On an Ottawa day that could sweat the paint off a car, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation was invited - alongside others - to testify at the Parliamentary committee examining Bill C-391, an act to repeal the long-gun registry. It was an eclectic bunch, ranging from: well, us (the CTF), to the Canadian Labour Congress, a McGuinty Liberal cabinet minister, a criminologist, a gun-ban advocate and a front-line police officer.

All in all, a good time was had by all (by parliamentary standards), except perhaps for the Bloc MPs who were busy conducting a Colombo-style murder investigation.

Below are my live-tweets from this exciting adventure into the parliamentary presinct.

@D_Fildebrandt

1. Live-tweeting long-gun registry repeal bill. Cdn Labour Congress speaking, claims to represent more than 2-million forced members about 18 hours ago via web
2. Public Service Alliance unionista defending the jobs of crats supported by registry industry. about 18 hours ago via web
3. @KevinGaudet testifying in support of the bill. Received NO taxpayer funds to attend. Did pro-registry witnesses do likewise? about 18 hours ago via web
4. If the long-gun registry could talk during this hearing, it would say "ouch." about 18 hours ago via web
5. CTF's @KevinGaudet on the bill: boyah...Coalition for Gun Control rep up next. about 18 hours ago via web
6. Pro-Registry advocate: Gun deaths down over last 35 years. Can someone please inform me as to how long we've had the registry? about 18 hours ago via web
7. Victims rights advocate and Sen Boisvenu speaking on real measures to prevent crime and failure of registry. Its in French, but is eloquent. about 18 hours ago via web
8. Ontario Liberal Attorney-General giving a fine piece of oratory in opposition to the repeal-bill. Holy-rhetorical exercise Batman! about 18 hours ago via web
9. Liberal gun-witness: "The registry is minimally intrusive." Like a colonoscopy. about 17 hours ago via web
10. Front-line police officer: colleagues muzzled & face political preasure, registry does not prevent violence & hasn't saved a single life. about 17 hours ago via web
11. Witness criminologist: relying on registry puts officers at risk, "miss-directing police", as most criminals don't register their guns. about 17 hours ago via web
12. Criminologist: "When a program has been shown to be a failure, it should be shut down...except for continuing employment." Take that crats. about 17 hours ago via web
13. Liberal Mark Holland throwing softballs to Liberal Attorney-General. about 17 hours ago via web
14. Mark Holland lecturing rural Canadians about shooting themselves so often. about 17 hours ago via web
15. Bloc MP to witness: Do you now or have you ever owned firearms!? *my translation about 17 hours ago via web
16. NDP's Comartin asks unionista witness if the registry is important for maintaining jobs of bureaucrats *rough quote about 17 hours ago via web
17. Pro-registry critic received funding from taxpayers, donates to Liberals, NDP and Bloc. 1.2. Your our outta here! about 17 hours ago via web
18. @MarleneJennings might be dead-wrong on the registry, but she's got spunk. Much more polite in committee than QP, and a real lady 1-on-1. about 17 hours ago via web
19. Bloqist to criminologist referring to picture with a gun: "Who are you shooting at?" about 16 hours ago via web
20. Bloc MP: "I don't want to hear the word ‘cost’. It's not an issue." about 16 hours ago via web
21. Committee degenerates into shouting. Bloc cuts off @KevinGaudet. Meeting adjourned. about 16 hours ago via web

You can follow all CTF directors HERE.

By: Derek Fildebrandt
Posted: May 26, 2010
Topic: Federal

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