The about-face is driven in part by tactics the Conservative government is employing as it tries to build support for killing the registry. One Conservative MP has accused Canada’s police chiefs of plotting to use the registry to seize Canadians’ rifles and shotguns.

At least one of the 12 New Democrats who supported the Conservative bill on second reading will change his vote.

MP Charlie Angus (Timmins-James Bay) said his “Granny Angus” didn’t raise him to run away from a fight and he will oppose Manitoba Conservative MP Candice Hoeppner’s bill during the final House of Commons vote, even though he supported it earlier.

“The Conservatives are unfortunately creating an impression that rural Canadians are somehow nut jobs, but they are not. For me, at the end of the day, I just don’t want to be standing beside these guys,” Angus said.

“At this point I am going to vote against this bill because I think the Conservatives … are treating Canadians as if they are fools on this.’’ .