CUFOA

Canadian Unlicensed Firearms Owners Association
Association canadienne des propriétaires d’armes sans permis

The Honourable Jim Prentice, P.C., O.C., M.P.
Calgary Centre-North

March 2nd, 2007

Edward B. Hudson DVM, MS
Secretary
Canadian Unregistered Firearms Owners Association
402 Skeena Crt
Saskatoon, SK S7K 4H2

Dear Mr. Gingrich,

It was a pleasure to have met you in February at the Saskatchewan Party Convention, and I thank you for your letter. I always appreciate hearing from concerned Canadians and I assure you that I have taken your thoughts under advisement.

I take the promises contained within the Conservative Party’s 2006 platform seriously, and I make every effort to ensure that these promises are kept. That is why my Cabinet colleagues and I approved Minister Day’s plan to amend the Firearms Act. Most noticeably, the clauses requiring owners of non-restricted long-guns to register their firearms will be remove. This change will put an end to the targeting of responsible firearms owners with excessive bureaucratic procedure and costly registry processes that were a hallmark of the previous Liberal governments. Minister Day’s plan also commits the Government to
reining in spending at the Canadian Firearms Center and ensuring that necessary information flows to law-enforcement agencies as effectively as possible.

That being said, the government will continue to operate a licensing system (as opposed to the dual licensing and registry system operated by the previous government) for non-restricted long-guns to ensure that only those individuals who complete a background and safety checks will be permitted to possess firearms. This policy is consistent with our 2006 Campaign Platform which, on page 13, emphasized the need for “a certification system requiring background check and safety training for
all those wishing to acquire and use firearms legally.” It is my view that this procedure protects lawful gun owners from excessive interference while addressing the need for a firearms policy that focuses its efforts on public safety, I also believe that the spirit of this policy meets the criteria laid out in the Joint Policy Statement you had the courtesy to forward to me.

I hope this adequately addresses your concerns and that the Conservative Party will continue to enjoy your support. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future with any other concerns you may have.

Sincerely,

The Honourable Jim Prentice, P.C., Q.C., M.P.

401 Confederation Building, House of commons, Ottawa, Ontario K1A )A6
Tel: (613) 992-4275 Fax (616) 947-9475 Prentce.J@parl.gc.ca