Long Gun Registry Revisited

Southern Ontario hunters need to get active. At long last a private members bill was introduced into the House of Commons this week that would effectively eliminate the long gun registry and return some semblance of sanity to our gun control laws. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not at all opposed to common sense gun controls, just the ineffective long gun registry.

The bill was introduced by Garry Breitkreuz, M.P. for Yorkton-Melville. Mr. Breitkreuz has been a champion of this cause since the seriously flawed and horrendously expensive registry was first introduced by then Justice Minister Allan Rock. I had a chance to meet him at a writers meeting a couple of years ago and was excited by his commitment and depth of knowledge on the subject.

The bill proposes a number of changes to the Firearms Act, including: 1) Elimination of the costly, badly flawed and ineffective long gun registry; 2) Streamlining the licensing system; and 3) calling for a cost/benefit of the Firearms Program every five years to ensure that Canadian taxpayers are receiving benefit for money spent.

“We are strongly supportive of the legislation introduced earlier today by Garry Breitkreuz, who has worked tirelessly to help create a rational and cost effective firearms program that focuses the government’s efforts on the prevention of crime, not the over regulation of law abiding firearms owners”, said O.F.A.H. Executive Director Mike Reader. “Mr. Breitkreuz and the Harper government should be applauded for their ongoing attempts to focus the firearms debate on the real problem, the acquisition and use of illegal firearms by criminals, not the responsible use of firearms by hunters and recreational sport shooters”.

Will the bill pass and the long gun registry be eliminated? With a minority government in Ottawa I’m not optimistic, but Ontario hunters and shooters can and should make their voice known. Contact your local MP and ask where they stand on the bill. Voice your concerns and ask that they support the bill in the House of Commons.

Just imagine how many more illegal guns would be pulled off the street if the $2 billion spent on the long gun registry had been pumped into front line law enforcement. You know that the anti gun lobby will be active on this issue so it’s more important than ever for hunters to get active as well.

Lloyd