FIREARMS FACTS - UPDATE
OLD FAC SYSTEM HAD A BETTER
RATE OF FIREARM LICENCE REFUSALS THAN THE NEW BILLION-DOLLAR GUN REGISTRY
(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have been refused and 930 have been revoked, a revocation rate fifteen times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?
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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2001 |
1,156,854 |
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2,830 |
0.24% |
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TOTAL: |
1,683,236 |
1,845 |
4,675 |
0.27% |
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SOURCE: |
Firearms
Statistics, Updated Tables, Table 2 - March 2003 |
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Research
and Statistics Division, Department of Justice |
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LEGEND: FAC = Firearm
Acquisition Certificate
PAL = Possession and Acquisition Licence
POL = Possession Only Licence