OTTAWA — Another week and another NDP MP has changed his mind on the gun registry.

Sudbury's Glenn Thibeault — one of 12 New Democrats who previously supported killing the registry — announced Tuesday he'll vote to save it later this month.

Last week, New Democrat Charlie Angus said he couldn't support the government anymore because of anti-cop rhetoric coming from some Conservative MPs.

"I know there's going to be political fallout from some of the people in my riding," Thibeault said. "I know I'm going to take some of my lumps. I'm fully prepared for that. But I also think I've made the right decision for Sudbury."

But Conservative MP Candice Hoeppner, whose private member's bill seeks to scrap the registry, said neither Thibeault nor Angus were pivotal to passing her bill.

“I'm disappointed, but at the same time, not surprised,” Hoeppner said. “I for sure wasn't counting on Charlie (Angus) ... and Glenn Thibeault, a very straigtforward individual, has told me, 'Candice, my vote is going to depend on who I hear from.”

While Thibeault was announcing his change of heart Tuesday, the Liberals were busy launching a new online campaign to embarrass NDP leader Jack Layton and force him to whip his caucus to vote to save the registry.

On Tuesday, Liberal MP Frank Valeriote said Layton's "refusal” to force the vote shows a "lack of backbone."

"This is what Jack Layton has become a part of, an anti-cop coalition with Stephen Harper and the gun lobby that will skirt the rules in order to weaken our gun laws," Valeriote said. "Canadians should let Mr. Layton know there will be a price to pay for his lack of principle."

Their "Save Lives. Save the Gun Registry" campaign at www.liberal.ca, encourages people to contact a handful of urban New Democrats — who all support the registry — to convince Layton to whip the vote.

It also asks for party donations.

The NDP shot back Tuesday, accusing the Liberals of trying to steal seats from them under the guise of gun control.

The six New Democrats the Liberals target in their new campaign — what the Liberals call Layton's inner circle — are also NDP ridings where Liberals placed second.

The House of Commons will vote on Sept. 22 whether to throw out Conservative MP Candice Hoeppner's private member's bill to scrap the registry. If her bill survives, a third and final vote on the fate of the long-gun registry is expected shortly afterwards.

bryn.weese@sunmedia.ca