RUNCIMAN GUN REGISTRY PETITION GOING TO THE
HILL
BROCKVILLE _ Just as the federal government
is preparing to approve $59 million in additional
funding for its gun registry, a petition initiated
by Leeds-Grenville MPP Bob Runciman will be
introduced in Parliament demanding the Liberals
abandon the wasteful, ineffective program.
Scott Reid, MP for Lanark-Carleton, has agreed
to introduce Runciman’s petition into
the record on Parliament Hill. Reid and the
Canadian Alliance Party agree with Runciman’s
opposition to the national gun registry.
Runciman started the petition in December after
Auditor General Sheila Fraser revealed the actual
costs of federal gun registry, established under
C-68, are approaching $1 billion, versus an
original estimate of $2 million.
There are now more than 10,475 names of ordinary
Ontario citizens on the petition coming from
all across the province. Individuals pulled
a copy of the petition off the Runciman website,
collected names in their area, and sent them
to the Leeds-Grenville MPP. Other MPPs including
Toby Barrett of Haldimand-Norfolk, Brandt, Marcel
Beaubien, Lambton-Kent-Middlesex; Doug Galt,
Northumberland; Chris Hodgson, Haliburton-Victoria-Brant;
Julia Munro, York North and Gary Stewart, Peterborough
sent in signed copies of the petition.
Reid visited Brockville Saturday to meet with
Runciman. He added his name to the petition
while standing in front of the Providence Continuing
Care Centre-St. Vincent de Paul Hospital site.
“This hospital is an example of an important
health facility that would benefit from additional
funding from the federal government,”
said Runciman.
Reid agrees.
“Think of the good $59 million could
do if it were spent to Canada’s health
care system instead of this pointless gun registry,”
said Reid. “It’s time to stop throwing
good money after bad.”
The petition notes the government has failed
to provide any conclusive or verifiable evidence
that the registry is preventing gun crime or
keeping guns out of the hands of criminals.
“This money could have been used to provide
more front-line police officers, better equipment
for our officers, or it could have been used
to create a fully functional sex offender registry,”
continued Runciman.
“I am really upset the federal government
is prepared to approve another $59 million before
an investigation is completed on the money that
has been spent to date,” said Runciman.
“This government has done everything it
can to hide the real costs of this program.”
Runciman said he is extremely pleased that
Reid volunteered to introduce the petition at
Parliament Hill.
Leeds-Grenville MP Joe Jordan has expressed
his total support for the gun registry program.
