Prime Minister Stephen Harper's parliamentary secretary says he has never heard of a spokesman for a Canadian gun advocacy group who boasts of ties to the U.S. National Rifle Association and is also a government adviser on the long-gun registry.

On Tuesday, Tory MP Pierre Poilievre dismissed notions the government is linked to or influenced by the NRA, the powerful U.S. lobbying group that advocates fewer gun controls.

This followed CBC News reports that the NRA has been involved for years in efforts to abolish Canada's long-gun registry.

Poilievre added that he is "not familiar" with Tony Bernardo, spokesman for the Canadian Institute for Legislative Action, who has said that while the NRA doesn't give his organization money, it "freely gives us anything else."

Four years ago, the Harper government appointed Bernardo to the National Firearms Advisory group.

In a letter to his constituents, Tory MP Garry Breitkreuz drew attention to the makeup of the panel, including several firearms experts and dealers. Last May, Bernardo also testified against the registry in front of a Commons committee.

Denial issued

Bernardo, who is in Australia, emailed CBC News late Tuesday insisting the "NRA is not assisting in the long-gun debate in any way."

Earlier Tuesday, Liberal House Leader David McGuinty accused Harper's Conservatives of playing "the worst of right-wing Republican wedge politics" in an attempt to "pick off eight or 10 ridings" on the gun registry issue.

McGuinty also called on the prime minister to disclose details of what he called a "nudge-nudge, wink-wink relationship" between the NRA and current and former Conservative MPs, staffers and party members.

But speaking to supporters Tuesday night in Edwards, Ont., Harper rejected the claims.

"Today I listened to the Liberals claiming that people who oppose the long-gun registry are just a bunch of U.S. gun lobbyists," Harper said. "Now this, friends, is typical of the arrogant, intellectual contempt in which the Liberal Party holds so many people, especially in rural Canada."

A vote is scheduled next week on a Tory private member's bill to kill the registry. NDP Leader Jack Layton said Tuesday enough members of his party will vote to defeat the bill.