| PUBLICATION:
The Ottawa Citizen DATE: 2006.03.29 EDITION: Final SECTION: News PAGE: A5 BYLINE: Tim Naumetz SOURCE: The Ottawa Citizen WORD COUNT: 247 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tory MP, staff not allowed to discuss gun registry: aide -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Prime Minister Stephen Harper's office has ordered a veteran Conservative MP who led the party's charge against the federal gun registry not to speak to journalists about it until the Conservatives decide how to deal with a promise to scrap the costly program. The edict preventing Saskatchewan MP Garry Breitkreuz from granting media interviews about the registry violates his rights as an elected representative and deprives firearm owners of information they need in light of possible changes, opposition MPs say. An aide to Mr. Breitkreuz said yesterday neither the MP nor his staff could comment about the registry, on instruction from the Prime Minister's Office. Mr. Breitkreuz is now deflecting e-mails and letters to Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day and Justice Minister Vic Toews. The managing editor of Outdoor Canada magazine also confirmed Mr. Breitkreuz' office denied an interview request this week after being denied permission by both the PMO and Mr. Day's office. Even though Toronto Liberal MP Dan McTeague voted in favour of the registry, he said Mr. Breitkreuz should have the freedom to discuss it with the media. "Whether or not he was right or wrong, or whether or not I disagreed with him, his right to speak out as a member of Parliament is paramount and I'm sure his constituents aren't happy with it," said Mr. McTeague. Northern Ontario NDP MP Charlie Angus said his constituents are uncertain whether they should renew gun registrations because of the Tory campaign promise to scrap the system. "They public has a right to know, are they going to get rid of it or not," said Mr. Angus. ------------------------------------------------------ AND THERE NEVER WAS
A "COMMITTEE": It was the reporter’s invention
and the Prime Minister’s Office did not make such an announcement.
Garry’s quotes in article (see link below) are correct but at no
time did he refer to his informal discussions with Ministers Vic Toews
and Stockwell Day as a “committee”. Garry is not officially
involved in the government's planning to implement the Party's firearms
policies and platform. |