From: Thomas A Chandler, [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://cbc.ca/cgi-bin/templates/view.cgi?/news/2000/09/01/gun_vote000901 Police postpone gun law debate WebPosted Fri Sep 1 15:19:27 2000 HALIFAX - The Canadian Police Association has agreed to postpone voting on whether or not to withdraw support from Bill C-68. At the association's annual meeting in Halifax, members decided to put off debating Ottawa's gun control law until next March. The Edmonton Police Association had filed a motion for the CPA to withdraw its support for the bill. The CPA was scheduled to vote on the issue Friday afternoon. Bill C-68 requires Canadians to register firearms. Costs of the program have risen to $327 million - money the police association said could be better spent. "There are those who feel that $327 million would put a lot of police officers on the street, which may have more impact on public safety and police officer safety," said CPA president Grant Obst. The registry is supposed to protect officers by providing information about gun ownership, but Obst said out-of-date computers prevent some officers from accessing the system. Al Bohachyk of the Edmonton Police Association said the registry isn't worth the money or the trouble. He says it puts police in an adversarial position with many law-abiding Canadians. "So when we look at it from a global perspective we ask is it really worth it, is it worth going through all the trouble. Is it worth spending all those funds?" asked Bohachyk. The CPA represents more than 35,000 officers across the country. Since its enactment, the controversial Bill C-68 has already prompted demonstrations on both sides of the debate. Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___________________________________________________________ T O P I C A The Email You Want. http://www.topica.com/t/16 Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Your Favorite Topics
