It is anticipated that the Harper Government will announce today that they will be dismantling our current gun registry program. This billion dollar cash cow could soon be taken off the pasture.
The Globe and Mail reports:
The Harper government plans to fulfill its pledge to gut the federal long-gun registry by providing amnesty to gun owners who don’t sign up and eventually unveiling legislation to eliminate it.
The entire article here.
As the article suggests, the news will follow the findings of the Auditor General regarding this and other Government spending initiatives.
The issue for me is the amount of money that was being spent on a program that impacted law abiding citizens who owned guns. With all the money and spending on this program, there was still carnage and mayhem downtown Toronto by criminals who do not register their firearms. There was a system in place before the Liberals changed it that addressed an issue of individuals (who should not own firearms ie. mentally ill or unstable individuals) being able to buy one. That system made sure safety courses and gun handling courses were taken by those wanting to use a gun. It still allowed for references. There was and is still a handgun registry that was barely changed after the current registry.
Another report is out saying that police say the system works as they (the police) check the system regularily. The Globe and Mail again reports (in another article):
What has been lost on the public, Chief La Barge said, is that police officers across the country search the registry about 5,000 times per day.
Read the article in context here.
Fair enough. It is a Police Chief talking. I am sure there are instances that may warrant checking a list 5000 times. Yet, how does checking a list help the police force track the guns of criminals used in violent acts and crimes if a name like mine is on there?
My dad’s name comes up in this police list.
My friend’s.
Our names are on that list because we follow the law. So, unless I commit a crime with my registered gun, that list (that is checked 5000 times) is useless!
We are the targets of this registry. Criminals laugh at its impact on themselves and their crime networks.
Imagine what Police Chiefs could have done if they had the billion dollar funding that went into this registry. Rather than checking a list to help with gun crime they could use actual police officers to take down the idiots who use them for crime. The officers would know that stiffer, enforcable penalties would be handed down to these criminals.
Imagine what the communities directly involved with gun crimes could have done with their billion dollar share of the registry money. I might also point out that these were in areas that have the lowest concentration of registered firearms.
Way to go Mr. Harper! This is one promise I hope you keep.
Bill Anderson
Muskoka Outdoors
UPDATE: May 19 – Another view from a different police chief. Click Here.
