MONTREAL - A judge is extending a temporary injunction that keeps the long-gun registry operational in Quebec until he rules on further arguments.

Justice Marc-Andre Blanchard said today he won't be able to rule until next week on whether to issue a new injunction.

Quebec's request for a new order is being challenged by the federal government.

The emergency order handed down last week after a request by the Quebec government safeguards the Quebec data and obliges people in the province to keep registering their weapons.

Federal lawyers made it clear earlier they would not voluntarily consent to extending the emergency order, which was set to expire this afternoon.

Quebec has said it wants to start its own registry using the federal data, but Ottawa is refusing to hand over the information.

The merits of the case will be argued in June.