“Access
documents prove the RCMP had changed the
airgun
registration policy on March 6, 2000!”
Ottawa
– Today,
Garry Breitkreuz, the Official Opposition’s gun control critic, released
documents proving officials in the Department of Justice and the RCMP misled the
media and the public during and following last year’s election.
“I won’t impugn the motives of these officials but their public
statements are now clearly at odds with the documents and no doubt their
comments helped the Liberals win a few key seats, particularly in Ontario,”
claimed the Saskatchewan MP.
On
November 17th, 2000, acting on complaints of firearms dealers and
tips received from officers working inside the RCMP’s Firearms Registry,
Breitkreuz exposed the fact that a number of
airguns
and pellet rifles had been reclassified as firearms and some had even been
registered in accordance with the law. Breitkreuz
maintained that the Liberals were trying to keep this quiet until after the
election so as not to provoke approximately two million airgun owners in Canada.
When
Breitkreuz broke the story, officials from both the RCMP and Department of
Justice were quoted in the following newspapers:
(1)
“But the head of the Canadian Firearms Registry, Mike Buisson, denied
the claims and insisted there has been no change in policy.” – The
Edmonton Sun – November 18, 2000, Page 6
(2)
“There’s been no policy change,” he [David Austin, Canadian
Firearms Centre spokesperson] said. – The Moncton Times and Transcript –
November 23, 2000, Page A1
(3)
“However, [RCMP] registry spokesperson Joan Oliver said she believed no
decision had been made about classing the pellet guns as firearms.”
– The Moncton Times and Transcript – November 23, 2000, Page A1
(4)
“No policy decision has been made yet on airguns,” Mr. Austin said.
“No changes have been made to the list that would make them
firearms.” – New Brunswick Telegraph Journal, November 11, 2000,
Page C1
These
statements were contradicted by RCMP documents obtained by Breitkreuz after a
year and a half investigation by the Information Commissioner’s office [RCMP
File: 00ATIP-16792].
DOCUMENT
#1
dated March 6, 2000 showing the airgun policy was changed – RCMP Firearms
Standards Committee, Records of Decisions Made, Approved Signature J.A.J.
Buisson, Superintendent, Registrar, RCMP Canadian Firearms Registry, Dated
2000-03-06, ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY #14.
DOCUMENT
#2
dated April 13, 2000 showing how officials in the RCMP’s Firearms Registry
would implement the ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY #14 – Memorandum from Cpl. L. Cyr,
NCO i/c Correspondence Unit to S/Sgt. A. Drouin, NCO i/c Legislation and
Regulations.
DOCUMENT
#3
dated May 8, 2000 shows the RCMP advising the Department of Justice about
ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY #14 – Letter from Superintendent J.A.J. (Mike) Buisson,
Registrar, Canadian Firearms Centre to Mr. William Bartlett, Council, Canadian
Firearms Centre with copies to Maryantonett Flumian, Chief Executive Officer,
DOJ, et al. QUOTE: “In other words, airguns will be tested to determine
whether they are in fact firearms. If
so, the licencing and registration requirements set out in the Firearms Act are
applicable. As you can well
imagine, this will result in a substantially increased number of firearms
requiring registration. Certain
short-barreled airguns will change status from ‘deemed non-firearm’ to
prohibited firearms.”
DOCUMENT
#4
shows hundreds of airguns listed as firearms on the RCMP’s FRT (Firearms
Reference Table) as of 17 November 2000 – Non-Restricted = 377, Restricted =
50, Prohibited = 5.
“Now,
all we don’t know is why the RCMP and Justice Department officials misled the
media and the public,” concluded Breitkreuz.
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