Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (Aug 20/01) - Nunavut Tunngavik says up to 1,000 gun-licence applications could be missing.

Glenn Williams, wildlife adviser for the land claims organization, said last week NTI believes somewhere between 800 to 1,000 people haven't received their licences because the Canadian Firearms Centre has lost them.

Williams was unsure if the number of missing applications is specific to Nunavut or encompassed western Canada as well.

"We think they went missing when they closed their Edmonton office and transferred everything to Miramichi, (N.B.)," said Williams.

Williams said he was told the CFC is asking people still missing applications to call 1-800-731-4000 to determine the status of their applications and that if there is no record of the original paperwork, they were told to reapply.

However, Michelle Snyder, the communications co-ordinator at the CFC, disputed Williams' description of the situation and his figures.

"It's really problematic and we have no idea where it's coming from," said Snyder from her office in Edmonton. "They don't just disappear. We're not sure if that number has validity," said Snyder.

She said people should not reapply until they are sure there is no record of their applications and that they should absolutely check the status before doing so.

When asked if the centre had told people to reapply, Snyder said, "I wouldn't know. It's possible. As far as we're concerned, all applications are accounted for. I might suggest they reapply if there is nothing in the system."

Williams said he is frustrated by the entire situation and wants people who have been asked to resubmit their applications to phone NTI.

Williams also said approximately 2,500 Nunavummiut were still waiting for their licences to be processed. He said because about 25 per cent of the applicants required further investigation by the Nunavut firearms officer, the system became clogged.

He said in order to help beneficiaries cut through the nightmare of red tape, NTI is lending assistance by contacting the CFC themselves to verify the status of the applications. Beneficiaries are encouraged to phone the land claims organization's gun hotline at 1-800-780-4036. Service in Inuktitut is available.

For those people whose licences have been processed and are in the mail, it is possible to get a letter stating as much from Nunavut's firearms officer. This letter will enable the licensee to purchase ammunition while they wait for the license to arrive.

It is estimated that of the estimated 6,600 gun owners in Nunavut, 3,500 have received their licences to date.