Critics of Canada’s gun registration rules have taken heart from a report by the federal Privacy Commissioner, which criticizes the “intrusive” nature of some of the questions on the registration forms.
“On the whole, our review has not found any egregious violations of the Privacy Act,” commissioner and Liberal appointee George Radwanski said in a report to Parliament.
“We have found, however, a number of instances where the privacy of Canadians should be strengthened.”
He said a particular area of concern is the personal nature of questions asked.
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“Much of the information collected in the application process, about mental health, job losses, bankruptcies, substance abuse, etc., is highly intrusive,” wrote Radwanski.
“We have concerns about the breadth of the information captured as well as its usefulness in the decision-making process.”
Gun registration opponents applauded the criticisms.
Canadian Alliance justice critic and former Manitoba attorney general Vic Toews said it is proof the gun registration program is flawed.
Toews noted that Radwanski also criticized the registration program for other reasons:
- The potential for misinformation to make it into files.
- The difficulty individuals have to get misinformation corrected.
- The lack of co-ordination between departments.
“The failure of the Liberal government to protect the personal information of Canadians is unacceptable, especially in light of the fact that the registry serves no legitimate crime prevention purpose,” Toews said in a statement from Ottawa.
“It’s time for the government to take action and finally clean up this mess. The first step should be to repeal C-68, the long gun registry, and put in its place a law that targets criminals and not ordinary hunters and farmers.”
The government did not immediately respond to the report, although justice minister Anne McLellan will face questions when the House of Commons resumes sitting Sept. 17.
The Canadian Alliance, New Democratic Party, Progressive Conservative Party and a minority of rural Liberals oppose gun registration rules.
Meanwhile, the Coalition for Gun Control reacted to Radwanski’s criticisms by arguing that the personal questions are legitimate ways to weed out unstable or abusive people.
“We must consider the balance between individual privacy and community expectation for protection and safety,” said University of Saskatchewan law professor Tim Quigley.
“Given the risks associated with firearm possession, there is a strong case for the screening of firearms licence applicants.”
