Canada’s New Government Fulfills Commitment to Abolish the Long-Gun Registry: Conservatives keep their promise to Canadians

January 20, 2006

OTTAWA – Ted Menzies, Member of Parliament for Macleod and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Cooperation applauds the Minister of Public Safety, Honourable Stockwell Day, who tabled legislative amendments yesterday to free Canadians from the requirement to register their non-restricted firearms.

“Simply put, the money from the long-gun registry can effectively be used to combat crime in a more suitable way,” said Menzies. The evidence speaks for itself, as the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics reports that there are nearly 7 million registered long-guns in Canada. “Of the 549 murders recorded in Canada in 2003, only two were committed with long-guns known to be registered,” said Menzies.

The proposed legislation will:

•   repeal the requirement to register non-restricted long-guns; and
•   require firearms retailers to record all sales transactions of non-restricted firearms.
  

Individuals will still be required to have a valid firearms license, go through police background checks and safety training to purchase or possess firearms and to purchase ammunition. Individuals will also continue to be required to register prohibited and restricted firearms, such as handguns. Moreover, anyone who is in possession of any type of firearm must be licensed. This requirement has always been in force. That information will appear on police background checks enabling our police officers to determine who is in legal possession of firearms and who is not.

For additional information about the roles and responsibilities of firearm owners in Canada and on how these recent and proposed changes may affect your obligations, please contact the Canada Firearms Centre at 1-800-731-4000, or visit the website : http://cfc-cafc.gc.ca.

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For further information, please contact:

The office of Ted Menzies at (613) 995-8471