"Licensing systems are very expensive to administer . Canada 's experience with its full licensing and registration system , begun in December 1998 , is not encouraging . The government originally estimated that the cost of licensing Canada 's three million gun owners and registering their seven million guns would be $ 185 million [ Canadian ] over five years including a one-time start-up cost of $ 85 million [ Canadian ] . But , by March 2000 the Canadian Firearms Centre admitted that the system had already cost Canadian taxpayers $ 327 million [ Canadian ] and was running up an annual bill nearly 10 times higher than the government 's original forecast . The March announcement also revealed that although 270,000 valid licenses existed from the country 's earlier gun control system , only 142,000 new licenses had been issued . Using these figures as a baseline for America 's arsenal of 65 million handguns , the estimated cost of such a system here is staggering . Most importantly , licensing and registration in America would have little effect on the vast majority of gun violence , such as unintentional gunshot deaths , suicides and the majority of homicides , since most homicides are the result of arguments between people who know each other and who purchase guns legally . From a political perspective , a battle over licensing and registration brings every gun owner into the fray . The NRA argument that licensing and registration is the first step towards gun confiscation has always been very persuasive with gun owners . In contrast , health and safety regulation of the industry focuses on the conduct of firearm manufacturers . Advocates of licensing and registration often cite automobiles as an example of the value of licensing and registration : we register automobiles and license drivers , so why not guns ? However , licensing and registrationÂ—the primary purpose of which was to enforce a system of taxationÂ—had virtually no effect on automobile death and injury . It was not until the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration was established in the 1960s , and changes were forced in automobile design and the driving environment , that decreases were seen ."
"Canada 's registry has had horrific problems , only registering 3/4ths of their 7 million guns , and has been hacked more times than Lizzie Borden 's parents ! Or George Washington 's Cherry Tree for those who do n't know the tale of Ms. Borden ! Canada Gun owners pressuring Conservatives"
"December 1998 , is not encouraging . The government originally estimated that the cost of licensing"
"Borden 's parents ! Or George Washington 's Cherry Tree for those who do n't know the tale of Ms. Borden !"