Larry Bagnell, the Liberal MP for the Yukon, has yet to ask his party's leader, Michael Ignatieff, if he can skip voting on a private member's bill to scrap the long-gun registry.

Bagnell made the comments this morning on CBC radio's The Current when asked by the program's guest host, Nancy Wilson, if he thought of, "... just not show(ing) up.”

"I'm not sure, I haven't explored that possibility to see if that's an option,” Bagnell responded.

To date, Bagnell has indicated his support of proposed Liberal amendments that – instead of scrapping the registry – would decriminalize first offences for failing to register a firearm, eliminate fees and some paperwork.

Back in April, Ignatieff told the Canadian Police Association the Liberal party would oppose a Conservative private member's bill to get rid of the registry.

This put eight Liberal MPs, including Bagnell, in a difficult position, as they have twice voted in favour of Con-Manitoba MP Candice Hoeppner's bill to kill the registry.

Free votes release MPs from the bonds of party positions and are often granted by parties' caucuses for private member's bills.

But on this issue, Ignatieff is whipping his party – demanding Liberal MPs hold the line on the party's support for the registry. The third, and final vote on Hoeppner's bill is expected in the House of Commons near the end of September.

During Ignatieff's visit to Whitehorse two weeks ago, he said the Liberal party is against abolishing the registry "because every single police chief that I've talked to says they need it as a matter of course.”

In an interview with the Star back in April, Bagnell said he preferred if it were a free vote, adding that, "he may not have a choice.”

This morning, he attempted to explain his remarks on The Current.

"When they asked me this morning about the option of staying out of the House, I wasn't expecting that question,” Bagnell told the Star.

"I think, as I said since the beginning, I will explore options ... but (Ignatieff) is not giving us the option.”

Bagnell was joined on the radio program by Peter Stoffer, the NDP member for Sackville-Eastern Shore.

Stoffer is one of 12 NDP MPs who have voted in favour of the scrapping the registry, and unlike Bagnell or the Liberal party, Stoffer said he is not being whipped by the NDP caucus and will again vote for Hoeppner's bill.

While not the Yukon's MP when the Liberal government of Jean Chrétien installed a national gun registry, Bagnell was roundly criticized for abstaining from a March 2003 vote that provided an additional $60 million to the registry.

Bagnell said he abstained because he would have been expelled from the Liberal caucus for voting against the financial top-up. But with the Liberals still enjoying a majority government, it was a whipped vote Bagnell could afford to miss.

But on this go-around, Bagnell said, he is outnumbered by southern MPs in his party who support the registry, and has yet to ask Ignatieff to skip the vote.

"There doesn't seem like there are (any other options) at the moment, (Ignatieff's) seemed pretty adamant about the registry and so is the party,” said Bagnell.

"And I haven't seen the slightest indication that (Ignatieff) will change ... or any room for maneuvering.”

Faced with toeing the party line, Bagnell is touting Liberal-proposed amendments and reminding voters that the Conservatives and the Bloc Québécois are also being whipped on Hoeppner's bill.

During Prime Minister Stephen Harper's visit to the Yukon late last week, Harper accused Bagnell of abandoning his constituents on the long-gun issue.

To date, 6,001 firearms have been registered in the Yukon territory.

Here is this morning's exchange between The Current's Wilson and Bagnell:

Wilson: "Did you, as you struggled with this, did you think that perhaps an option for you was to just not show up (for the vote)?

Bagnell: "I'm not sure, I haven't explored that possibility to see if that's an option.”

Wilson: "So if you haven't explored that possibility, are you saying that that's still an option? That maybe that's a way out for you, that you don't have to stand up and be counted, unless your constituents want you to stand up and be counted?”

Bagnell: "Up to the vote, as I said before, I'll explore all options that are open to me.”

Wilson:"So you're still undecided.”

Bagnell:"No, as I said before, at the present moment, the Bloc (Québécois), Conservative and Liberals, aren't being given a choice on how to vote on this.”