The Federal Gun Registry: An Urgent Need for Independent, Non-partisan Research

Author: Gabor, Thomas
Publication: Canadian Journal of Criminology & Criminal Justice
Topics: International Legislation and Policy Ownership
Keywords: Auditor General Canada Cost registration
Bibliographic information +

The author discusses the need for a comprehensive registration system to track firearms in Canada. He notes the obstacles to the licensing and registration requirements established in 1995 through gun legislation, as well as the impact of the Auditor General’s report on the cost of the gun registry and the effect of partisan politics. The author considers concerns that the potential public safety benefits of the registry are minimal. He reviews lessons from past studies on firearm policy and recommends an expanded agenda for non-partisan research to examine the usefulness of Canada’s gun registry.