How is the new system contributing to public safety?
The Canadian Firearms Registry On-Line contains data on more than 2 million gun owners (around 90%) and 2 million firearms. Over 16,000 licences have been refused or revoked by public safety officials and there has been 32 times more revocations of licenses than the total for the last five years of the previous program. Already, this system is accessed by police an average of 5000 times a day. There are several examples of enhanced public safety since the new system was put in place: In May 2000, the firearm registry played a pivotal role in uncovering what is alleged to be one of the largest and most sophisticated firearm smuggling rings in North America. Likely destined for the black market, nearly 23,000 firearms and their components were seized. In February 2000, in Alberta, a hearing was held for an individual who had been refused a possession and acquisition licence. The licence was refused due to a psychiatrist’s opinion that the applicant should not have firearms. In addition,
