontaneous applause. To put this into perspective, it's rare to have this type of applause during debates but the firearms issue is one of those exceptions.

When talking to many MP's and cabinet ministers they all stated that this issue was still a hot topic in caucus even though it isn't getting a lot of air time lately. One thing I was very pleasantly surprised about and I hope you will be too; Many of the MP's and cabinet ministers knew who I was and the charter challenge that is underway. It's nice to know that all the sacrifices and efforts that so many people have put into this have not gone unnoticed by our elected officials.

It was refreshing to see at least three powerful MP's that knew the REAL issues at stake in our charter challenge and they promised to make sure those issues get heard in caucus meetings. They also vowed to make sure that other MP's and ministers that should know, also get educated. I have a sense that this could very well become a bigger political issue again as we enter into our appeal hearing in Toronto. Let's pray that it does!

I should also point out that our legal trust fund did NOT pay for this trip of mine. A loyal friend and supporter, Dr. Joe Gingrich paid the $650 fee to attend this convention. He has been an inspiration to me with his political activism and insistence that people like me need to go to these policy conventions. Thank you Joe, I hope I'm not embarrassing you too much by publicly acknowledging your dedicated support in this way.

Yours in Liberty, Bruce.

According to Montague, senior Conservatives knew exactly who he was.

So why then did the Harper Tories allow a convicted criminal influence the party's firearms policy?

They've expelled members for less.

Tonight, Jack Layton should be commended

Many nasty things have been said about Jack Layton and the position his party had taken on the long gun registry over the course of the last few months. 

But today's not the time for that.

Jack Layton says his party has enough votes to help Michael Ignatieff save the gun registry.

Good.

And thanks.

Ballot Box Breitkreuz

It's unbecoming of a former Reform MP to say to hell with Parliament.

But that's exactly what Yorkton-Melville Harper Tory MP Garry Breitkreuz did during a Conservative Party gun rally fundraiser in Estevan, Saskatchewan last weekend.

When asked what would happen if Candice Heoppner's fake private member's bill to repeal the long gun registry is defeated, Breitkreuz explained that he expects that he expects that even if Bill C-391 is defeated the long gun registry will be repealed.

"I am not going to give up on this battle," vowed Breitkreuz.

Bill C-391 is the Harper Tory government's fifth attempt to repeal the long gun registry.

If they lose this vote, how many more redos does Garry Breitkreuz think his party is going to get?

Correcting an oversight on the long gun registry

One of my favourite NDP bloggers (yeah, the one who said that Liberals should kiss his/her shiny metal ass or something like that) commented yesterday that this blog seemed too focused on the NDP's non-position on the long gun registry.

The comment went on to note that we had not written about the position of the Liberal MPs who, like their NDP colleagues, had voted for repeal at second reading.

By coincidence, one of those MPs had a letter to the editor published in the Charlottetown Guardian today.  Wayne Easter writes:

After the November vote, our rural caucus discussed with Leader Michael Ignatieff options on how to make the gun control program reasonably acceptable to gun owners while maintaining its safety purposes.

I believe we have achieved that middle ground, and I will be supporting the amendments proposed by the Liberal Party. These amendments would ensure that a first-time failure to register a firearm would be treated as a simple, non-criminal, ticketing offence, and that fees would be permanently eliminated.

This is a sensible compromise between the rights of legitimate gun owners and the overall protection of society as well as our front-line police officers. However, Bill C-391 allows for no amendments. Those who disagree with any of the bill's provisions have only one choice: defeat the bill in order to gain a better solution.

Thanks Wayne.  We couldn't have said it better ourselves.

Will the MP from the most dangerous place in Canada vote against the long gun registry (again)

Long gun registry opponents would like Canadians to believe that there are two Canadas -  violent urban centres and peaceful rural communities.

That's exactly how Harper Tory MP Candice Hoeppner - sponsor of the fake private member's bill to repeal the long gun registry - presented her case during second reading debate on Bill C-391.

We do have a problem with gun crime in Canada. I agree with the concern shown by Members of Parliament who represent large cities and urban centres that we have a problem with gun crime.

It is a good talking point.

But is it true?

In 2007 and 2008, every one of Canada's top ten areas for police reported firearms incidents was in urban rural Canada.

And three from that top ten were in one Manitoba riding - Churchill.

The rookie NDP MP for Churchill stood with Stephen Harper and Garry Breitkreuz with her vote against the long gun registry at second reading.

But now, Niki Ashton won't tell anybody how she'll cast her next vote.

There must be a great deal of pressure on this ambitious young MP.

Her vote could the one that decides the future of the long gun registry.

She owes it to her gun violence impacted constituents to do the right thing this time.

Could 1+1=0?

Could a brewing revolt by western Tory MPs over a priority for the Quebec Tory caucus result in a caucus revolt among Quebec Tory MPs on a priorty for Stephen Harper's western MPs?

After all, all it would take is the absence of a couple of Quebec Tory MPs when the next vote comes up on September 22nd - whether Jack Layton ever gets around to doing the right thing or not - to torpedo the gun registry bill.

Quiet Harper Tory cabinet minister Josée Verner is right.

« Il n'y a rien de plus puissant qu'une population qui parle. Il faut écouter le peuple. »

And on the long gun registry, the people of Quebec speak with a unified voice.

UPDATE: Polytechnique and Dawson survivors think Quebec's Tory MPs should stand with Quebec voters too.

Welcome to crackpot country

NDP MP Charlie Angus recently reminded Canadians that long time Reform/CA/Conservative MP Garry Breitkeuz had "stooped to the level of crackpots and conspiracy theorists to undermine the police in this country" in his defence of the Harper Tory government's fake private members bill to repeal the long gun registry.

And he's right.  But it's not unprecedented.

Less than six months ago, Garry Breitkreuz called Canada's police chiefs a cult.

Like all Tories asked to take responsibility for something stupid, Breitkreuz blamed it on the help.  This time, however, no Breitkreuz staffer could conveniently take the fall before all hell broke loose.

But it wasn't always that way.  Fifteen years ago, Breitkreuz liked cops.  Or he at least found them useful.

During the 1995 Firearms Act debate, Garry Breitkreuz called upon Allan Rock to listen to the voices of police chiefs who agreed with Garry Bretkreuz.

That was then.

Fifteen years later, the Saskatchewan Association of Chiefs of Police supports the long gun registry.

And Garry Breitkreuz, just like Allan Rock before him, refuses to listen to Saskatchewan's police chiefs.

At least Rock didn't call them a cult.

Harper Tory government again shows that gun registry bill is not a real private members bill

Of course, it could just be a coincidence that Public Safety Minister Vic Toews is the designated spokesman for the government's rejection of opposition efforts to fix the long gun registry.

I wonder if he bothered to consult Candice Hoeppner?  It is allegedly her bill.

So what's next Jack?

The Liberals are still whipping this government bill.

The future of the long gun registry is still up to the NDP.

We used to be amused now we're really angry: NDP jumps the shark on the gun registry (again)

Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights reads:

Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.

When NOW Toronto asked Joe Comartin, the NDP MP leading efforts within the NDP to try to save the long gun registry, about why Jack Layton whipped the equal marriage vote but won't whip NDP MPs on the long gun registry, he explained:

"That issue was one of fundamental human rights. We don't downplay the importance of the gun registry question – Jack and I believe if it gets done in, more people will die. But having said that, it's a question of public policy, not of fundamental rights."

If a Tory MP had acknowledged that vulnerable women and kids would die if a certain policy, say the repeal of the long gun registry, was enacted and then dismissed the concern with nothing more than wonkspeak, Jack Layton and Joe Comartin would have been among first to the barricades. And they would have made sure that the NDP caucus was with them and suitably outraged.

But still, Jack Layton won't whip NDP MPs to save the long gun registry.

The NDP says that the lives of vulnerable women and children are not a question of fundamental rights.

That's disgusting.

And its just so wrong in so many ways.

Today's WTF gun registry moment brought to you by the letters N, D, and P

Earlier today, Sudbury NDP MP Glenn Thibeault announced that he would join his leader and vote against the Harper Tory government's fake private members bill to repeal the long gun registry.

And that is good news.

It's clear that the Ottawa brain trust around NDP leader Jack Layton thinks its good news too.  The press release highlighting Thibeault's decision found its way to the NDP website home page today.

And it's mostly fairly boiler plate stuff:

"I went to Ottawa to work to make our community safer and stronger—not to drive it apart," said Thibeault. "That's why I will be standing with Jack Layton...

But then it gets strange:

"That's why I will be standing with Jack Layton, not Stephen Harper and Garry Breitkreuz, on the long gun registry."

Two weeks ago, NDP leader Jack Layton told Canadians that:

Real leadership means bringing communities together, not using this politically sensitive issue as a wedge to divide Canadians.

But today, the NDP is using this very issue as a wedge against its own MPs - it's not Liberal or BQ MPs that are voting with the Tories this time - the very MPs that Jack Layton proudly promised a free vote less than two weeks ago.

At this rate, Jack Layton is going to have to whip the gun registry vote if only to protect NDP MPs from further harms inflicted by Jack Layton and the Ottawa NDP brain trust.

BTW, Thunder Bay-Rainy River NDP John Rafferty MP still stands with Stephen Harper and Garry Breitkreuz on the long gun registry.

UPDATE: Bruce Hyer too.

And Jack Layton is his lookout

Aislin draws conclusions on Prime Ministerial weeks past and weeks future.

How Jack Layton's gun registry non-policy is seen by Quebec's political caroonists

A quick look at cyberpresse.ca shows that Jack Layton's gun registry policy is not gaining the sort of traction that Layton needs or wants.

The gun registry related political cartoons on Quebec's major newspaper website shows just how far off the rails Jack Layton's NDP has gone in la belle province.

Hey! Hey! Hey! Look! It's not a long gun any more...no need to register! -  Serge Chapleau, La Presse

It's either conserve the rural vote or make a mark on Quebec -  Guy Badeaux (Bado), Le Droit

But there is some good news.

Even if he cannot unite his caucus, Layton has united cartoonists.

On the long gun registry

This western NDP MP gets it.

Thanks.

On buying and selling bridges

Jack Layton says he wants to build bridges with his new long gun registry package.  And that's a noble plan.

But those bridges don't reach the Prime Minister.

More troublingly, however, according the very members of the NDP caucus to whom Layton needs to reach out, Layton's bridge has not (yet) been built to them.

Winnipeg Free Press reports:

Manitoba NDP MP Jim Maloway said he was not consulted by Layton or anyone else on the proposed bill.

"I got a heads-up on Saturday that there would be announcement by the leader Monday morning on the gun registry," said Maloway.

Regardless, said Maloway, he still plans to vote with Hoeppner.

"Nothing there changes my view on the long-gun registry," said Maloway.

He also said Layton's proposal is too little too late.

"This bill just went through committee last spring," said Maloway. "Where were all these amendments at the committee?"

and QMI:

"If (Bill C-) 391, as it is currently written, comes up for a vote, from (Conservative MP) Candice Hoeppner, I will be voting in favour of it, yes," Nova Scotia NDP MP Peter Stoffer said.

Layton told reporters Monday he doesn't want the registry to be abolished, but he admitted his caucus was deeply divided over the issue and said he had worked with his MPs to find a solution.

Stoffer said he appreciates Layton is looking for a compromise but said he had not been consulted on specifics, such as Layton's proposal that penalties for non-registration begin as non-criminal fines.

and Northern News Services:

Bevington said he could not comment on "something that hasn't been seen yet" but that he would wait and see what the party proposed.

Not consulted on specifics.  Hasn't been seen yet.

Jack Layton has a bridge to sell.

Anyone?

Please.

Conservative MPs, it seems, share just one small brain

Charlie Angus is right.

The Harper Tories are playing politics against rural NDP MPs.

And they will continue to do so whether they vote with the Harper Tory government's fake private members bill to repeal the long gun registry or not.

In fact, Tony Clement wandered into Fort Frances earlier this week (for the first time since he was part of a government that banned the spring bear hunt) to battle test the Tory campaign message that will be used against the very NDP MPs they need to pass the bill. That campaign will look like this:

Clement also took aim at current Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP John Rafferty and the New Democrats over issues that have been before Parliament—and will be before Parliament once it resumes sitting later this month.

"To me it's all about courage and focus," Clement remarked. "Courage to confront the issues and represent the values and principles of our communities, and focus on the issues that are important to Canada and to Canadians."

The first major vote once Parliament resumes will be that to disband the long gun registry—the "one-billion-dollar plus boondoggle" which the Conservative caucus will be voting in favour of, noted Clement.

While Rafferty repeatedly has stated he is in favour of repealing the long gun registry, Clement slammed him for his party's view on the issue.

"The fact of the matter is his leader, his party, do not believe that position," Clement charged.

"He'll actually be defying his party and his leadership [if he votes for the bill].

"You don't have to worry about that in the Conservative Party of Canada because we, in our leadership, in our party, in our rank-and-file, we feel the same way about that issue, and we're bound and determined to vote on our values and vote on our principles," he stressed.

Knowing what the Tories are doing, there's little wonder why the Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal wrote this about Jack Layton's new found position on the long gun registry today: 

In the process, he's hoping to salvage his party's standing and throw a lifeline — and perhaps an alternative — to Hyer, Rafferty and the 10 other New Democrats intending to support the Conservatives and lose local supporters in the process.