Under pressure

Federal NDP leader Jack Layton, constituents and some labour groups have pressured Bruce Hyer, but the area MP says he wont budge on his decision to scrap the long-gun registry.

During a news conference on Monday, MP Bruce Hyer (NDP, Thunder Bay – Superior North) admitted that NDP leader Jack Layton has pressured him to change his mind on killing the long-gun registry. Some NDP MPs, who originally opposed registry, recently changed their minds.

Both the Conservative and Liberal leaders have whipped their members into voting with the party when two important registry votes come before the House soon. Despite pressure, Hyer said Layton will still allow him and other sitting NDP MPs to vote their way.

"Have they been pressured, yes, have they been order, no," Hyer said of his NDP members. "Jack has been very clear, very consistent and very persuasive and that man is a very persuasive man. Did he work really hard to try and change my vote? Yes he has. But at the end of the day he has allowed me a free vote and I appreciate that very much."

Both Rafferty and Hyer said they will vote no on a Liberal motion on Sept. 22, which would put an end to a Conservative private member’s bill aimed at quashing the registry.

Hyer recently received criticism from a coalition including labour union members, women’s shelters and Thunder Bay Police Service officials last week, for his stance on the the registry. The MP responded by saying he was open to new ideas to validate the registry but so far he hadn’t heard anything credible.

Kari Jefford, president of Canadian Auto Workers Union, Local 229, said on Sept. 15, if Hyer and Rafferty didn’t change their minds then they should expect the gun-registry to become an election issue.

Jefford said the Northwestern Ontario MPs would be staying consistent with their party’s values if they decided to keep the registry.

"We need to save the long-gun registry in order to save lives," Jefford said. "We have a registry that works and we know statistically that it works and it has made huge leaps in declining domestic homicides due to long guns.

Jefford added that they aren’t trying to take away people’s guns but trying to create better gun control.

"I’m doing what I feel is right for Thunder Bay – Superior North constituents end of story," Hyer said. "I hope this isn’t a one issue riding and I hope my constituents consider many things when they decide to vote in a federal election."