Government Of Canada Re-introduces Bill To Abolish The Wasteful Long-gun Registry

November 19, 2007

OTTAWA — Today in the House of Commons, the Honourable Stockwell Day, Minister of Public Safety, re-introduced important legislative amendments to eliminate the requirement for Canadians to register their non-restricted firearms.

“Our Government has made a commitment to repeal the long-gun registry and we are following through on our promise,” said Minister Day. “These legislative amendments will allow us to continue focusing on more effective measures to tackle crime and keep guns out of the hands of violent criminals. Our goal is to provide law enforcement with the tools and resources they need to combat gun violence and other serious crimes.”

These proposed amendments will support the Government’s overall strategy to tackle violent crime and keep our families and communities safe. This bill would:

• repeal the requirement for businesses and individuals to register non-restricted long-guns; and
• require firearms retailers to record all sales transactions of non-restricted firearms, as was the case prior to the imposition of the long-gun registry.
  

Gun control measures in Canada continue to include the requirement for gun owners to undergo a background check, pass a firearms safety training course, and hold a valid firearms licence before being able to acquire and possess firearms and to acquire ammunition.

These requirements, in addition to enhanced screening measures announced in Budget 2007, will help to maintain public safety for all Canadians. Individuals will also continue to be required to register prohibited and restricted firearms, such as handguns.

Our police officers will continue to be able to determine who is and is not in legal possession of firearms through a quick check of the Canadian Police Information Centre.

The Harper government has shown leadership by introducing the Tackling Violent Crime Act. This law sends a clear message that actions have consequences and that the Harper Government will always place the needs of law-abiding Canadian families first.

Through this law, criminals charged with serious gun crimes would face much stiffer criminal penalties, people charged with driving under the influences of drugs would be held accountable for their actions, and our children will be protected from sexual exploitation by raising the age of sexual consent from 14 to 16.

In addition, under this new law criminals convicted of repeated violent or sexual offences would be more easily subjected to a ‘Dangerous Offender’ label that will keep them behind bars and off our streets.

Protecting Canadians from violent crimes is far too important to be the subject of yet more Liberal political games. Unfortunately, in the past, Stéphane Dion and his Liberal colleagues have nonetheless used political tricks to try to block the passage of these badly needed new laws.

The big losers from such political tricks are the innocent victims of crime and the innocent people who are at risk of becoming victims of crime, should dangerous offenders be released back on the streets due to ineffective laws. They deserve better.

Canadians have a clear choice before them. Only one leader, Stephen Harper, is prepared to stand up for our children, our families, and law-abiding citizens everywhere with real action to get serious on guns, violence and sexual crimes. In contrast, the Stéphane Dion Liberals have shown they are prepared to put politics ahead of public safety and, in doing so, leave innocent families unnecessarily at risk.