Hoeppner said the registry has cost nearly $2 billion since it was created in 1995 and that that money should have been spent cracking down on real criminals, not farmers and hunters.
"The long-gun registry is not gun control, and because of that it is an ineffective and a waste of taxpayers hard-earned dollars," she said.
The registry is not a valuable tool to reduce gun crime, the Manitoba MP said, adding the majority of homicides are not committed with long guns. Hoeppner acknowledged crimes have been committed with long guns, but said those crimes happened despite the registry.
Toews said abolishing the registry will save millions of dollars per year, but couldn't put an exact figure on the savings. He said the long-gun registry and the registry for restricted weapons combined costs about $22 million per year to operate.
"As a woman, the long gun registry does not make me feel any safer or secure," she said. Vardy said criminals don't register their guns and that the registry targets law-abiding citizens like her.
"The long gun registry does nothing to protect women," she said.
