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February 11, 2009
DEVOLIN SUPPORTS BILL TO SCRAP THE LONG-GUN
REGISTRY
OTTAWA – Local MP Barry Devolin has announced his support for Bill C-301, a Private Members’ Bill introduced by Saskatchewan MP Garry Breitkreuz aimed at scraping the decade-old Canadian long-gun registry.
The long-gun registry was originally budgeted to cost Canadians $2 million, but the price tag spiraled out of control to an estimated $2 billion a decade later.
“In my view, the long-gun registry has never been much more than a political pacifier aimed at convincing people who are afraid of gun crime that Ottawa is 'doing something' to make us safer,” said Devolin. “Nothing could be further from the truth."
"I believe Canadians would rather see their tax dollars keeping guns out of the hands of criminals and gangs, instead of harassing law-abiding citizens,” said Devolin.
If Breitkreuz’s bill receives support from a majority of MP’s, it will also invite the Auditor General to conduct a public safety test on all gun control measures every five years. The AG’s reports will reassure Canadians that all gun control laws are cost-effective at improving public safety, reducing violent crime and keeping firearms out of the hands of criminals.
Breitkreuz’s bill also introduces legislative steps to streamline the Firearms Act. The changes will improve efficiency and enhance Canada’s public safety objectives, while still providing our police with the information they need for effective law enforcement.
“We need hard evidence to guide us in forming cost-effective crime control measures,” said Devolin. “This is a non-partisan issue and I hope it will be supported by Members from all federal parties."
"Certainly there are Members in all parties who believe hunters, farmers and sport shooters have been forced to comply with an onerous registration process that made no sense. I hope we can find a majority who want to shift our attention to criminals who use unregistered guns to commit their crimes.”
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For more information contact:
Barry Devolin, MP
(705) 324-2400 or (866) 688-9881
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