Campaign intended to pressure opposition MPs
Ahead of a vote that could bring an end to the hotly debated federal gun registry, the governing Conservatives are running radio advertisements in select ridings, hoping to put pressure on potential swing votes. The ads, running predominantly in rural ridings, encourage citizens to call and e-mail opposition MPs whose support would help the government pass a private member’s bill that calls for the gun registry to be discontinued. Opponents have long decried the gun registry to be expensive, ineffective and an inconvenience for hunters. But this week Toronto police chief Bill Blair publicly called on the government to maintain the registry, citing its importance to police forces.