April 20, 1995 For Immediate Release
LIBERALS IGNORE AUDITOR GENERAL'S RECOMMENDATIONS ON GUN CONTROL
"Allan Rock admits they don't know if gun control reduces violent crime and have no statistical
evidence to show registration of rifles and shotguns will improve public safety," says Breitkreuz.
Yorkton - Garry Breitkreuz, MP for Yorkton-Melville says his persistence is starting to pay off. In response to a formal House of Commons Order Paper Question, submitted by Breitkreuz in February, the Liberal government admitted their current gun control bill (Bill C-68) is not based on any statistical evidence. "This government is so arrogant that they have chosen to ignore the recommendations made by the Auditor General of Canada," said Breitkreuz.
In his 1993 report to Parliament, Denis Desautels, the Auditor General, criticized the government saying, "Our review of the new regulations indicated that important data, needed to assess the potential benefits and future effectiveness of the [gun control] regulations, were not available at the time the regulations were drafted. The government proceeded with new regulations for reasons of public policy." The Auditor General went on to make the following recommendation, "We believe it is essential that the Department of Justice evaluate the effectiveness of the [gun control] program again. Members of Parliament and the Canadian public need to know whether the means the government has chosen to achieve the program's objectives are working."
Breitkreuz couldn't get a straight answer from Justice Minister Allan Rock in Question Period so he put forward the following written question which required a detailed answer from the government in forty-five days: Question #134 - Will the government please provide statistical evidence showing that violent crime has been and/or will be reduced and that public safety has been and/or will be improved by each of the following measures: (1) the registration of handguns and other restricted firearms, (2) the prohibition of various types of firearms, (3) Firearms Acquisition Certificates, (4) the inclusion of safe storage, handling and transportation provisions in the Criminal Code of Canada, (5) restricting the sale of ammunition, and (6) the implementation of a universal registration system for firearms and firearms owners.
Allan Rock and his bureaucrats responded, "The firearms legislation of 1978, 1992 and the current legislative proposals have all introduced several different firearm control measures concurrently. As such, it is not possible for researchers and statisticians precisely to determine the extent to which specific control measures are or will be responsible for reductions in violent crime and increases in public safety in Canada."
"Rock and his Liberal puppets are defying the Auditor General of Canada and once again pursuing costly, intrusive and ineffective gun control measures on the basis of public policy rather than public safety. Their Red Book didn't say a thing about a national gun registry so they certainly don't have a mandate. Now they admit they can't prove that their anti-gun laws will even be effective, let alone cost-effective," said Breitkreuz.
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