GUN REGISTRY COSTS $145.9 MILLION IN LAST 3 MONTHS

By Garry Breitkreuz, MP – March 2, 2001

$96,148,000 appropriated using Governor General Special Warrants during the election in November - Information Released by Government: February 2, 2001

$49,831,000 appropriated in Supplementary Estimates (A) for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2001 - Information Released by Government: March 1, 2001

THAT’S $145.9 MILLION IN THE LAST 3 MONTHS!

NOTE: THIS IS IN ADDITION TO THE ????????? MILLION THE LIBERALS HAVE BEEN REFUSING TO RELEASE TO THE PUBLIC SINCE APRIL 1, 2000.

WHY ARE THE LIBERALS KEEPING THE TRUE COSTS SECRET?

Because when the costs exceed $500 million the public no longer supports the Liberal’s gun registration scheme

The Department of Justice commissions public opinion polls and asks questions that will produce the answer they need to further the Liberal’s political agenda.  Let’s examine one of the government’s public opinion polls on the controversial gun registry, released to create some positive spin after the horrendous first two years of operation.  Here’s the key question the Gallup pollster’s asked: “In general, do you feel that the laws covering the sale of firearms should be made more strict, less strict, or kept as they are now?”  This is a bogus question because it solicits a predictable response – not an informed response. 

What do you suppose the results to the same question would have been if respondents had been properly informed?  Fortunately two professors, Dr. Gary Mauser and Dr. H. Taylor Buckner conducted just such an enlightened poll.  They set out to determine the difference between an uninformed response and an informed one on the issue of gun registration.  Their findings were published by the Mackenzie Institute in January 1997 in a report titled “Canadian Attitudes Toward Gun Control: The Real Story.”  When they asked respondents: “Do you agree or disagree that all firearms should be registered?”  75.7% Agreed Strongly.  Then respondents were asked: “If it would cost $500 million over the next five years to set up and maintain a firearms registry, would you still agree?”  Only 32.4% Agreed Strongly. 

This year, the costs of the Liberal’s gun registration scheme exceeded $500 million.

ANOTHER $49,831,000 DUMPED INTO GUN REGISTRY

FOR FISCAL YEAR 2000-2001

Information Released by Government: March 1, 2001

SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES (A), 2000-2001

For the Fiscal Year Ending, March 31, 2001

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT - PAGE 114

Vote 1a - Justice - Operating Expenditures

- Previous Estimates       = $426,509,400

- New Appropriation                        = $  55,938,696

- New Estimates to Date    = $482,448,096

Vote 5a - Justice – Grants & Contributions

- Previous Estimates       = $318,459,232

- New Appropriation                        = $  48,217,868

- New Estimates to Date    = $366,677,100

Explanation of Requirement

- Firearms Control Program            Vote 1a = $35,568,000

                                                            Vote 5a = $14,263,000

                                                            ___________________

                                    TOTAL:                      = $49,831,000 *

* NOTE #1 – THIS IS IN ADDITION TO THE $96,148,000 APPROVED BY “SPECIAL WARRANTS” DURING THE ELECTION.  THAT’S $145.9 MILLION IN THE LAST 3 MONTHS!

* NOTE #2 – THIS IS ALSO IN ADDITION TO THE  ????????? MILLION THE LIBERALS HAVE BEEN REFUSING TO RELEASE TO THE PUBLIC SINCE APRIL 1, 2000.

Document available through:

Canadian Government Publishing

Public Works and Government Services Canada

Ottawa, Ontario

K1A 0S9

Telephone: (819) 956-4800

Fax: (819) 994-1498

Internet: http://publications.pwgsc.gc.ca

LIBERALS DUMP $96 MILLION MORE INTO GUN REGISTRY

FOR FISCAL YEAR 2000-2001

Information Released by Government: February 2, 2001

STATEMENT ON GOVERNOR GENERAL SPECIAL WARRANTS

For the Fiscal Year Ending, March 31, 2001

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT - PAGE 72

Vote 1 - Justice - Operating Expenditures

- Previous Estimates       = $303,361,000

- Special Warrants                    = $123,148,400

- Total Appropriation              = $426,509,400

Explanation of Requirement

- Firearms Control Program            = $96,148,000

Document available through:

Canadian Government Publishing

Public Works and Government Services Canada

Ottawa, Ontario

K1A 0S9

Telephone: (819) 956-4800

Fax: (819) 994-1498

Internet: http://publications.pwgsc.gc.ca

NOTE #1: The Dept. of Justice Departmental Estimates did not make public what the original budget was for the Firearms Control Program for fiscal year 2000-2001.

NOTE #2: The Dept. of Justice has been refusing Garry Breitkreuz's Access to Information request for a copy of the original budget for the Firearms Control Program for this fiscal year (2000/2001).

NOTE #3: The Dept. of Justice has been stonewalling the Investigator from the Information Commissioner's office on the complaint from Garry Breitkreuz's office since last August.

NOTE #4: The Investigator from the Office of the Information Commissioner learned the Dept. of Justice was operating the Firearms Control Program on a "Money Managed Program".

NOTE #5: The Treasury Board Secretariat informed Garry Breitkreuz's office that there are ONLY two "OVERSIGHT COMMITTEES" operating in Treasury Board and both of them have to do with "FIREARMS".