Gov't moves to scrap long-gun registry -- and its database

Gun-owners are predictably happy with the government's decision to scrap the long-gun registry. But as Roger Smith reports many people are upset with the decision.

CTV News: Tories to scrap long-gun registry

For more than a decade, the long-gun registry has been one of the most divisive issues in Canadian politics. But not its days are numbered, because of a new Conservative bill to get rid of the registry and all the records it contains. CTV's Roger Smith reports.

CTV Edmonton: Reaction to ending gun registry

Alberta reacts to federal legislation that would eliminate the gun registry, which was introduced on Tuesday.

CTV Winnipeg: Ottawa to eliminate gun registry

The Conservatives introduced a bill to eliminate the long-gun registry on Tuesday, but police and victims' groups are opposed. CTV's Ina Sidhu reports.

Power Play: Panel of MPs on long-gun registry

NDP MP Jack Harris, Liberal MP Marc Garneau and Candice Hoeppner, the parliamentary secretary to the public safety minister, debate whether the long-gun registry should be scrapped. Hoeppner says the registry is ineffective, and the records will not be kept.

CTV Southwestern Ontario: Reaction from Ontarians

The federal Conservatives have introduced legislation to end the long-gun registry and there has been mixed reaction from gun owners and police.

CTV Atlantic: Ottawa takes aim at gun registry

There are mixed emotions in Miramichi, home of the gun registry, after the federal government announced it was scrapping the program. Some says it's time to move on, but others say it means nothing but uncertainty. CTV's Andy Campbell has more.

CTV News Channel: Tories introduce bill to kill registry

Public Safety Minister Vic Toews and MP Candice Hoeppner speak in Richmond, Ont., where they introduce a bill to scrap the heavily debated long gun registry.

CTV News Channel: Harder to investigate gun crime

Frank Beazley the chief of Halifax Regional Police says he is disappointed by the legislation and says it's going to be harder to do certain investigations and will also impact public safety.

CTV News Channel: Debating the registry's end

Brian Rahilly of the Dawson College Gun Control Coalition says getting rid of the registry is not in the interest of Canadians. Tony Bernardo of the Canadian Shooting Sports Association says the registry is nothing but an endless sinkhole of money.

CTV News Channel: Why end the gun registry?

CTV's Mercedes Stephenson says the Tories don't believe the registered long guns have been used in crimes, and explains how the majority government is using this issue to make good on their promise to crack down on crime.

Watch: See all Videos in the Player

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It's about time it was scrapped. Since Canadians won't be getting any money back from this Liberal boondoggle, let's use these funds to place more police officers on duty and give the courts some teeth to deal with offenders who choose illegal handguns and automatic firearms to commit crimes.

Gorg

Tories pulling the plug on long-gun registry

talking about
Gov't moves to scrap long-gun registry -- and its database

Got something to say?

CTVNews.ca Staff

Date: Tue. Oct. 25 2011 11:54 PM ET

The Conservative government plans not only to do away with the long-gun registry, but also delete its data, so the provinces or future federal governments cannot use the information.

The government unveiled its long-awaited legislation to scrap the controversial long-gun registry Tuesday.

Police, health and victims' groups immediately came out in opposition of the bill, which would permanently delete more than seven million files on shotgun and rifle ownership.

The Conservatives argue the registry is wasteful, although they still support the licensing of gun owners and the registration of handguns.

"We don't want laws that target law-abiding citizens, hunters and sports shooters. We want laws that focus on the criminal and those who use firearms illegally," Public Safety Minister Vic Toews said.

"We will not participate in the recreation of the long-gun registry, and therefore the records that have been created under that long-gun registry will be destroyed," he added.

Both Ontario and Quebec have hinted they might start their own long-gun registries, something that would be much simpler to do if they can access the current data.

The opposition in Ottawa argued the Conservatives have no reason to delete the data, other than on ideological grounds.

"We have records that the Canadian Association of the Chiefs of Police wrote (to the government) . . . (saying) to keep these records," NDP MP and justice critic Jack Harris said on CTV's Power Play.

"They are records the police chiefs say are valuable. This is a government that claims to be interested in safer streets, but they are going to turn down a request from (police)."

Liberal MP Marc Garneau said that "it's regrettable they are getting rid of" the data.

Conservative MP Candice Hoeppner almost scrapped the gun registry with a private member's bill two years ago. But the Conservatives did not have majority control of the House of Commons and the measure fell two votes short of being passed. Her bill did not include the permanent deleting of the registry's data.

"This is data that is only about halfway complete, there are seven million guns in the database but there are probably about 16 million long guns in Canada," she said. "Once this bill passes there will no longer be a requirement for individuals to have their long guns registered, so why keep that information."

Tuesday marks the first time that the Conservatives can use their majority control to help seal the registry's fate in the House of Commons.

Hoeppner said the long-gun registry "has been completely ineffective and it has been completely wasteful," which is why the government has pushed so hard to eliminate it.

Brian Rahilly of the Dawson College Gun Control Coalition told CTV News Channel that he thinks complaints from gun owners about the intrusiveness of registration are overblown.

"I think you're going to find that people think it's a bad idea for all sorts of registrations. Registering cars, registering a shed that you're going to build in the back of your home," Rahilly said Tuesday.

"However, we're talking about saving people's lives, reducing gun violence and I think it comes down to what is one life actually worth?"

Provinces could create own registries

The day before the Conservatives introduced the bill, Liberal public safety critic Francis Scarpaleggia said that some provinces intended to carry on with registries of their own.

Prior to Tuesday, Toews said the provinces "are free to proceed as they wish," but they won't get any help from Ottawa in establishing a replacement registry. Nor will they get access to the data that is part of the existing registry.

The RCMP and other police forces support the registry, which they say helps on-duty officers trace the history of weapons and determine if a particular individual is known to have access to a long gun.

An internal RCMP report concluded that the registry was a "useful tool" for police.

The same report said that the majority of firearms in Canada are long guns and the majority of firearm-related fatalities result from long guns.

But one critic who spoke to CTV News Channel on Tuesday questioned if the RCMP is motivated to keep the registry going because they are paid to manage it.

"If you ask the RCMP about the effectiveness of a program that they are paid megabucks to administer, it's an awful lot like asking the fox if the chickens taste good," said Tony Bernardo of the Canadian Shooting Sports Association.

With files from The Canadian Press

Comments are now closed for this story

peter in MB
said
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It funny that most of the people who support the gun registry also think and supported the idea of having GPS micro chips implanted into peoples bodies and bar code tattoos for emergency identification. All in the name of public safety reasons. Because we do it to our pets.

Doug
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All you brilliant people who talk about this Registry program saving lives can you name me any shootings that involved a LBG? Some of you scrap the Ship building that has been put into place? Does that mean you Want America to Police Canadas oceanic boarders? Should be just become another state of America?

SkypixieZero
said
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Those who think those records have not already been shared with American law enforcement agencies and Interpol are living in a dream world. Since most police forces in North America have access, on request, to Interpol files, the whining by the RCMP is truly about losing the fat cheques from Ottawa for administering that boondoggle of a “registry”. Perhaps if the RCMP hadn't used their involvement in it to run it up in cost, they'd still have it. How many times has its use been investigated and found to be minimal to good policing? This is just a case of the cops wanting to know everything about everybody ala the FBI under Hoover.

Rob
said
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Guy uses gun to rob someone or a bank, does the bank or anybody know if it was registered? Obviously the registry didnt stop that crime. Ok man uses registered gun to commit murder or robbery and gets caught, does he get a lighter sentence for using a registered weapon? Did gun registry stop that crime? Ok gangs rush out to register all their guns because now it is illegal to have an unregistered gun, did that happen? Ok, man stops suicide attempt because he didnt want to use a registered long gun to do it, if it was unregistered it would have been a different story and he would have, did this happen? Another man uses a registered gun for suicide, did the gun registration save him? Ok so if anybody is following this, where has this registration law saved lives?

Colin Leake
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This is the happiest day in my life! I cannot believe that the Liberals could waste so much money to play a political trick on the urban voting populace who are blissfully unaware of the real issues. My cousin was murdered by a psycho when I was 16. While the liberal position was to protect the rights of those who are dangerous, while targeting and portraying solid Canadian law abiding citizens citizens as a menace, was just a cheap trick to gain votes from the blissfully unaware. This new plan does not end the requirement for all Canadians wishing to acquire legal firearms to take a complicated and expensive course and pass the examination, before being scrutinized by the RCMP for past criminal behaviour. Good, it should not!. It does not remove the good Safe Storage regulations which are sensible. Firearms owners are happy to see those requirements remain. The new regulations require that the RCMP still check out the potential recipient of a firearms transfer, to ensure he or she is of sound mind and has no criminal past. All in all, good governance, great use of tax dollars and high social responsibility in Ottawa, Mr. Harper and your team. Colin Leake

DALE BROOKS
said
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I am happy to see an end to a total waste of taxpayers money. With the licensing requirements and background checks needed with the existing gunlaws the legal gunowners in Canada are subject to intense regulations to even possess a license to purchase a firearm. So of what use was a duplicate registry for longguns,the POLICE ALREADY KNOW WHO HAS A FIREARMS LICENSE . When my firearms license comes due every 5 years I even have to have my wife sign the application for approval. I do not see any gangs or criminals applying for a firearm license or oh darn I forgot to register my single shot shotgun. It is so unfortunate that many people today are so afraid that they do not stop to realize that this registry never did anything to help crime, I do not know the answer but stiffer penalties for using a firearm in a crime and heavy fines for no licenses or possessing firearms that are not even legal in Canada would surely help our police deal with illegal smuggling etc.

Sober
said
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Bad news for our cops who put their lives on the line.

Kim ON
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Finally! Long awaited ... time to stop wasting our tax dollars on this massive boondoggle! Let's spend our money on making the real criminals pay for firearms crimes.

CJW
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This is excellent news! The registry was a complete and utter waste of resources and over $1.5Billion of tax payers money. In NOT one case did the registry prevent any gun crime nor the trafficking of illegally obtained firearms (proceeds of crime). Despite the medias angle on this issue, the registry was never backed by the RCMP or regional police departments. It was forced by the Liberal government in the mid 1990s /Alan Rock who happened to be getting support from the coalition for gun control. The money used for the registry should have been used for Policing and infrastructure!

Mitch
said
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When the gun registry was introduced. the first thing that went through my mind was socialist Germany prior to world war two. Disarm the people and then do what you will with them.... We have a lot of socialism in this country already and giving up our liberties for the illusion of security was at the very least an invasion of privacy and at the most, steps to losing what is left of our free country. When your in the wilderness, your firearm is a tool for self preservation. When you are at home, it may very well be the last option you have to protect yourself and family. How could that be ever wrong?

Glenn C
said
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@Chris, I Agree! This gun registry and the people running it have been a TOTAL WHITE ELEPHANT, From start to finish.

Mark5
said
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Perhaps we should register all cash and valuables kept in private homes too and put it in a big database so crooks can have a big shopping list. The gun registry is a danger to indiviuals and the general public because it provides exact locations of where guns are kept.If you kept cash or expensive jewellery at home, how would you feel knowing that information out there in the public domain? The firearms database is not secure. The Toronto star published a map showing almost exact locations just a few years ago.

Brad
said
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The Canadian Chiefs of Police support the long gun registry. The Canadian Chiefs of Police also support the Coalition for Gun Control. The Coalition for Gun Control should be renamed the Coalition for Civilian Disarmament. When the CACP favours the policy of the anti-gun lobby groups and the politicians who legislate removal of freedoms such as legitimate gun ownership, then you have a police state.

Bruce from Alberta
said
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Long gun was a bad plan if you can't see why there is no explaining it. You probably live in the City and just won't get it. As for the RCMP if they respond to any violent call just assume there is a weapon no matter what some computer says, live longer that way.

andy
said
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i would like to see the studies that say how many people are injured or killed buy long guns. most guns used in crime are not regrested to begin with. also they are more than likly brought in illigaly from the US ie detroit- windsor. guns dont kill people ... stupid people kill people. as per the comment on the f-35 and how much its going to cost stop and think for a min... were are using 30 year old aircraft and expect them to keep up to the 2 year olds anyone with kids knows thats hard to do. the cost of up keep of the f18 is more costly than you want to know ie new engine is 16 million ( it has 2)and we have 63 AC ... parts cost money and we go threw parts go to you local airforce base and ask any tech how much a simple computer costs. please removed your head from a__s before you comment on the f35

djh123
said
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After working for years to get this intrusive piece of legislation scrapped, it is great to see happen. The vocal fringe of control control fanatics will predict the end of the world as well police management but common sense has finally prevailed.

Doug
said
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Interesting comment from Bob " guns kill people". Wrong Bob! People kill people. They may vary in the tool used, from stones to missiles, but people no matter what the motivation, kill people.

Chris
said
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The long gun registry. Yet another Liberal blunder that the Conservatives have to fix.

Jebus Widowmaker
said
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A lot of you people make me laugh. Your talking about a gun registry of long guns. Whats the deal? Hand guns have to be registered why shouldn't long guns??? Ya this cost $1 billion dollars. Which will now go to waste. You want to complain about wasted money how about those F-35 jets Harper purchased??? It's gonna cost us $29-$50 billion. For planes that are garbage. The US grounded all the ones they have because they suck. Now we're told they they won't be able to communicate in Northern Canada. No lets talk about a waste of money. Oh ya. Before you Cons start blaming the Liberals for that. Ya they signed onto the program but that didn't force us to purchase them illegally. But then what ever god oh I mean Harper does your ok with that. Oh and one more about wasting a billion dollars remember Toronto's G20 billions bucks.

Buffie
said
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It really doesn't matter if the gun is registered or not if someone loses their mind and wants to shoot people. He is not going to look at the gun and say,oh no I can't shoot anyone with this-its registered.Come on people stop and think.This registry treated honest law abiding hunters and farmers like criminals.

Wendy
said
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The LGR only cost pennies every time it is used. If you want to save money scrap the wasteful multi billion dollar F-35 program, billions more saved with the wasteful mu;ti billion dollar ship building program & billions more saved by scrapping the wasteful prison building program. There I just save Canadians about 100 billion on wasteful spending. the million the LGR cost is a drop in the bucket & it saves lives.

Ratrams
said
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About time, this was a total waste of time, anyone with a brain knew it. How many criminals registered a long gun and if they happened to have one that was registered do you seriously think even the dumbest one would ever have used it to commit a crime. Let's hire some actual police instead and put the money to good use instead of wasting it.

Stu
said
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Scrapping the LGR should create enough crime to fill those new prisons but who's going to pay the bill. There is plenty of evidence the LGR saves lives in more than one way. It's pretty obvious the conservatives are just dumb on crime all round.

David ON
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This was a long time coming, my vote did count.

DON TURNBULL elmsville n b
said
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It has always amazed me that at the stroke of midnight i along with others became a criminal because i owned a firearm and i don't agree with the registery.Make no mistake firearm safety and education in the proper use has to be first, but should we not be changing our laws to those who commit violent acts with firearms to have stiffer sentances?To those who are against the registry being dismantled try learning how to use a firearm if you have the mental capasity and see what we as firearm owners enjoy.

William, Sudbury
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I see quotes that it s a useful tool or Police. Can anyone credibly demonstrate how? Also Provinces are free to set up thier own registries....Which province can afford to waste that much monetary resources to do something that has proven to be of no demonstrated benefit other than to appease the various organizations, with total disregard to law abiding long gun owners. Perhaps a Public Vote by the residents of Canada is in order on the topic.

Bob in Montreal
said
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Its well known, in this area, that if you want an illegal handgun, you can easily obtain one through any of the reserves, but this apparently is a taboo subject to even mention...so we concentrate on legally acquired firearms that law abiding citizens have registered? I fail to understand how these regulations have led to the "bad guys" lining up to register....we need (and have) mandatory sentences for crimes committed using illegal firearms....enforce them, and leave the legal gun owners alone.

AAron
said
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Pistals and restricted weapons need to be registered the same as always but registering long guns was the stupidist idea and a total waste of our money. Long gun registry needs to be scraped and money put to better use. I can't see how it would help police. Just about all gun crimes are commited by unregisterd firearms. Police would be very foolish to enter a house hold on the assumption that no firearms are present based on gun registry information. Keeping outdated information is of no use to police officers.

human nature
said
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We have to face the reality. Violence and crime is part of human nature. That is the reason why the registry is being scrapped by the Conservtives because we in our society must have to deal with violence and crime until the day when criminals have the technology to blow up the world.

Robert S
said
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An other election promiss kept, thanks again Mr Harper.

ed
said
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It's about time that the registry is scraped. It was the useless piece of Liberals tactic to bring that in. The liberals have always lied in whatever they do when in power. They think of themselves, instead of the people.

Doug ^^^ BC
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LOL!!! Very funny "Debbie".You absolutely must be a city girl.And yes,we do have supermarkets in rural BC.But do you really feel better about eating those animals because someone else shot them for you? In case you haven't noticed,jobs are very scarce in many rural communities.We can feed our familes for a long time on the deer wh shot and the fish we catch.A better option than heading to Vancouver and looking for a free home,a free meal,and a free crack pipe,I suggest.Hunting is an honourable way to feed your family. One other thing.As bad as this program was,in my humble opinion,it was just step one in the long term plans of the Fiberals.I am convinced that they wanted to run this registry for a few decades,and then ban guns all together.THis registry was just an excuse,and a method to find out who owned all the guns.Step two would have been to go around and cleect them all.Once they were registered,that would have been easy. Use and abuse are not the same thing.ANd keep in mind that not even responsible gun owners are advocating for carrying heat on your city streets.Only real criminals do that with relative impunity. I will vigorously support sanctions against people who abuse firarms.So,join me as I support building prisons to put them in.

Brian Robertson
said
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What a total waste ...What a set back to serious controls of restricted weapons that existed and working, prior to this political exercise.

Gail Bechal
said
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I am happy the gunregistry will be finished. A long gun to a farmer or rancher is a necessay tool. It should not have to be registed.

Dave in Calgary
said
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This is a no win decision. The Conservatives have made hay based on what has previously been done by the Liberals. They are meeting their election promises.The only question I have will be if they will be willing to take responsibility when the next shooting takes place in Urban Canada. The validity of blaming the conservative government when the next group of people die will be the same as the critism against the gun registry today.

Tom in Calgary
said
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Now if we can get them to can the waste of billions on new prisons. Or does their "common sense" only apply for purly political reasons?

Ryan
said
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WOW what a great day

Havelock Heavy
said
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The neocons are proving that their 'law and order agenda' is just another election slogan.

David K
said
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.. Firstly, I'm a Retired Police Officer. The Long Gun Registry is perhaps one of the most useless and certainly, not cost effective, pieces of Legislation ever passed in Canadian history. No Police Offer would be so foolish as to rely on the accuracy, or reliability of the Registry, when, for example, attending a Domestic Dispute.. Given the huge costs, and considering, by the Governments own estimates, approx.only half the Guns, in Canada are Registered, surely logic would tindicate that the monies saved by scrapping the Registry could be better spent on Social Programs ! Housing for the Low income, springs to mind! ... David K

Stonewall
said
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About time- now let's use this money wisely. By the way- where is that Liberal, Alan Rock now ?

Alfred Stockley
said
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yes, they should abolish the gun registry

P.J.
said
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As a retired peace officer I see no use in the bureaucratic waste of money (which would surely continue and likely increase) to maintain the Gun Registry. It simply doesn't work and is a huge predjudice to the law-abiding citizen. No one in Mayerthorpe, Alta. needed the gun registry to know that Roszko had firearms in his possession (and what he would do with them) so now we are less four young men. The waste of our money needs to stop and this is a great place to start. Nova Scotia

Chris
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Ok all you LIbs... it has never been about the registering process... it was always about the COST of this registry right from the beginning. This was a project that was to cost only $1,000,000. But instead, by it's implementation, the Liberal Gov't spent over a Billion Dollars on it. Now that it's implemented, it costs additional Tens of millions alone to keep it updated. It's a big waste of time, a big waste of money, and a huge drain on our human resources. I do not own guns.

Alberta A Albertan
said
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Another liberal legacy down the tubes, well done conservatives

Will Smegelski
said
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"Suicide, contrary to public opinion, is often an impulsive gesture. Keeping guns away from depressed people is essential," Dr. Alan Drummond said...And the registry does NOTHING to keep guns away from depressed people. That would be one purpose of the PAL (possession acquisition license) system. All the registry does is register long guns and shotguns...which can only be purchased by a person who has been licensed through an entirely different process (which includes references and mental health questions). If you're going to advocate either way, get your facts straight.

John
said
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The registery shows police that's there's guns in a persons house if I'm correct, but they have to think that there's always guns in every house they go to to raid, arrest a person, etc... Even if there isn't any guns. So really I dont think it does anything but get them to no that there are forsure guns in a house whitch they have to go and proceed as there is anyway.

Hey Dave in Qc.
said
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You just proved the point that guns do not kill. You can stand there all day pointing that gun at the plate and nothing happens UNTIL you, a person pulls the trigger. People kill not guns!

Tony Selig
said
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If guns kill people then pencils make mistakes. I thank the governent for not confusing honest gun owners with crazy people.mabey they can ban rocks or sticks now, because the kill people too.Don't they ?

John Malm
said
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It is long over due,scrapping the long gun registery.It should have never been put in place in the first place. It was all a big rip off to the canadian public.

Tracey (Saskatchewan)
said
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I'm a woman and I think this is great. Time to get rid of this registry that wasted billions. One can register their firearms and they don't have to store it at their home so how does that help the police? If an Officer relies on the registry when going to a call then they shouldnt be an officer, Everytime an Officer goes on a call they should assume there are firearms in every home. Plus the fact that in Dec 2003 the registry was broken into and alot of data was lost, so how many guns are actually registered? I actually think that they should be teaching firearm safety in schools. I have firearms and I taught my son firearm safety from the beginning, he's been shooting since he was 5 years old. He knows what a firearm can do and is respectful, whereas you take a kid that has never held or seen a gun they will pick it up and think it's cool and play with it.... Ignorance is not bliss we should be teaching kids the proper handling and safety of fireams. Not making them taboo.

Bowcajun
said
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Criminals don't register firearms. I am glad this foolishness is over.

Darlene OBrien
said
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I think its about time they did away with the gun registery.We have had guns in our house all our lives and no one was ever shot. If criminals want to kill someone they dont give a hoot who owns the gun and they know where they can find a gun or buy it underground.

Dave Leese
said
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Finally we have someone who can see what a wasteful piece of legislation this is. It has cost millions and hasn t stopped any crime. Guns do not kill. People do. Finally the honest sportsman is not a criminal
and the monies used on this useless tool can provide our municipalities with extra funds to add extra manpower to deal with the ever increasing crime. Look at Halifax over the last couple of years.

Krystasickles
said
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i think that they should keep it open because you still need a licenses and my mom works there

Ernie
said
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What a waste of tax payers dollars!!!!

Darlene Jamieson
said
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another waste of money.. I would like to have all the money the spent to set up this thing and now the money to shut it down. the jobs lost.. typical squandering of taxpayers money

James
said
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@David: Are we talking about the same party that is currently under investigation for an in and out funding scheme? The same party that disregards parlimentary procedure when it suits them? You might want to check the definition of honourable. Just today I received a piece of propaganda from my (conservative) member of parliament detailing how spending billions on warships is totally cool because they're going to save a few million on the gun registry. It's sad that anyone actually believes this garbage.

CountryGirl
said
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Bill C-68 was pointless & a waste of tax payers hard earned money!! which could have been spent on heathcare & other things that would actually benefit our country. If we're going to register guns, we should start with registering mental health before anyone can own a gun! for that matter we should have started to register every baseball bat, pair of scissors & frying pan!! Guns have never been the issue, people are the issue.To top it off, thousands of owners records in the registry database was lost in a computer crash in 2003!! I could Not be happier that this is Finally happening!!

Dan from Alexandria
said
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I never thought that I will see the day the long gun registry would be abolished. It was a dumb idea then and many people now agree how dumb it is now.
Huge waste of money, which does nothing else but to give a false sense of security to some police officers beacue the criminals would not register a gun and if they have a registered gun it would not be used during a criminal activity. I am glad the PC will get rid of this white elephant.

Niagara George
said
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Here is some information Vic Toews should know, but I'm sure he doesn't care. Only 20% of Canada's population lives in rural areas, but a full 49% of domestic homicides occur in rural areas. 21% of rural domestic murders are commited with long guns. In urban areas, that number is reduced to 11%. So much for the argument that farmers and hunters only break the law when they don't register their rifles. Sadly, we are all capable of behaviours that are far beyond acceptable. The registering of long guns and shotguns is a small inconvenience compared to the potential for tracking arms used in criminal activities. Even the costs have been grossly exaggerated. According to the Auditor General's November 2009 report, the actual registration expenses had reached $140 million, not the billion(s) that make the news. At only one-tenth of the cost for a weekend getaway for 20 people our King Steve was trying to impress, that seems like a fairly reasonable expense. Before you say my information is not factual, do the research to prove it.

Screech
said
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For those of you who think the registry is useless to front line officers, think again. I am in the industry and know full well the value of information. The Mayerthorpe 4 could have used that information a few years back...

Dean Ludtke
said
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Great to see the end of this "liberal" program. But you must remember this the premis of most liberal pragrams. "Make it look like we're doing something, throw a bunch of money at it and make sure that money reaches our friends first"

Josey Wales
said
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Imagine...a government that actually follows through with a campaign check list of will do if elected?Nice change after decades of Liberals and their snake oil sales pitches!As a dude whom calls the wilds home in the Yukon, I welcome this erasure of useless Liberal policies for long guns.Sorry for the redundancy...Three more words? Go Stevie Go!

Brooko
said
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Hey Debbie, it is obvious you know absolutely nothing about hunting. You make it sound like all you have to do is show up and pull a trigger and bingo, game is down. Not so. Whether hunting with a gun or a bow a lot of time is spent walking, looking and listening to the bush and its surroundings. Actually taking game, at best, is occassional. And to your comment about getting meat from a store? I'll take wild game over store bought meat any day. At least I know what I have is natural, with no additives, and that I prepared it myself.

TheOtherLowellInBC
said
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I think we should have had an all gun registry. Any unregistered gun is immediately confiscated and the owner pays a fine. Crimes committed with stolen guns, immediately traceable. Because there is so much crime committed with a gun not to mention loss of life, there have to be restrictions on them. Even for hunters. For non registered guns, in the hands of criminals, we can't do anything about that anyway. After all they are committing an illegal act both in the crime and the weapon they are using. However letting folks do wiley niley what they want with a dangerous weapon is not what a civilized society does. Weapons go off accidently and kill people. Kids get ahold of them and hurt people unknowingly. At some point we will have a total ban on guns and the hunters will have to amuse themselves in other ways rather than killing defenseless wild animals. Even police forces will adapt to better ways of apprehending criminals than using deadly force

dualstrats
said
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finally now i can start rebuying rifles..(not handguns) again.....bleeding heart liberals...funny how they say the CONs didnt win a majority of the vote but they forget that when they put this law in place they didnt have the majority either....

JPC near Regina
said
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The gun registry is an infringement on my rights to legally own private property in this country...get rid of it...

Notacon
said
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All the people that are against it will be the first ones to scream if someone they know gets shot with a long gun. I know several hunters that don't store guns properly because they might need them if someone breaks into their house!

B in Ottawa
said
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Registering guns is a waste of time and money. Guns don't commit crimes, people commit crimes with guns. That's why it makes sense to licence gun owners, not waste money registering guns. The Harper government once again is standing up for law abiding Canadians and will ensure that the Ending the Long Gun Registry Act is passed in a timely fashion.

Ball Valve
said
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The Liberal fear is making my nostrils flare.

Len
said
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Yes, there were cost over-rides in the gun registry. A lot of money was spent. I can understand the argument that people kill, guns do not. But, the cost now is minimal and the people who want to own long guns have to pay a license. I have to pay for a license to drive, to ply a motorboat, to live where I do, among several other things. I think this is just an appeasement to the Albertan and other western landowners (the vast, vast majority are law abiding citizens) so they don't have to pay an extra couple of dollars every year to be able to have a gun. I know I'll be criticized for this view by some but, if I have to pay for a driving license to possibly be a killer why shouldn't a gun owner have to divy up a couple of dollars to have the same privilege. The money to set this up has already been spent so they can't complain that they're spending millions a year to be able to show off their firearms.

Deanna
said
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If the majority of homicides in Canada are caused by someone with a "long gun" then why are the majority that you hear on the news unregistered hand guns? Just curious really, it's easy as pie to walk into a big city and buy a 9mm, and I can guarantee they're more than likely not registered. I don't think the gun registry stopped anything honestly, if your a responsible gun owner than you should register it, makes sense if someone steals it I guess, but I don't think people should be forced to.

Dianna Work
said
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I have never been in agreement with having everyone register their guns. As a lot of people have noted, only the law abiding register their guns, not the criminals that are the real concern. And those of you that want to compare this to licensing your vehicle, try to be more rational. We do not registers vehicles to stop crime.

David
said
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This government is yet again keeping another one of its promises. Thank you for helping to bring honour back to politics, and to the Canadian political system.

Douglas Bailey
said
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What other government program would be supported by Canadians if it was unable to demonstrate that there was no bang for the buck?The stats. are pretty clear that the long gun registry has done nothing to improve public safety.The support from the police associations is pretty suspect when one realizes that they received substantial contributions to their associations from the company that was responsible for developing and maintaining the long gun registry.Very few front line officers find the registry helpful. If the police chiefs were told to fund the registry out of their own police services budgets, it would be gone in a New York moment.

NS
said
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A BILLION dollars wasted on a dumb idea in the first place. That billion dollars could have been used on increasing the number of police, or even doctors and nurses. Instead, more stupid government red tape on things that do not require red tape. If the tax grabbing liberals were still in power, you have to register your nail gun and caulking guns! How many recovered long guns from actual crimes were registered? I bet a very unimpressive number, or the RCMP would have it published. Their honey pot is about to run dry.

Kevin Driver
said
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Paul it is my issue to and I am from BC.

Brad
said
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The only police I've heard of that support the long gun registry are the card carrying liberal ones.Any police officer who relies on the registry as proof if someone has a gun or not is a complete and utter fool.Common sense saves lives...not a gun registry.End the wasteful registry which has not saved a single life in Canada.

GRK from Oakville, ON
said
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Criminals do not register their guns. Crimes commited with guns are commited by the same criminals that do not register their guns. The government and police should use their resources going after persons with illegal guns, rather than law abiding citizens who own guns for target shooting, hunting, or just for having a gun collection because it is their right to do so. The gun debate in Canada has gone on for far too long. It is time for everyone to realize that law abiding citizens have the right to own a gun. If a person does not like guns that is okay - you don't have to own one, but do not tell others who wish to own a gun that they do not have the right to because you don't like them.

Elizabeth
said
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Hey Debbie...there are a lot of women that hunt as well, so does that mean "whatever it takes to make them feel like a woman"?? BTW I am no big fan of hunting but arguments and comments like yours just make me angry.

Dixie from Alberta
said
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All that $$ down the tubes. Thanks Liberals. Should never have been brought in in the first place. Wasn't it suppose to cost only 2 million. Pie in the sky.

Tammy in Montreal
said
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To all the people who keep saying that bad guys don't register their guns, Kimveer Gill who killed Anastasia Da Sousa and shot others at Dawson College had registered guns. As I said earlier he is proof that registered weapons don't make us safer. People can still kill with registered guns.

Doc
said
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Firearms owners have had to be licensed for years and handguns and other restricted firearms have always had to be registered. In a lot of ways it was a very costly duplication. I also notice that many police officers who are familiar with it are in favour with scrapping it but you don't hear their opinions in the news do you? The only people who want it are those who are unfamiliar with the system which worked very well before the registry came along.

TM
said
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Wasteful? Let's talk about one billion dollars blown on a weekend for the G20 summit.

Tunderbar
said
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Please don't distort the anti-registry argument. It is simple. 1) The cost to implement it was ridiculous. Both in terms of taxes (a billions dollars, really?) and in terms of fees to the registrant. 2) Bad guys will not register their guns. D'uh. Then what's the freaking point of it. 3) There is an actual practical use to long guns in the country. I'd be more worried about handguns.

Bob
said
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Gun Kills, it is not a tool or toy or used for cooking.
Every day a NUT, mentally challenged person, will use it to do harm to others, Like Norway, or shooting every week in US.
Any Gun that is not registered, should be in Jail period. If you want to shoot an animal, get an bow and arrow or use you hands.

Dave in Qc.
said
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You want to get people to support this then stop the loonies that keep saying guns don't kill people people kill people.Well lets test this.Ppoint your finger at a glass plate and say bang nothing happens to the plate.Point a gun at the same plate and pull the trigger.Chances are the plate will be destroyed.works the same way with people.The gun registry does not belong to the government by the way it belongs to the taxpayers.If the provinces want to set up their own registry then they have every right to have access to the info in the base because the taxpayers in the provinces paid for it and therefore own it.can someone tell me how many people have gone to jail for failure to register?How many canadians have criminal records now for not regeristing their weapons?How will cancelling this improve the quality of life in this country?Somehow I think the answers are none none and not at all.

Damon
said
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Now the Conservatives can concentrate all their efforts on arresting herb farmers and throwing people in jail for giving away cannabis (the new "trafficking"). But at least people that own shotguns that can blow someone's head off won't have to fill out a form every year.

John
said
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Not hard to tell that the CTV has many Liberal followers.

CC.
said
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Now let's get rid of the useless and wasteful car registry.

Hugo in Vancouver
said
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Since when do the police tell the citizens of Canada what the laws are going to be?

Laws are made by elected representatives of the citizens of Canada.

The police get their vote, just like any other citizens. Other than that, they can shut the ___ up.

NES
said
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The long-gun registry is every bit as useful as my Big-Foot Repellent Spray. Ever since I started spraying my yard every night before I go to sleep, I have not ONCE been attacked by Big Foot, so clearly it works.Long-guns were never a driving force of criminal activity in Canada. Gang violence did not decrease with the introduction of the registry, and it will not increase when the registry is scrapped.

Steve
said
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The easy way to sum up the registery:Cost: 1 Billion dollarsnumber of crimes it prevented: 0Number of lives saced: 0Number of crimminals who registred their guns: 0Was it really Worth it???

Proud Albertan
said
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Ok so from what i gather the RCMP's View on the Long gun registry is going to be pretty Bias. Unless you ask the actual officers in the field which i guarantee you the media didn�t do. I am a big supporter of the conservatives however to me i just don�t see the economic benefit to dismantling a system that took vast sums of money to establish in the first place. It has been around for a while now and despite what some people say it probably has helped a little bit with gun violence Im not saying by a lot but it probably has helped a little. Also who�s to say if (and i REALLY stress the IF) the liberals or even the NDP EVER get into power that they don�t just turn around and bring the Gun registry back again? If you�re going to scrap it fine but make sure you put it down for good is all I�m saying.

Paul
said
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Can't wait for the next election so that we can vote this red neck government out! Quit wasting my tax dollars to support something that is only an issue in red neck Alberta.

Really
said
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Responding to A Rock, unfortunately the registration of a firearm does not save "women/female engineers" from being shot. Maybe more attention from those around Lepine, who could of noticed his mental problems would have helped, but he could of committed his atrocious crime with a registered gun (interestingly the gun he used, which spurred this whole long gun registry was never banned in any way). He could have purchased it AFTER the registry was in effect and then committed his crime. Would anyone feel better knowing his gun was registered? No. The Registry cannot stop crime or criminals or crazy people who have been granted licences.

Paul
said
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To all the people that think the LGR helps law enforcement... think it through logically. If the police rely on the LGR to determine that the house they are about to raid has guns or not, or if the car they've pulled over has guns in it... then it's safe to say that that house or that car does not belong to the intended criminal. If I was a cop I would not rely on a bureaucratic registry to protect me. Would you?

The LGR purpose is none other than to collect a census of the firearms in the hands of law abiding citizens. Those who are not law abiding couldn't care less about registering firearms. The only outstanding question is why would a government want a census of guns in the hands of law abiding citizens... and that answer can be found in countries that have totalitarian governments like the former soviet bloc. I'll leave that for you to ponder.

Northern Rob
said
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Gun Registry Not Needed...If a farmer,hunter or anyone else for that matter has a hunting license then doesn't that show there is probably a gun in there possesion ?Easier to figure that out compared to searching a data base to see who has a gun which might not be registered any how.The money from a hunting license also goes to the conservation of birds and animals not into thin air.

Matthew Tremblay
said
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The LGR hasn't worked, and has proven not to work since it's inception. Law abiding Canadians have (before) the registery used their firearms lawfully, and this registry has been a watse of money that could have went towards REAL law enforcement. You must register a new firearm or when transferring a firearm so why did we need another registery........GOOD JOB MR. HARPER!

scott
said
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Myth:
This will save billions.

Fact:
The thing is in place and is cheep to maintain. Sunk cost are just that.

Myth:
Crime are committed with illegal gun that are untraceable.

Fact:
The vast majority of crimes are committed with guns that were at one time purchased legally. If they were stolen you should report that.

Myth:
The law makes criminal out of law abiding citzens.

Fact:
This statement is meaningless. all laws do this. A law makes something illegal that is otherwise legal. Murder is only illegal because there is a law against it. just like not registring your truck makes you a criminal.

Myth:
The Majority is against the law.

Fact:
A strong Minority is against the law. No poll has ever shown a majority against it. If this is a justification they you have to get rid of the laws against Pot and Hookers.

Myth:
There is no police use for this.

Fact:
After a crime tracing a gun back to the owner is useful for the investigation. Just like they do with car or any other traceable item found during an investigation.

For the record I am from a large family of Hunters who combined have 17 guns. (between my father and brothers and sister) All are registered and it was very simple to do.

Mark in Newmarket
said
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As far as I can see people who live in a city or an urban area have this political notion that guns are not necessary at all. However, people who live in rural area's, farmers, hunters etc. see guns as something that they need, it is a necessity.

Rob
said
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This statistic: "the majority of firearm-related fatalities result from long guns" is grossly deceiving. While there were many deaths from firearms, the large majority of them are from suicides (80.1%) and accidents (4.3%). Firearm suicides comprise 4-6x more of the deaths than do homicides. Out of the firearm homicides, I'd like to know how many were "long gun" related or of the "restricted" variety (pistols, assault style, etc). If you're a violent crime individual, you're going to want something concealable and maneuverable with a high rate of fire and a high capacity....pistols fit this class perfectly. They are already restricted in their access of purchase via two certifications you require to purchase, restricted transportation laws, registration, and restricted storage laws. The long gun registry is almost 95% irrelevant to the firearm crime in Canada.

JP
said
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Some of the comments on here are just out of this world. The long gun registry never was designed to get guns of the streets it was a cash cow right from the beginning. Criminals dont shoot people with registered weapons, this is obvious they shoot people with weapons that are stolen and those sold on the black market. Not to mention criminals dont use long guns to commit crimes as this would be a little hard to conceal during a robbery or other crimes. As one commenter said guns dont kill people, people kill people and thats the truth and for some of you the truth hurts, I personally am glad to see the long gun regisrty get scrapped as it iis a big waste of taxpayer money and time.

Debbie
said
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To all you hunters who desperately need rifles: don't you have supermarkets where you live? Pioneers used to need to hunt to live but most of us are civilized now and buy our meat from a store. Hiding while wearing camo-clothing and aiming a gun at an animal isn't really a sport, is it? Perhaps hunting could be considered a sport if you needed to run down the animal and track it and then aim a bow and arrow at it. At least keep it a fair fight. But keep "hunting" with a gun if that's what it takes you make you feel like a man.

Ed in Alberta
said
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I always thought that the purpose of the registry was so that there was a record of the SERIAL NUMBERS; better to aid the tracking of weapons imported illegally ("Yes", NRA advocates, "there are lots of them coming across the border") and to track weapons used in crimes when those weapons can be found after the fact.

the big gulp
said
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In all of Canada one police chief from a small town in Nova Scotia supported abolishing the gun registry. The R.C.M.P. is against abolishing the gun registry. Prime Minister Flip-Flop voted to support the gun registry twice but then again he's been locking himself in bathrooms and going in circles since January, 2006. Guns, a right winger's Viagra.

Evan in Athabasca
said
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That is right L, I am a hunter, why am I being punished? I did everything legally, now my money is wasted... just like the registry, was a giant money pit. Harper boys need to look at more serious things like drinking and driving and enact tough laws like BC, it works!!

Ian out West
said
0 0

A useless tool that cost far too much and continues to cost us. Some say the current cost is peanuts, I will leave my banking info and you can deposit your peanuts into my account. As for the car registry- you do this so that you can get some $$ back if you're involved in an accident. We have daily incidents of unlicensed and unregistered drivers causing problems. If the police need to know if there are guns at a home check the PAL/POL registry instead, otherwise, assume there are weapons involved!

Bubba: Define Weapon-car with civil servant drivin
said
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Mr not a Pye Chartt: I kinda like the idea of registering a vahicle as a weapon. The way most Civil Servants drive in this city, it would be more appropriate to call the vahicle a weapon than a vehicle.

I am thinking it's time we taught people that you can multitask when driving a vehicle. Turn the wheel, Look out the Window...then we add a third task, step on gas, or brake.....overload....overload....overload......brain cramp.....brain blue screen....crunch!

Diane
said
0 0

We are an over legislated society thanks to the Trudeau/Chretien Liberals who have all but handcuffed us with laws. Lets introduce a one rate tax policy and do away with the oppressive CRA rules and in doing so we can eliminate lots of government waste.

Ed in Alberta
said
0 0

Good. Now can we please dismantle the "wasteful" F-35 program too?

Jim Lovell
said
0 0

The long gun registry had little to do with crime, but a government who wanted to know who had guns and how many. This was basically an attack on the individual rights of those who owned guns, an infringement on those who hunt, farmers who use their guns to protect their livestock. It is a well known fact as well that every government who want to pacify their citizens, one of the first things they should do is to disarm them and this was one step in that direction that the Liberal government of the time took.

Debbie
said
0 0

@L - If all the long guns in the country are for country folk to kill the bears in their yards what's wrong with registering them? I don't understand the objection unless those long guns are also handy to shoot an uppity wife or to kill the whole family when farmer joe is depressed. A gun is a gun no matter what it's purpose and it should be registered whether it's long, short or sawed off because crime doesn't only happen with handguns.

What can you do
said
0 0

As long as they don't remove the PAL I can accept this. Any dismantling of the process that ensures gun owners are properly trained in the use and storage of firearms, and do not have criminal histories or mental instabilities would lead to more shooting deaths both accidental and intended.

eddieo
said
0 0

The Minister of Public Safety is going against the advice of the RCMP while the PM is spending money to build prisons that we don't need while saying that we have to cut costs.

Am I the only one to see the irony here?
This government is Orwellian with it's use of double speak.

Jake
said
0 0

Its death is long overdue.

The BRUCE
said
0 0

Gang Bangers never registrar there weapons. So just make the penalties harder for people convicted of firearm offences.

Matt in NB
said
0 0

I agree with phillinlondon - The orginal and current standing gun registry is nothing more than a farce to allow the government to descriminate based apon gun ownership. Police Officers are aloud to approach a house which never had any gun related issues differently based on wrather they know there is a registered gun there or not. Which is discrimination and wrong. plain and simple

Carl
said
0 0

The registry has never saved a life or prevented a crime. There is no rational reason to believe it ever could. Since it was created, murders have been committed with both registered and unregistered rifles.

Vern in Alberta
said
0 0

The Gun Registry was located in Miramachi New Brunswick to compensate and employ the locals when they closed CFB's Chatam and St. Margarets. Now that the Long Gun will be gone, wonder if they can find work for those that will be unemployed.

Kim
said
0 0

I have asked this direct question 100 times and no one can answer.Specifically how does the gun registry prevent gun crime and make us safer? I want specifics, not generalized "it keeps guns out of the hands of criminals" statements.Explain to me in facts, how this was supposed to work?

Mark - Calgary
said
0 0

RJ in Calgary: "I will not vote for Harper again if they kill the Long gun registry. not only will gangs have more in there hands..."If you actually think that the registry prevents gangs from getting guns, then I have a bridge for you to buy.All I hear from defenders of the registry is that it does this or it does that, but no one actually shows any proof that it does anything at all. It's just talk.

JayRoc
said
0 0

To all the people saying that they need a gun for "bears" and other wildlife in the country, please explain why you should not still register your gun? Why??? No one is saying you can't have one. But why not register it?

Mandosa
said
0 0

"Provinces could create their own registries." Terrific. Look for Dolten to get right on that. And how much will it cost? Oh, that doesn't matter. He'll make something up. And then a few billion later, we'll elect him again. Way to go Ontario!

Mark - Calgary
said
0 0

Can anyone show me proof that the registry has actually saved a life or stopped a crime? Just one single example, please.

Mr John.
said
0 0

@Spencer.....
Well put my friend...There are commentators who make comments on every story who think they are experts on all....but prove the expression of "Ignorance personified!!"is very accurate.

@Lola In Calgary
said
0 0

You sincerely just don't get it and you never will. rolls eyes

Jeremy
said
0 0

building extra jails when our crime rate is going down, getting rid of the long gun registery when most police assn's believe it is a valuable tool to them. Harper, you certainly have the pulse of crime in Canada today, NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

L
said
0 0

Debbie - city people don't understand country life. I know you don't want a gun-totting population - neither do I. But a gang member with a hand gun is different from a stay-at-home Mom with a deer rifle incase a bear wanders into her yard. Common sense should prevail here, it's not a black and white situation.

MARG MM
said
0 0

Catwoman39.....The Conservatives are keeping an election promise, something the Liberals would know nothing about. It only makes sense to go full steam ahead with the promises made, as that is why they received a majority in the first place. It is nice to have a Government that actually keeps their election promises. Since the most violent crimes happen in the big cities and are carried out by illegal handguns, the long gun registry seems to have been a misguided cash grab all along.

tom91
said
0 0

You fools. The registry does not allow or prevent anyone from getting a gun. Thats what a gun license is for. I keep reading the comments below any every single person opposed to this action knows NOTHING about it. If you dont know anything, then mind your own business. Police officers on teh street themselves will tell you that this database is useless. Regardless of what biased police chiefs say.

Tammy in Montreal
said
0 0

@g: why did they get rid of their antique guns? As far as I know you don't have to register or have licenses for antique guns. Check the RCMP website to be sure.@montreal: Kimveer Gill, the shooter/killer who went on a rampage at Dawson College, had registered weapons. He's proof that the gun registry doesn't make people any safer.

Victoria Bob
said
0 0

There has never been any doubt in my mind since the introduction of the Registry that it was Alan Rock's attempt to build Polictical Capital for he and his Liberal party. There was never a serious study done to determine its possible effectiveness in preventing crimes and, certainly, could not have involved serious budgeting. How could a $2 million cost estimate balloon into $1-2 Billion?? Sadly, imagine what could have been done with those $$$ if targeted against the criminal elements in our society.

L
said
0 0

Lola - have you ever had a bear walk into your backyard while your kids are playing? That is why people need guns. They need it for protection, to hunt, and I see this more as a rural issue. If you aren't rural I could see why this would be hard to understand.

Roger
said
0 0

To all the left leaning people who to control my life and how I live, "Guns don't kill people, poeple kill people." Now stay out of my business and leave me alone.

Brad
said
0 0

Why is Brian Rahilly not advocating registration of knives, chainsaws, axes, baseball bats, golf clubs etc. A gun is a tool when used as such. Anything can be used as a weapon.The long gun registry has not been proved to have saved a single life in Canada.2 billion dollars wasted on the registry would have been well spent towards cancer research.Criminals access black market weapons regardless of gun laws in force. Kill the failed registry and divert the money saved towards anything that might actually save a life.

bcken
said
0 0

I'm not so concerned about the loss of the gun registry, although I'd rather that if police think it's a useful tool we keep it. What I'm wondering about is the safe storage part of the original act, requiring owners to store rifles and long guns securely and separately from ammunition. I think the latter part should remain because it then tends to reduce thieves opportunities to steal a readily useful weapon during a break in.It also tends to cut the number of accidental shootings, usually by children playing with them.

JimboJones
said
0 0

From Lola in Calgary:"Can anyone explain to me why you would NEED to own a gun - never mind semi-automatics and long range rifles & pistols? You don't need all of that to hunt an unarmed doe. I sincerely just don't get it. Can one of you calmly and respectfully explain that to me?"Yes. I can. The answer is I NEED long range rifles to target shoot long range. Or dispatch coyotes from a long range. Semi automatics assist with quick follow up shots, if necessary.Can you explain to me why you need a car? Why don't you just walk? Can you explain to me why you need a dishwasher, stove, microwave? What's wrong with a basin full of water to wash dishes in, and an open campfire to cook over? Can you explain why you need a house? What's wrong with a tent?As you can see, improved technology is a benefit to many people, in many different ways. Firearms are just that. Technology. Don't be afraid.

RJ in Calgary
said
0 0

I Voted for Harper and have lived in the west my entire life. I will not vote for Harper again if they kill the Long gun registry. not only will gangs have more in there hands, but now that we know the registry helps the RCMP and the money is already spent whats the point?. Were going to just dump it and waste the money? Where is the fiscal responsibility there?

AlbDude
said
0 0

Imagine the money saved once the registry is gone. I hope they put the money into better use. Like shutting down the influx of illegal firearms.

PBW
said
0 0

@Lola. Perhaps you could explain to me why any sane person would collect used old clocks? Or cars or cameras? Like collectors of those items, gun collectors like their objects to be in working order. By your logic, collecting any mechanical object - that if misused could hurt someone - should be illegal. Like it or not, collections preserve our history. and guns ARE part of that history. in spite o the PC Left trying to rewrite that history to suit their Weltanschauung.

MAtt
said
0 0

i dont get what the big deal is..... you still have too take 2 courses too get ur PAL which takes time and money too do if u want a rifle or shotgun, registering the gun costs a few dollars big deal. It seems like people think since u dont have too register ur gun that u can just randomly buy one, sorry but that isnt the case

Michael
said
0 0

I'll be glad to see it go. I really don't believe registering the long guns actually stops crime. A criminal isn't going to register their rifle before going to rob a bank. (well unless their a moron)But then I'm coming from the perspective of my Air Rifles (completion grade pellet guns) must be registered here. Also, that the long gun registrations made it difficult for juniors to compete on their way to the Olympics. Then there's the cases where people are treated poorly just because they own a gun.I'm sure some where the gun registration saves lives, but else where it destroys them... I don't thing the trade off is worth it. As the video said... "What's a persons life worth..." I ask the same question back about the person's life who is destroyed because of miss-use of the long-gun registration.

Pricey95
said
0 0

The long gun registry was ill conceived from its inception. It was nothing more than a political attempt to gain votes in city centers such as Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, where gun violence is a problem. Fact is that the only people that register their firearms are law abiding citizens who use them for hunting and as a tool on farms. Criminals who would use one to commit a crime were not registering their guns.As for the police issue and police chiefs that have come forward to say it is a useful tool to identify firearms in peoples home; that is just plain idiotic. If you show me a police department or officer who would enter a home with no registered firearms any different than one that did I would personnally strip the badge off their chest for stupidity. The fact is that police officers are not this naive and ALWAYS enter a house thinking there are firearms present. Why, because criminals do not register their firearms.The possession and acquisition licensing program is in place and should remain. This ensures that those who wish to purchase or own a firearm must take a safety course and meet the criteria set out such as not having a violent criminal record etc. If you do not have the license you cannot possess or own a firearm and if caught with one you would be subject to the law. We will never be the US where you can get a brand new firearm when opening a bank account. There are responsible measures in place, the long gun registry was not one of them and should be scrapped.

GHW
said
0 0

@ Lola in Calgary, first of all this particular issue is about scrapping a wasteful misguided program and not whether or not you think guns are worthwhile but to answer your question, farmers who need to protect their herds, sportsmen and women who like the sport and collectors hobbyists who like firearms. You could also ask why would you need to own alcohol or listen to Barry Manilow, both of which will kill you. Why? Diverse human nature and law abiding personal freedom!

Rob Western Canadian
said
0 0

When you buy a long gun they have all the information and its been like that for years even before this registration even started. All this was, was a make work project by the government who brought this in at that time so they could get more votes. Costing tax payers and wasting millions. You want to stop gun violence stop the guns comming in across the border, anybody caught with a restricted weapon and comitting a crime put them away for twenty years with no parole. Its not the guns we have to worry about its more the drunks behind the wheel.

Ross
said
0 0

I just wonder if the conservatives have been given tons of money by the gangs to scrap this gun law. You have to wonder.

Mark S
said
0 0

@Lola - To answer your question why do you need a long gun? Hunting, trap or skeet shooting, or target. You can't hunt with a handgun, and handguns have very strict controls which won't change with this proposed change. Before the registry existed, long gun owners still had to apply to the police for a Firearms Acquisition Certificate (FAC). After being screened, you could purchase a long gun.

The only thing that changed between the FAC and the current system is that each individual long gun is now registered. Gun owners will still be screened, we just won't track every trade or sale of each and every long gun. We didn't do this before, and there are no statistics to show that the registry has reduced gun crimes, nor can the registry be linked to have prevented even a single gun crime. Criminals don't get their weapons legally. They either steal them or smuggle them from the U.S. - mostly through reservations.

Mitch in Kitch
said
0 0

My vote has spoken.

Jim - North Saanich, BC
said
0 0

As I recall Bill C-68 containa over 140 pages of legislation directed wholly at the legal ownership of firearms and did not contain so much as one reference to the criminal use of firearms. In fact the penalities imposed on those who did comply with the legislation but who were in someway deemed to be in contravention were more severe than those imposed the criminal element who used illegal firearms in the commission of armed offenses. Since 2003, every individual who complied with the licensing and registration of their firearms has been on a nation-wide computerized police watch list and ask any firearms owner who has been stopped by police for a traffic violation or "routine inspection" if they have not been subject to questions and search as to whether or not there is a firearm in their vehicle. Homes have been searched without warrant, property seized and often destroyed without due process and the rights of the law-abiding firearms owners trampled. If one really wants to look at just how effective Bill C-68 has been just remember Mayerthorpe. Four rookie police officers checked the registry, found no record of firearms ownership and the end results showed just how effective Bill C-68 really was.

Big MAC
said
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You could be killed with a hammer or baseball bat just as quick as with a gun. A gun is nothing more than a tool. NUFF SAID!

JB in Ontario
said
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Any tool that helps police do their job shoud be kept. Thank goodness we are not like the states! We live in a wonderful, relatively safe country and if it means keeping the long gun registry to save lives, I am all for it!

Doug in Alberta
said
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To Lola in Calgary; Many people choose to hunt game as an alternative to buying domestic meat. They hunt for the sport but do it while being respectful of the game they seek. Harvesting wild game also serves to control the numbers and while this sounds harsh, we'd soon be over-run with deer, for example, if none was taken. So while no-one "needs" to own a long gun, they do play a part in wildlife management and feeding families.

michelt_t
said
0 0

Hard to believe it took - 16,000 queries a day, for 10 years... with no crime solved nor prevented- $2 billion in tax dollarsFor a government to realize that the program isn't working as intended! Can't wait to see this replaced by more meaningful social work programs.

Adrian
said
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Good its about time we got rid of it!
The only purpose it served was as a government tax grab, because criminal, killers and all around bad guys just don't register their guns with the government.

Dennise Worboys
said
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As a victim of violence and abuse.... I just want to say that hunters and farmers shoot their supposed loved ones too....... as a Mother of a police officer.... I know how he appreciates that the gun registry is in place... each time he approaches a door... the gun registry at least helps them sometimes........ why not leave it in place....... it cost a lot to get it in and will cost a lot to get rid of it........ it is better than nothing...... just ask me!!!!!

Corey.Alberta
said
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The Conservatives from the beginning openly supported scrapping this useless legislation. And the people of Canada have voted and given the conservatives a majority in the house of commons. Now the conservatives are making good on their promises and following threw. And somehow this is a bad thing? The government was democratically elected, blame the people if you must blame someone. Not the government

chris
said
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I am a lefty(public health, union supporter) - but the support of the Long gun registry(LGR) by fellow lefties completely embarasses me. Why? The LGR is proving completely useless in preventing gun violence and in preventing violence against women, and it's a wasteful use of government and personal resources and time.
p.s. 8 firearms and counting and oh, BTW the handgun registry isn't stopping criminals from using their handguns for crime.

CRR
said
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Brian Rahilly just doesn't get what the the Conservatives are proposing. The Conservatives are not scrapping licensing, which means guns owners still need a license to buy a gun. Placing a registration certificate next to a gun doesn't make it safer. Vetting a person at the licensing stage make complete sense and where the focus should be.

Bryan
said
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The police are the experts here. Not the conservatives. If the chiefs of police say they need this to do their jobs, leave the damn thing there. Why do the conservatives feel the need to mess around with things they aren't experts on...like the CENSUS!

Sean
said
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Aside from the unfair costs to all taxpayers and the unfair prosecution of Ontario gunowners who have failed to comply with some changing paperwork procedures, A very real reason to protest the long gun registration is that registration has led to confiscation in other countries (Australia, Britain..) .Canadians are sheep. The firearms sold to us have a limit of the type of ammo, the amount of ammo that a mag/clip can hold as well as the rate of fire and even the barrel length. Sports shooters and hunters here are penalized and taxed in so many ways compared to the rest of the world. The liberals capitalized on emotional aspects of a number of tragic public shootings, and since catching criminals is difficult, it leaves the average Canadian tax payer and the regular gun owner to pay the price. No more! This country has many more significant issues to spend our energy and our tax money on.

Hugo in Vancouver
said
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I'd just like to respond to Lola's question about why anyone needs to own a gun.

Guns are a tool. When placed in good hands, they can do good things, like shoot bad people who are trying to hurt good people.

When placed in bad hands, they can do bad things.

When someone is doing something bad with a gun, you call the police. This is because the police have guns. That's why you call them. You don't call someone with no gun to come and help, right? What if you had your own gun? It might save your life.

Since we can't keep the guns out of the hands of bad people, it's better to make sure that enough good people also have guns to keep the bad people in check.

This is accomplished through screening and background checks, licensing, and training.

Also, guns are fun to shoot and interesting to some people. I'm not interested in Barbie dolls or reality TV. I'm interested in guns. I like wilderness camping, and without a gun, I'm just a walking piece of meat for bears and cougars.

Ed
said
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If you registered your gun, you are not very likely to kill some one with. Killers do not register their weapons. The registry is a waste of my money period.

Hugo in Vancouver
said
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The registry is completely unnecessary.

Background checks are done on an individual who wishes to aquire a Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL), as well as a training course primarily focusing on safety.

If an individual has a PAL, then one can assume that they own firearms. Does it matter exactly what type or how many? Will that change anything?

Restricted weapons such as pistols have been registered since the 1930's, and that will continue. Their use is strictly controlled.

Licensing, training, and background checks are good. The registry is pointless.

Arnold Littlefield
said
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Go conservatives!I don't have the stats but my guess is that many more people are killed with knives than long guns.

Davidf
said
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Lola, Ask yourself how many things you own both potentially dangerous and otherwise that you don't NEED. NEED for something should not be a factor in determining the right to legally own it in a free country. I do understand that in your opinion Canadians should not have the right to own firearms. I hope you will take note that I have no personal interest in limiting any of your current rights or freedoms

taxpayer
said
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Please, be calm, it just another tax program cancelled. Why can't we all get so fired up about the extorsion that our gasoline pricess are doing to us. There are alot more important things to be concerned about other than the useless gun registry.

PJR
said
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Abolish it? I thought they were going to rename it "The Royal Canadian Gun Registry", put the head office in Tony Clement's riding and fly Peter Mackay there in a challenger jet from his fishing holiday to announce it on the shores of a fake lake.

Arnold McAulay
said
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As a gun owner who registered in compliance with the law, I wonder what will become of the data that has been collected in the Registry? I didn't think it was unfair or a burden on any citizen, and may have helped in making our society a little less "gun totin'"

It is my opinion that this law and the opposition to it has more to do with political views and allegiances than it does with reasonability.

Jay
said
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I wonder if the Opposition will try and send this one to the Ethics Commissioner on the grounds that some MPs are long-gun owners, and by implication could stand to 'benefit' from this legislation. I mean, that kind of flawed logic didn't stop them from doing the same on the Wheat Board issue. But seriously, these conservative grain farmers were elected by other grain farmers, they knew this was part of their mandate and he is just fulfilling it/keeping his promises... I'm just saying...

Davidf
said
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Scrapping the long gun registry is a good and sensible step for many many reasons. There's lot's of debate about the fine points but the reality is that the long gun registry never had anything to do with safety at all - anyone whether they're knowledgeable about guns or not can immediately see that. The long gun registry was only a tool for social enginnering essentially an attempt to remold Canadian society into something more palatable to Lieberals. The purpose of the registry was to discourage firearms ownership and facilitate confiscation as the planned re-engineering progressed. This is simple and obvious especially if you compare results to costs.

MGB
said
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The demise of the long gun registry will be one small step towards trusting responsible Canadian citizens and removing 'feel good' restrictions created by one group of people (who receive zero benefit) to control another group of people (who receive zero benefit, pay for it all, and have their lives and lifestyles unnecessarily restricted). It is about time and it is only the first step.

Thinker
said
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Other civilized countries gun control groups looking for new solutions use Canada's firearm registry as an example of what not to do, as a failed experiment.

Cars are not guns. You do NOT have to register a car to keep it on your property, or use it on private property. You only register a car when you want to use it on public roads. Many people only want to keep firearms on private property, or for use in private clubs.

Nathan
said
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Go Conservatives GO!!!!!

Terry
said
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The facts are that this emotional for some people and common sense for others whichever side you fall. The facts are thus-a) the bill was promised to cost a maximum of 25 million, it has cost somewhere in the neighbourhood of One Billion to Two Billion tax dollars and we will never know the true costs because Police and other costs are not considered in the total cost.b) The Liberal government of the day, broke parliamentary law by hiding the true costs of the registry for years in it's reports of finance to parliament--and that is truly bothersome it itself. The Prime Minister of our country making a plan to break the law of Parliament?c) My Ex-Wifes sister and her husband are both police officers, ex RCMP and now in a Municipal Police force. Neither one of them believe in the registry. Speaking with them they told me that none of their fellow officers support the Long gun registry.d) Long gun owners will still have their Firearms Licenses and that is all that they need to be identified by Police. The Police presently can do a firearms search under the Firearms registration or a firearms license. Both tell the Officer only one thing--that a certain address might have firearms. Because a firearms owner can loan his or her firearms to another Firearms License holder so one's address might have no Long guns at all under their search so how usefull is that? The fact is, that all Police have to act as if there is a gun at all addresses bar none. Finally a government with some common sense and sadly that is lacking by the former Government members and other opposition members. RegardsTerry

Lola in Calgary
said
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Can anyone explain to me why you would NEED to own a gun - never mind semi-automatics and long range rifles & pistols? You don't need all of that to hunt an unarmed doe. I sincerely just don't get it. Can one of you calmly and respectfully explain that to me?

Lorne
said
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When you think about it, our lives are being continually "regulated" for us in the name of "safety". Cellphone use is banned when operating a vehicle, smoking in a vehicle is banned for the safety of children, smoking in public places or within a certain distance of a building is banned. Helmets are mandatory when riding a bicycle in some provinces. The list goes on and on. All in the name of "safety" of the human being. We are being placed in a "bubble" and have accepted it. Elimination of the long gun registry is just one less regulation to follow. Have all these regulations really saved lives? People are still being killed in vehicle accidents, people are still being shot and bicyclists are still being struck down by vehicles. People are still dying from cancer that is non-smoke related.It makes one wonder just how "safe" you are.

Abe
said
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It will be interesting to see which Provinces opt to turn the Federal boondoggle into a Provincial one. Canada's "distinct" Province will likely be the only one.

philinlondon
said
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I've never owned a gun in my life, I also never understood the fuss when Chretien crew initiated the registry but hey a few decades later I am wiser about the issues at the core of the registry.The registry simply set aside the law for gun owners making them all potential criminals if convenient for police.The registry simply determined that government knows better than the individual. The registry was established under false pretenses and with false cost analysis. The fool is the one who thinks a registry will prevent another psychopath from shooting women out of anger as in the ecole polytechnique incdient that spawned the need for gun control debate.This registry does NOTHING to prevent such a massacre from re-occuring. Finally the urban rural divisions in this country (look at Ontario election for the most recent example) are the direct result of legislation like this that pits one group of law abiding Canadians against the other. Funny how a party that turned a blind eye and a tin ear to complaints from rural Canadians still doesn't get that the rural people want to be part of the society we all enjoy. Less government means less government waste and exploitation. May the long gund registry die a peaceful death and the provinces who consider re-enacting it consider ALL of their constituents before wasting their money.

Cretius
said
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Trust the RCMP to produce a self-serving report supporting universal gun registration. Univeral registration without proven need is simply a ploy to preserve the Force�s power and jobs which results in increased funding. Either the RCMP does not know the content of the Firearms Act or they are deliberatley misleading the public. Licensing keeps guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally unbalanced. Registration has no part in that. Also, firearms are not the method of choice for suicide in Canada. Their report offers opinion but no science to back their claims about the worth of long gun registration. They have yet to produce one conviction directly related to firearms registration going back to 1934!

The anti-firearms folks continue to press their case based on ignorance, fear, prejudice, emotion, propaganda and outright falsehoods. They have no legitimate statistics or empiracal studies to support their position.

Yes, the Conservative government is doing the right thing by ending this divisive and wasteful Liberal booondoggle.

JesseSK
said
0 0

This is one of the few things I agree with the conservatives on. It's funny how they are using statistics and logical evidence to support scrapping the registry, yet they shun statistics and logical evidence on the questions of the ridiculous crime bill, the farmers right to a vote on the wheat board, trying to shut down Vancouver Insite Program, etc etc etc. You are on a roll conservatives with your logical evidence based arguements against the useless long gun registry.. try that stuff with the other policies please!

spencer
said
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@ Not a pye chartt.......nothing like trying to have a debate with the ignorant. Check the facts man..... there is no requirement to register your car.....you can buy 1, 20, 50 if you like. No questions asked. Oh..... the licence part..... that's so they know who has paid a fee to use the roads.

conductor274
said
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Hey we've got to get that crime rate up somehow. How else will Harper be able to fill all those new jails his buddies intend to build. So what if a few cops get shot in the process. Harper's attitude must be they are guilty of killing people needlessly at times so it's about time the public is able to get armed without them knowing about it and shoot back isn't it? It makes for good TV news, more money for lawyers, employment in the court system, full jails, crime rate goes up, it's a WIN WIN WIN all around. Yea Harper!!

montreal
said
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The cons best be on bended knee hoping that no incident having the slightest resemblance to the Montreal Massacre occur between now and the next election. This issue has had huge upside for them for years getting the loons to fill their coffers. It is all downhill from here. They are now like ticking time bombs waiting for the ammo to light the fuse. And for all you law and order type who love praising police when it fits your ideology why do you completely ignore them now? Hypocrites or what!

Andrew
said
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Why not keep it since it's here? Would you complain if the money wasted on maintaining it were spent on health care instead? Granted it may be a useful tool for police, but is it worth the cost? It would be convenient for me to have a drive in movie in my back yard as well, but I can think of better ways to use my resources.

Dave in Edm
said
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It took me all of 7 minutes to register my 3 hunting rifles, I never understood the outrage over this. From most people I know, the outrage is more of an outrage against our large urban areas and Chretien, divided by party lines. If the Preston Manning had come up with the idea, the Conservatives would be all over it and loving it as it gives police more powers. The outrage over this yet the quietness over bringing back the terrorism laws which are by far more intrusive is perplexing. The law that hasn't been used in 5 years makes all law abiding citizens criminals, not just gun owners...

g
said
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I once had the opportunity to talk to someone who worked in the gun registry office that was responsible for cataloguing all weapons turned into the office by the public before they were destroyed. He said the saddest part was that the law included all guns without thought to their significance. Many families turned in their great great great grandfathers guns. This was all they had as an heirloom to the battles that their ancestors fought to keep our county free. Many going back way past the war of 1812. Now all this history is now lost with irrelevance. These families were so sad to lose ties to their great relatives but felt bullied that they would become criminals. The registry was thought with poor minds who couldn�t see what they were doing, blinded by the notion they were doing the world a favour. I saw hundreds of rifles including muskets, most that could never be fired again due to age ready to meet the overzealous whims of an ill conceived notion.

GHW
said
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The LGR was never anything more than political pandering to a hurting panicky liberal base that loves any excuse to stick it to the west and rural Canada. A more useful tool for the RCMP might be to install chips in every Canadian citizen to track both person and currency. Sadly the left cannot recognize that policies like this are the real human rights violations not subjectively hurting some ones feelings with speech. What is scary is that even though we are currently seeing more balanced rational governing, some day it may very well turn back around and the fascist left will have their day. The LGR places the responsibility and burden mostly on law abiding gun owners and not on the criminals where it belongs.

Mike in Pembroke
said
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@ John, the registry does not cost peanuts each year to run. Take just the wages and the cost of maintaining these recorders and buildings. Even peanuts is too much to spend to run this useless registry that no one can prove has saved one life. I would like to see this money shifted to more police officers on the street of our cities and towns.

Ryan, Guelph
said
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I would like to see a study that looks at police death statistics before and during the long gun registry... personally, I doubt it did anything, since criminals don't register guns... but it would still be interesting to see which side is "right."

@ A. Rock
said
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Give it a rest will you. The long gun registry has prevented no one from getting guns if they really want one to commit a crime. This money would be better spent on stopping gang shootings and getting hand guns and fully auto rifles off the streets. In case you do not understand how the long gun registry worked let me explain. It was only the law abiding people that registered their guns. The street gangs do not register their guns!

King Nutmost the Rash
said
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The Long-Gun registry was never anything more than a sop to persons, chiefly in Montreal and Toronto. The idea that any criminal would give a rat's you-know-what about this law is goofy. And if a rifle or shotgun is used in domestic violence then having it registered will be small comfort to the relatives of the victim(s). Just another expensive boon-doggle, but it is a very government control thing that socialists find attractive.

Gabe
said
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What's the big deal to register a gun?? It's here - why not continue using it?

Paul
said
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Dear Lord almighty, this can't come fast enough.

Mike
said
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By cancelling the long gun registry, we now know where Harper will get his money to pay for the new prisons that we so do not need. But hey build them and they will come. Having a gun registry does/will not prevent the bad people from getting guns, they buy them on the streets, not the legal way. As much as I am not a Harper fan, he has it right on this one, just hope he uses the money saved on something we need. Maybe an MP needs a fake lake in his riding.

MiggsVer2.0
said
0 0

Perhaps we shouldn't need to register our vehicles either. After all registering a vehicle ownership doesn't prevent criminals from driving stolen cars so why bother right? Lots of backward logic.

Kevino
said
0 0

To: Mr not a Pye Chartt If you took the time to research the history behind registering vehicles you would know that it was to register ownership. Basically the government found a way to tax the title on your car. The fact that it was used for law enforcement was a by-product.

Jaid in Toronto
said
0 0

The gun registry only works for good people stooping down to do something criminal. Unfortunately, criminals don't register their guns, and the guns they steal may be from someone who legally obtained the license to use it.

Catwoman 39
said
0 0

What is really funny about this whole thing is in 3 weeks, the Conservatives are in a huge rush to kill the long gun registry & the wheat Board. Meanwhile, they won a majority govt and they will have at least another couple of years before an Federal Election to get these bills passed in the HOC. So why rush everything all at once? Simple answer? Harper days are numbered now. Mainly because now reports are coming out on how bad the economy & their job creation plans are , and how much misspending is going on. Keep in mind , there are Progressives out there who are not happy with this Conservative Govt because they don't like the reform ideology. They are mainly Conservative Economically, not socially Conservative. Basically, a blue Liberal, red Tory. I have met a few of them in the past few years at rallies, etc Maybe there is real dirt about to come out on Harper, and the media is just too slow to get the story.

Prof. Pye Chartt
said
0 0

An expensive, boneheaded idea, founded upon boneheaded logic, still stubbornly supported largely by boneheaded anti-Conservative people desperate to excuse the Registry's utter lack of practical utility. There is no statistical or empirical evidence in existence in Canada that demonstrates the Long-Gun Registry to be a productively worthwhile, assuring, life-saving mechanism. Rather, it is a nifty "tool" for law enforcement to use and abuse, which, ironically, happens to be lost on the left-wing boneheads who support it. Of course the chiefs of police think it's dandy. Duh. Why not? Officers, however, know that it's quite useless in preventing crime and saving lives. Furthermore, you NEVER assume people are unarmed. Ask a cop. (The automobile registration comparative analogy represents more boneheadedness.) As for urban violence, gangs, and hand-guns...well, more uselessness. Be gone, Long-Gun Registry; be gone.

AH
said
0 0

Finally. Now let's put the wasted money to where it will do some good. Let's deal with the gang issue that we have in this country. No more pussy footing around on court cases waiting to be heard. Let's deal with the criminal element once and for all.

John
said
0 0

Thank You for Mr. Harper! I'm so glad I voted conservative.

Bob NS
said
0 0

Long overdue. Gun registry don't stop criminals from acquiring guns. There is no weapon against that infortunately. Bob NS

Scott
said
0 0

This is a good day to be a Canadian. With the passing of a hand and making Bill C-68 a law, Alan Rock and his Liberals instantly made law abiding citizens of this country criminals. This alone, above all else that is wrong with this registry, is the biggest issue I had with it. Bill C-68 was a knee jerk reaction to the tragic event that killed 14 women in Montreal. The time and money that has been spent was sadly directed in the wrong direction. Law abiding Canadians did nothing wrong.

Ivan
said
0 0

So you have to register your car, but not your guns. Make perfect sense. By the way, most vehicular homicides are by people who have legally registered their cars.

Gorg
said
0 0

jack
said
0 0

No one should be surprised. Harper promised he would cancel it, and he's doing just that. If he could, Harper would give guns to every man, woman and child and tell us how proud he is to follow in the footsteps of Conservatives in the U.S.. Canada will soon be as crime-ridden as Harper's beloved U.S.. Enjoy, folks!

hunter
said
0 0

Can the police take over or even the Provinces? The concept had some good but it was a major rip off from the liberals and something else will come in and renew our frustrations.

David
said
0 0

I am surprised that the Liberals and the NDP have not considered lobbying for a knife registration as well. Are they not used in many homicides as well? That would be another great use of taxpayer's money! The real issue here is not one of registration but morality -- something sadly missing from so many educational, societal and familial initiatives and structures. If we can shape and mold hearts from an early age with solid moral training we will help change the world into a better and safer place.

trunorth
said
0 0

Well this is one skewed news report if I ever saw one. Even the "Selected Comment" reflects the bias of the liberal, bleeding-heart media.

CADPAT
said
0 0

Exellent point Robert. I woudl also add that the licensing provisions are stacked to create a cash grab for the "training" system the Liberals brought in with the changes to licensing. Did you know that as a senior weapons instructor in the CF (qualified to teach the entire NATO small arms inventory plus the majority of the non-NATO inventory) and a weapons technician (gunsmith to the rest of you), I am not allowed to have a civilian license unless I complete the BS course offered through the registration system? (The one that teaches me what end of the barrel the projectile comes out of!) I am vastly more qualified than the fellow teaching the course, but am not allowed to just write the exam nor present my qualifications for review. So, HOW exactly does this help anyone?

Ted from Toronto
said
0 0

I initially registered my 1880's vintage .22 caliber single shot rifle which I got handed down from my grandfather. When the registry was free to start with I figured I would comply with the law. Several years later I got a letter saying I'd have to re-register the gun because it had no serial number and a numbered sticker would have to be affixed. I called the registry number and had a nice chat with a person in New Brunswick at the registry. I explained that nothing had changed in my address or weapon status so why not just send me the sticker. No go. I must pay the $65 to re-register. I have done nothing wrong. I have complied with the regulations. I refused. Nothing happened. A couple years later I got a letter saying that since I owned no gun, I could not renew my ownership card! I called again and was told that the records showed that my gun had been sold! That's a great tool for the police. The registry is an expensive waste. Focus on putting money into the mental health system instead.

Johnny
said
0 0

Ted, same argument goes for everything. Making drugs illegal hasn't stopped them from getting into the hands of people that want them. Should we get rid of that law as well?

Bob
said
0 0

Maybe they will spend some of those millions to find a way to stop the illegal flow of handguns from the US. Illegal handguns are a far greater problem than rifles and shotguns.

Lorraine
said
0 0

oOOOOOOOOH! How I luv my P.M.!

Since their is already "registrations" for guns, which HONEST PEOPLE DO USE, why not scrap this useless one all together ?

We'd be saving millions and millions right there!...

After all, who needs a gun to kill someone else ?

Dean in Abby
said
0 0

Most people aren't murdered with long guns. The criminals use pistols and knives. This was just a "city" vote-getting venture that wound up costing billions for absolutely nothing. Silly Liberals, gov't is for Conservatives!

Will
said
0 0

"The internal RCMP evaluation released last year said the gun registry was a "useful tool" for police, but noted there was widespread confusion and misunderstanding about the firearms program. The report found the registry prepared officers for urgent on-duty calls, helped them trace weapons found at crime scenes and assisted in keeping guns from the mentally unstable. "The majority of firearms in Canada are long guns," the evaluation said. "The majority of firearm deaths in Canada are caused by long guns." If we are to believe this "evaluation", then why do the police officers on patrol actively mistrust the registry? I am well acquainted with many constables across this country and NONE are in favour of the registry. When add in the assertion that the majority of firearms deaths are from long guns, then we can plainly see that the "evaluation" is falsifying its results. The majority of firearms deaths are the result of illegal weapons such as handguns not the rifle or shotgun in the home.

Ted from Toronto
said
0 0

The popular illusion is that the gun registry prevents bad people from acquiring guns. The registry has never prevented anyone, criminal, sane or otherwise, from getting a gun. Most of the long gun murders occur with people who are mentally deranged for some reason. If mental health issues are the real cause behind someone using a rifle to commit a crime, wouldn't it be better to have a mental health registry?

Mark
said
0 0

Free at last, free at last, thank God almighty, I'm free at last-from Left-wing ideological bull crap. $billions spent on a completely ineffective and wasteful 'registry'. Former head's of RCMP verify that the registry has accomplished nothing.

Doug
said
0 0

Always quick to give away another's rights and privileges. An expose' on the use of the information would be fascinating. The anecdotal stories within the legal hunter/sport community are horrifying. Good bye gun registry.

Joe Szentirmay
said
0 0

Most police officers are against the long gun registry, acknowledging that it is a waste of resources. If every gun owner/purchaser is required to be on record via a Firearms Licence, then why would an expensive duplication of records be necessary? If any provincial government decides to create their own they would not get re-elected. Every poll I've seen indicates most Canadians are against the long gun registry!

A. Rock
said
0 0

The reason for the gun registry in the first place was to stop women engineers from getting shot. On the next Marc Lepine memorial day which is held in February each year, people should question whether funding should have been continued.

Dave
said
0 0

Sounds like the Liberals and NDP want to keep unafordable government programs alive, just like Greece. I say let us stop working for ourselves and put out for those useless programs that these Socialists want. Again the gun registry is only meant to assist those that are employed by the Government. Let us use our tax money to build this country, not with laws that obstruct it's growth.

Jason
said
0 0

I hope everyone is aware of how much it costs to keep the gun Registration going. Im sure most crimes are committed by stolen long guns which wouldn't be registered, since no criminal would use their registered firearm.

George V.
said
0 0

It's so hard to get criminals and law breakers to register their weapons. It seems only the law- abiding citizens will comply. Pull the plug on it the sooner the better. It saves millions of dollars.

Gerry from MB.but not NDP.
said
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Hand guns have had to be registerd long before long-guns and how did that work, so what made the fiberals thing long-gun registration wood work ??

Steve
said
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It is good that this waste of money is going to be gone. Seriously what good does it do for the police to be continually monitoring law abiding gun owners who don't want to hurt anyone, meanwhile criminals don't register there guns and are still getting them for robberies and murders. no one has a right to complain about this bill the conservatives campaigned to scrap it and they were elected so we voted for this

Scott Muskoka
said
0 0

What people need to understand is there is life north of hwy 7. I understand the trouble toronto has with guns, but i can assure you punks and gangs do not use a deer rifle for home invasions and car jackings. These punks pull this crap with their unregistered (untraceable) prohibitted weapons, and are on the streets the next day doing the same thing over and over again. I am not against gun control, but we need to be focussed on controlling the bad people with bad guns....... People with sports cars....... how would you like to be pulled over because you might speed?

Robert
said
0 0

Perhaps now they can explain or finally fix the sillyness behind the dual level licencing system this registry introduced: Possession Only and Acquisition. I have never understood how someone who was licensed and cleared to own a gun - Possession ONLY, somehow was not able to go out and purchase another rifle/shotgun - Acquisition. One must remember that to buy the gun one had always had to have an acquisition certificate that one only got by successfully completing a hunter safety program. Yet this program came out with another tax grab by insisting that legally trained and registered owners now have to complete further training and examination to purchase new long guns. Training that included the handling of hand guns that the great majority of long gun owners have no interest in. What a bunch of cow manure that is!

Trevor in BC
said
0 0

So, an internal RCMP review found the gun registry to be a "useful tool". That's fabulous. Did it actually save anyone's life? Can they cite any example that it truly increased public safety in any way? The gun registry is nothing more than a huge taxpayer money pit eating up cash that could be better spent elsewhere.You know what would be an even more useful tool for police? Mandatory fingerprint and DNA registration of every man, woman, and child in the country - visitors too. Oh, and ankle monitors for everyone would certainly be a useful tool as well for keeping us safe. Don't worry - you have nothing to fear if you have nothing to hide.

James T Murphy
said
0 0

Wrong!! The registry was the issue. The cost was just another liberal money transfer to their donating and perk providing buddies. You do not stop gang violence in Toronto and Vancouver by making hunters and farmers criminals. Duh. And the police "evaluation". Well after the registry software provider donates over $100,000 to the police chiefs fund you can expect a little endorsement from them. We can expect the same from the RCMP. Problem now is our police have become political activists because there is a direct benefit to them personally. How liberal corruption has spread.

Mark
said
0 0

It was a stupid idea by stupid people for stupid people. Billions of dollars of wasted money while Canadians die due to lack of medical equipment and waiting lines. Brilliant!

James T.
said
0 0

So ends the great Liberal plan to rid Toronto of handgun violence by taking away farmers' shotguns. (Although I always thought their real aim was to disarm The West in preparation for another NEP.)

Dave in Sarnia
said
0 0

Being the 'Leftie' that I am I really should be opposed to this. However, this is probably the ONLY time Stevie and I will ever agree. Get rid of the registry as it is nothing but a huge waste of money. This money could be better used at the border to increase security to prevent the illegal import of handguns from our neighbours to the south.I grew up in a 'hunting' family. We respected the firearms that we used. They were not toys and they were always stored properly. Proper use and storage of these 'weapons' is what matters. The law should still require proper, locked storage of weapons in a dwelling and seperate, locked storage of ammunition.

spencer
said
0 0

Can everyone hear the huge sigh of releif from all those gang members..... now they will no longer have to carry all that paperwork, and registration certificates ....... OH wait a moment..... handguns are "restricted", and are not subject to the "long gun registry", and therefore they will still be required to pass all the backround checks, submit to random inspection for proper storage....... Oh wait a moment...... criminals never did register firearms, whether hanguns, long guns, or stun guns. Just think....... if Libya had a gun registry..... Gadaffi would still be in power.

Jim-Surrey
said
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If in it's conception the name was used to properly identify the weapons this would never have been an issue. It is the hand guns that are used to kill not a damn rifle. There is no gangster that is going to carry around a hunting rifle to kill with. Another Kim Campbell albatross left for gov't to deal with. This registry should have been dissolved years ago!

ET88
said
0 0

I like in this article where the police say it helps keep mentally unstable people from having firearms. Didn't do much good the the RCMP at Mayorthorpe those police would disagree.

Shane
said
0 0

As in all things the RCMP brass touch their report is full of lies. The rank and file police officers don't use this system as it doesn't apply to the people we deal with. (Criminals) We still have to assume an illegal gun might be at a call and act accordingly. The RCMP simply use this act to impose their will on the public. I know this because I am a police officer and I am glad to see this gone. Put the time and money into officers on the street and doing back ground checks on people wishing to buy guns. That will actually work to save lives.

John
said
0 0

I, for one, just don't get it.
The registry cost way too much to set up, but that money is spent, gone, and not coming back.
The program now costs peanuts to run each year.
As a fiscal move, this makes no sense.

Mr not a Pye Chartt
said
0 0

Maybe they should also pass legislation so I need not have to register my vehicle either. After all, I am a law abiding citizen and should just be trusted shouldn't I ????? Same logic here folks. Cars kill as well don't they??? I know that if I was a cop I would certainly LOVE to know if there is or isn't weapons in a house when I go knocking on a door investigating a disturbance. That's just common sense and IF it saves one cops life then it is all worth it isn't it. After all, isn't that the Cons mantra,,,, Law and Order at all costs

Jack
said
0 0

Yes, finally !!!

Mike in Timmins
said
0 0

I'm no fan of the Conservatives, but in these tough economic times having around -any- program which spirals from a projected $2 million cost well into the billions just takes taxpayer money away from more crucial government and social spending concerns. I'm not against the idea of a registry, but this one was poorly implemented and a bane on the taxpayer. I say good riddance!

Dean
said
0 0

Its about time the government got rid of this white elephant. As a front line police officer for over 19 years, I know that this registry is completely useless. Every officer knows that anytime we are sent to a call, it is treated as though there are guns present until proven otherwise. The so-called RCMP study that claims this registry is useful was full of political rhetoric and propaganda. I'm all for gun control but that can be accomplished without such a wasteful (Liberal) creation. Maybe the funds could be spent on putting more officers on the street and dealing with those who choose to use guns in crimes instead of a shameful tax grab.

Frank Buchan
said
0 0

What is always overlooked is that the long-gun registry itself, as an idea, was never the actual problem with the legislation. The issue was implementation and cost, which led to the protesting of the basic premise, which was never itself the problem. Maybe by clearing the slate a rational compromise law can be struck out someday.

Debbie
said
0 0

It appears the Conservatives wish to appease their voting farmer/hunter friends rather than listen to the advice of law enforcement experts. Typical, regressive Conservative attitude. I'm disappointed but not surprised.

Frank in NS
said
0 0

The majority of firearm deaths in Canada are caused by long guns." Jack Harris NDP. Now isn't that an intelligent statement? The question is, how many homicides are caused by registered or illegal long guns? Quite a different statistic for sure. Besides, having the police having an automatic gun check system only allows them more time to sit in Tim Hortons.

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