PUBLICATION:              Calgary Herald

DATE:                         2004.01.05

EDITION:                    Final

SECTION:                  Opinion

PAGE:                         A10

SOURCE:                   Calgary Herald

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Reviewing the registry

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It has the makings of a joke: How many consultants does it take to fix a flawed gun registry? This past week, Public Safety Minister Anne McLellan announced another review 0f the Liberals' billion-dollar boondoggle gun registry.

Ah yes, another year and another investigation into the registry. Last January, Martin Cauchon, the minister then responsible for the registry (it will cost taxpayers 500 times more than originally estimated) announced a $92,000 review. That was in addition to a $60,000 KPMG study already underway. This, on top of the auditor general's December 2002 report that confirmed the registry's boondoggle status and that provided recommendations. In February 2003, Cauchon tabled both consultants' reports with the aim of "improving" the gun registry. "These two reports will be useful in helping us achieve these objectives" said Cauchon at the time. Now, another minister wants another review.

The gun registry was birthed in a cynical attempt to give the impression our politicians were fighting violent crime. Instead, if it continues, by 2010 the registry will have diverted $2 billion from areas that would actually impact crime rates, such as more cops. To McLellan, here's our free consultant's service: Forget the new review, drop the registry and spend our money on actual crime reduction.

Calgary Herald Editorial Board