Extension to firearms amnesty announced
OTTAWA, May 16, 2007 — The Honourable Stockwell Day, Minister of Public Safety, today announced that the Government of Canada will extend the current amnesty for non-restricted firearms.
The amnesty will now be in effect until May 16, 2008, and provides an additional period for non-restricted firearm owners to come into compliance with the law as it stands.
“Canada’s New Government is committed to effective gun control,” said Minister Day. “This amnesty extension will help encourage compliance among firearms owners and facilitate the ability of former license holders to come back into lawful compliance with existing requirements,” he added.
Canada’s New Government proposed reforms to non-restricted firearm registration in June 2006, but until Parliament amends current legislation, the existing requirements continue to apply. The Firearms Act requires that all firearm owners must be licensed and all firearms registered. In order to legally possess firearms, owners must hold both a valid licence and a registration certificate for those firearms. Given current law, firearms that are illegally held may be seized by the police. Nevertheless, the amnesty may protect holders of unregistered, non-restricted firearms from criminal liability if they hold a valid or expired license and are taking steps to meet current licensing and registration requirements.
Individuals seeking information on how to come back into compliance with the Firearms Act should visit www.cfc-cafc.gc.ca or contact the RCMP Canada Firearms Centre at 1-800-731-4000.
Budget 2007 affirms the Government’s pledge to refocus efforts on combating the criminal use of firearms and on supporting gun control measures that work. The Budget allocates $14.2 million over two years to enhance the screening of 20,000 new firearms license applicants each year to help prevent firearms from ending up in the wrong hands.
Information:
Media Relations
Public Safety Canada
613-991-0657
Mélisa Leclerc
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Stockwell Day
Minister of Public Safety
613-991-2863
The amnesty will now be in effect until May 16, 2008, and provides an additional period for non-restricted firearm owners to come into compliance with the law as it stands.
“Canada’s New Government is committed to effective gun control,” said Minister Day. “This amnesty extension will help encourage compliance among firearms owners and facilitate the ability of former license holders to come back into lawful compliance with existing requirements,” he added.
Canada’s New Government proposed reforms to non-restricted firearm registration in June 2006, but until Parliament amends current legislation, the existing requirements continue to apply. The Firearms Act requires that all firearm owners must be licensed and all firearms registered. In order to legally possess firearms, owners must hold both a valid licence and a registration certificate for those firearms. Given current law, firearms that are illegally held may be seized by the police. Nevertheless, the amnesty may protect holders of unregistered, non-restricted firearms from criminal liability if they hold a valid or expired license and are taking steps to meet current licensing and registration requirements.
Individuals seeking information on how to come back into compliance with the Firearms Act should visit www.cfc-cafc.gc.ca or contact the RCMP Canada Firearms Centre at 1-800-731-4000.
Budget 2007 affirms the Government’s pledge to refocus efforts on combating the criminal use of firearms and on supporting gun control measures that work. The Budget allocates $14.2 million over two years to enhance the screening of 20,000 new firearms license applicants each year to help prevent firearms from ending up in the wrong hands.
Information:
Media Relations
Public Safety Canada
613-991-0657
Mélisa Leclerc
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Stockwell Day
Minister of Public Safety
613-991-2863
posted by Stephen at 3:17 PM
1 Comments:
This must be the implementation of the "proposed regulation" from about a month ago; after 30 "sitting days", they can just impose a regulation under the Firearms Act if it hasn't been sent to committee...
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