It didn't take Stephen Harper long to help out the gun people.
Five days after the Connecticut massacre, Harper's Conservative government opened the door wide to "American style" gun shows.
Harper abolished gun show regulations going back to 1998 that forced gun show sponsors to notify local police of their exhibitions and explain security they had in place against theft and loss of weapons, two big problems with these exhibitions.
A spokeswoman for Vic Toews, Minister of Public Safety, said that there are plenty enough regulations on gun enthusiasts as it is. We do not need any more.
For years the Canadian Advisory Committee on Firearms put heavy pressure on Harper to abolish the gun registry. He finally did it. They celebrated last March
After winning that battle, they went for more. In a secret report to Toews in March, they pushed for fewer regulations on gun shows. That's where thousands of fancy guns go on display. Those are very big shows in the United States where there are fewer regulations on participants and sponsors.
Harper and Toews gave in this week and on Wednesday the abolition of the gun show regulations were published in the Canada Gazette which made it official.
No need for a law in Parliament, no need to even discuss it in Parliament.
When it comes to guns shortcuts are the best say the Conservatives.
Chris Wyatt, the cop in charge firearm control for the Ontario Provincial Police said he fears that the decision on the exhibition will bring problems in Canada - problems such as gun thefts and lost guns. Who knows where they end up, especially now with no more gun registry and no more requirement that gun dealers keep their own registry of sales.
Wyatt gun shows firearms are often a target for criminals who want to steal or buy firearms illegally under the counter.
"That's why we thought that there should be greater regulation of firearms now that the firearms registry does not exist anymore," said Wyatt.
Strange that the abolition of the gun show regulations were published in the Canada Gazette but not on the Minister of Public Safety website, which is better known to the public.
As well it seems that "Shooting Clubs" and "Gun Clubs" all across Canada have been celebrating the government's decision for a month.
They seem to be a well-informed bunch of shooters.
Julie Carmichael, spokeswoman for Minister Toews, said that even if the regulations governing "gun shows" were repealed "the purchase, transportation and storage of firearms continue to be strictly controlled in Canada."
That's nice to hear.
She did not explain however, how abolishing gun show regulations will make gun control any more effective.
