Liberals
Support Police Calls to Maintain Gun Registry
OTTAWA
– The Conservative government’s continuing attempts to scrap gun
control in Canada will remove a vital tool from front-line police officers
who use the gun registry to protect themselves and our communities,
Liberal Public Safety Critic Sue Barnes said today.
“The Canadian Police Association told Parliament yesterday that the gun registry works,” said Ms. Barnes. “So why is the government ignoring the advice it’s being given by police who actually use the registry on a daily basis?”
During meetings on Parliament Hill yesterday, Canadian Police Association (CPA) President Tony Cannavino said that the gun registry is used more than 5,000 times daily, usually to determine whether or not firearms are present when police are called to respond to emergencies.
And today, Ontario Attorney General Michael Bryant also chastised this government for its lack of commitment to removing guns from our streets.
“The government knows that they can’t actually scrap the registry through legislative means so they’re using dirty, administrative tactics to slowly destroy it,” said Ms. Barnes.
Almost a year ago, the government introduced Bill C-21 to scrap the gun registry, but has made no efforts to actually pass the bill since all other parties oppose ending gun control in Canada.
“Knowing they can’t get their legislation through Parliament, they have instead twice extended amnesties to gun owners who haven’t registered their guns,” said Ms. Barnes.
“The Conservatives are behaving contemptuously, trying to undermine the registry without anybody noticing. But the fact is, Canadians support the gun registry, police support the gun registry, Canada’s attorneys general support the gun registry, and Parliament supports the gun registry. When will this government get on board?”
