Sackville-Eastern Shore MP Peter Stoffer said yesterday he will announce on Monday how he’ll be voting on a motion that could determine the fate of the long-gun registry.
Despite publicly endorsing the effort to scrap the registry, Stoffer was tight-lipped on the content of his announcement. But he did remain steadfast in his opposition to the registry, calling it ineffective and claiming it ignores aboriginal treaty rights and lawful gun owners.
“I’ve always said that I’ve opposed the registry, and I still continue to oppose the registry,” he said. “I think it’s a failed policy that fails to meet its objectives.”
Stoffer said the constituents he’s heard from have been split on the bill, but admitted it was a 65-35 or 60-40 split for keeping the registry.
He also noted, however, the House of Commons vote next Wednesday is not about Bill C-319, but rather Ajax-Pickering MP Mark Holland’s motion to end the debate on the issue.
“If Mark Holland’s motion is successful, the bill dies, there’s no more discussion on it till the next election,” he said. “If (the) motion fails, then the debate continues on 391 until that vote actually happens in late October, November.”
Despite his support for doing away with the registry, Stoffer said the private member’s bill was designed to drive a wedge between rural and urban voters.
He said whatever happens to the registry, “it will always be a thorn in peoples’ side. Just like abortion, just like same-sex marriage and everything else.”
• Read the full interview on Alex Boutilier’s blog, Politics As Usual, at www.metronews.ca/blogs
