NOTE:  Versions of this article also appeared in the Ottawa Citizen, Regina Leader Post, Vancouver Sun, Victoria Times Colonist, Edmonton Journal, Windsor Star, Calgary Herald, and Vancouver Province.

PUBLICATION:              National Post

DATE:                         2004.02.17

EDITION:                    National

SECTION:                  News

PAGE:                         A2

BYLINE:                     Tim Naumetz

SOURCE:                   CanWest News Service

DATELINE:                 OTTAWACANADA 

ILLUSTRATION:     Black & White Photo: Jim Young, Reuters / Joe Gingrich burns a copy of the gun registration legislation at a protest on Parliament Hill last year. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Registry $20M over budget despite controls: Canada Firearms Centre: Martin's review could cause delay, adding to cost

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OTTAWA - The cost of the federal gun registry will be $20-million over budget for the year that has passed since the government temporarily suspended funding for the program and brought in sweeping changes that were supposed to cut costs, according to new estimates.

In another chapter to the registry funding saga, a Canada Firearms Centre official disclosed yesterday the program is now expected to cost $133-million over the 12 months ending March 31.

As of October, when the government last released spending and performance reports for all departments, the program was forecast to cost $113-million by the end of the fiscal year.

The centre's direct cost for the registry and licensing program is now expected to be $116-million, with the additional expenses coming in the form of indirect costs through other other branches and departments.

"Our best estimate this year for indirect cost is $17-million," said spokeswoman Irene Arsenault.

Furthermore, the government-wide spending and program review launched by Paul Martin, the Prime Minister, in December could add yet more costs if it further delays the implementation of a new computer system based on regulatory changes to licensing and registration that the government proposed in 2003.

Delays in implementation of the computer program, or alternative program delivery as it is called by the centre, have cost taxpayers $12-million over the past two years, according to documents obtained by Canadian Alliance MP Garry Breitkreuz.

Asked if the registry review by Albina Guarnieri, Minister of Emergency Preparedness, could escalate the cost of the computer system changes through further delay, Ms. Arsenault replied: "It's possible, but everything is negotiable."

Disclosure of the soaring costs over the past year will likely anger government MPs as well as the Opposition.

Liberal MP Roger Gallaway said last month he believes funding for the program will be eliminated in a free Commons vote when departmental spending estimates come before Parliament next month or in April.

Government House Leader Jacques Saada later said there would be no free vote on the firearms program, but then modified his position by suggesting funding might be reduced somewhat through a free vote, as long as the fundamental principle of the program continues.

Ms. Arsenault disclosed the latest spending estimates while replying to a Radio-Canada report that the government has committed or spent a total of $2-billion for the program, double the $1-billion Auditor-General Sheila Fraser reported as the expected 10-year cost in her 2002 report to Parliament.

Ms. Arsenault said the program's cost since 1995 totalled $814-million as of last March, meaning the cumulative cost by the end of this March will be $947-million.

Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan said the Radio-Canada report was incorrect.

"False, false," Ms. McLellan yelled across the Commons floor when Mr. Breitkreuz asked about the $2-billion figure.

"We do not accept that number referred to in the report," said Ms. McLellan. "We have asked Radio-Canada to provide us with its number and its calculations, which to date it has refused to do."

The network said it used calculations of hidden costs in other government departments to estimate the cost of the program, but Ms. Arsenault said it was not known whether the calculation was based on "10, 20, 50 years."

The government last year predicted the program would cost $75-million annually by 2008, once cost-reduction steps were implemented.