Iqaluit (Mar 25/02) - The federal firearms office for Nunavut has temporarily closed its doors.

That leaves firearms officials in the territory shaking their heads and anticipating an even greater licensing and registration backlog.

Don Labelle, manager of communications for the Canadian Firearms Centre's Northwest Region, confirmed last week the office is closed.

Labelle also said firearms officer Josh Mitsima had left his position. "It just happened. I'm not sure when ... I think it was just in the last week," he said.

Labelle said senior staff at the centre will decide when to reopen the office, but he was unable to say when that might be. "I can't give you a date."

He said staff in the South are looking at the situation and trying to determine the best way to provide service to Nunavummiut.

"We're looking at different ways to reach all of Nunavut. We're hoping to come up with that decision soon," he said.

Under new legislation, Canadians who own firearms are required to carry a licence. The centre tried to deal with the glut of applications it received at last year's deadline, but the bureaucracy was so thick officials were unable to get licences out in time.

The centre maintains that 90 per cent of the estimated 2.3 million gunowners in the country have complied with the law. But as of last August, Nunavut Tunngavik said as many as 2,500 people of the territory's 6,600 gunowners were still waiting for their licences.

Current numbers were not available by press time, but officials believe there is still a vast number of people waiting.

"In Nunavut, (those numbers) are very possible," said Dick Smith, the owner of Eastern Arctic Armory, a gun sales and repair shop in Iqaluit.

The situation becomes even more problematic when language issues are considered. While calls are now being handled out of Regina, service in Inuktitut is no longer available.

"What's that going to do to the service in Nunavut, especially for those who don't speak English?" asked Smith. "I don't know what this does to somebody who speaks only Inuktitut."

Sytukie Joamie, an Iqaluit resident and member of the Amarok Hunters and Trappers Association, agreed with Smith.

"If it affects bilingual Inuit, obviously it will be harder on unilingual Inuit because they can't contact anybody," said Joamie.

The situation also affects people who have not yet begun the process of acquiring a licence. Andrew Keim, one of three master firearms instructors in Nunavut, said the closure will also make it more difficult for future licensees.

"Without a firearms office in Nunavut, anyone who wishes to get a license may be able to take a course, but there has to be someone to make the phone calls and do the field investigation," said Keim.

"Without the office in Nunavut, I don't know how they'll do it."

In the meantime, NTI is still operating it gun hotline. Unilingual Inuit can call 1-800-480-4036 with questions or concerns.