NDP MP Bruce Hyer Quits and Then Wants Back In

Okay, wouldn't it have made sense for Hyer to discuss his concerns with Mulcair BEFORE taking an extreme action that he now obviously regrets? All of this only shows poor judgment on Hyer's part.

Hyer was really just sore because he wasn't picked for a shadow cabinet position. Of course he wasn't - because he voted against the party on a key issue, more than once.

And, regarding that key issue - the Long Gun Registry. The NDP's aim was and is not to support it as-is (was), but to improve it so that it both serves the purpose of improved safety and as a useful tool for law enforcement regarding crimes, AND so that the licensing costs and procedures are not so annoying to legitimate gun owners, especially those in rural Canada where gun ownership is often a necessity.

I say, either cut him loose and find a more responsible NDP candidate for that riding, or, bring him back and put him to work on helping to improve the gun registry procedures to make it more reasonable for rural Canadians.


CBC: MP Bruce Hyer open to rejoining NDP caucus, if invited.

NDP table long-gun bill

New Democrats table long-gun bill | NDP
Excerpt:

The
legislation includes a number of concrete solutions for rural and urban
Canadians, as well as Northern and Aboriginal communities. They
include:

• providing a first-time exemption from criminal penalty for not registering a long-gun
• mandating the Auditor General to provide financial oversight of the registry
• protecting the privacy of gun owners’ identifying information
• creating a legal guarantee to uphold Aboriginal treaty rights
• establishing permanently free registration
• allowing military and police to share important information with the Canadian Firearms Program, including mental health concerns

Read more: http://www.ndp.ca/press/new-democrats-table-long-gun-bill#ixzz11o6WBLRS

The Conservatives and the Long Gun Registry

The RCMP released a report a report on the long gun registry back in May 2010, which is said to show it in a very positive light. The Conservative government has delayed the release of this since May, claiming that it is being translated into French. It is the belief of a number of people that the Conservatives are stalling and don't want this released before the House of Commons vote on the bill to scrap the registry.
Layton demands Conservatives stop stalling and release firearms report | NDP

Conservatives sitting on gun registry report


Also of note was the removal of RCMP Chief Superintendent Marty Cheliak, who was the director-general of the RCMP's Canadian Firearms Program. Cheliak was a staunch supporter of the gun registry. He was about to speak at the 2010 conference of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police. Conservatives claim he as removed because he was not bilingual enough for his job.
Removal of firearms watchdog has critics screaming 'censorship'.

Harper's Conservatives = Soft On Crime


On Monday, Aug. 23, 2010, the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police voted unanimously in support of the federal long-gun registry.
Police chiefs plan last-ditch campaign to save long-gun registry

I believe that the long-gun registry serves a very useful purpose aiding police in fighting crime involving guns. For those who oppose the registry, their main sticking point is the registration process and cost to gun owners. Since the registry is so very useful, lets improve the registration process instead of scrapping the registry altogether. The Conservatives, and some Liberal and NDP backbenchers currently intend to vote to scrap the registry. Opposition party members opposed to the registry mainly hold their stance due to pressure from their constituents. But, if the RCMP report is released before the vote, then some of these opposition members and their constituents might be swayed to support the registry instead (thus defeating the bill to scrap the registry). You would think that with the Conservatives seeming so big on a law and order agenda, that they would support the long-gun registry. But, since rural long-gun owners constitute a core of their supporters, they are determined to kill the registry.

See also:
CBC: Long-gun registry efficient: RCMP report

UPDATE
NDP to propose long-gun registry changes

Layton calls for an end to gun registry divisiveness