RHC: Yup, the Liberals forced their MP's to vote the party line since it was a previous Liberal government that voted in this shit. The other minority party the New Democrats allowed a "free vote" by their MP's but months of back room arm twisting forced just enough of their MP's to change course to save the registry. Had all this politicing not gone on, it would have passed easily....
I think that the Liberal and New Democrat MP's that clearly voted against their constituents wishes may have committed political suicide. The Conservatives will be using this as an election platform in the next election hoping to win seats.
Politics aside, you have to ask yourself if this registry is such a good thing, and so useful to police as they claim (at least the top politically oriented echelon, but decidedly NOT the rank and file cops), then why is it that only five of the 10 provinces will even enforce it even though they are required to do so for all Federal legislation including the criminal code ? Why are the majority of gun owners against it ? Why is the current compliance rate with the registry hovering somewhere between 30 to 50% even in the urban provinces that do enforce it.? Why are all outdoor and Indian groups unanimously against it ? Why are all women's and related groups for it ? It's all in the perception of its perceived "good" while no one is concerned a whit about it's dangers !!
The real, somewhat hidden reason they want the registry, is the powers that be would much rather see the complete banishing of all firearms from the hands of the citizenry, when all is said and done. They dare not admit it publicly, nor do they have to, as long as they can nickel and dime our rights away one small step at a time. If some future Liberal government decides to ban handguns and semi-automatics, guess where they'll get the names and addresses of those who have them !!
Canadians are sheep by and large. We've had it so good for so long, we fail to see the ever present dangers of poorly conceived legislation by flyweight politicians, that erodes personal freedoms of any kind. Hey !!!...it doesn't affect me, so I don't care if it hurts your interest, right ? Wrong !!!!!!!!!....you only get the kind of government you deserve as a people.
It'll be a frosty Friday in hell before I willingly give up my target guns (long or short....)