Abolishing the Long Gun Registry: What is in it for Harper?

One thing I have not been able to figure out about this whole charade is how Harper benefits. The Conservative Party is almost exclusively driven by the need to raise money to perpetuate its party apparatus. The days of being a vehicle for promulgating consistent and coherent public policy are far in the past. Railing against the LGR has long been a sure-fire fundraising shtick for these charlatans. Why give it up? What bogeyman are they going to replace the LGR with?

Are they going through with this for electoral advantage? Hard to see that for three reasons. They can't take credit for it. Explaining after the fact that it was a presented as a private member's bill that was really a government bill doesn't scan as a sound bite; "Vote for me! I lied about the bill while I whipped my caucus to vote for it" That sweater vest don't hunt.

The other thing is that the Conservatives don't have much to gain by removing the LGR. They stand to gain a few seats in rural areas but this might very well be over-compensated by losses in the urban ridings. Never mind a majority. Why mess with the urban/rural cleavage?

The third reason it is an electoral loser is the damage this is doing to the NDP. Harper has been a huge beneficiary of vote splitting amongst the sane demographic. He needs a strong NDP. Why destroy your useful idiots?

I can't figure this one out. That is why I won't be surprised to see a last minute reprieve for the LGR, the NDP and the Conservative gravy train.

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