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NORTH AMERICAN GUN BAN
8/8/2007 1:27:19 PM
Gun ban 'necessary': But at least one police official says banning handguns simply doesn't work
Anne Dawson, CanWest News Service
Published: Thursday, December 08 2005
MONTREAL - Paul Martin's Liberals will propose a sweeping ban on handguns in Canada as a key plank in the prime minister's campaign for re-election.
Sources tell CanWest News Services Martin, who will make the election campaign announcement this morning at a safer communities event in Toronto, wants to choke off the supply of handguns in this country, particularly those brought into Canada illegally and sold on the black market.
Toronto has been plagued by handgun crimes this year, with many of the shootings stemming from what police Chief Bill Blair has called a gang turf war in the city's northwest area.
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The prohibition would cover those handguns already registered. However, sources say special arrangements will be made for gun collectors.
The campaign announcement is likely to spark a major controversy -- particularly in rural
areas and in Western Canada, where there is still opposition to Bill C-68, which established the national firearms registry for long guns. Handguns have been registered and tightly controlled in Canada since the 1930s.
This announcement is expected to counter Tory criticisms that the Liberals are soft on crime. The Conservatives have already begun to unveil their crime strategy, announcing their intentions to appoint a new federal prosecutor if they win government and establish minimum sentencing for certain crimes.
The Conservatives would not comment on the proposal Wednesday night, but said leader Stephen Harper would address the issue following the Liberal announcement today.
Sources said the Liberal proposal is radical, but necessary to make sure there are no handguns in Canada -- except in a few cases such as those carried by police officers. The prime minister is also expected to announce a significant increase in resources for police enforce the new handgun ban.
Sources say the thinking behind the strategy is that if no one is allowed to have a handgun legally in Canada, law enforcement authorities will be in a better position to act on anyone who has a handgun or attempts to transport or sell a handgun.
The move to ban guns may not have the desired effect of cutting down crime -- criminals will still be armed, said Al Koenig, president of the Calgary Police Association, the union representing about 1,500 local police officers.
"Banning handguns simply doesn't work. You want minimum sentencing for possession of handguns or using them in the commission of an offense. That is a very simple solution to a very complex problem," said Koenig.
"Banning any kind of guns will not eliminate them. We've seen it in the past there's no reason to relive it."
The proposal is strongly opposed by the Edmonton-based National Firearms Association, which represents 100,000 gun owners.
David Tomlinson, president of the association, said violent crime rates increase when severe gun laws are introduced, citing Great Britain as a prime example. He added that a complete ban would make handguns very attractive on the black market and would actually put potential victims in danger.
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Gun ban 'necessary': But at least one police official says banning handguns simply doesn't work
Anne Dawson, CanWest News Service
Published: Thursday, December 08 2005
"It is very good at disarming all the law-abiding victims," he said. "As a result, the violent criminals are being given a guarantee by the severe firearms controls law that their personal safety is guaranteed by the Liberal Party of Canada."
Karen Randhawa, sister of Davinder (David) Kajla, one of two Calgary man shot and killed last August in a Chinatown parking lot altercation, said banning handguns would prevent similar needless violence in the future.
"These are just obvious answers," she said Wednesday. "If there wasn't guns involved it would have just been a fight."
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The Public Safety Department reports that spousal homicides involving firearms in Canada have plunged dramatically since the federal gun-control program and registry were launched in 1995, as have firearm murders in general and gun-related suicides.
Anne Dawson, CanWest News Service
Published: Thursday, December 08 2005
MONTREAL - Paul Martin's Liberals will propose a sweeping ban on handguns in Canada as a key plank in the prime minister's campaign for re-election.
Sources tell CanWest News Services Martin, who will make the election campaign announcement this morning at a safer communities event in Toronto, wants to choke off the supply of handguns in this country, particularly those brought into Canada illegally and sold on the black market.
Toronto has been plagued by handgun crimes this year, with many of the shootings stemming from what police Chief Bill Blair has called a gang turf war in the city's northwest area.
Email to a friendEmail to a friendPrinter friendlyPrinter friendly
Font:
* *
* *
* *
* *
The prohibition would cover those handguns already registered. However, sources say special arrangements will be made for gun collectors.
The campaign announcement is likely to spark a major controversy -- particularly in rural
areas and in Western Canada, where there is still opposition to Bill C-68, which established the national firearms registry for long guns. Handguns have been registered and tightly controlled in Canada since the 1930s.
This announcement is expected to counter Tory criticisms that the Liberals are soft on crime. The Conservatives have already begun to unveil their crime strategy, announcing their intentions to appoint a new federal prosecutor if they win government and establish minimum sentencing for certain crimes.
The Conservatives would not comment on the proposal Wednesday night, but said leader Stephen Harper would address the issue following the Liberal announcement today.
Sources said the Liberal proposal is radical, but necessary to make sure there are no handguns in Canada -- except in a few cases such as those carried by police officers. The prime minister is also expected to announce a significant increase in resources for police enforce the new handgun ban.
Sources say the thinking behind the strategy is that if no one is allowed to have a handgun legally in Canada, law enforcement authorities will be in a better position to act on anyone who has a handgun or attempts to transport or sell a handgun.
The move to ban guns may not have the desired effect of cutting down crime -- criminals will still be armed, said Al Koenig, president of the Calgary Police Association, the union representing about 1,500 local police officers.
"Banning handguns simply doesn't work. You want minimum sentencing for possession of handguns or using them in the commission of an offense. That is a very simple solution to a very complex problem," said Koenig.
"Banning any kind of guns will not eliminate them. We've seen it in the past there's no reason to relive it."
The proposal is strongly opposed by the Edmonton-based National Firearms Association, which represents 100,000 gun owners.
David Tomlinson, president of the association, said violent crime rates increase when severe gun laws are introduced, citing Great Britain as a prime example. He added that a complete ban would make handguns very attractive on the black market and would actually put potential victims in danger.
* 1
* 2
* next page
Gun ban 'necessary': But at least one police official says banning handguns simply doesn't work
Anne Dawson, CanWest News Service
Published: Thursday, December 08 2005
"It is very good at disarming all the law-abiding victims," he said. "As a result, the violent criminals are being given a guarantee by the severe firearms controls law that their personal safety is guaranteed by the Liberal Party of Canada."
Karen Randhawa, sister of Davinder (David) Kajla, one of two Calgary man shot and killed last August in a Chinatown parking lot altercation, said banning handguns would prevent similar needless violence in the future.
"These are just obvious answers," she said Wednesday. "If there wasn't guns involved it would have just been a fight."
Email to a friendEmail to a friendPrinter friendlyPrinter friendly
Font:
* *
* *
* *
* *
The Public Safety Department reports that spousal homicides involving firearms in Canada have plunged dramatically since the federal gun-control program and registry were launched in 1995, as have firearm murders in general and gun-related suicides.
8/9/2007 10:05:52 PM
if those shitbag LIEberals get back in..gun owners in Canada are screwed..
8/10/2007 4:06:57 AM
It didnt work in the Uk why should it work in Canada, politicians are so f'ing stupid, gun crime has risen since the handgun ban of 96, since when have criminals followed the law
.Jeeezzzzz.
.Jeeezzzzz.8/10/2007 8:25:09 AM
It has nothing to do with fighting crime and everything to do with buying votes...
8/16/2007 10:50:26 PM
I'm sorry you guys have to go through this stuff too. On the upside it appears that your dollar is nearly equal to the US. (Not good for me)
