(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Canadian adults are divided on whether their country’s regulations regarding firearms should be amended, according to a poll by Angus Reid Strategies. 45 per cent of respondents think a complete ban on handguns would be justified, while 46 per cent disagree.

Canada’s gun registry—initiated in the 1990s as an effort to limit access to firearms—ran into severe operational problems and questions regarding its cost. In May 2006, auditor general Sheila Fraser calculated the decade-long expense of the program at $854 million U.S.

In late 2005, the Liberal party—led at the time by Paul Martin—called for a ban on handguns. Canada has more than 500,000 registered handguns, which are mainly handled by police, security guards, licensed target shooters and collectors.

Canadians renewed the House of Commons in January 2006. The Conservative party—led by Stephen Harper—received 36.3 per cent of the vote, and secured 124 seats in the 308-member lower house. Harper leads a minority administration after more than 12 years of government by the Liberal party.

Last month, Harper discussed his government’s priorities, saying, "Last year we’ve tried to focus to longer-term things, highlighted by the Throne Speech-focus on strengthening our sovereignty, our Arctic sovereignty, focus on strengthening our democracy, our federation and strengthening our economy, and also tackling significant challenges with crime and with the environment. (...) We’ll keep trying to bring forward some tough-on-crime legislation, but at some point, if the opposition won’t pass it, they’ll have to answer to the Canadian people."

Polling Data

Some people have called for a complete ban on handguns in Canada. Which of these statements comes closer to your own point of view?

Source: Angus Reid Strategies
Methodology: Online interviews with 1,052 Canadian adults, conducted on Dec. 19 and Dec. 20, 2007. Margin of error is 3.0 per cent.

Other findings: 78 per cent of respondents think gun violence is a very or moderately serious problem in Canada; 55 per cent believe Canada’s gang problem is confined to specific areas and people; 84 per cent call for mandatory jail terms for crimes committed with firearms; 49 per cent think enacting a complete ban on handguns would be effective in reducing gun violence; 74 per cent would introduce new outreach programs to steer youth away from gangs; and 83 per cent would take action to stop illegal gun smuggling from the United States.

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