Quebec's long-gun registry plans in jeopardy

The Conservative government’s plan to scrap the long-gun registry and destroy all its records will have a significant impact on Quebec’s plan to create its own registry.

Without the information from the federal registry, the government will have to start from scratch, a move that will cost a considerable amount of money.

The federal government has long maintained the registry is a waste of money that infringes on people's rights.

Public Safety Minister Vic Toews who sponsored the bill, said abolishing the registry would save millions of dollars per year.

He also said the government will be of no assistance to provinces that want to set up their own registries.

Introduced in 1995

The registry was introduced 16 years ago in response to the fatal shooting of 14 women at Montreal’s École Polytechnique.

Heidi Rathjen, who was a Polytechnique student at the time, said the government is getting rid of a law that saves lives and is moving the country in the wrong direction.

"To deprive provinces from this important public safety information is shameful."

Quebec has been a strong supporter of the registry since its creation.

Bloc Quebecois MP Maria Mourani said it makes no sense to get rid of the data that's already been collected and that it shows that Prime Minister Stephen Harper doesn't value the opinion of Quebec.

"It's not a fair attitude," she said.

With a majority government, the Conservatives are expected to have no trouble getting the bill passed.

However, some registry supporters remain hopeful public pressure will change the minds of some MPs, leading to the bill's demise.