OpenStack has tagged v0.5.7 of python-gear which comes with performance improvements and no API changes. Ref: https://review.openstack.org/#/c/180334/
We need it backported to our Precise Trusty and Jessie distributions.
Canonical Debian git repository is on Alioth at http://anonscm.debian.org/cgit/python-modules/packages/python-gear.git/