Tories will have 'blood on their hands,' if long-gun registry is eliminated, says survivor of 1989 Montreal massacre

Heidi Rathjen told The Hill Times that the loss of a registry of seven million rifles and shotguns is being made worse by a clause in Bill C-19 that removes current mandatory requirements for gun buyers and sellers to report firearms acquisitions and sales or even transfers from one individual to another.

Status of government business

New House seats bill fails to address urban-rural riding divide, say experts

Riding boundary commissions can adjust ridings within 25 per cent above or below the average population in the province, but experts say it should be changed to five to 10 per cent.

The Week Ahead in Parliament

Former Mountie says gun owners fear future government will use long-gun registry records to confiscate privately-owned guns

In the final round of witness hearings for Bill C-19, women’s groups against violence squared off with Conservative MPs, gun owners, hunters and the most prominent university expert who has fought against the registry since its inception, each side battling with conflicting statistics to make their case.

Bill to eliminate long-gun registry will also make records of rifle and shotgun sales or transfers no longer mandatory

Registrar of Firearms must not 'retain any record' of inquiries into licence confirmation under Bill C-19, even though the law requires that sellers ensure buyers have valid gun ownership licenses. This could prevent anyone from being prosecuted under the Firearms Act. 'It's crazy,' says NDP MP Joe Comartin.

Tory intention to destroy long-gun records could break two laws, says Information Commissioner

Information Commissioner Suzanne Legault says destroying records could contravene 'spirit and letter' of Access to Information law and Library and Archives Canada Act.

Tories now pushing House seats bill, want it passed by Christmas

House Affairs Committee should work overtime to get Fair Representation Bill through Parliament, says Tory MP Scott Reid.

Week Ahead in Parliament

Status of government business

Tory MP Goguen moves motion to end committee hearings on omnibus crime bill

'This puts the mock in democracy,' says NDP MP Jack Harris about the Conservation manoeuvre

Tories to push new seats bill, Wheat Board bill, budget bill through House in five weeks

House Leader Peter Van Loan says he doesn’t expect omnibus crime bill, long-gun registry, and copyright bills to pass before Christmas break.

Feds bring in political loans limits, opposition parties want PM to disclose leadership contributors

PM Stephen Harper and other Tory leadership candidates should say who funded their campaigns before the rules were changed, say opposition MPs.

The Week Ahead in Parliament

Status of government business

Opposition parties expect majority governing Tories to close off debate on House seats bill

What’s the hurry? Opposition parties want to know why the feds are in such a rush to move bills and cut off debate with majority.

Feds poised to bring in new ridings bill, Franks gives thumbs up to boosting Quebec seats

But expert Ned Franks also says the feds should bring the bill in sooner rather than later. Otherwise, the Tories will be accused of gerrymandering seats.

House ready to deal with controversial Copyright Bill

The last time the Copyright Act underwent significant amendments was in 1997.

House seats bill will be introduced, passed before Christmas, say Tories

The legislation will add an expected 30 seats to the current 308 in the House.

Tories use closure to push sweeping budget, omnibus bills through House

NDP and Grits call feds’ use of closure twice in less than two weeks an ‘abuse of Parliamentary process.’