Kudos to Canada for Killing Long-Gun Registration

Last week, Canada’s Senate voted 50-27 to kill a law called The Firearms Act that required registration of long-guns in the country. Said Tony Bernardo, of the Canadian Shooting Sport Association (CSSA), "We know the registry was a cheap political ploy from a previous government that pretended to keep Canadians safe. It wasn't gun control, and it wasn't designed to do anything but frustrate honest, law-abiding firearms owners." 

Quebec will not give up, though. Its government promises an injunction so that those lists of long-gun owners can be held onto, filed and used in the future. In a press release issued by the CSSA, Bernado said, “Quebec wouldn't know what to do with this data if they got it. The data is legendary for its inaccuracy and it's way beyond its stale date. Quebec couldn't build a workable registry from the dregs of this white elephant because it was never workable in the first place. It's hard to believe that Quebec voters want their tax dollars fed into a paper shredder like this." 

Since history repeats itself, we would do well to look at Canada and what it took to repeal this law. According to reputable studies, and in particular one done by American John Lott, author of “More Guns, Less, Crime,” the registry did not solve one single murder case – which is one of the reasons proponents pushed to pass the law in the first case. It was projected to cost $119 million and wound up costing more than $1 billion. 

Not only did the Conservative party push to scrap this useless law, it had help from wildlife federations, firearms enthusiasts and hunters. Without this support base, the party would not have been able to do the right thing. 

We know this will make life a little easier for outfitters and hunters in Canada. But at the end of the day, I like to say… the right people did the right thing at the right time. Canada’s move only strengthens our country in its fight to keep our gun rights. 

Have you heard any rumblings about making it more difficult to buy long-guns recently?