by Yotehammer [ posted: 4.Mar.2008 04:44 AM ] [dura-link][Print]
Ok here is the story..But first..HB, The govt estimates, last time i cared to check, there are about 8 million fire arms in Canada. There was a poll taken in the late 90's and it came back with about 22% of Canadian households having at least one firearm. Many in the Govt feel there are more, 10 or so million.
Red dog is close..The data base is called the Firearms Reference Table (FRT). It was conceived and developed by the RCMP. A total “in house” project. It's main purpose was to consolidate all the firearms identification info into an easy to use data base for the Forensic Science and Identification Services of the RCMP and local police forces to use.. Other nations (japan, england etc)were impressed, paid cash and adopted the data base, Jane's paid a million or so for the rights to use the program. I was told that it was one of the few govt projects that actually made money. Self supporting from selling software usage rights. The Data base is updated once and awhile. Right now it's up to about 250,000 firearms. So yes, ID info on about 98% of the firearms made in the last 120 years or so. The FRT is used to IDENTIFY firearms only. It is not the firearms registry.
When bill C-68 was adopted in i think 1995. The Govt went on real hard-on to have firearms registered. Traditionally, 1930 or so on, the RCMP was in control of the firearms registry. Through the years of maintaining and running the registry + info from crime scenes etc. The RCMP amassed a lot of info on various types, models, makes etc of firearms. This info was used to form the FRT as it is in it's current form today. With C-68 the registry was taken away from the RCMP and the Canadian Firearms Center was formed. They took over the registry. The FRT was further developed and each fire arm was issued a Firearms Reference #. The FRT was the perfect tool for the CFC to use to categorize and identify the firearms for it's registration purposes. The FRT was also given to members of the verifiers network. This network was disbanded last year.
The firearm registration deal here in Canada is really complex and a heated issue. It is also a HUGE flop. The original cost was about a couple of million. To date it is just passed 2 billion. This is partially from the CFC not knowing $hit about what they were doing, non-compliance from the general public, and the law makers underestimating how large of a task registering EVERY firearm in Canada would be. The CFC was shut down a couple of years ago and the RCMP was re-given the task of maintaining and running the registry. There is a wind down with non-restricted firearms registration. The govt is talking about shutting it down all together (the non-restricted firearms section).
Sorry for the long post..Hope this helps explain things.