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OTTAWA — Canada’s recreational firearms lobby is telling the Harper government to avoid signing a landmark United Nations arms trade treaty, arguing it could lead to an insidious return of the federal long-gun registry.

That’s the message Canada’s National Firearms Association and the Canadian Shooting Sports Association are delivering to Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird as he weighs whether Canada should follow the United States in signing the Arms Trade Treaty, which aims to regulate the multibillion dollar global arms trade.

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Proponents of the treaty, including Secretary of State John Kerry who signed it last week on behalf of the U.S., say it would have no impact on domestic gun owners.

Not so, says Canada’s sports shooting lobby, which has been consulting with the government.

“We think that it has the potential to raise prices on firearms, firearms accessories, parts and ammunition,” Sheldon Clare, president of the National Firearms Association, said in interview.