OTTAWA - The Conservative government's latest move to cripple the long-gun registry is being blasted by a national police group and all federal opposition parties.
The decision to waive penalties for people who fail to register their firearms was enacted without fanfare during Parliament's Easter break -- and extends for another year a similar amnesty granted in 2006.
The Tories have essentially killed the gun registry by decree because they have no political support to actually eliminate it in Parliament, one opponent said.
"They're trying to do by stealth what they can't do democratically,'' New Democrat MP Joe Comartin said Tuesday.
He said recent school shootings in Montreal and Virginia have made it even more politically unpalatable for any opposition party to support the Tories in their quest to kill the gun registry.
"I don't think they ever had the votes to support that,'' Comartin said.
"After Dawson (College's shootings last fall), they clearly didn't. After what's happened now (in Virginia), they probably never will.''
Prime Minister Stephen Harper faced widespread criticism after the Dawson shootings in Montreal -- when even his political ally, Quebec Premier Jean Charest, urged him to reconsider plans to kill the registry.
The government has apparently chosen to let its registry legislation die on the order paper instead of mounting a futile fight against the opposition and alienating pro-gun control voters in urban areas.
The Tories have long denounced the gun registry as useless legislation that targets duck hunters instead of criminals. They also decry the astronomical costs -- over $1 billion -- racked up after the gun-control program was expanded in the 1990s.
But the Canadian Police Association says its members consult the gun registry 5,000 times a day. They say it helps police determine what kind of weapons they might find inside a house, and what size security perimeter to erect during an operation.
"If the amnesty continues -- you know what's going to happen,'' said association president Tony Cannavino.
"We're going to have less and less long guns registered. That's a problem -- instead of being more accurate and having updates on who's buying long guns, that won't happen. . .
"The registry has always been useful to us.''
The Liberals called the latest amnesty anti-democratic.
The Tories served notice in the government's Canada Gazette last week that they would extend the amnesty period for another year -- to May 16, 2008 -- and invited members of the public to comment on the move at amnesty-amnistie@cfc-cafc.gc.ca.
Liberal Leader Stephane Dion was asked during a news conference for his thoughts on the gun registry following Monday's school shootings in Virginia.
"This is an awful event. I will not use it to make a point in a debate,'' he said.
"It's well known -- well before this tragedy -- where we are as a party, how much we think that gun control is important. I will not use this event as an additional reason.''
Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day was unavailable for comment. But his office said the move also gives gun-owners time to get their firearms registered and respect the law.
The Criminal Code includes penalties of up to five years in prison for possessing an unregistered firearm, however the law has not been widely enforced.
"Canada's New Government is committed to effective gun control,'' his office said via e-mail.
"Effective gun control means encouraging compliance among firearms owners and encouraging former license holders to come back into lawful compliance with existing licensing and registration requirements.
"That's why we are seeking comments on a proposal to extend the firearms amnesty for one more year."
