Local MPs kicked off committees, face other penalties for long-gun vote

John Rafferty says the NDP are punishing people in Thunder Bay more than him after sanctioning him for voting to abolish the gun registry.

MP Bruce Hyer ( NDP, Thunder Bay-Superior North) and MP John Rafferty (NDP, Thunder Bay – Rainy River) have been kicked off of their committee and critic roles, are not allowed to make statements or ask questions in the House and have had their travel privileges with the exception of riding business revoked.

The MPs voted in favour of the Conservative government’s Bill C-19, which passed second reading 156-123 Tuesday.
Rafferty, who said every politicians’ first responsibility is to the constituents, said he’s most concerned that his voice is being silenced in Ottawa.

“What it does is it makes my voice quiet,” Rafferty said after learning about the punishment Wednesday. ““When you think about it I’m not really being punished because it lightens my workload. It’s sort of like telling a high school kid ‘you’ve been bad at school so we’re going to send you home.’ ”

Rafferty said he wasn’t even aware that the vote was whipped until Wednesday afternoon.

“We don’t have any official policy in our party about this issue and I was told that it was not a whipped vote,” he said. “There seems to be confusion about it.”

Hyer said the sanctions are over the top and that he’s disappointed that the party has chosen to punish him and Rafferty.

“If the punishment should fit the crime they must think this is a pretty big crime standing up for my constituents and doing what they want,” Hyer said.

He loses critic roles for small business, tourism, the environment, biodiversity and parks as well as his spot on the environmental committee.
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The decision was made by NDP Leader Nycole Turmel but relayed to Rafferty through the party whip. NDP justice critic Jack Harris told national media that Rafferty and Hyer had been warned about voting against the party. But Rafferty said he assumed it was a free vote until recently.

While the party was allowed to vote freely under Jack Layton, when the issue came up as a private member’s bill last parliament, Rafferty said he has now been told it was supposed to be a whipped vote because it is now a government bill.

Hyer said he’s been saying through four elections that he would vote to abolish the registry if given the chance and that he doesn’t regret voting this time.

“I’m not repentant at all,” he said. “I’m not going back on my word and I don’t see any good reason to go back on my word.”

It’s standard procedure that the punishment will last until the bill goes to the Senate but given the recent confusion, Rafferty said he’s not sure how long the sanctions will last.

Will he vote to abolish the registry again at third reading?

“Absolutely,” Rafferty said. “The principle is still the same.”