Easter votes to scrap long-gun registry

The Liberal MP for central P.E.I. voted with the Conservatives Wednesday night on a motion to ban the long-gun registry, but said his vote wasn't because of a Tory ad campaign.

Wayne Easter was one of several Liberal and NDP MPs targeted by a Tory ad campaign that urged voters to call in support of the motion, which passed second reading 164-137 and now goes to committee.

"Our MP Wayne Easter could make the difference but his political bosses in Ottawa want him to vote to keep the long-gun registry," said the radio ad.

"Call (902) 964-2428 and tell Wayne Easter you're counting on him to scrap the long-gun registry."

The Conservatives also circulated flyers in Easter's Malpeque riding, urging his constituents to encourage him to vote in favour of the bill.

Easter did what the Tories wanted Wednesday and voted to scrap the long-gun registry, but he said he didn't do it because he was pressured.

"The ad campaign didn't have a thing to do with it," Easter told CBC News.

"In fact, because of the ad campaign, I seriously considered not supporting it because I do not like to be threatened."

Easter voted in favour of the gun registry in 2006, but he's changed his mind on it. He represents a lot of farmers and hunters, he said, and they aren't criminals.

"There is a very substantial difference between hunters and farmers who have guns for either hunting, or pest and prey that may be a problem in terms of their operation, than there is for other types of guns or long guns that may be even in cities," he said.

Wednesday's vote on the registry was a free vote, and Easter said he wasn't pressured by his own party to vote either way.

The bill passed second reading with the support of 18 Liberal and NDP MPs. The bill now returns to committee before third reading.