Letter: A call to the firearms registry should have helped police

Letter: A call to the firearms registry should have helped police
Date: Jul 2, 2005 11:18 AM
PUBLICATION: Vancouver Sun
DATE: 2005.07.02
EDITION: Final
SECTION: Editorial
PAGE: C6
BYLINE: Michael Shannon
SOURCE: Vancouver Sun

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A call to the firearms registry should have helped police

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If the RCMP Intergrated National Security Enforcement Team knew the first nations
men were buying weapons and were worried about public safety, why did they let them
buy the guns in the first place and then make a dramatic bust on a major Vancouver
street?

Wouldn't a phone call to the gun store have confirmed whether the buyer had a firearms
licence? Guns can't leave the store until they're registered. Wouldn't a call to
the firearms registry centre have answered this question as well?

If the computerized gun registry allows the police to instantly check on the legality
of the guns, why was it necessary for the police to seize weapons to "see if
they're legal?"

Michael Shannon

Edmonton, Alta.