PUBLICATION:        The London Free Press 

DATE:                         2003.03.24

EDITION:                    Final 

SECTION:                  Opinion Pages 

PAGE:                         A8 

COLUMN:                  Our View 

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GRIT INTIMIDATORS

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It's bad enough Jean Chretien's government intends to shake down Canadian taxpayers tomorrow for another $59 million for its ill-fated long-gun registry, but veiled threats against Liberals who vote against their party are an appalling affront to democracy.

As the vote on gun registry funds looms, party sources say the prime minister didn't threaten a snap election if the bill is defeated, but noted that when governments fail to get spending bills through the House they can no longer govern.

Liberal whip Marlene Catterall was more direct, saying expulsion from caucus was "certainly one of the possibilities."

The issue arose after a half-dozen Liberals, including Sarnia-Lambton MP Roger Gallaway, circulated a letter urging their colleagues to oppose the supplementary funding.

And they should. The registry, which was supposed to cost $2 million but has soared to $1 billion, serves little purpose because long guns are rarely used in crimes. Handguns, which have been registered in Canada for more than 70 years, are criminals' choice because they're easily concealed. Even with handguns, registration is thwarted by criminals, who tend to smuggle them into the country or steal them.

Ottawa should cut its losses and dump the long-gun registry and stop bullying its members.

As Gallaway put it: "We're now living in a state where the only way the government can hang together is to intimidate its own members."