GUN REGISTRY “MEASURES OF SUCCESS”?

“MEASURES OF SUCCESS” DEPT. OF JUSTICE – 2002

Department of Justice 2002-2003 Estimates, Part III – Report on Plans and Priorities with respect to the Firearms Control Program (Page 11) tabled in Parliament on March 21, 2002. 

http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/tb/estimate/20022003/rJUS___e.pdf

Under Long-Term Benefits the department lists the following “Measures of success”:

• number of suspended/refused licences;

• % of firearms owners complying with registration; -

• ease of registration process; # of registered firearms;

• % of public support for program;

• documented reduction in the number of firearm accidents (long-term result).

“MEASURES OF SUCCESS” JUSTICE MINISTER ALLAN ROCK – 1995

Justice Minister, Allan Rock, provided the following list of “the advantages of universal registration” when he tabled in Parliament The Government’s Action Plan on Firearms Control on November 30, 1994.

• Deter and control theft, diversion and smuggling of firearms;

• Ensure individual and business compliance with transfer and safe storage requirements;

• Assistance in police investigations;

• Enable police in domestic violence situations to better prepare themselves where they know a firearm is present in the home;

• Enable police to enforce court prohibition orders by ensuring all firearms owned by the individuals have been turned in;

• Licence access to ammunition (further deterring illegal acquisition and smuggling);

• Monitor firearm traffic through Canada, assisting international small-arms controls; and

• Gather accurate statistical information about firearm numbers and ownership patterns.

Justice Minister, Allan Rock, promised Parliament the following list of benefits of the universal gun registry (Hansard pages 9707-9709 – February 16, 1995):

•        “Surely, we must reduce the number of firearms smuggled into the country.  Surely, we must cut down on the number of firearms stolen and traded in the underground.  How do we achieve that? Through registration.”

•        “Registration will enable us to record what arrives and track it to the point of sale into the hands of a lawful owner.  Registration will enable us to stop the kind of leakage that now occurs, to reduce the incidence of people illegally selling that which is legally imported.”

•        “With compliance with those safe storage requirements the incidence of firearms being stolen…will diminish.”

•        “Mandatory registration will provide a basis upon which the police can enforce that kind of order [prohibition order...”

•         “I have said in the House and in the past and rely heavily upon the fact that preponderantly the police are in favour of universal registration.”

•        “Registration will assist us to deal with the scourge of domestic violence.  Statistics demonstrate that every six days a woman is shot to death in Canada.”

•       “When firearms are registered, if it is necessary for a person to register and show proof of registration to buy ammunition, as it will be, the police will know what firearms are there.  The police will be able to enforce those orders [prohibition orders] and lives will be saved.”

•       “However, too many of those suicides were by young people acting in a moment of anguish, acting impulsively because of a failed relationship, difficulty in the home, or problems at school.  If a firearm is not readily available, lives can be saved.”

•        “In the years since 1970, some 470 children have died in Canada as a result of accidents with firearms.  If we can achieve safer storage through registration…children’s lives could be saved.”

•        “We have provided our estimate of the cost of implementing universal registration over the next five years. We say that it will cost $85 million. We have also said that we will put before the parliamentary committee, on which all parties sit, details of those calculations showing our assumptions and how we arrived at those figures. We encourage the members opposite to examine our estimates. We are confident we will demonstrate that the figures are realistic and accurate.”