On March 24, 1999, you asked several questions with respect to the administration of the Firearms Program in the Northwest Territories. The Government of the Northwest Territories is currently not involved in the administration of the Firearms Program. Consistent with our objections to the new legislation, the GNWT, like the Governments of Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba, decided not to participate in the implementation or administration of Bill C-68, which is the federal legislation introducing the new Firearms Program. The Firearms Program was transferred to the federal government between July and September of 1998. Since the transfer, there have been no costs incurred and therefore no charges back to the federal government in this regard.

Within the federal government, Justice Canada is responsible for the administration of the Firearms Act. In order to administer the act, they entered into an agreement with the RCMP to deliver the program. The Office of the Chief Territorial Firearms Officer is operated by the RCMP under this agreement but does not employ RCMP officers. Accordingly, there are no costs incurred by the GNWT in the administration of the Firearms Act and therefore no charges back to the federal government.

At the local level the RCMP had intended to use a variety of arrangements to ensure that local firearms officers were available in each community. For example, they had hoped to be able to enter into an agreement with municipal governments to have by-law officers also appointed as local firearms officers. Where these arrangements are not yet in place, services are apparently provided directly by the Office of the Chief Firearms Officer. The Office of the Federal Chief Territorial Firearms Officer would be able to provide information on who has been appointed as local firearms officers in each community. Thank you.