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- - Long Gun Amnesty in Canada may or may not be extended (http://goldismoney.info/forums/showthread.php?t=259952)

Big_Rob | 04-25-2008 01:15 PM
Long Gun Amnesty in Canada may or may not be extended End of long-gun amnesty could mean fines, jail for violators: RCMP OTTAWA - RCMP say if the government allows an amnesty on rifle and shotgun ownership to expire, police will have no choice but to fine or jail unregistered long-gun owners. http://timestranscript.canadaeast.co...article/276897 The temporary reprieve ends May 16. "We follow the rule of law," said Sgt. Derek Strong. "If there's an amnesty, we follow that. With the lack of an amnesty, it's business as usual." A summary conviction for a first-time offender who fails to register and license a long gun ranges from a fine of up to $2,000 to six months in prison. All firearms in Canada must be licensed and registered under one of two classifications: A possession-only licence for gun owners who already own a weapon with no intention to acquire additional guns; or a possession and acquisition licence, which allows gun owners to purchase additional firearms. Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day announced two years ago that government would waive application fees for licences until 2008 and provide amnesty for one year to owners of unregistered long guns, which was renewed again last April. The Tories served notice in March that they intend to continue providing amnesty to long-gun owners whose rifles and shotguns are not registered. But the renewal hinges on a review of the current amnesty program. RCMP and Canadian firearm officers -- the officials responsible for gun licences in the provinces -- are currently conducting the review. An official with the Department of Public Safety said yesterday the program is still under review and no decision has been made. MP Dominic LeBlanc admits the Liberals made mistakes when the firearms registry was introduced in 1995 at a cost of more than $1 billion. "It was far from glorious in terms of cost and confusion about deadlines," said the Beaus�jour Liberal who doubles as the party's justice critic, adding his party still maintains strict gun control, including registration of all firearms, is essential to public safety. "Sometimes those of us in rural communities have to acknowledge that gun control and gun crime is a big issue in a few larger urban centres," said LeBlanc. He said the Conservative's plan to extend the long-gun amnesty does little to foster debate about how the legislation can be improved. The Conservatives have made no secret of their desire to scrap current firearms legislation with the introduction of new legislation aimed at retooling existing gun laws. "But it's unfortunate that the government doesn't have the courage to bring these changes before Parliament in a vote because they know they would lose," said LeBlanc. "So they take the rather extraordinary measure of instructing the police not to enforce the law. It's a bizarre way to make criminal law." Proponents of toned-down gun legislation are also unhappy with the temporary reprieve. Critics of the firearms registry, such as the National Rifle Association, have also accused the Tories of using the amnesty to delay tabling new legislation aimed at scrapping the controversial program, adding it has little chance of garnering the votes needed to pass in a minority Parliament. Final approval on the extension of the amnesty is pending and a decision is expected within weeks.

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