Ending the Long-gun Registry Act  It is focused on real crime, as is this government, rather than treating law-abiding hunters, farmers and sports shooters as criminals.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police  John's East has even called it disturbing that the commissioner is not standing up with his party to persecute law-abiding hunters, farmers and sport shooters with the long gun registry. The role of the RCMP is to enforce the law, not to decide what the law should be. Commissioner Paulson has stated that himself. Trying to politicize a national police force is not only really disturbing, but also just another example that the NDP is unfit to govern.

Firearms Registry  Speaker, I will overlook the patently false statements made by the member and state that the only embarrassing thing is that the long gun registry, with the support of the NDP, continues to needlessly target law-abiding hunters, farmers and sports shooters rather than criminals. Canadians have given us a strong mandate to end the wasteful and ineffective long gun registry once and for all, and that is exactly what we are doing.

Firearms Registry  They find it concerning that the opposition has put such a focus on their desire to keep these records on law-abiding hunters, farmers and sport shooters. Could the minister please tell this House why he wants to destroy the records, and why he believes the opposition is so keen to keep them?

Firearms Registry  Madam Speaker, this week, committee hearings began on the ending the long gun registry act. Rather than inviting law-abiding hunters, farmers and sports shooters to talk about how the long gun registry affects them personally, unsurprisingly, the NDP chose to invite its big union buddies, the Canadian Labour Congress, as its first witness.

Firearms Registry  Speaker, the answer is quite simple. Our Conservative government does not support treating law-abiding hunters, farmers and sport shooters as criminals. We have consistently opposed this wasteful and ineffective measure which does nothing to keep guns out of the hands of criminals. Canadians gave our government a strong mandate to end the long gun registry once and for all, and that is exactly what we are doing.

Public Safety  Mr. Speaker, for years that member's government was busy targeting law-abiding hunters, farmers and sport shooters and treating them as criminals. We have consistently opposed this wasteful and ineffective measure, which does nothing to keep guns out of the hands of criminals.

Ending the Long-gun Registry Act  It does not stop the smuggling of them across the border in the trunk of someone's car who is involved in organized crime. All it does is provide a list of all law-abiding hunters, farmers and sports shooters. All it does is provide a list of all those who own firearms. It provides a list how many firearms are in a farmer's farmhouse. It provides a list as to the types and models of firearms that an individual has.

Ending the Long-gun Registry Act  These include the good, honest and hard-working men and women from my constituency of Yorkton—Melville, and across the province of Saskatchewan, and from regions all across the country. These are law-abiding hunters, farmers and sport shooters who feel it is fundamentally unfair they are being persecuted for their way of life. More than that, they feel as though they have been criminalized. They feel criminalized because they own a firearm.

Firearms Registry  My constituents have told me repeatedly that they want to see an end to this measure, which needlessly and unfairly targets law-abiding hunters, farmers and sport shooters. We see the long gun registry as no less than an attack on our way of life. Could the Minister of Public Safety please update the House on what our government is doing to address this important issue?

Firearms Registry  We are united as Conservatives from coast to coast to coast to end the measure that unfairly targets law-abiding hunters, farmers and sport shooters. It does nothing to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous criminals. However, there is nothing but division within the NDP on this important issue, and no one need take my word for it.

Firearms Registry  Mr. Speaker, the answer is no. Our government refuses to treat law-abiding hunters, farmers and sport shooters like criminals. The provincial governments are free to act in their areas of jurisdiction, but we will not help them create another registry by the back door. The information in our possession will be destroyed and the registry will be abolished once and for all.

Firearms Registry  On top of the ridiculously inflated cost, this measure does nothing to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and needlessly targets law-abiding hunters, farmers and sports shooters. Conservatives have long promised to end this wasteful and ineffective measure. Could the Minister of Public Safety please tell this House what he is doing to address this important issue?

Firearms Registry  Rather than joining our Conservative government in supporting measures to put those who use firearms to commit crimes behind bars, they stood up for a registry that targets law-abiding hunters, farmers and sport shooters. Our Conservative government has been absolutely clear about its position. We have to abolish the long gun registry and focus our resources on real criminals. Thankfully, much has changed in the House in the last year.

Firearms Registry  The opposition members who changed their votes sent a clear message to their constituents, a message that clearly demonstrates that their boss's orders are more important than the voices of their constituents. Our party does not treat law-abiding hunters, farmers and sport shooters like criminals. We do not support this wasteful and ineffective registry, which does absolutely nothing to prevent crime. We will continue our efforts to eliminate this wasteful and ineffective long gun registry.