Copper sellers’ mettle put to the test

Compelling people who sell copper and other materials to provide their identification is long overdue.

The requirement is contained in a private member’s bill introduced by Tory MLA Dave Quest, and after it received third reading in the legislature earlier this week, the government signalled it will design rules in support of the proposal. If it becomes law, scrap-metal dealers will be required to purchase goods only from sellers who provide identification — a demand that is already commonplace at many such businesses. It will be mandatory for dealers to keep the information on file for a year and make it available to police investigating metal thefts.

Liberal MLA Laurie Blakeman has expressed doubt about the bill’s efficacy, and is “concerned about this gov- ernment’s proclivity for collecting personal information on people and keeping it.”

It’s important to note that people aren’t forced to sell metal, and thus provide their identification — they voluntarily engage in a business transaction. Besides, it’s quite common for businesses of all sorts to keep records of their suppliers and customers. Efficiency demands no less.

Calgary police received 139 complaints of copper theft in 2011, and by October 2012, that number had grown by 26 per cent, according to the Calgary Crime Stoppers Association, which has its own campaign to stop the theft of metal.

Never mind a coppercoloured medal, we think Quest deserves a gold one for showing leadership on crimes that can crimp the profitability of businesses and put lives at risk.