Many Conservative MPs have been lobbying for the end of the registry since they arrived on Parliament Hill. They say a reception in Parliament's reading room is just a way to mark the end of a long effort.
“When you promise something for so many years and you are stymied by the opposition to get that passed, it is a celebration,” Ontario Conservative MP David Tilson said.
Liberal interim leader Bob Rae called the festive approach “completely, completely inappropriate in the circumstances,” and “completely insensitive to the sentiment of the good majority of Canadians.” Rae said it is just a further demonstrations that the Conservatives are not in touch with public opinion on the issue.
Tilson said he would tell victims of gun violence who may feel disgusted by the celebratory mood that the gun registry has never stopped a crime.
“The (police) chief of my community wants the long gun registry to stay but I talk privately to the rank and file officers and they don’t feel the same way,” he added.
Alberta Conservative MP Leon Benoit said Wednesday’s celebration were just the natural way to mark the end of a long and difficult journey.
One MP joked they’d be doing “shooters” after the vote.
New Brunswick MP John Williamson said he heard there was a “reception” but that he wouldn’t call it a “party.”
“The real story tonight is that we are finally getting rid of this long gun registry,” he said.
MPs will cast their final votes on the bill to scrap the long-gun registry Wednesday evening. It is assured passage when it is introduced in the Senate, where the Tories also have a healthy majority.
CORRECTION: An original version of the story erroneously reported that the reception was held in the Prime Minister's quarters. It was actually held in the reading room in the Parliament building's Centre Block.
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What does this new bill on the gun registry do?
We keep hearing about scrapping the long-gun registry, but really what we're talking about is scrapping the requirement for people to register their rifles and shotguns - that's what Bill C-19 aims to do by making amendments to the Criminal Code and Firearms Act. Once passed, people will not have to register their non-restricted or non-prohibited firearms. It also provides for the destruction of existing records in the Canadian Firearms Registry for those firearms.
<em>With files from CBC</em>
What exactly is the registry?
It's a centralized database overseen by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police that links firearms with their licensed owners. It contains information about all three types of guns that must be registered - non-restricted, restricted and prohibited. (All firearms must be registered.) To register a firearm, you have to have a licence to possess it.
Does the bill make any changes to licensing requirements?
No. Canadian residents need a licence in order to possess and register a firearm or ammunition and that won't change. There are a couple of different kinds of licences because of various changes to laws and regulations over the years.
What are long guns?
There are three types of guns under Canadian law: non-restricted, restricted and prohibited. Most common long guns - rifles and shotguns - are non-restricted but there are a few exceptions. A sawed-off shotgun, for example, is a prohibited firearm. A handgun is an example of a restricted firearm. Different regulations apply to different classifications of firearms.
How many guns are we talking about?
As of September 2011, there were about 7.8 million registered guns. Of those, 7.1 million are non-restricted firearms.
Why does the government want to get rid of the long-gun registry?
The government says it is wasteful and ineffective at reducing crime and targets law-abiding gun owners instead of criminals, who don't register their firearms.
Who wants to keep it?
Police and victims' groups are big supporters of the registry. Police say the database helps them evaluate a potential safety threat when they pull a vehicle over or are called to a residence. They also say it helps support police investigations because the registry can help determine if a gun was stolen, illegally imported, acquired or manufactured. This year, the RCMP says police agencies accessed it on average more than 17,000 times a day.
When will the registry cease to exist?
The government has passed the legislation and the registry no longer exists. Except for in Quebec, where an ongoing court challenge means the owners must still register their guns in the province.
Why does the government want to destroy the records?
The government is doing this to ensure that no future non-Conservative government can recreate the registry. Public Safety Minister Vic Toews has also made it clear that if any province wants to set up its own registry it would get no help from the federal government. The Conservatives are so fundamentally opposed to the existence of the records, because they say they focus on law-abiding citizens instead of criminals, that they don't want them available for anyone to use.
How much does the registry cost?
The registry cost more than $1 billion to set up in 1995 and the cost was the source of much controversy. Public Safety Minister Vic Toews said on Oct. 25 that the government's best estimate is that it costs about $22 million a year to operate. That's the entire registry, not just the long-gun portion, but he noted most of the guns in the registry are long guns. He said he didn't know how much money scrapping the requirement to register long guns would save the government. Conservative MP Candice Hoeppner says there are also "hidden costs" that are borne by provincial and municipal police agencies to enforce the registry.
The Liberals are accusing the Conservatives of being insensitive for planning a party to celebrate the passage of a bill that will scrap the long-gun registry.
Many Conservative MPs have been lobby...
The Liberals are accusing the Conservatives of being insensitive for planning a party to celebrate the passage of a bill that will scrap the long-gun registry.
Many Conservative MPs have been lobby...
OTTAWA - Federal Conservatives erupted in cheers Wednesday after finally securing House of Commons approval to scrap the controversial long-gun registry.The Harper government used its...
UPDATE: Conservative MP Larry Miller retracted his comments comparing Liberal support for the Gun Registry to the policies of Adolf Hitler and the Nazis after...
Information released this week by the federal government has some opposition MPs thinking twice about testimony they heard a few months ago. Public Safety...
Earlier this week the House had an opportunity for civilized and informed debate, yet missed the mark entirely. Beyond the conflating the issues of abolishing the registry and deleting the data, the debate demeaned itself with its vilifying rhetoric when MP Larry Miller made a reference to Hitler.
Does everyone invited to the party bring their own gun and ammo? Then at an appointed time all guests discharge their "weapon of choice" straight up in the air in a celebratory salute to freedom. The manly ones stand still and wait for the bullets to return to earth by gravity. The rest run for cover. Drinking is allowed but no fights which might break out into gunfights. Heck, it's a party and sometimes people get hurt. Enjoy anyway.
greysells2: Does everyone invited to the party bring their own gun
The Conservatives are a disgrace and dangerous
They make it easier for people to get guns
They build more prisons
They impose 'mandatory' sentences to ensure those prisons stay filled as much as possible
Their cronies are very pleased for the business
Ascoli: The Conservatives are a disgrace and dangerous They make it
HuffPost, Bob Rae IS NOT the Leader of the Official Oppostion. The Liberal Party IS NOT the Official Oppostion. Stop treating them like they are. The NDP IS the Official Oppostion. This is an issue that cuts across ALL party lines. Stop being a propaganda arm for the Libs. Come on, get you act together. Where are Trumel's comments in this piece. When are you guys going to stop acting like the talking heads for the establishment?
artbbcramer: HuffPost, Bob Rae IS NOT the Leader of the Official
Throwing a party upon the killing of the gun registry is a slap in to the face of the women it was introduced for is very immature and embarrassing to say the least. Can't change imbedded behavior.
northof49th: Throwing a party upon the killing of the gun registry
Most used murder weapon in Canada- Long gun.
Most used weapon on police - long gun.
Why are you protecting criminals?
What is your motivation? I hope that it is that you are too lazy too register your long gun, not that you are working for a criminal organization?
LNWells: Most used murder weapon in Canada- Long gun. Most used
Them thar must be pretty big hills.....considerin' 4 out of 10 Canadian voters live in 'em......and the opposin' parties gotta get out the cattle prod to keep thar pals from going up to visit.
Y'all come back now.
colpy: Them thar must be pretty big hills.....considerin' 4 out of
We got rid of the long arm registry because it was an expensive waste that saved lives, but we're buying the F-35's the most expensive weapon ever built, to take lives.
We got rid of the long arm registry (and long for census) beause it was a buracratic invasion of privacy, yet if you don't let the police read your emails we're gunna just assume you're a child p0nographer.
Tyler_Austin: We got rid of the long arm registry because it
The Consertives are Americanizing Canada before our eyes... Bow to big oil, bow to big media, bow to the NRA, we're all kiddie porn viewers unless we give up all our rights on the Internet.
thebog: The Consertives are Americanizing Canada before our eyes... Bow to
Our Conservative MPs are so witty. He's going to do a "shooter" to celebrate. How cute.
Hopefully he does a toast with one of those shooters to the 500 Canadians the Coalition for Gun Control estimates will be killed because of the elimination of this registry.
DirkNeptune: Our Conservative MPs are so witty. He's going to do
Challenge to the people who support the gun registry: What does it do better than what our gun licensing system does already?
Our gun licensing system already prevents people who fail background checks from obtaining a gun. Our gun licensing system is an existing database of all Canadians who can purchase guns that amazingly our police and look up. Pretty easy to determine that if a person has a gun license, they'll have a gun at their disposal somewhere.
Gun crime in Canada is pretty low when compared to other countries, especially compared to the USA. The gun registry was nothing but a waste of time and money, ultimately designed to employe people for doing nothing but maintain a useless database.
Add_In_Canadia: Challenge to the people who support the gun registry: What
So your one of the police chiefs who didn't support it? Oh wait the Police Chiefs did support the LGR, that's right the guys who it was made for and were using it, thought it should stay.
But they don't know what they need or were using, is that what you were saying? The police who have access to both of these pieces of information the license and the LGR thought the LGR was useful enough to make a public statement in support of it. But you think they can do it with just the license?
Care to explain to me where you get the authority to make these statements and how you believe having more information about a weapon is a negative thing? And please explain why it is a negative thing.
And lastly, please explain how it's ok to destroy all of the information we have spent the billion dollars on already? What is the reason for destroying all that info we have paid for?
bigotsrunchristianity: So your one of the police chiefs who didn't support
The police chiefs get 1 billion dollars in funding to maintain and update a useless database. It's free money to give away, who would refuse that?
I want an example of how the gun registry has saved a single solitary life. The Gun Registry is a useless database, because the 'more information' is useless. Police entering a violent situation MUST assume the situation is potentially armed regardless of what the registry says. Their lives are on the line if they refer to the database and says the individuals they are confronting do not have guns, especially if they obtained guns illegally.
Finally the information should be destroyed because the useless database becomes even more useless the moment it's not maintained. What's the point of the database if it says Jon Smith has a rifle, but 2 years down the road Jon Smith has sold his rifle to someone else.
Use your head and think about the whole thing a little.
Add_In_Canadia: The police chiefs get 1 billion dollars in funding to
It really comes down to dollers and cents. I kinda resent the fact that those regions who need this law most and have the most gun crimes are the least thought of.
I live in northern Ontario you see, our gun crime might not be your gun crime. Ours is wives shot by drunk and abusive husbands and sucidal teens. It's not drive bys or illegal pistols that arn't even in the database anyways.
I saw this bill worked. Expenseive and in need of drastic streamlining certainly, but it did save lives even if they were not trumpeted.
Tyler_Austin: Except when it worked. Then it saved lives. It really
Except when it never worked, and has never saved lives.
Yes, because somehow a registered gun somehow will prevent wives from being shot by drunk husbands, or prevent a suicidal teen from shooting his own brains out.
How? Do tell! Does the registry have some sort of magical power that auto engages a safety upon an attempt to use a firearm illegally? Give me a break.
Add_In_Canadia: Except when it never worked, and has never saved lives.
3 years people it's time to start waking all the sleepers up, these theocons cannot be allowed to win another election. We cannot afford these theocons to form the next opposition. Remember what happened to the real PC's? Before they were infected by the Reform/Alliance. There is not one Conservative among them, and anyone who says they are remotely fiscal should wake up.
They complained that the liberals had wasted one billion dollars on the registry. And it's true too much money was spent, but we still had the information and despite what the theocons are telling you, police officers were using it.
The only real waste of a billion dollars occured today, I as a taxpayer had helped to pay for that information, and as they liked to remind me it was very expensive information. Today I have access to none of that information, the billion dollars was spent and everything we got from that billion dollars was now thrown in the garbage, who truly wasted the money in the end?
I'm sure Stephen would have been raving if the liberals threw away one billion dollars worth of information.
bigotsrunchristianity: 3 years people it's time to start waking all the
So what next? I bet there will be a huge party after those Cons pass the Omnibus and Privacy killing bills. I imagine it starts with them jumping in F-35's and going for some Chinese food.
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First Posted: 02/15/2012 2:05 pm Updated: 02/15/2012 9:52 pm