Ottawa to announce gun-registry changes
By DREW FAGAN and JANE TABER From Thursday's Globe and Mail
http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20040520.wxguns0520front/BNStory/Front/
Ottawa -- The federal government plans to announce a package of changes to the controversial gun registry today, including a commitment to cap annual costs and eliminate fees. Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan, who is responsible for the package, is to make the announcement this morning in her home city of Edmonton, accompanied by Treasury Board President Reg Alcock.The gun registry has dogged the Liberals since its inception, especially in Western Canada, where the party is hoping to gain seats in the election expected in June. Ms. McLellan, who faces an uphill battle to retain her riding, has been the target of registry protests.
The government, sources say, will commit itself to limiting the annual budget for operating the registry to $25-million. A separate vote will be taken in the Commons to appropriate the money for the registry, rather than putting it through the usual process for government spending, in which large numbers of expenditures are approved at the same time.
The changes would include the elimination of registration and transfer fees -- although that won't be retroactive, CBC reported last night. Under the registry's complex system of fees, charges to register a weapon range from $18 to $25.
Police officers can also expect increased public-safety measures to deal with gun crime and a streamlining of the process.
The Globe and Mail reported yesterday that a package to revamp the $1-billion registry has been before cabinet for more than a month, stalled by differences of opinion among ministers. A last-minute push has been under way in recent days, however, to get agreement on changes before the election, expected to be called on Sunday for June 28.
The proposed changes focusing on public safety -- targeting criminal use of guns rather than law-abiding owners -- are expected to be popular with voters in the West and in rural areas throughout the country.
The package of changes is the culmination of a process put in motion last December by Mr. Martin.
He had asked Civil Preparedness Minister Albina Guarnieri to make recommendations to revamp the $1-billion gun registry to bring its excessive costs into line.
Mr. Martin said he was not in favour of scrapping the registry but reforming it.
Ms. Guarnieri travelled the country for more than three months, consulting on every side of the issue. She delivered a comprehensive package of recommendations more than a month ago. A series of cabinet consultations and presentations followed.
Insiders say that one recommendation had been made to fold the registry, which is now a stand-alone agency, into a department or agency such as the RCMP.
This would reduce the registry bureaucracy and significantly lower costs.
Sources say that the amount of paperwork and forms that law-abiding gun owners are now forced to fill out will be cut.
The Liberal government also hopes that this action will improve its reputation somewhat as a steward of the public purse.
The registry was originally budgeted to cost only $2-million, taking into account registration fees.
But costs have spiralled, leading the Auditor-General to estimate the total price tag at about $1-billion by 2005.
The registry now costs more than $100-million a year to run. Most provinces want it scrapped. With a report from Joe Friesen
By DREW FAGAN and JANE TABER From Thursday's Globe and Mail
http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20040520.wxguns0520front/BNStory/Front/
Ottawa -- The federal government plans to announce a package of changes to the controversial gun registry today, including a commitment to cap annual costs and eliminate fees. Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan, who is responsible for the package, is to make the announcement this morning in her home city of Edmonton, accompanied by Treasury Board President Reg Alcock.The gun registry has dogged the Liberals since its inception, especially in Western Canada, where the party is hoping to gain seats in the election expected in June. Ms. McLellan, who faces an uphill battle to retain her riding, has been the target of registry protests.
The government, sources say, will commit itself to limiting the annual budget for operating the registry to $25-million. A separate vote will be taken in the Commons to appropriate the money for the registry, rather than putting it through the usual process for government spending, in which large numbers of expenditures are approved at the same time.
The changes would include the elimination of registration and transfer fees -- although that won't be retroactive, CBC reported last night. Under the registry's complex system of fees, charges to register a weapon range from $18 to $25.
Police officers can also expect increased public-safety measures to deal with gun crime and a streamlining of the process.
The Globe and Mail reported yesterday that a package to revamp the $1-billion registry has been before cabinet for more than a month, stalled by differences of opinion among ministers. A last-minute push has been under way in recent days, however, to get agreement on changes before the election, expected to be called on Sunday for June 28.
The proposed changes focusing on public safety -- targeting criminal use of guns rather than law-abiding owners -- are expected to be popular with voters in the West and in rural areas throughout the country.
The package of changes is the culmination of a process put in motion last December by Mr. Martin.
He had asked Civil Preparedness Minister Albina Guarnieri to make recommendations to revamp the $1-billion gun registry to bring its excessive costs into line.
Mr. Martin said he was not in favour of scrapping the registry but reforming it.
Ms. Guarnieri travelled the country for more than three months, consulting on every side of the issue. She delivered a comprehensive package of recommendations more than a month ago. A series of cabinet consultations and presentations followed.
Insiders say that one recommendation had been made to fold the registry, which is now a stand-alone agency, into a department or agency such as the RCMP.
This would reduce the registry bureaucracy and significantly lower costs.
Sources say that the amount of paperwork and forms that law-abiding gun owners are now forced to fill out will be cut.
The Liberal government also hopes that this action will improve its reputation somewhat as a steward of the public purse.
The registry was originally budgeted to cost only $2-million, taking into account registration fees.
But costs have spiralled, leading the Auditor-General to estimate the total price tag at about $1-billion by 2005.
The registry now costs more than $100-million a year to run. Most provinces want it scrapped. With a report from Joe Friesen
