Minister of Public Safety Peter Van Loan shown in the House of Commons on March 4, told reporters on Wednesday that his government has introduced a bill in the Senate to end the long-gun registry. (Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press)

The federal government introduced a bill in the Senate on Wednesday to abolish the long-gun registry.

"It's totally inefficient and ineffective against crime," Public Safety Minister Peter Van Loan, told reporters on Parliament Hill.

"We believe the long-gun registry as a device simply does not work … It's a misdirection of resources," he said.

"I know there are a lot of members in the NDP, some members in the Liberal Party who have shared that view, who campaigned on that view, have spoken publicly on that view and we hope to achieve their support for that."

98 per cent of bills introduced in House

Introducing a bill in the Senate is unusual — 98 per cent of bills are presented in the House of Commons.

Van Loan said the bill was introduced in the Senate because the House already had a heavy legislative agenda.

Some observers said the move is likely more strategic — the Conservatives can blame the Liberal-dominated Senate if the bill is voted down.

However, Kory Teneycke, current Director of Communication for the Canadian Prime Minister's office, told CBC News, that with 18 new Conservative senators appointed in December, the bill stands a better chance of passing in the Senate than the House.

Change in strategy for Tories

Moreover, Wednesday's proposed bill marks a change in strategy for the Harper government.

It had been backing Bill C-301, introduced by Saskatchewan Conservative MP Garry Breitkreuz (Yorkton-Melville), a rabid opponent of the gun registry.

His bill proposed ending the registration of rifles and shotguns, as well as softening controls on machine guns, by allowing people to transport fully automatic and semi-automatic assault guns to public shooting ranges.

That bill has been contentious, however, and opposed by the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP), as well as majority of Canadians, according to a 2001 poll.

The revised legislation introduced Wednesday would end the gun registry, but doesn't include the relaxation of controls on machine guns.

Strong opposition to Bill C-301

Observers said it is designed to be more palatable to Canadians, who had voiced strong concerns about Bill C-301.

Breitkreuz's bill is scheduled to be debated in the House of Commons beginning May 4.

It goes beyond ending the gun registry by extending the term of all gun licences to 10 to 12 years, as well as allowing licensed owners to get as many handguns and restricted semi-automatic tactical or military weapons as they want over a period of 10-year period without requiring approval from the chief firearms officer.

Wendy Cukier, co-founder and president of the Coalition for Gun Control, said that bill would effectively dismantle gun control in Canada.

Rifles such as the Ruger that Marc Lepine used to kill 14 women at L'École Polytechnique in Montreal in 1989 would no longer have to be registered if that bill is passed, she said.

In a March 9 letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, CACP president Steven Chabot said Bill C-301 "would seriously compromise a system that is working to the betterment of personal, community and police officer safety.

"All guns are potentially dangerous. All gun owners need to be licensed. All guns need to be registered and gun owners need to be accountable for their firearms. We oppose Bill C-301 as a retrogressive proposal that cannot, in any way benefit the safety and security of Canadians."

Chabot pointed out that rifles and shotguns are the weapons most often used in domestic homicides and suicides.

A 2001 Gallup poll found that 63 per cent of Canadians believe gun ownership should be made illegal for ordinary citizens, while 61 per cent favoured stricter laws governing the sale of firearms.