Gun program head's ouster not political: Harper

Prime Minister Stephen Harper says the recentremoval of the Canadian Firearms Program's director was not a political decision, despite opposition MPs' claims his ousterfits the Conservative government's "pattern" of dealing with dissent.

Harper's comments on Wednesdaycame after the RCMP confirmed Chief Supt. Marty Cheliak, director general of the firearmsprogram and a strong supporter of the long-gun registry,is being replacedafter nine months on the job.

When questioned by reporters at an event in Lunenburg, N.S., Harper said the RCMP makes its own personnel decisions.

"This is an RCMP staffing matter; it's not a political matter," theprime ministersaid, adding that the government's position on the gun registry is "well known."

"This government strongly favours the abolition of the long-gun registry for farmers and duck hunters," Harper said. "It is wasteful. It has been ineffective. But in terms of staffing decisions in the RCMP, these are made by the RCMP themselves."

The Liberals and NDP have called for Cheliak to be reinstated and accused the government of political influence ahead of a key vote in the fall on the Conservatives' attempt to scrap the federal long-gun registry, which is administered by the CFP.

Liberal MP David McGuinty said Cheliak's removal shows that Harper's Conservatives are more than willing to "suppressindependent voices to achieve political success."

If the prime minister is unwilling to reappoint Cheliak, McGuinty said whoever replaces him at the firearms program "had better keep their head down." He cited the government's recentdecision not to renew the contract of Veterans ombudsman Pat Stogran as an example.

"Every time somebody here in this town does their job and speaks truth to power, they're punished,"McGuinty told reporters in Ottawa.

NDP justice critic Joe Comartin said Cheliak's removal is aimed at silencing critics of the government's move to scrap the federal long-gun registry, especially within the ranks of Canada's police forces.

"It's clearly a message that they're sending out to the police forces to shut up," Comartin said.

In a statement Wednesday, the RCMP said the director general's job is an assistant commissioner's position and designated bilingual.

Cheliak,who is on leave before heading to the language training, "does not currently meet the linguistic requirements of the position," the statement said.

The statement saidChief Supt. Geoff Francis is now acting director general and Cheliak's replacement will be announced internally later in the day.

Chief Supt. Pierre Perron,director general of the RCMP's criminal intelligence division, will replace Cheliak as head of the CFP, the CBC's Brian Stewart reported.

"He's very much a fresh officer coming into embattled territory," Stewart said, noting Perron has no past experience with the firearms program.

Elliott should 'move on': union

Meanwhile, in an interviewwith CBC News onWednesday in Ottawa, CharlesMomy, president of the Canadian Police Association, said it is time for the RCMP commissioner to "move on."

"Maybe it's time for the government to really take a look at replacing Bill Elliott, potentially, and bringing in someone that is fresh," Momy said.

Elliott, appointed by Prime Minister Stephen Harper in 2007, is the first civilian to lead the Mounties. He is already facing a workplace assessment triggered by complaints of senior RCMP officers over his management style.

The CFP oversees the administration of the Firearms Act and regulations. In 2006, the responsibility for the CFP was transferred to the RCMP.

Cheliak had reformed the program and lobbied forcefully, including before a parliamentary committee, for a continued long-gun registry, something the Conservative government has been determined to scrap.

But Canadian police are adamant that the registry, which requires gun owners to register each rifle or shotgun, is needed to protect the lives of police officers and citizens.

Oppositionhidingdivision: minister

Politicians and some high-ranking police officers are questioning Cheliak's removal on the eve of September's expected battle in Parliament over Conservative MP Candice Hoeppner'sprivate member's bill to scrap the current registry.

Earl Campbell, chief of the Miramichi Police Service andpast chair of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, told CBC News on Wednesdayheis "dumbfounded and disappointed" by the decisionto remove Cheliak, and can think of no other reason for the decision except for politics.

The CBC's Stewart reported on Tuesdaythat Cheliak was set to unveil a major report before the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police atits annual general meeting in Edmonton and get a president's award for his work on the long-gun registry.

But Stewart said Cheliak was told by the RCMP he's not going to be sent there.

The NDP's Comartin said he believes the government is trying to prevent MPs from seeing the report before the bill faces another vote in the fall.

"We don't have this information and we believe it's crucial for Parliament to have this information before we vote," he said.

In a statement, the office of Public Safety Minister Vic Toews, the minister responsible for the RCMP, saidthe force"has complete autonomy to direct its own personnel matters."