FIREARMS
FACTS - UPDATE
OLD
FAC SYSTEM HAD A BETTER RATE OF FIREARM LICENCE REFUSALS THAN THE NEW
BILLION-DOLLAR GUN REGISTRY
By Garry Breitkreuz, MP – Updated November 21, 2002
CLAIMS BY THE GOVERNMENT
(1) A
news release issued by Justice Minister Anne McLellan on May 2, 2000 stated: "The
numbers speak for themselves: over 3,700 potentially dangerous gun sales have
been investigated; 713 licences have been refused and 930 have been revoked, a
revocation rate fifteen times greater than the previous five years
combined" said the Minister.
(2) A
letter to a constituent by Justice Minister Anne McLellan dated January 5, 2001
stated: “In addition, since December 1, 2001, public safety authorities
have revoked 1,248 valid FACs or firearms licences. That figure is significant because it is more than 21 times
higher than the total for the past five years and is a direct result of the new
system’s capacity to link up-to-date public safety information more
effectively. These cases would not
have been identified if the new program was not in place.”
(3) A
Question Period Note prepared for Justice Minister Martin Cauchon dated April 4,
2002 stated: “Revocations of licences are about 32 times higher than in the
last five years of the previous program…”
(4)
A letter to Ray Hynes of Carbonear, Nfld by Justice Minister Martin Cauchon
dated June 7, 2002 stated: “In addition, since the introduction of the
Firearms Act, there has been a significant increase in the number of firearms
licences revoked by public safety authorities.
This substantive increase is a direct result of the new system’s
capacity to link up-to-date public safety information more effectively.
These cases would not have been identified if the new program was not in
place.”
(5)
Justice Minister Martin Cauchon in the Houser of Commons on November 21, 2002
stated: “If we look, for example, at the revocation rate, it is higher
compared to the previous system.” [Hansard
Page 1737]
BUT
LOOK WHAT THE STATISTICS PROVIDED BY
THE
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ACTUALLY SAY?
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FAC's
ISSUED & REFUSED 1979-1999 |
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YEAR |
ISSUED |
REFUSED |
REFUSAL RATE | |||||
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1979 |
251,207 |
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930 |
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0.37% |
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1980 |
209,757 |
1,057 |
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0.50% |
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1981 |
167,537 |
944 |
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0.56% |
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1982 |
146,353 |
967 |
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0.66% |
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1983 |
133,515 |
910 |
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0.68% |
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1984 |
171,537 |
944 |
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0.55% |
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1985 |
175,979 |
1,117 |
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0.63% |
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1986 |
168,348 |
1,339 |
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0.80% |
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1987 |
165,347 |
1,413 |
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0.85% |
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1988 |
160,351 |
1,454 |
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0.91% |
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1989 |
177,398 |
1,461 |
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0.82% |
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1990 |
187,499 |
1,777 |
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0.95% |
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1991 |
199,589 |
2,072 |
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1.04% |
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1992 |
287,957 |
2,614 |
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0.91% |
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1993 |
80,371 |
1,241 |
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1.54% |
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1994 |
49,367 |
743 |
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1.51% |
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1995 |
46,797 |
340 |
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0.73% |
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1996 |
125,956 |
494 |
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0.39% |
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1997 |
64,934 |
749 |
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1.15% |
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1998 |
51,808 |
379 |
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0.73% |
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1999 |
25,875 |
366 |
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1.41% |
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TOTAL: |
3,047,482 |
23,311 |
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0.76% |
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SOURCE: Firearms Statistics,
Updated Tables, Table 2A – March 2002 |
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Research and Statistics
Division, Department of Justice |
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POLs
& PALs ISSUED, REFUSED & REVOKED |
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| YEAR | ISSUED |
REFUSED & |
REFUSAL |
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REVOKED |
RATE |
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1999 |
73,534 |
361 |
361 |
0.49% |
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2000 |
452,848 |
1484 |
1,484 |
0.33% |
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TOTAL: |
526,382 |
1,845 |
1,845 |
0.35% |
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SOURCE: |
Firearms
Statistics, Updated Tables, Table 2 - March 2002 |
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Research
and Statistics Division, Department of Justice |
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DEPT.
OF JUSTICE RESPONSE TO Q-149 |
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YEAR |
ISSUED |
REFUSED
& |
REFUSAL |
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REVOKED |
RATE |
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May 4/02 |
1,830,000 |
7000 |
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0.38% |
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SOURCE: |
Government
response to Order Paper Question Q-149 |
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Tabled
in the House of Commons on June 23, 2002 |
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LEGEND:
FAC = Firearm Acquisition Certificate
PAL
= Possession and Acquisition Licence
POL
= Possession Only Licence