QUEBEC CITY – Quebec’s Public Security Minister has tabled legislation to create a provincial gun registry.
“The other provinces have decided not to go forward, it’s their own decision,” says Stéphane Bergeron. “We have decided we want to maintain the registry, it’s up to us to decide.”
The minister’s Bill 20 requires long gun owners to obtain registration certificates for their firearms. As well, gun shops are being asked to keep records of all their transactions – inspectors will be making sure they conform. Finally, the bill presumes data from the federal registry will be transferred over.
“All the firearms that are already registered will be considered to be registered under the Quebec gun registry.”
Last fall, the Quebec Superior Court ordered Ottawa to transfer the data. But the Conservative government has since appealed the decision.
The federal long-gun registry was created by the Liberal Party in 1995, after the massacre at Montreal’s École Polytechnique, in which 14 women were singled out and killed.
“I think we all remember where we were at the precise moment Polytechnique happened,” says Liberal MNA Kathleen Weil. “It’s a very emotional file for us. I never sensed the federal government really understood the deep scares this left on Quebecers. So of course we’re all united.”
The bill is getting massive support.
“For domestic violence, it’s so important,” adds Montreal police chief Marc Parent. “We have over 15-thousand calls a year just on the island of Montreal.”
Opposition parties at the National Assembly are on board, even if it means spending millions.
One of the reasons the federal registry was scrapped was because of cost overruns.
“If we keep the registry the way it is, it will cost $3 million dollars a year,” says CAQ Public Security Critic Jacques Duchesneau. “If there were mistakes made, go after the people who made the mistakes, but the idea is still a very good idea.”
The Court of Appeal will hear Quebec’s case March 13th – 14th.
Although Bergeron admits losing the case might complicate matters, he’s optimistic and will plow ahead with his bill with or without Ottawa’s support.
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