Paula White
Northern News Services

NNSL (Dec 07/98) - There's only one thing for sure about the federal government's new gun legislation that became effective Dec. 1 -- there doesn't seem to be too many people who are sure about what's going on.

"It's just a big mess," said Barry Taylor, president of the Yellowknife Gun Club. "Nobody knows what's about to happen."

William Nasogaluak agreed and the reindeer owner from Tuktoyaktuk doesn't plan to do anything about registering his firearms until he finds out what he's supposed to do.

"I don't want to do some work and find out I didn't do it right," Nasogaluak said. "It's a dumb law for us in the North."

But, Ken Brown, a registered fishing guide from Fort Simpson, had no problem with the new regulations. He said there are many advantages to the laws, one being that police will know before they enter dangerous situations whether or not the person or persons own firearms.

"I don't care who knows I've got guns," he said. "As long as I have them safely stored and handle them safely."

Brown also believes that firearms safety courses should be mandatory in schools.

Keith Serry, spokesperson for the Northwest Territories chief firearms officer, said the legislation requires firearms owners to basically do two things - obtain a licence by Jan. 1, 2001, and have all firearms registered by Jan. 1, 2003.

He said current Firearms Acquisition Certificates may be used as valid licences until they expire.

Serry said anybody who is unsure about what to do can call a toll-free number for help.

"The operators there would be more than happy to help them," he said.

The confusion, however, appears to be over the finer points of the legislation. For example, Taylor said it is now mandatory for people to take a firearms safety course before they are issued a licence. But, he said, there are very few people in the North qualified to teach firearms safety.

"I'm the only firearms instructor that I know of," he said. "They'd be in a hell of a way if 250 people showed up and wanted to take a course."

There is a bit of confusion for those who sell firearms as well. Gordon Courage, manager of Northern Stores in Arctic Bay, said as of Dec. 1, the store cannot allow any firearms to leave the store until it receives an authorization number from the government.

The government, however, won't give the number until it receives a $25 fee. Anybody with a credit card can pay the fee right away. The problem, Courage explained, is that in Arctic Bay, for example, there aren't a lot of people who own credit cards.

"Most elders don't have them," he said. "They're few and far between."