Retired police officers warn Quebec against starting costly gun registry

Retired Montreal police officer Marc Briseboisremembers always being grateful for any gun-related information that
popped up on his screen whenever he was on patrol and called to ahouse.

"If you have that in front of you, you can take a decision morequickly," said Brisebois, who retired in 2006 after 30 years on theforce. "We were happy to have that info."

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Twenty-one years after the introduction of the federal long-gunregistry which was since abolished by the Conservatives Quebec is makingprogress on creating its own database of non-restricted firearms.

While Brisebois' comments reflect the official line from policeforces and unions across the country notall rank-and file officers agree with him.

Retired officers weigh in

Some retired cops from across the country are warning Quebecagainst setting up a registry they say isn't worth the money andjust serves to make citizens feel safer.

John, who didn't want to use his last name, retired from theMontreal police in 2007 after more than 30 years service, many ofthem spent patrolling downtown.

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He said it "boggles the mind" that so many millions were spenton the federal registry, adding that they yieldedfew results.

When the Liberals introduced the registry in 1995, they said itwould cost roughly $110 million to create. Instead, the figureballooned to hundreds of millions of dollars before theConservatives abolished it in 2012.

Quebec says setting up its proper registry will cost $17 millionand another $5 million, annually, to maintain. The controversialplan has fuelled reports of dissent within all major parties on theissue.

John said smart officers never relied on gun data when answeringcalls because even if they were told a suspect had no registeredfirearms, "you still didn't know if anyone in that home has agun."

"If (the screen) says there is no gun registered to anyone inthe house are you going to put your hand in your pocket and yourmind on neutral?" he asked rhetorically.

"That's when you're goingto get shot. You go on every call like it's armed."

'Useless information'

Quebec's police leaders and union bosses argue the registry isessential because officers checked the old database hundreds oftimes a day.

Critics, however, say that while everyone wants safe streets andless violence, there is little evidence a registry makes citiessafer. They also argue the millions dedicated to maintaining a gundatabase can be used more efficiently on crime prevention orincreased access to mental-health services.

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The Ontario Superior Court ruled in 2014 against a constitutionalchallenge to the Conservative law abolishing the registry, saying"there is no reliable evidence" the decision "actually has, orwill, increase the incidence of violence or death by firearms."

Homicide rates in Canada have been decreasing for years and havefallen in Quebec since the registry was abolished in 2012.

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'Spend the money'

But Brisebois believes the registry is more than just a tool forlaw enforcement that it's a symbol of how a society treatsfirearms and that it reinforces Canada's cultural differences fromthose of the United States.

"Seeing what the registry did for me,spend the money,"Brisebois said.

"The important thing is to show people you are doing something(about guns)," he said. "The American way is that guns representliberty and rights.Do we want this? I don't. So am I ready tospend that money? Yes."