Shooting group accuses Ontario of 'breaking intent' of long-gun law
Firearms officer's letter asks businesses to record names, addresses, phone numbers
The Canadian Shooting Sports Association is accusing Ontario's firearms officer of illegally asking business owners to record information about people who buy long guns.
The association said a letter from Ontario's chief firearms officer, superintendent Chris Wyatt, advises business owners who sell long guns to record buyers' names, addresses and phone numbers.
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According to the CSSA, Wyatt writes that he believes collecting the information is in the best interest of public safety.
John Evers, president of the East Elgin Sportsmen’s Association and a regional director of the CSSA, called the practice illegal.
Evers, who is in Port Elgin, said collecting information about gun buyers flies in the face of Bill C-19, which struck down Canada's long gun registry in February and ordered the destruction of all data collected.
Evers said Wyatt should adhere to the federal government's decision.
"He is breaking the intent of the law, C-19," Evers said. "It's pretty bad when you have those who are supposed to uphold the law breaking the law, flagrantly saying, 'I'm going to disregard [it], because I don't believe it's right.'"
Evers said he'll lobby the government to stop any practice of collecting personal information about legal gun owners.
He said a better approach would be to track individuals who are prohibited from owning a gun.
With files from CBC's Kerry McKee