Other estimates raised by opponents of the program, such as the seven million figure, have never been substantiated with any valid studies of which we are aware. A government poll shows that 70 per cent of Canadians favour gun registration. Various independent polls taken over the last decade have shown that the vast majority of Canadians continue to support this initiative. Our objective is to facilitate compliance, which we have done by simplifying the process for licensing. But in some cases, acceptance may take some time.
Hunters are as interested and concerned about public safety as the rest of the Canadian population.
When I took over the program a few months ago, there was still a lot of confusion about the difference between licensing and registration. We felt it was our obligation to ensure that Canadians were informed of the Act's requirements. A recent survey indicating that 98 per cent of firearm owners were aware of the licensing deadline suggests that we were successful on that front. Currently, neither I nor anyone in my home owns a firearm. All rights reserved.