Issue:

REGISTRATION OF FIREARMS

Policy Memorandum No.:

15-4

Last Reviewed:

16 July 2019

POLICY:

There should be no requirement to register any firearms.

RATIONALE AND DISCUSSION:

We do not believe that the registration of firearms serves any useful purpose towards enhancing public safety. Rather than registering firearms, public safety is better served by regulating the people who seek to use them (licensing and training) and having strict penalties for using firearms in the commission of criminal offences.

The long-gun registry was an abject failure, only achieving an estimated compliance rate of under 50% and costing billions of dollars. It is our understanding that the long-gun registry was never used to solve a crime, much less to prevent any crimes. Criminals certainly did not register their firearms.

The current registration system has been misused as a way to confiscate firearms through irrational, unreasonable, arbitrary, and harmful changes in classification.

There is no reason to believe that the current registry of restricted and prohibited firearms serves any more a useful purpose than the long-gun registry did.

Note:

The implementation of new requirements for record keeping by businesses under Bill C-71 introduces the beginning of registration like information which despite current government statements to the contrary, do provide the framework for future registration mechanisms.

The CCFR opposes the implementation of any list which records personal information connected to firearms which could make firearm owners the target of criminals intending to steal firearms for the black market.

The personal information now publicly known to be held by every business selling firearms creates a security risk not only for firearm owners, but also for the public at large. Lists of customers and which firearms they have purchased present as an easy target for enterprising criminals and serious risk for everyone else.