Ottawa will appeal Quebec gun registry ruling

The federal government plans to appeal a Quebec court ruling blocking it from destroying Quebec's portion of gun registry records and ordering that the data be given to the province.

Minister of State Maxime Bernier told the House of Commons Monday the government will appeal the Quebec Superior Court decision.

On Sept. 10, Superior Court Judge Marc-Andre Blanchard voided two sections of the Conservative government's legislation to scrap the long-gun registry.

Blanchard ordered the federal government to give all records on Quebec-owned rifles and shotguns in the registry to the provincial government within 30 days.   

The Conservatives have been adamant about scrapping the long-gun registry and destroying the existing data.

"The will of Parliament and Canadians has been clear," said Public Security Minister Vic Toews Monday, in a prepared statement. "We do not want any form of a wasteful and ineffective long-gun registry.

"The NDP has consistently said that if given the chance they would try and use this data to target law-abiding hunters, farmers and sport shooters in the regions of Quebec. Our Conservative government will always stand up for the rights of law-abiding gun owners."

The federal government has said in the past that any province that wants its own registry is welcome to start from scratch.