Canadian gun law changes

rowa

http://www.torontosun.com/2011/09/18/long-gun-registry-on-the-block

Why can't we get a government like this ?

Cass

You know that old saying "The grass is always greener". Sometimes it pays to make sure its grass.

I wouldn't swap. The reasons for their change of mind is sheer economics. They are bleeding money at an alarming rate, and part of the process/system has been investigated for alledged corruption/fraud/bribes, etc. It costs 4 times more to run the registration process than they gain from license income on it. Plus with backlogs that would make ours look like a mere second. It was estimated to cost in the 200 million region, so far they reckon they have exceeded 1 billion, and its still climbing. So to slow/stem the loss of money they want to abolish the long gun registry especially in rural areas where the backlogs, and problems are worst.

Look at the actual laws. The article refers to the registration of long guns ONLY. All other current laws surrounding firearms stay as they are. You have the usual firearms that are not available (readily) here, but not so uncommon that you may not have seen a few. However they have completed banned certain calibers of handguns (unless used in international sporting events, and you can prove you take part). They have also banned rifles, and shotguns with a barrel shorter than 18.5 inches. Any handgun with a barrel shorter than 4 inches.

Then if you want a firearm their laws are not so different from ours. They have restricted, non-restricted, and prohibited firearms. You need to apply for a cert for each firearm. Restricted firearms require a minimum age, safety course then a license. You also need (in some cases) permission from the Chief Firearms Officer to transport the firearm. You must have secure storage while transporting the firearm. They have a RKBA, i think, but to get a firearm for this purpose comes under sever inspection by the RCMP, and even carry permits are rare.

All in all Canada is by no means a poster child for firearms. Some slight differences, such as the possible abolition of the long gun resgistry, but other than that they are as strict as us in a lot/most aspects. I think most people would assume that Canada, being so close America in both location and other ways, would have similar laws surrounding firearms. They don't.

Most of the info i've spoken about above is from memory of what i've read before, and from information on the RCMP website relating to firearm ownership/licenses. So i think its all fairly accurate, however anyone with actual experience living, and owning firearms in Canada should definitely speak up, and correct any errors.

carriegilbert

Since its introduction, Canada's long-gun registry has been the most famous political concern. This stem to philosophical discrepancies on gun control policy between and among Canada's political parties, and issues related to the cost of program. Moreover, since the existence of the law, there has been an increase proportion reduction in homicides by long guns. However, the Canada's much criticized long-gun registry is now under attack. Media editorials have called the registry a "$2 billion waste" and "an insult to law abiding citizens". Therefore, Canada is set to abolish the national long-gun registry. I bet there are motley reactions about this. If the Conservative party has its way, the national long-gun registry will be a thing of the past. Long guns, which include rifles and shotguns, would call for background check and instruction, but not registration.

Corsendonk

I was listening to a phone in on Canadian Radio about the scrapping of the Gun Registry in Canada this week. Following a high profile shooting incident Canada implimented a Gun registry across all the providences for what they call long guns(shotguns, rifles). They initial had a start up budget of $150 million and a projected yearly running cost of $2 million but to date the cost has risen to anything between $1-2 billion. The system seems to be Canada version of the Electronic voting machines:D

BBC News

Canada's Conservative government has introduced legislation to abolish the long-gun registry.
The registry requires owners of shotguns and rifles to register the weapons, but when Stephen Harper's Conservative government took power in 2006, they vowed to abolish the law.
Opponents of the registry say most violent crime involves handguns.
While a repeal failed last year, the Conservative's new majority has a much greater chance of success.
The move faces opposition from gun-control groups and Parliament members from Quebec.
The registry gained support from both Canada's police chiefs and victims groups after the Montreal massacre in 1989, where 14 women were murdered by a man using a rifle at Ecole Polytechnique.
The law was passed in 1995 and went into effect in 2001.


Records destroyed
"The Harper government has stood on the side of law-abiding firearms owners, farmers, hunters, and rural Canadians in every region of this country," said Conservative MP Candice Hoeppner, who spoke a press conference announcing the legislation at Ontario farm.
Ms Hoeppner and other conservative lawmakers said the registry had wasted up to C$2 billion of taxpayer money.
They referenced a Statistics Canada report that said of 253 firearms used to commit murder between 2005 and 2009, almost 70% had never been registered.
According to Canadian publication Globe and Mail, the same report said that of 179 homicides using firearms in 2009, 24% were committed using rifles and shotguns.
The legislation will destroy all records created by the registry but criminal checks and safety course required to own firearms in general will still be in place.
Public safety critic Francis Scarpaleggia told CTV that some provinces might create their own registries if the bill is passed.
Government officials said such plans would not be countered, but it would not help in establishing a replacement registry.