Today in the HoC, a petition was issued to scrap the gun registry program (I neglected to note from whom the request came). The Gun Registry Program has been under fire for its scandalous rendezvous with the Liberal government around 2006 following Governor General Fraser's report. But, is the program completely worthless or is the process of registering guns beneficial?
background information on the scandal
I have attempted to search for data regarding the amount of murders of gun related crimes in which the perpetrator has been caught through the use of gun registry. That search would include perpetrators who used their own (or a family member's) registered gun, or other cases in which the program has led to a direct arrest of the criminal. In addition any statistics or what have you that provide credentials to the claim that the program aids cops by informing them of possible weapons in a suspect's house (on scene before they enter). I am unsure whether in the latter situation, the gun registry actually aids instead of gives the cops a false sense of security. Any information would be beneficial. In my opinion, I do not think that a criminal would be foolish enough to use a gun registered to him to commit a crime, but that is only my own supposition.
From what I have so far gathered, crime rates have decreased from prior to 1995, when the program was introduced. However, there is no direct correlation between those statistics and the gun registry program. (See Stats Canada 2002 Death Involving Firearms. 3,7).
In April 2009 a bill from the Senate was introduce to repeal the Firearms Act. It would remove the need for a registration certificate for non-restricted firearms; however, it would not remove the requirements nor the license required in order to own or use a firearm.
Now, as a one who does not own or come into frequent contact with guns I cannot give too much of an uniformed opinion on a possible alternative. But from my vantage point the bill (found here) is far better than the current Gun Registry Program.
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I haven't been able to find any incidents where the registry has proven helpful in solving a crime.
ReplyDeleteThe RCMP claim that in the shooting of the 4 officers a firearm left at one of the perps father's house was tracked back to the owner.
It was not the crime gun.
I'd say scrap it.
ReplyDeleteAfter all, most crimes with guns are obviously committed by baddies who acquired their handguns on the black market and would certainly NOT register them.
The problem is more complex. It's the people, not the guns, that's the real problem. After all, knives aren't blamed in homicides; the murderers are, which is why no one seriously suggests registering or banning knives. Strange how society has been conditioned to blame guns for homicides, whereas they won't blame other objects for homicides. Must be a leftist propaganda thing.