Note:  Versions of this story also ran in the Saskatoon Star Phoenix, Edmonton Journal and the Montreal Gazette.

PUBLICATION:        The Ottawa Citizen

DATE:                         2004.03.06

EDITION:                    Final

SECTION:                  News

PAGE:                         A6

BYLINE:                     Tim Naumetz

SOURCE:                   The Ottawa Citizen

ILLUSTRATION:     Colour Photo: Wayne Cuddington, The Ottawa Citizen / 'We're doing what is right,' says Albina Guarnieri. 

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Gun registry review not likely before election: Minister in charge says she will take time she needs 'to get it right'

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The government review of the federal gun registry may not be complete prior to an anticipated May election, says the minister reviewing the controversial program.

Despite widespread expectations Prime Minister Paul Martin launched the review to flesh out a new Liberal policy on the firearms program before an election, Albina Guarnieri, the minister in charge, said yesterday that is not part of the plan.

"We're not doing this for the election," Ms. Guarnieri, minister of state for civil preparedness, said in an interview.

"I have the luxury of taking the time that we really need to get it right. The task that I was given was to find the best route forward, with what we have in place now, and I'm doing that."

Ms. Guarnieri's statement appears to contradict suggestions from Liberal backbenchers, including Andy Savoy, chairman of the party's national caucus, that the government is considering sweeping changes, including elimination of the requirement to renew gun registration certificates. The New Brunswick Telegraph Journal also reported the government might change the rules to require registration of only newly acquired firearms in the future -- similar to the licensing system that existed before the Canadian Firearms Act.

Ms. Guarnieri, who has been meeting gun owners and sporting associations almost non-stop since the beginning of January, said she is nonetheless only halfway through her consultation process and has not submitted any recommendations to cabinet.

"We're doing what is right, the right thing for Canadians, it's not about an election call," she emphasized.

"It's about seeing how the program is operating, seeing what needs to be done, how it needs to be improved. We have a prime minister who wants things done right; he is not handcuffed by past decisions, we're not hostage to the decisions taken in the past. He actually wants to do the right thing and I think most people would applaud that."

Asked if her recommendations might not be ready before an election, Ms. Guarnieri replied: "It depends how quickly I can talk to everybody that wants to talk to me, some people even want me to go back."

Mr. Martin is expected to call an election in early April for mid-May, unless negative public reaction to the federal sponsorship scandal continues to drag the Liberal party down in public opinion polls. The government is expected to make a decision on an election after the budget is tabled in late March.

If an election is called before Ms. Guarnieri's review is complete, the Liberals would avoid airing bitter division in their own ranks over the registry. Rural MPs in Ontario and elsewhere are against the registry, while their colleagues in urban ridings, especially in Toronto, the scene of several recent shootings, support the law.

At the same time, the Liberals appear to be be holding out hope to gun owners that a re-elected Martin government might change the registry. At a speech to wildlife association members in Ontario last week, Ms. Guarnieri assured gun owners her eventual recommendations will address most of their concerns.

Mr. Savoy's comments to the Telegraph-Journal this week also implied the Liberals plan changes to appease gun owners, even if they are not announced until after the election.

All three leadership candidates for the Conservative party have pledged to scrap the registry.

Saskatchewan Conservative MP Garry Breitkreuz expressed surprise upon learning Ms. Guarnieri might not complete her review before a vote.

"That's unbelievable," said Mr. Breitkreuz. "This is a huge issue across the country. I thought Paul Martin was committed to some of these reviews so that people could decide on the issues."