NEWS RELEASE
December 9, 1999
For Immediate Release
BREITKREUZ ISSUES HIS OWN 1ST ANNUAL REPORT ON THE FIREARMS REGISTRY
"The Justice Minister’s ‘culture of safety’ report perpetuates Liberal ‘culture of deceit’ about firearms."
Ottawa –
Today, Garry Breitkreuz, MP for Yorkton-Melville and Official Opposition Firearms Critic, issued his own 1st Annual Report on the Firearms Registry. "Unfortunately, the Justice Minister left a lot out of her annual report last week. Why did she leave out most of the facts that her own department sends me in response to my Access to Information Requests?" asked Breitkreuz.COSTS:
Registration system has cost more than $300 million so far!USER FEES: Only $2.9 million in user fees collected in first six months of operation!
BUDGET: Justice Department has still not released the registry’s budget for this fiscal year!
SECRECY: Cabinet secrecy used to hide 172 pages of documents on true costs of gun registry!
BUREAUCRATS: As many as 800 paper pushers working in the firearms registration scheme!
RCMP: RCMP have diverted resources from law enforcement to employ 391 on firearms registry!
CRIME: Statistics Canada reports 98% of violent crime victims never encounter firearms!
HOMICIDE STATS: 46% of firearm murders committed with handguns despite 65-year-old handgun registry!
POLICE: Criminal incidents have doubled since 1970 but number of police officers per capita dropping!
ERRORS: 80% error rate in the registration system! How can police believe a registry riddled with errors?
NON-COMPLIANCE: RCMP report less than 10% compliance! What use will this be to police?
BACKLOGS: Backlogs are increasing despite 70% lower than expected number of applications!
INEFFICIENCY: Consultants' report states "workflow is inflexible and inefficient" at registry!
FIREARM LICENCES: Only 87,825 photo IDs issued in first year of operation. Only 2.5 to 6.5 million to go!
GUN REGISTRATIONS: Only 260,464 "registration certificate numbers" issued. Only 6 to 20 million to go!
DEADLINES: Minister’s firearms experts say production must increase from 1,500 per day to 13,500 per day!
ERROR ADMITTED: Government memo admits error in estimating number of guns and gun owners!
NUMBER OF GUN OWNERS: Government estimates = 3 million. More reliable estimates = 7 million!
NUMBER OF GUNS: Government estimates = 7 million. More reliable estimates = 21 million!
BLACKMARKET: Minister’s firearms experts say registry is causing an increase in black-market gun sales!
USER GROUP: Minister ignored recommendations of her handpicked team of firearms experts!
BLOCKED GUN SALES: Gov’t could have used FAC licencing system to block legal gun sales since 1979!
PRIVACY: False information in RCMP data bank being used to block thousands of legitimate gun sales!
UNITED STATES: Blocked 160,000 gun sales in last year and U.S. doesn’t even have a gun registry!
RCMP: Poll of front-line officers was suppressed and RCMP Commissioner played politics to support registry!
POLICE OPPOSED: Majority of front-line police officers still opposed to registration of all rifles and shotguns!
BOGUS POLLS: Liberals still using bogus polls to impose useless registry on an unsuspecting public!
CONFISCATION: Government is in the process of confiscating firearms without compensation!
ECONOMIC IMPACT: Cabinet secrecy used to hide 115-page report on economic impact of registry!
LEGAL CHALLENGE: Six provinces and two territories are challenging the registry in the Supreme Court!
"I could go on but one page of truths is enough to leave the Liberals a little over-exposed on this issue, concluded Breitkreuz. "The Minister’s ‘culture of safety’ report perpetuates Liberal ‘culture of deceit’."
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For more information, please call:
Yorkton Office: (306) 782-3309
Ottawa Office: (613) 992-4394
e-mail:
breitg0@parl.gc.ca