Garry Breitkreuz, a longtime opponent to Canada’s gun registry, explains his rationale.
Many public health advocates believe that scrapping the long-gun registry would open the door to increases in suicides, domestic violence and murders against women.
As chair of the standing committee on Public Safety and National Security, I have received letters from doctors, nurses, and women’s rights groups that suggest passing Bill C-391 to eliminate the registry would increase crime. This short-sighted conclusion is not supported by either statistical analysis or many of Canada’s leading firearms experts.
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While the intentions of certain public health advocates may appear admirable, there is an unfortunate tendency to jump to the conclusion that unregistered firearms would increase abuse.
Meanwhile, anti-registry experts say that merely recording the addresses where firearms might be located does nothing to make those guns safe. With a wasted investment estimated at $2 billion so far, it makes no sense to continue the charade by throwing good money after bad.
Gary Mauser, professor emeritus at Simon Fraser University and an internationally respected criminologist, says scrapping the registry would not increase suicide, domestic crimes or violence against women.
He also believes the ongoing cost of $4 million a year cited by pro-registry sources is untrue.
“Hanging, carbon monoxide poisoning, drowning and shooting all have nearly identical fatality rates,” Mauser testified at the Bill C-391 hearings. “Eliminate one and the rest remain. But oh, we could have a $2 billion bureaucracy for each of those. Some suggest that the costs of the long-gun registry are minimal, but $4 million a year is a gross underestimate.
“That would make a massive contribution to programs that are more effective: suicide prevention efforts, community clinics for abused spouses, (and) treatment programs for those with addiction problems.
“It is disappointing that women’s groups, even medical groups, ignore real problems to flog firearm fears,” he adds. “No jurisdiction anywhere in the world can show that the introduction of new gun laws has been linked to a reduction in murder, suicide or aggravated assault.”
Since the firearms registry became a political volleyball some 15 years ago, a great deal of misinformation has been invented by registry advocates. They demonize the so-called “well financed gun lobby” in Canada with claims of influences from beyond our borders.
Nothing could be further from the truth. The anti-registry “lobby” in Canada comprises hunters, farmers, sports shooters and clear-thinking Canadians who want to preserve their heritage activities.
The long-gun registry doesn’t save lives and there are many experts, including police officers, sporting enthusiasts and academic scholars, who are eager to provide proof .
Garry Breitkreuz is the Member of Parliament for Yorkton-Melville in Saskatachewan.
