XPost: can.politics, ab.politics   
   From: politico@astraweb.com   
      
   Looks like it.  Behind the scenes, I'll bet it looks like a re-run of 'Lets   
   Make a Deal'. . . .   
   ____________________________________   
      
   CBC News Posted: Mar 23, 2015   
      
   Bill C-51 hearings: National Firearms Association pulls out   
      
   National Firearms Assocation was to appear along with internet advocacy group   
   Open Media   
      
      
   The National Firearms Association, which had been scheduled to speak against   
   the government's proposed anti-terrorism bill, has pulled itself off the list   
   of witnesses scheduled for Monday's public safety committee meeting on   
   Parliament Hill.   
      
   The group has not been rescheduled, the committee clerk confirmed to CBC News.   
      
   The NFA's lawyer, Solomon Friedman, had been scheduled to share a panel with   
   Open Media executive director Steve Anderson and was expected to raise concerns   
   about Bill C-51. The bill has already been roundly criticized for including   
   measures that would let government departments share information, as well as   
   for giving the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) broad powers to   
   disrupt unlawful activity.   
      
   Open Media advocates for cheaper and faster internet, often taking on the   
   wireless industry. The panel with the NFA seemed like an odd pairing, but both   
   are part of the Protect our Privacy Coalition and have raised concerns about   
   the lack of oversight for Canadian intelligence agencies CSIS and CSEC, the   
   Communications Security Establishment Canada.   
      
   The cancellation comes as gun owners grow increasingly frustrated by the lack   
   of progress by Bill C-42, changes to the Firearms Act that the government   
   refers to as the "common sense firearms licensing act."   
      
   A press release distributed by Open Media before the firearms group cancelled   
   said Open Media was sharing its time with the NFA "to ensure that the concerns   
   of firearms owners about the legislation can be heard."   
   'Crucial' parliamentary hearings   
      
   The NFA supports Liberal MP Joyce Murray's bill to increase oversight for CSEC   
   and has come out against the Conservatives in the past, including on Bill C-42.   
      
   Friedman was replaced on the shared panel with Sukanya Pillay, executive   
   director of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association​, and Connie Fournier,   
   founder of the Free Dominion​ website, which describes itself as a forum for   
   the discussion of conservative philosophy and activism​.   
      
   Friedman and Clare did not respond to requests for comment. The NFA's spokesman   
   said he needed to look into the cancellation, but did not call back, and did   
   not answer followup emails.   
      
   A spokesman for Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney would only say that   
   "committees are master of their own business."   
      
   Anderson said it's a pity the firearms association withdrew from its slot at   
   the committee.   
      
   "I hope the government will clarify whether it played a role in pressuring the   
   NFA to withdraw," he said in an email to CBC News.   
      
   "Legitimate firearms owners are one of many groups concerned about how Bill   
   C-51 will undermine privacy and our basic democratic rights. These are crucial   
   parliamentary hearings and the voices of all Canadians deserve to be heard."   
      
   Gun owners have expressed frustration with Bill C-42 and with how long it's   
   taking the government to move the legislation through Parliament. The NFA —   
   with 75,000 members, the country's biggest gun owners' group — has criticized   
   the bill for not proposing substantive enough changes.   
   Gun owners not 'feeling the love'   
      
   Last year, NFA President Sheldon Clare said Bill C-42 was more about "giving   
   the appearance of doing something when, in fact, nothing much is being done."   
      
   "I would say firearms owners right now aren't really feeling the love."   
      
   Privately, another group that advocates in favour of gun-owners' rights has   
   reassured its members that Bill C-42 will become law before the current session   
   is over.   
      
   Tony Bernardo, head of the Canadian Shooting Sports Association, has told CSSA   
   members that Bill C-42 is "moving forward as expected."   
      
   Bernardo, in an email inadvertently sent to the entire CSSA email list last   
   month, said the Firearms Act changes would go to committee at the beginning of   
   March "and we are being assured it will be passed into law before the end of   
   the legislative session."   
      
   But the bill hasn't moved since being introduced last fall.   
      
   It would be nearly impossible to bring into law any bill that doesn't pass by   
   the summer break because of this year's federal election, which has to be held   
   by Oct. 19 of this year   
      
   That means Prime Minister Stephen Harper will have to go to the Governor   
   General to prorogue Parliament in September at the latest, and Parliament   
   likely won't return between summer and the election.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)