The sponsor of the Conservative’s anti-gun registry bill, Candice Hoeppner, said yesterday that a recently released RCMP report on the gun registry, “says the police officers don’t use it because they can’t depend on the data.” She fails to mention the reports’ conclusion that Conservative firearms amnesties are responsible for reducing public compliance with firearms regulations, or its finding that the registry is effective and inexpensive.
The RCMP’s “Canadian Firearms Program Evaluation,”gives high marks to the Canadian Firearms Program for being, “cost-effective in reducing firearms-related crime,” and documents how the long-gun registry enhances public safety.
The report concludes that long guns are involved in nearly 70% of gun-related deaths and that women are overwhelmingly the victims of long-gun-related homicides. Furthermore, the report states that expected savings from dropping the registry would only be between $2 million and $4 million annually.
Despite what the Harper government claims, gun registration, and not gun licensing alone, is necessary for public safety. One cannot effectively work without the other.
Michael Ignatieff – unlike NDP Leader Jack Layton – has taken a principled leadership position in favour of saving the gun registry. Mr. Layton could have done the same. He had a choice – to stand with police officers and victims, or stand with Stephen Harper – and he chose Mr. Harper. With the release of this report, how can Jack Layton blatantly ignore the facts?
Highlights of the report:
“A survey of Canadian Firearms Registry Online (CFRO) users showed that 81% of trained police officers supported the statement, ‘In my experience, CFRO query results have proven beneficial during major operations.’ … 513 RCMP detachments and federal units, 579 Canadian municipal police agencies and 88 OPP locations query CFRO yearly.” (pg. 28)
“Repeated amnesties, which are in place for firearms owners who are actively in the process of complying with registration and licensing, are eroding the credibility of the regulatory system.” (pg. 34)
“The Canadian Firearms Program as a public safety-oriented regulatory framework, is continuing toward achieving its strategic outcome of reducing firearm-related harm.” (pg. 21)
“Licensing of owners and registration of guns are key elements of effective gun control. Effective gun control can help to reduce and contain violence, as numerous studies and statistics show.” (Appendix C)
“Recently compiled statistics initiated by this evaluation, data from Statistics Canada and all of the Provincial and Territorial Coroners indicate notable decreases of firearm deaths (approximately 12%) in Canada between 2001 and 2004.” (pg. 21)
“The rates of firearm murders (particularly of women), robberies, and suicides have all declined significantly with improvements to the legislation.” (Appendix E)
