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No word on long gun registry
Toews says government committed to winding down

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The Tories were quick to crow yesterday about their $1-billion plan to crack down on crime and secure the country's streets and borders. "Our government is committed to ensuring Canadians are safe in their homes and in their communities," Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said in his budget speech.

"Safe streets are a defining characteristic of the Canadian way of life and must be preserved." But the Harper government's first fiscal blueprint was silent on the fate of the gun registry it had promised to scrap in order to pay for a good chunk of the law-and-order platform. Funding for the controversial Liberal initiative, which has been plagued by cost-overruns, will continue this year at a cost of nearly $84 million.

Justice Minister Vic Toews defended the move, saying that until the new government can untangle the regulatory and legislative changes behind the registry, it has a legal obligation to continue funding it.

However, Toews said the Tories are not walking away from that key promise to kill the long-gun registry introduced by the Liberals 10 years ago. "Stay tuned for the details," said Toews, who represents the riding of Provencher. "I can tell you we will be moving shortly on that issue."

The Tory budget earmarks money for nearly 20 initiatives that were a key part of their winning election platform.

From $161 million to recruit 1,000 more Mounties to $20 million to prevent youth crime and $101 million to arm customs agents, the Tories want to make sure voters know security is one of the new government's top priorities.

But there are no dollar figures in the budget for plans to expand the country's federal prisons to house those put behind bars by tougher new sentencing rules that Toews will be introducing. There is also nothing about a promise to help fund 2,500 more municipal and provincial police officers across the country.

Toews said the plan to put more officers on the street will require talks with the provinces, which he expects to start soon. But Toews said some of the extra $19.2 million that will flow to Manitoba in equalization payments this year could be channeled to municipalities to hire more police officers.

Winnipeg Police Chief Jack Ewatski, president of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, welcomed the Harper government's financial commitment to public safety. Ewatski said 1,000 additional RCMP officers will be welcome in cities and provinces where they are the main police force. "This budget shows a willingness by the federal government to put the financial resources behind their priorities," he said.

No one knows yet how many of the new Mounties will be stationed in Manitoba, RCMP spokesman Sgt. Steve Colwell said. Up to a third of these new positions are expected to go to British Columbia, where the Mounties are the main police force in most areas.

Mayor Sam Katz said he also welcomes a new $20-million expenditure, to be divided among Canadian cities, for programs aimed at preventing gun, drug and gang crimes.

paul.samyn@freepress.mb.ca
bruce.owen@freepress.mb.ca