Federal Conservatives, unable after five years of minority government to abolish the long gun registry, are offering gun owners another year of firearm licence renewal without charge.
It will cost taxpayers and save gun owners $21 million over the next two years, according to a federal budget that was tabled but remained unapproved before the government fell last week.
Abolition of the long gun registry will be a key Conservative rural message during the election campaign.
The budget offered a break to all firearm owners rather than just long gun owners.
“Budget 2011 provides funding of $20.9 million to continue to waive firearms licence renewal fees for all classes of firearms,” said the budget. “From May 2011 until May 2012, no firearms owner will have to pay to renew a licence.”
The promise was wedged in the budget document between a federal victims strategy worth $26 million over two years and a $1.6 million annual fund for security enhance-m ents at community centres, schools and churches.
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