PM shoots back at gun law critic; Minister blasted for public comments
by Anne Dawson
The Ottawa Sun
11 January 2001
Prime Minister Jean Chretien tore a strip off Environment Minister David Anderson in cabinet for criticizing the government over its problem-plagued gun law, a senior cabinet minister told the Sun. "The PM raked Anderson over the coals. He told him that ministers should be careful about criticizing other ministers," said the minister. "It makes the whole government look bad." The source said it was very embarrassing for Anderson, who said nothing in response.
Mess since start
Despite
original estimates back in 1995 that the implementation of Canada's gun registry
would cost $85 million, cabinet ministers were shocked to learn it's soared
to nearly $500 million. "We were all alarmed at how high the costs were,"
said one minister. "It's been a mess since the start." Justice Minister Anne
McLellan, who was unavailable for comment yesterday, has insisted user fees
will eventually cover the entire cost of the gun registry. But government
documents reveal only $17 million has been collected from fees so far.
McLellan made a presentation to cabinet Tuesday, telling her colleagues how well the registry is working.
But she did not say how much it is costing. Sources say the Justice Department has well exceeded the gun registry budget and regularly goes to the Treasury Board for a top-up when it needs it. McLellan's colleagues privately scoff at her when she claims all is well, but they also blame Health Minister Allan Rock, who launched the program. They say both ministers are naive and ignore advice. Rock rejected a recommendation not to set up a brand new expensive agency, the Canadian Firearms Centre, and instead allow the Revenue ministry, which already has a highly sophisticated computer system with an expansive database, to handle the registration.
Chretien is worried about all the criticism the gun registry and his government is taking. He pointed to a newspaper clipping that quoted Anderson saying he intends to pass an endangered species bill that is more "friendly" to people in rural Canada than the Liberals' gun registration law.
Anderson said the gun law "does not appear to be a howling success in terms of everybody complying" and said it's a good lesson to the government to make future legislation that's friendly and easy to understand and implement.
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