Gun registration and knowing where the guns are is a threat to the freedom of the people who hire, fund, and instruct their public servants. Registration is to go outside these and defy the people. It is to forget who serves whom.

Firearms owners privacy violated.

On behalf of the membership of B.C. Wildlife Federation, I would like to express thanks to Public Safety Minister Peter Van Loan for his quick actions to put a stop to the RCMP initiative to hire EKOS Research to poll firearms owners.

Firearm owners have been forced to register their firearms with the Canadian Firearms Center and therefore to share their private information. As the administrator of the program since May 2006, the RCMP has had access to all this information. Previously, such information was only shared when an inquiry was made of the database.

Admittedly, because of the way the software was designed, any police contact at all was enough to qualify for an automated check of the Registry.

A citizen might not even own a firearm but may still be checked through the registry for a myriad of other reasons. When someone reports a car accident, or a vicious dog attack, or even if a police officer had entered their car’s license plate into their computer - these would all initiate a check. However, the information was supposed to stay confidential within law enforcement circles.

In fact the Canadian Firearms Center’s privacy section of their website clearly states: "Relevant Firearms Program information is disclosed only to federal and provincial public safety business partners that have legal authority to collect this information consistent with their public safety responsibilities. Program business partners include local and provincial police, the Canada Border Services Agency and International Trade Canada.

The Privacy Act requires that those agencies must have a use consistent with the purpose for which the information was collected. In turn, those non-federal agencies to which firearms information is disclosed are bound by similar requirements under their jurisdictional privacy laws.

Furthermore, firearms information is not shared with any private sector agencies. Some private companies, however, can have access to personal information while under a contracted arrangement for software administration or records management procedures.

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Under the terms of those contracts, these companies cannot use or disclose information. Also, employees of private companies are thoroughly screened for security clearance to ensure that personal information is protected at the same level as federal requirements.

It is unconscionable that the RCMP decided to spend $80,000.and violate “client” privacy by sharing confidential information with a private firm to poll owners as to their satisfaction with the Firearms Registry.

Firearms owners were first ordered, under penalty of imprisonment, to acquire a license to possess their legally acquired property, and then to register it with the government. However, they now have decided to poll us to see if we are happy with the terms of our yoke.

Those who obey the law should not be subject to this sort of mistreatment by those who have been hired to protect us. Not only have the RCMP failed to protect law abiding firearm owners, but also they have actually exposed them to greater risk. There is a certain security in anonymity. Firearms have a considerable value, especially on the ‘black market’. Criminals will pay handsomely for a list of where they are located.

For putting an end to this travesty and calling for an inquiry by the Office of the Federal Privacy Commissioner into how it happened and who is responsible for such a poor decision, the membership of the B.C. Wildlife Federation thanks you, Minister Van Loan.

Michael Fowler, firearms committee chair

B.C. Wildlife Federation

Toronto police off target
Toronto's Safe City campaign should be targeting criminals

Despite clear evidence that targeting law-abiding gun owners for registration or licensing paperwork violations does nothing to stem violent crime, Toronto police are currently going door to door looking for lapsed firearms license holders, in a self-professed bid to make their city safer. The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (O.F.A.H.), the largest nonprofit conservation based angling and hunting organization in Ontario, condemns this 'make work' project as yet another example of law enforcement aiming at the wrong target in an attempt to address the very real problem of violent gun crime.

"It is more than a little ironic that Toronto police are carrying out this activity under the guise of their 'Safe City Project.' Instead of working to stem the tide of illegal firearms that are smuggled into Canada and sold on the streets of Toronto and other major urban centres, police are knocking on the doors of law-abiding citizens, in the hopes of finding a legally owned firearm with a lapsed registration," said Greg Farrant, O.F.A.H. Manager of Government Relations & Communications. "In the process, they are claiming to have tracked down 400 firearms that in their words 'could have fallen into the hands of criminals.' Unless they have developed the ability to predict the future, this leap in logic in truly breathtaking. To suggest that a lapse in paperwork is one step removed from the firearm ending up on the streets defies all logic. There are far more productive ways to spend enforcement dollars, such as tracking those individuals who are prohibited from owning firearms, and working with all levels of government to halt the flow of illegal firearms coming into Canada, firearms that are being used to commit crimes in our communities."

In 1995, the amended federal Firearms Act made it mandatory for every long gun (shotgun or rifle) in the country to be registered. Despite assurances that public safety would be well served by the creation of the $2 billion dollar 'investment' in the long gun registry, the Auditor General of Canada stated in her reports to Parliament in 2002 and 2006, that the department had not been able to demonstrate that the system had enhanced the public safety or had saved lives.

"The Canadian Firearms Centre (C.F.C.) is responsible for notifying firearms owners about renewal of their licenses, but despite their efforts to remain in compliance, thousands of legal, law-abiding firearms owners have failed to receive these notifications or have had their paperwork disappear into some bureaucratic black hole. Given the inherent flaws in the system, well publicized computer failures, repeated violations of privacy, and massive cost overruns, the Justice department has admitted that the program has become overly complex, costly to deliver and difficult for firearms owners to comply. All Canadians, not just hunters, sport shooters and farmers, should be alarmed by Canada's colossal failure to protect us from violent offenders. This latest futile campaign in Toronto has firearms owners across the country shaking their heads in frustration," added Farrant.

If found to be in non-compliance with the registration and licensing requirements, firearms owners are provided with an opportunity to come into compliance, but the firearms are removed from their possession until the process is complete. The targeting of legal firearms owners and claims that such actions are resulting in a reduced threat to public safety lacks credibility, and diverts attention away from the fact that the registration system is badly flawed, does nothing to prevent criminals from obtaining illegal firearms and is nothing more than a glorified public relations exercise, which ignores the real problem and threat to the public.

With over 100,000 members, subscribers and supporters, and 660 member clubs, the O.F.A.H. is the largest nonprofit, charitable, fishing, hunting and conservation-based organization in Ontario, and the voice of anglers and hunters. For more information, visit www.ofah.org.

Polls show public support for abolition of registry
Majority of Canadians agree with Prime Minister that the long-gun registry must go

On March 23, 2009, a Toronto Sun online poll asked, "Do you support Prime Minister Stephen Harper's call to scrap the long-gun registry?" An overwhelming majority, 84 percent, supported scrapping the registry. A survey by Toronto-based CP24 the same day, asked, "Do you think the Government should scrap the Federal long gun registry?" Fully 66 percent responded that the registry should be scrapped, or that it was a bad idea from the outset. Polls run by The Globe & Mail, CTV News, Ipsos-Reid and others dating back to 2002, have repeatedly demonstrated that Canadians believe that the registry is ineffective and should be abolished.

O.F.A.H. Executive Director, Mike Reader noted that the latest results are especially telling, given that they were conducted in Toronto, the largest urban centre in the country. "The outdoors community knew from the outset that the long gun registry would not be effective in preventing crime, because it targets licensed, law-abiding citizens who use legal firearms for hunting or recreational sport shooting instead of targeting criminals who use illegal handguns to commit crimes in our communities. Canadian taxpayers are fed up with paying for the registry that never has, and never will, reduce crime or increase public safety."

The O.F.A.H. is one of many organizations across the country that has fought the long-gun registry from the beginning. In the decade that the registry has been in place, it has been poorly managed, with cost overruns verging on two billion dollars. It has been subject to repeated privacy violations and has done nothing to reduce violent crime. Two reports by the Auditor General of Canada have called into question the effectiveness of the registry, and soundly criticized government overspending on a program that was supposed to cost no more than $20 million.

With over 100,000 members, subscribers and supporters, and 655 member clubs, the O.F.A.H. is the largest nonprofit, charitable, fishing, hunting and conservation-based organization in Ontario, and the voice of anglers and hunters. For more information, visit www.ofah.org.

• Myth: The firearms program and the long gun registry will protect public safety.
• Fact: In her report, the Auditor General of Canada pointed out that no authoritative study has been done, more than a decade after its launch that shows any impact on gun statistics stemming from the long gun registry.
  
• Myth: The firearm's registry prevents tragedies such as happened at Dawson College.
• Fact: The registry did not prevent the shooting at Dawson College, nor can it prevent any other random act of violence.
  
• Myth: The current firearms system prevents individuals who should not possess firearms from gaining access to them.
• Fact: The system does nothing to prevent those convicted of violent crimes from obtaining firearms, nor does it provide for supervision of these individuals. They are not even required to report a change of address to police.

O.F.A.H. supports new firearms Bill
Private Members' Bill a major step forward

The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (O.F.A.H.) applauds the introduction of a new firearms bill by Garry Breitkreuz, M.P. Yorkton-Melville. The legislation proposes to eliminate the wasteful long gun registry and remove much of the onerous regulations associated with the act, while having no negative impact on public safety.

The bill proposes a number of changes to the Firearms Act, including: 1) Elimination of the costly, badly flawed and ineffective long gun registry; 2) Streamlining the licensing system; and 3) calling for a cost/benefit of the Firearms Program every five years to ensure that Canadian taxpayers are receiving benefit for money spent.

"We are strongly supportive of the legislation introduced earlier today by Garry Breitkreuz, who has worked tirelessly to help create a rational and cost effective firearms program that focuses the government’s efforts on the prevention of crime, not the over regulation of law abiding firearms owners", said O.F.A.H. Executive Director Mike Reader. "Mr. Breitkreuz and the Harper government should be applauded for their ongoing attempts to focus the firearms debate on the real problem, the acquisition and use of illegal firearms by criminals, not the responsible use of firearms by hunters and recreational sport shooters".

The Breitkreuz bill is the latest firearms bill introduced in Parliament that seeks to scrap the long gun registry, which has cost Canadian taxpayers almost $2 billion and been strongly criticized by the federal Auditor General for its many inefficiencies and cost overruns. Created by a former Liberal government, the long gun registry was supposed to cost $2 million and enhance public safety, neither of which was achieved.

"Over the last few years, public opinion polls have made it clear that a majority of Canadians believe that this badly flawed system needs to be eliminated. There have been countless examples of police chiefs, police associations and front line officers across the country who have condemned the registry, preferring instead to see the money wasted on the registry spent on more police on the street, better border security and an improved court system. The reality is that criminals, who use illegal firearms to commit crime and create havoc on the streets of our communities, don’t register firearms and aren’t impacted upon by this expensive white elephant", said Reader.

With over 100,000 members, subscribers and supporters, and 655 member clubs, the O.F.A.H. is the largest nonprofit, charitable, fishing, hunting and conservation-based organization in Ontario, and the voice of anglers and hunters. For more information, visit www.ofah.org.