Enemies of federal gun control legislation, developed by the Liberal government last year, now think they have a good chance of rolling back some of its registration provisions.
And they deny that knocking rural western Liberals out of caucus during the recent election makes the federal government less likely to take gun owners’ concerns seriously.
“The situation has changed dramatically,” said National Firearms Association president Dave Thomlinson about the new Liberal government.
Before, the Liberals were able to push gun control through the House of Commons because of the party’s large majority, Thomlinson said.
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But now the government has only a handful of members more than it needs for a majority, so every backbencher will count.
The gun control legislation has not yet been proclaimed because all the registration requirements have not been established.
A lot of Liberal backbenchers will be scared of the gun lobby now, Thomlinson said, and not willing to incur the wrath of constituents by supporting the government on any further gun control measures.
That will make the government scared of the issue, Thomlinson said.
“Rebellious backbenchers will be in a much stronger position.”
Ed Begin, executive director of the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation and a loud opponent of Bill C-68, takes credit for the election losses of former rural Liberal MPs. He said the Liberals in cities will tell the prime minister to back off the gun bill’s registration requirements or they will suffer in the next election.
“A lot of Liberals are carrying the message back to ChrŽtien,” said Begin, adding that gun law opponents want the government to hold a free vote on rolling back the law.
Saskatchewan environment minister Lorne Scott, the provincial cabinet’s strongest voice against C-68, said his government will be working with the Reform party to get the law’s registration and “red tape” thrown out.
Timothy Losey, executive director of Albertans Aiming for Truth, said Edmonton MP Anne McLellan’s appointment as justice minister won’t necessarily make it easier to reform the gun law.
“She is handy for westerners to complain to, but I don’t know if she’s any more approachable than Allan Rock,” said Losey.
He suggested McLellan was chosen as justice minister because she might be able to influence a court challenge the Alberta government has launched at the gun law.
Losey acknowledged Western gun owners might have a weaker voice in the Liberal caucus now that so many rural Liberal MPs have lost their jobs. But he said they trust the Reform party to make their voices heard.
