Canadian Gun Ban???

[Steverino]

TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada's ruling Liberals, under pressure to clamp down on gun violence in big cities, will move to ban all handguns if they win the January 23 election, Prime Minister Paul Martin said on Thursday.


Canada already has extremely restrictive firearms legislation, but under the Liberal proposal only police and some security officers would be allowed to carry handguns.

So far this year some 50 young men -- most of them black -- have been shot dead in Toronto. Some government officials blame the problem in part on smuggling of handguns from neighboring United States.

"I've come to the conclusion that significant change is needed. I've come to the conclusion that we should ban handguns," Martin told a rally in one of the most violent areas of Toronto.

"Handguns kill people. That's why they exist. They are taking too many Canadian lives," he said.

Canada's murder rate is about one third of that in the United States but there is rising fear about gun crime in Toronto, traditionally a stronghold for the Liberals.

Martin -- saying many handguns used in violent crimes had been stolen from collectors -- made clear collectors would be given a certain amount of time to sell, get rid of or disarm their guns. An amnesty program would also be set up to pay people who handed in their illegal handguns.

He said there would be a "narrow exemption for legitimate target shooters" but gave no further details.

His minority Liberal government was brought down by a corruption scandal last month and polls show he is likely to be returned next month with another minority, which means he will be forced to rely on opposition parties to govern.

Opposition parties dismissed the plan as a gimmick. The left-leaning New Democrats, who backed Martin for much of the year, said the Liberals had cut police funding and social programs designed to help vulnerable members of society.

"The last-minute Liberals want Canadians to believe they are here to fix the problems that have grown over their 12 years of running the country," it said in a statement. The Liberals have been in power since late 1993.

Under Martin's plan, Canada will increase the number of police on the borders to try to cut down on smuggling and would double the penalties for people who used guns during crimes.

The question of gun control is a tricky one for the Liberals, whose attempt to compile a register of rifles and shotguns in the mid-1990s spiraled out of control. The registry, which was originally designed to break even, has so far cost more than C$2 billion ($1.7 billion).

[drummer]

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/americ...ent/index.html

keep in mind it's cnn.

[Darkwolf]

Problem is... the can of worms is open now. The NDP party is pretty anti-gun and so is the Parti Quebec... so even in a minority, unlesas the conservatives win BIG, they'll probably pass the law or something like it...

A recent Angus Reid poll says that most Canadians don't care much about the Gomery corruption inquiry, and Toronto, Montreal and a few other major Cities control the whole country in terms of Ridings.

The NRA was told to stay out of our country during the election, and the federal Gag Law keeps any Canadian gun groups from speaking up, and a lot of hunters and shooters will just think, "it's only handguns... they'll NEVER take my deer rifle!"


I love my country but I HATE my government...... Native Indians, Jews, Mennonites, Gays, Gun owners... so many groups that have been persecuted by the Government of Canada over the past thirty years.... and they still manage to give the impression that our government are such NICE people...

[drummer]

Iv'e been there, so I know better.

[denton]

Yeah, it's soooo much easier to enforce laws against handguns than laws against corrupt governments....

[Cal Sibley]

We have the laws on the books to enforce existing gun laws, and have had them for many years. Maybe it's about time we did just that. Hold the judges and politicians responsible for enforcing these laws, and we will not require additional restrictive legislation. We've made the laws and now don't have the gumption to enforce them, so we'll penalize our own people instead. If we're not a nation ruled by wimps we don't miss it by much. Not much to be proud of. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

[Tall Shadow]

Being of Canadian descent (Both Sides of the family), I understand how aggravating Canadian government/politics can be.

The trouble with their line of reasoning/thinking (Even though they seldom seem to use either!), is that, Laws only have an effect on the people who follow them!

Criminals, by definition, Don't obey laws!
THAT"S WHY THEY ARE CRIMINALS!!!!!!

We here in the USA, have 20,000+ laws about the LAWFUL use of firearms. Yet We still have people who use firearms for criminal activity. WHY?

Would passing more laws help?? ...........NO!

CRIMINALS WILL ALWAYS HAVE GUNS!

You CAN NOT legislate Morality.

Tall Shadow