RPP 2005-2006
Canada Firearms Centre

Section 1 – Overview

1.1 Minister's Message

There is no role more fundamental for government than the job of protecting its citizens. All other rights, freedoms and benefits of citizenship in a democratic society flow from the ability of government to do this effectively, and in a manner that is consistent with the principles we have and hold dearly as Canadians. As Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, my portfolio addresses a broad spectrum of risks to Canadians, from crimes affecting individuals, to natural disasters disrupting our communities, to terrorism and other threats to our national security.

The Canadian Firearms Program plays a vital role in achieving safer communities across the nation by protecting Canadians from the misuse of firearms. The goal of the Canadian Firearms Program is to help reduce firearm-related deaths, injury and crime and to promote public safety through universal licensing of firearm owners and businesses, and registration of all firearms in Canada. Primary responsibility for administering the Program lies with the Canada Firearms Centre (CAFC). To date, the CAFC has achieved notable success in the area of licensing and registration of firearms, as is demonstrated by a compliance rate approaching 90%.

Looking ahead, the CAFC has mapped key priorities designed to achieve significant progress towards minimizing firearm-related risks to the public safety of Canadians and international communities. The Program will begin implementation of amendments to the Firearms Act and regulations, announced in December 2004. These amendments will result in a simpler licence renewal application process, stronger legislative and regulatory tools to support border control partners in monitoring firearms movement in and out of Canada, and enhanced relationships with US counterparts to contribute to the reduction of the illegal trafficking of firearms.

The CAFC remains focused on making continuous improvements to overall delivery mechanisms for the Program and to the ways in which clients are served. To further increase compliance with the Firearms Act , the Centre will build on existing partnerships and create new ones by, for example, conducting outreach activities with law enforcement partners. The CAFC will restructure operations to enhance service delivery in federal jurisdictions and continue streamlining processes. With core financial and human resources capacities now in place within CAFC as a separate agency, the Centre will solidify elements of its Management Accountability Framework.

The CAFC is committed to reducing costs and improving efficiencies. Planned spending in 2005-2006 of $82.3M is a significant step towards fulfillment of this commitment. This level of funding represents an 18% reduction over 2004-2005. On May 20, 2004, the Government announced that beginning in 2005-2006, the costs for registration-related activities would be capped at $25M per annum. I am pleased to say that for 2005-2006, registration costs will be well below this cap.

A few short years ago Canadians identified the need for significant change in the Firearms Program. Such changes have been made, or are in the process of being made, and the Canada Firearms Centre has turned the corner. Today CAFC provides Canadians with cost-effective, efficient service delivery. The Canadian Firearms Program is making, and will continue to make, an essential contribution to public safety by promoting responsible gun use and helping to keep firearms out of the hands of those who may pose a threat to themselves, their families or their communities.

1.2 Message from the Commissioner of Firearms

Since the first Report on Plans and Priorities for 2004-2005, the Canada Firearms Centre has continued to mature as a separate agency within the portfolio of the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness.

I am very proud of the progress that both the CAFC and the Canadian Firearms Program have made over the last year to improve accountability, transparency, cost efficiency and service delivery, while continuing to help prevent the misuse of firearms:

• We have now implemented all 16 action items set out in the Gun Control Program Action Plan announced in February 2003. This work culminated with the tabling of my first report to Parliament as Commissioner of Firearms in November 2004.
• We are implementing more modern information technology to ensure that our system meets the evolving needs of the Firearms Program.
• Our online services have improved and we have undertaken a comprehensive review of the verifiers network to ensure clients have appropriate access to verification services.
• In December 2004, regulations supporting the Firearms Act were amended to reflect the legislative amendments brought about by the granting of Royal Assent to Bill C-10A in May 2003. These regulatory amendments were developed following consultation with key stakeholders representing a broad section of the Canadian public, including businesses, firearms associations, police, provincial wildlife associations, public-health and safety groups, and victims groups.

Now that the key building blocks are in place, we will increase our focus on ongoing operational activities, maximizing further the contribution of the Firearms Program to safe and healthy communities. For example, we are now reaching the end of the first five-year licensing cycle and are moving into the licence renewal phase of operations. Recent legislative amendments enabled us to take steps to level out the annual workload for processing licence renewals and simplify renewal requirements. This will support the Centre in continuing to meet CAFC service standards while ensuring public safety.

We continue to encourage and assist firearm owners to comply with the law. Doing so is in the best interest of public safety. To do this we know that we need to make the ability to comply as easy as possible. Hence, the CAFC will continue to improve service delivery, in particular by expanding service options for firearm owners and businesses.

The CAFC also plays an active role in the Government of Canada's effort to combat illicit firearms smuggling and trafficking, including co-chairing the Consultative Group on Firearms Trafficking, part of the Canada – US Cross Border Crime Forum.

The CAFC continues to work closely with federal and provincial partners, including Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada, the Canada Border Services Agency, the RCMP and other police services, International Trade Canada, the Department of Justice and Chief Firearms Officers across the country. Recognizing that partnerships are crucial to the continuous improvement of the Firearms Program, the CAFC is also developing new outreach initiatives to support long-term compliance, helping to meet public safety objectives of the Firearms Act and making Canadians more aware of the safety benefits and services of the Program.

I am confident that the competent and dedicated staff of the CAFC, in cooperation with Program partners, will continue to meet effectively the challenges ahead, and will build on the successes achieved to date in delivering the Canadian Firearms Program.

1.3 Summary Information

1.3.1 Mission

The mission of the CAFC is to enhance public safety by helping reduce death, injury and threat from firearms through responsible ownership, use and storage of firearms, and by providing police and other organizations with expertise and information vital to the prevention and investigation of firearms crime and misuse in Canada and internationally.

1.3.2 Values

In pursuing its mission, the CAFC:

• Respects the lawful ownership and use of firearms in Canada and supports firearm users with quality service, fair treatment and protection of confidential information;
• Recognizes that the involvement of the provinces, other federal agencies, Aboriginal Peoples, police organizations, firearm owners and users, safety instructors, verifiers, businesses, and public safety groups is essential for effective program delivery and achieving success;
• Commits to ongoing improvement and innovation in order to achieve the highest levels of service, compliance, efficiency, and overall effectiveness;
• Informs and engages its clients and stakeholders in reviewing and developing policy, regulations and legislation and in communicating critical information on program requirements and results;
• Manages its resources prudently to provide good value for money, and clear and accurate reporting of program performance and resource management; and
• Upholds the values and ethical standards of the Public Service of Canada and is committed to fair staffing, employee development and a work environment that encourages involvement and initiative.

1.3.3 Overview of the Canadian Firearms Program

The Firearms Program is a multi-departmental and multi-jurisdictional program for which the Canada Firearms Centre has lead responsibility. The CAFC funds its services and programs through operating expenditures and through contribution agreements.

The CAFC operates the electronic Canadian Firearms Information System (CFIS). It also administers the Chief Firearms Officer responsibilities in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Newfoundland and Labrador. The Canada Border Services Agency is responsible for administering Firearms Program elements at Canada's borders. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police operates the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC), which interfaces with CFIS. International Trade Canada plays a role in handling import and export permits.

The provinces of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia administer the Chief Firearms Officer responsibilities within their jurisdictions, under direction from their provincial governments, in a manner consistent with the Firearms Act . These provincial operations are funded by the Government of Canada through contribution agreements entered into with the CAFC.

The CAFC also works with Aboriginal and other community organizations to further the understanding of, and compliance with, program requirements. These efforts are also funded through contribution agreements with the CAFC.

1.3.4 Strategic Results and Performance Framework

The CAFC has established a high-level framework for the expected results and performance of the Firearms Program. The framework includes five elements as follows:

1. The long-term strategic outcome of the CAFC, as identified in the Centre's Program Activity Architecture (PAA), is that "the risks to public safety from firearms in Canada and internationally communities are be minimized". This is the overarching objective of the CAFC.
2. Key directions are the drivers that influence the selection of priorities and strategies for the next three years and beyond.
3. Long-term benefits are the results expected from the Firearms Program. The CAFC contributes directly and/or indirectly to these long-term results.
4. High-level performance indicators are the measures of the CAFC performance over time.
5. The five priorities that the Centre has set for the next three fiscal years, in order to move forward to delivering on the long-term results for the Program, and eventually to achieving the strategic outcome for CAFC.

The following sections of this Report provide further detail on each of these elements.

CAFC Strategic Results and Performance Framework
Priorities for 2005-2006 to 2007-2008

CAFC Financial and Human Resources

1.4 Departmental Plans and Priorities

This section sets out the five CAFC priorities for the next three years. In Section 1.4.1 the overall context in which the priorities were set is described, including details on the present operating environment for the Centre, key directions that drive the Centre's work, and the risks, challenges and opportunities that influence decisions taken. In Section 1.4.4 the five priorities are described and linked with the departmental Program Activity Architecture. Section 2 of this Report on Plans and Priorities (RPP) provides a summary of the specific activities to be undertaken to deliver on each of the three program priorities, and Section 4 discusses the two management priorities.

1.4.1 CAFC Operating Environment

Supporting Continued Improvement

The beginning of 2005-2006 marks the end of the CAFC's second year as a separate agency reporting within the Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness portfolio. It also denotes the beginning of the second year of independent CAFC reporting to Parliament.

Through the last year CAFC established a new reporting structure through developing the first set of CAFC accountability documents – Main Estimates, Report on Plans and Priorities and Departmental Performance Report – as well as by further refining departmental infrastructure. The reports to Parliament in the 2005-2006 fiscal year will benefit from CAFC's experiences last year as well as the strengthening of financial and human resource management capacities within the CAFC. In short, a number of events during fiscal 2004-2005 helped to establish a solid framework for CAFC operations over the next few years.

Controlling and Containing Costs

The annual funding for the Canada Firearms Centre declined by 59% from a high of $200 million in 2000-2001 to a maximum of $82.3 million dollars in 2005-2006 and beyond. This includes an 18% reduction from the $100.3M approved for 2004-2005. As mentioned previously, CAFC's annual ongoing A-base has been established at $82.3M starting with the 2005-2006 Main Estimates. The Government also announced the establishment of a separate appropriation for the firearms registration activities within CAFC's ongoing A-base with a cap of $25 million. The separate vote will permit Parliamentarians to monitor this cap.

Priorities and proposed expenditures set out in this RPP reflect both elements of the funding announcement. A multi-year funding profile for the Canada Firearms Centre is presented for the very first time. Multi-year funding reflects the ongoing future stability of the Canada Firearms Centre and the Government's commitment to deliver the Firearms Program in a cost effective, transparent manner.

Licence Renewals

In Autumn 2004, the CAFC implemented measures to better balance the individual firearms licence renewal workload. Called "load levelling" – a one-time only extension of some Possession Only Licences (POL) – more evenly distributes work over an extended period. This eliminates increased costs and staff for processing an unusual peak in business every five years as licences expire. It will permit the CAFC to continue to meet application-processing standards, and ensure that firearm owners receive their renewal before their existing licence expires.

Adopting one-time load levelling facilitates the renewal of a large number of licences that would have otherwise expired five years after the deadline requiring Canadian firearm owners and users to be licensed. Over 50 percent of the almost two million licences were issued in a 12-month period before or shortly after the legislative deadline of January 1, 2001.

Implementation of Revised Regulations

In December 2004, amendments to Firearms Act regulations were published in the Canada Gazette . Through 2005-2006 the Canada Firearms Centre will begin to implement amended regulations. Doing so will assist the CAFC in further improving client service, particularly for the many thousands of individuals renewing firearms licences.

Public Perception of the Program

As part of the Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness portfolio, the Canada Firearms Centre plays an important role in the Government's commitment to safe and healthy communities. The CAFC's direction clearly reflects this. Canadians generally support Program objectives but have expressed concerns about costs and service delivery. Efforts to improve service, minimize costs and report transparently to Parliament will continue to be vital.

Client Service Matters

As part of the Centre's commitment to service delivery, client services will continue to evolve while responding to environmental factors such as changing demographics, or the various, often unique needs of firearm owners in urban and rural communities.

A higher proportion of firearm owners in Canada are older than previous generations of owners. Therefore, tailoring services to meet the needs of older clients and to address will and estate situations will be pursued.

Urban communities are the location of choice for those in the work force or new to Canada, whereas population density in rural or isolated areas in the North, contrasts significantly. Urban or rural communities also differ in their use of firearms. The urban firearm owner tends to participate in firearms recreational activities, unlike the rural population that requires firearms for hunting or pest control. The Centre will factor in those differences for delivering services such as safety training, firearms verification, or communicating program information.

Over the period covered by this report, the CAFC will provide service to existing clients, meaning to those who have obtained licences and have registered their firearms, and also to new clients who have previously unregistered firearms. Public safety is best served by ensuring that all firearm owners and firearms are in compliance with Firearms Act requirements.

1.4.2 Key Drivers Reflect CAFC Evolution

The events of 2004-2005 provided the background for an environmental scan conducted in late 2004. The outcome of this scan led to revisions to the CAFC's Key Directions/Drivers, as first presented in the 2004-2005 Report on Plans and Priorities .

Revisions to key drivers reflect the progress in the implementation of the Canada Firearms Centre and the Canadian Firearms Program. Activities in previous years focused on program establishment, ensuring initial compliance and building CAFC capacity. Future activities will focus more on ensuring that the public safety dividends from initial investments are realized through continued, long-term compliance.

For example, the revised second driver " Support continued compliance with the law " reinforces compliance-building efforts highlighted last year. Compliance is high. Nearly two million Canadians have valid firearms licences and nearly seven million firearms are registered in the Canadian Firearms Information System. Compliance must be maintained. During 2005-2006 and beyond, CAFC will focus on renewal of individual licences as well as effective transfers of registered firearms between licensed individuals and businesses.

CAFC Key Directions / Drivers for 2005-2006 to 2007-2008

1.4.3 Risks, Challenges and Opportunities

The direction of CAFC today reflects the experience and lessons learned through program operations since the Program was first implemented in December 1998. Challenges and opportunities for the Centre will be to identify initiatives that further advance the public safety contributions of the Firearms Program. The CAFC will continue to build on significant successes from previous years on licensing and registration.

The Program is keen to see the continued compliance of the nearly two million people who have been issued licences. Changes in client demographics such as age, culture or location of residence in Canada, or visitors crossing the border and temporarily importing firearms, can impact program compliance.

Extensive media coverage might have taught the next generation of firearm owners to be more aware of the need to comply with the Firearms Act ; however, continued information and education of Canadians regarding the benefits of the Program and the need for ongoing compliance will be important. Strategies will be developed to address the needs of an ageing client base by looking to communities and organizations. Visitors crossing the border to Canada can inadvertently break the law, if they are not aware of our firearms importation laws.

Law enforcement and police community confidence in CAFC's database and the extent to which clients can rely on it have become increasingly important for the Centre. Throughout the coming years, CAFC will continue to enhance its database through continuing contact with clients to ensure data is accurate and current.

Since the introduction of the Firearms Act , the Program has been faced with the challenge of delivering services that meet local needs and at the same time are consistent across the country. In an effort to ensure that the Program better responds directly to the needs of each province, the Chief Firearms Officer functions for Western Canada will be delivered by federally- appointed officers in each of the provinces. The establishment of a standard service delivery model for all jurisdictions is an effort to harmonize processes while continuing to provide for services tailored to meet specific communities.

The CAFC will continue to work with its stakeholders such as the police, Aboriginal Peoples, provinces, community groups, international partners and program partners to identify risks and develop strategies that will inform clients about the Program as well as seek and obtain their input regarding the delivery of services.

Challenges in adapting to government-wide requirements for new ways of doing business, such as common service delivery, human resource modernization, or interoperability will affect the Centre. Elements of a solidified Management Accountability Framework will be implemented by building on previous achievements.

1.4.4 CAFC Priorities for Next Three Years

The CAFC has set five priorities for the next three years in order to make significant progress towards minimizing firearm-related risks to public safety. In this section each priority is described, in terms of how each aligns with the Centre's key directions / drivers, as well as how ongoing activities (CAFC PAA sub-activities) support each priority.

Note : A detailed plan explaining how each priority for the next three years will be undertaken (through ongoing work and additional specific actions), and how performance will be tracked is provided in Sections 2 and 4 of this RPP .

Priority 1 – Begin implementation of amendments to the Firearms Act and regulations

The implementation of legislative amendments and regulations is directly aligned to the first four key directions / drivers for the Centre, namely: " optimize public safety benefits of the Program, support continued compliance, engage with partners, and improve service delivery to clients ". For example, implementation of amendments will simplify licence renewal applications by adding pre-populated fields thereby decreasing the amount of data entry for clients. These amendments will also make spousal notification requirements for Possession Only Licence (POL) applicants mandatory upon licence renewal. This will lead to a spouse being more informed of his / her ability to raise any concerns about their own or someone else's safety.

In addition, the implementation of amendments to the Firearms Act will ensure that public agencies have enhanced information leading to better reporting of firearms, so that firearm ownership is lawful and responsible. New requirements for licence renewals will ensure that all persons deemed to be a danger to society are prevented from lawfully owning firearms. Strengthened legislative and regulatory tools mean that border control partners will have the required support to fulfill their mandate of monitoring firearms movement in and out of Canada.

Priority 2 – Continue to improve program delivery and client service

This priority is directly aligned to the fourth key direction / driver as it relates to " further improving service delivery to clients ".

CAFC will continue to make improvements to the way the Firearms Program is delivered and the way clients are served. More specifically, CAFC commits to simplifying the licence renewal process by providing clear and updated notices to clients and follow-up to provide further assistance with respect to their renewal requests, and by further enhancing delivery channels.

Work will be undertaken to stabilize the CAFC information system in order to ensure smooth delivery of services in a cost-effective manner. Increased efforts will go to enhancing the firearms verification program. In order to increase the currency and accuracy of firearms registry information provided to police, the CAFC will undertake a quality assurance initiative.

CAFC commits to participating in Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada shared portfolio initiatives to pursue common strategic goals and maximize the use of individual agency and corporate resources. Finally, the Centre will continue to inform the public and partners about delivery channels and improved services and systems.

Priority 3 – Leverage and expand new and existing partnerships to enhance compliance with the Firearms Act

In order to further increase compliance with the Act for the licensing of individuals and businesses and for the registration of firearms, the Centre will build on existing partnerships and create new ones. Specifically, CAFC will:

• Conduct outreach activities with law enforcement partners to reinforce utility of licensing and registration information and enhance its usefulness to front-line police officers;
• Put in place arrangements with safety / public health organizations to increase awareness of the Program and support community-level interventions when needed; and
• Contribute to international work in combating firearms crime.

Two of the seven key directions specifically drive this priority: " support continued compliance with the law ", and " continue to engage the public, partners, and other communities of interest to further improve the Program ". For example:

• Effective partnership with law enforcement authorities, for example, by providing police with quality, accurate program information or producing affidavits to support firearm-related prosecutions, thus contributing to public safety objectives to identify illegal firearms and firearms misuse. In turn, demonstrating program utility reinforces the social benefits of continued program compliance by individuals and businesses; and
• Ongoing outreach is important within any government program. The CAFC and its federal and provincial partners deliver the Firearms Program to clients directly. Client outreach and communications are essential in maintaining quality client service and identifying emerging client needs. The CAFC works with program stakeholders to identify information needs and gaps. Stakeholders help to ensure that program information about compliance and related issues is available to clients, potential clients, professionals, advocates, Parliamentarians and the Canadian public.
  
  Outreach does not end at the Canadian border. The CAFC will continue to be involved in international initiatives to combat the illicit smuggling, trafficking and use of firearms. Through the period covered by this RPP, CAFC will implement measures designed to meet Canadian commitments to the Inter-American Convention Against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, and Other Related Materials (CIFTA) and the Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UN Firearms Protocol).
• In addition to its work within multilateral organizations, the CAFC co-chairs the Canada-United States Firearms Trafficking Consultative Group.

Priority 4 – Restructure CAFC operations

This priority is directly aligned to the fourth and fifth key directions / drivers, which relate to " improve service delivery to our clients " and " increase the efficiency of internal operations ".

CAFC will restructure operations to enhance service delivery in federal jurisdictions and to continue streamlining processes. The objectives of the restructuring of CAFC operations are to streamline processes and strengthen service delivery. One major project underway to deliver on this priority is to appoint Chief Firearms Officers in each of the Western provinces in order to deliver services in such a way that they are more responsive to local needs. This will be realized by re-establishing a Chief Firearms Officer in each province and by decentralizing certain activities currently carried out in Edmonton. The CAFC will minimize any disruption of service in this region through carefully considered communications to all affected by this change.

The Program Operations Directorate of the CAFC will continue to implement current elements of the Continuous Improvement Plan and will add initiatives as needed to improve service delivery and cut costs. As well, in order to further increase internal operations and, in turn, program implementation, the CAFC has integrated its policy, communications and consultations services.

Priority 5 – Solidify elements of the Management Accountability Framework (MAF)

Two of the seven key directions specifically drive this fifth priority: " strengthen CAFC's implementation of the MAF "; and " exemplify high quality, transparent performance reporting to Parliament and the public ".

With core financial and human resources capacities in place today, the Centre is well-positioned to solidify its implementation of the MAF. Specifically, CAFC will ensure readiness for the HR Modernization Initiative, advance work on a performance measurement strategy, co-ordinate audit and evaluation processes and activities with the Office of the Comptroller General's initiative for small agencies, implement a performance measurement regime, strengthen internal controls, and introduce common administrative services, as appropriate. As well, internal communications will be developed in support of the HR Modernization Initiative, including strategies and activities.