“They
complete Threat
Risk Assessments
and then hide the truth from the public, the media and Parliament.”
Yorkton
– Garry
Breitkreuz, Official Opposition Critic on Firearms and Property Rights, released
a document that shows the Justice Department is refusing to release copies of
“Threat Risk Assessments” completed with respect to privatization of the
Canadian Firearms Program. “It’s
clear from the exemptions they used to refuse the release of these records that
they are concerned about threats and risks associated with privatizing the gun
registry,” revealed Breitkreuz. “The
question is always the same, what is the Justice Minister trying to hide?
The only risk I see in releasing this information is the risk to the
reputation of the Justice Minister.”
The
Justice Department document Breitkreuz obtained states: “We
have conducted a search of our records and identified 4 pages relevant to your
request. However, all documents are
exempt from release by virtue of sections 20(1)(c) [financial loss or gain of a
third party], and 20(1)(d) [contractual or other negations of a third party] of
the Access to Information Act.”
Breitkreuz’s office immediately filed an official complaint with the
Information Commissioner of Canada about the Justice Department’s refusal to
provide all the information he requested.
“From
the department’s incomplete reply, it seems they would have us believe that
the only threat or risk to the Canadian Firearms
Program comes from the involvement of private companies,” commented
Breitkreuz. “We agree the
department’s privatization plans pose a major threat to the privacy rights of
millions of law-abiding Canadians and may result in private companies cutting
corners that jeopardize whatever integrity is left in the system.
However, there are even bigger threats to the Canadian Firearms Program
that it seems officials in the department overlooked in responding to our
request,” said the Saskatchewan MP.
Breitkreuz
listed these other real and possible threats and risks that need to be assessed:
·
Non-compliance and open defiance of the law.
·
Increase in black-market and grey-market sales of firearms.
·
More guns and gun owners than originally estimated.
·
Aboriginal treaty rights to hunt.
·
Court and Charter challenges.
·
Huge cost overruns and the long-term cost of operating and enforcing
these laws.
·
Informed public opinion polls.
·
Courts being tied up with thousands of firearms offences.
·
Diversion of resources from real law enforcement priorities.
·
Lack of faith in the firearms registration system by front-line police
officers.
·
Undermining the public trust and cooperation with front-line police
officers.
·
Undermining the success of community-based crime prevention and policing
programs.
·
Undermining the public’s and police respect for real crimes in the Criminal
Code of Canada.
·
The serious impact these laws have had and will have on declining number
of hunters.
·
The corresponding impact these laws will have on increasing wildlife
populations.
·
The impact these new firearms laws
will have on the tourism, outfitting, legal firearms sales, and the economy.
“It
seems the government would have us believe that they have not even assessed
these real and possible threats and risks.
Are the Minister’s bureaucrats really this incompetent?” asked
Breitkreuz. “I have asked the
Information Commissioner, the Privacy Commissioner and the Auditor General to
get to the bottom of this mess.”
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