The recently released RCMP evaluation of the Canadian Firearms Program contains two interesting tidbits besides recycling the same old canards that Canada’s long-gun registry is an important tool for law enforcement.

First, the report clearly states that its primary focus is on ordinary citizens who own firearms because they might commit suicide, not violent criminals. Perhaps Canadians would be safer if we put more violent offenders in prison?

Second, the report admits that the registry costs over $20 million per year, not the paltry four million the Chiefs of Police claimed earlier this year.

However, research shows that police officers cannot and should not trust the information in the registry. Less than half of all firearms in Canada are included, and of course, none of the guns owned by criminals. In approaching dangerous situations, the police must always assume there is a weapon.

There is no convincing evidence supporting the claim that the long-gun registry has had any effect on homicide, suicide, or domestic violence rates. Homicide rates have been essentially flat since the long-gun registry was introduced in

2001. The long-gun registry has not saved any lives.

GARY MAUSER

Professor Emeritus

Institute for Canadian Urban Research Studies

Faculty of Business Administration

Simon Fraser University