Wednesday, November 4, 2009 8:24 AM
Taking aim at the gun registry
Jane Taber
1. Guns and flu. The Liberals are charging that while the Harper Tories are bungling communications around the H1N1 flu vaccine they are providing stellar communications over their bill to abolish the contentious long-gun registry. Priorities, priorities, priorities. In advance of tonight’s vote in the House of Commons to scrap the registry, the Tories have been “hitting about 10 of our ridings … heavy,” a veteran Liberal strategist says. “They have big radio buys as well.”
In fact, in Liberal MP Mark Eyking’s Cape Breton riding, the Conservatives are running six to 10 ads a day asking people to call his office, the strategist says. In PEI Liberal MP Wayne Easter’s riding the Tories are circulating flyers that say, “The failed long-gun registry. Hard on farmers and hunters. Useless against real criminals. YOUR Member of Parliament, Wayne Easter, worked to support the registry AND end the amnesty. Is that the support you expect you’re your local MP?”
The strategist adds: “Nothing on H1N1 but … vote against the registry.”
The legislation is a private member’s bill, C-391, that was brought in by Manitoba Tory MP Candace Hoeppner. The registry is a Liberal initiative, brought in under prime minister Jean Chrétien, and has been under attack since its inception, especially for cost overruns and horrendous bureaucratic red tape. The Tories have always been gunning for it.
Last week in caucus, Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff urged his MPs not to support the bill, noting, however, that votes on private member’s bills are free votes. It is expected that as many six Liberals will vote with the Tories. Ms. Hoeppner needs nine votes from the opposition for it to pass.
2. Dr. Bennett should know better. Prime Minister Stephen Harper's team was incredulous yesterday and pushed back as Liberal health critic Carolyn Bennett questioned the government’s contract with H1N1 vaccine supplier GlaxoSmithKline. “The role of pandemic planning is backup, backup, backup,” she charged in the House of Commons. “The U.S. government ordered vaccine from five companies. … Why did the Conservative government … limit Canada to just one supplier?”
Why? Well, it turns out that the contract was signed by the Liberals in 2001 for 10 years. PMO spokesman Andrew MacDougall says Dr. Bennett should be well aware of that as she was part of the Chrétien government at the time.
CTV's Graham Richardson reported last night that the original contract, awarded by the Chrétien government is worth more than $323 million. He said that the usual practice is to split a contract of that size to avoid delays and problems with supply.
Meanwhile, Mr. MacDougall says to go to other suppliers now, as the Liberals are suggesting, would require a lengthy contracting process through Public Works. He said the Harper government ordered 50.4 million doses of the vaccine and GSK cannot produce shots for another customer until they complete the supply for Canadians. So far 6.7 million doses have been given to the provinces and territories. Mr. MacDougall says millions more will be out next week and the week after. “By Christmas everyone will be vaccinated,” he said.
3. Chandler and Steve talk majority government? Talk about a thrill. Chandler, a Grade 9 student from Claresholm, Alta., won the prize as part of national Take Our Kids to Work Day to shadow Prime Minister Stephen Harper for the day.
Chandler, whose last name was not released, starts her day early at 24 Sussex Drive today, hops into a limo to Parliament Hill, will tour the Prime Minister's Centre Block office, have lunch with Mr. Harper (the Prime Minister used to like the hot dogs sold from the vendor on Wellington Street, let’s hope he ups his game for Chandler), and then will attend Question Period. Chandler is just one of about 250,000 students who will be going to work with their parents or a friend today.
Interesting to see what the young woman takes away from his day: Minority government sucks?
