Bill C-71 transfers: How it's going so far

We're just over a week into the new, tighter firearms transfer restrictions, brought into place by Bill C-71. So how's it going?

First off, note that Canadian firearms retailers almost universally reported an unprecedented level of business in the days leading up to the regulation changes on May 18. As we pointed out last week, some of the rush was based on a misunderstanding of the rules, which now require all transactions to be approved through a portal on the RCMP's Firearms Program website. However, given that the federal government wasn't very forthcoming when explaining the changes, that's very understandable.

In the days since, it turns out that there was some good reason for the rush, as many buyers and sellers have reported difficulties since the new online license-checking system came into place. Many of these issues boil down to buyers or sellers inputting incorrect information, such as the wrong email address. However, the government's website itself has been glitchy over the past few days, meaning transactions could not be processed in a timely fashion. As well, as Canadian Firearms Program staffers don't work on the weekend, an issue requiring their attention cannot be resolved quickly, and that means a sale might not go through.

With that in mind, if you're planning to buy or sell any firearms, heed our advice from last week to update your info in the CFP's website. If your details are up-to-date (again, check your email address that's on file), then you reduce the chance of encountering issues. This is especially true if you're planning to swing by the gun store over the weekend.

More future questions

Now that this program is in place, we still have a lot of questions, such as: What happens if an unlicensed owner wants to sell a firearm? The reality is that many Canadians own firearms without having a PAL (Possession Acquisition License). It's against the law, but it's a fact.

Some of these people knowingly dodged government rules about firearm ownership (remember, the long gun registry saw very low compliance, despite what bureaucrats might say). Others came into firearms via inheritance or other means, without even being aware of the rules. The stereotypical example is the elderly lady whose deceased husband's guns are still in the back of a closet somewhere.

Now that every firearms sale is supposed to involve a check of not just the buyer's license, but also the seller's, how will those go through? In the past, these firearms were easily bought by registered owners, and you'd think that would be an optimal outcome for law enforcement—but now, who knows what the consequences might be for an unlicensed seller? We haven't been told, although we do know that executors' sales of estates are going to require special approval by the RCMP.

Another question: What is the Canadian Firearms Program doing with all the data they're harvesting? While private sales don't require buyer or seller to input any details on their firearms at this point (no make/model/serial number required, unlike business-to-individual sales), the program is still going to collect a lot of information from both business sales, and the door is always open to require details from private sales as well.

In the US, the ATF has been building what's effectively a national firearms registry based on records harvested from defunct businesses across the country. Given that Canadian firearms retailers are now expected to keep transfer details on hand for 20 years, then hand over all businesses records to the RCMP if they close down, what's to stop the RCMP from squeezing those retailers out of business, and then harvesting all their data?

It's worth considering, because if the federal government wants to restrict firearms ownership, this sets up a two-birds-with-one-stone scenario.