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“The registry is useless,” Colgan said. “There is already a system of gun permits in Canada, and all police services have access to it. … To have another system in order to register serial numbers is just a waste of public funds.”

Whether guns are registered or not, criminals won’t respect the law. That’s why they’re criminals. — Claude Colgan, director of the Quebec branch of the National Firearms Association gun owners lobby group

Quebec and Canada has already paid enough for the failed federal long-gun registry, he said.

“Whether guns are registered or not, criminals won’t respect the law. That’s why they’re criminals.”

Colgan’s comments were echoed by the National Firearms Association, which said on its website it was “delighted” with the Supreme Court decision, calling the registry “expensive, inefficient and invasive.”

“As proud and happy as we are of today’s victory, we must acknowledge that many battles remain to be fought,” NFA president Sheldon Clare said. “We may have another one looming in Quebec, in view of yesterday’s announcement, although we are skeptical of Quebec’s ability and resolve to move in that direction.”