Positive News for Canadian Firearms Policy (Posted January 2, 2008)
Delta Waterfowl was glad to see legislation introduced that will see Canada’s long gun registry scrapped.
Minister of Public Safety Stockwell Day introduced the legislation in the Canadian Parliament in November. It would see the requirement for gun owners to register shotguns and rifles abolished. Firearms retailers would still need to record the sale of non-restricted firearms, as was the case prior to the implementation of the registry. Money saved would be invested in law enforcement.
Hunters and shooting sport enthusiasts have been vocal critics of the long gun registry ever since it was proposed, saying it would be costly and do little to tackle crime while imposing red tape on law-abiding gun owners. Costs of the registry have passed the $1-billion mark, which is far more than the $2 million price tag predicted by the Liberals that introduced it in 1995.
Bob Bailey, Delta Waterfowl’s national vice-president policy Canada, was glad to see the legislation introduced again. A network of shooting groups he brought together has been pushing for the end of the registry. Bailey said the Liberals have been asked to support the legislation, or at least allow a free vote on it.
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Delta Waterfowl had a role to play in stopping - at least for now - what would have been a huge threat to firearms sales in Canada.
Bill C10A, which was passed by the previous Liberal government in 2003, would have required all firearms imported into Canada to be stamped with CA (representing Canada) and the year of import. The new requirements were to take effect Dec. 1, 2007. Although Canada was one of many signatories to a United Nation document requiring the markings, few have actually implemented it. Canada delayed the legislation for two years to further look at the impact.
Bob Bailey, Delta Waterfowl's vice-president policy Canada, coordinated a telephone network of hunting and shooting groups from across the country to deal with many issues facing hunting and firearms owners. The stamping proposal was one of the items discussed.
Bailey pointed out Canada's firearms sales only represent four percent of global trade in guns, and manufacturer representatives already stated they would not be stamping guns just for Canada. "We would have seen that it was not worth it for manufacturers to distribute guns in Canada," he said, adding the only option would have been for the Canadian distributors to complete the stamping.
Tony Bernardo of the Canadian Institute for Legislative Action was one of the leading voices against the proposal. He said costs of stamping the materials could be as high as $200 or more per firearm as each gun would need an individualized fixture to hold it while the stamping was taking place. The broad range of materials guns are manufactured from today adds another challenge to the marking process.
"It's just this process of regulatory attrition that is killing us," Bailey said. "More regulations, more paperwork and always the onus is on the gun owner or distributor, not the government. It becomes a crushing burden to do business in Canada."
He pointed to the fact large retailers Canadian Tire and Wal-Mart no longer sell guns in Canada as an example of the effect of the red tape.
Bailey gave credit for delaying the legislation to CILA, the Canadian Shooting Sports Association, the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters and other members of the network.
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