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The recent vote is appalling.
We will witness the tragic consequences of this bill.
- Dr. Carolyn Snider, Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians
A lot of people had strong opinions on last week’s column opposing the vote in Parliament to kill the long gun registry, passed with all Conservative and some Liberal and New Democrat MPs voting in favour.
Today, I return fire on registry critics.
Long guns aren’t a problem?
In 2008, a full 17 per cent of all homicides with firearms were committed using rifles and shotguns – that’s 34 deaths, Statistics Canada reports.
Rural Canadians can handle their guns?
In non-urban areas, rifles and shotguns were responsible for 48 per cent of all firearm homicides.
And, surprisingly, rural residents are at higher risk of being a homicide victim than city dwellers.
The registry isn’t effective?
Since the registry was passed in 1995, homicides by rifles and shotguns have dropped by nearly 50 per cent, while handgun deaths are up and non-firearms homicides are down slightly.
Last year, 1,833 firearms licences were revoked and 462 firearms licences were refused, Firearms’ Commissioner William Elliott report to Parliament stated.
Number one reason for revoking 75 per cent of firearms licenses? “Court-ordered prohibition or probation.”
What are the second through seventh biggest reasons?
“Potential risk to others; potential risk to self; mental health; violent; drug offences; domestic violence.”
Does it work?
Here’s one example: “The Canadian Firearms Program provided support to an RCMP detachment, assisting with a ... warrant to recover firearms from a subject who had reportedly pointed a rifle at a co-worker and threatened to kill him.”
“[It] confirmed the suspect had ... nine long guns registered in his name. A warrant was granted ... resulting in the recovery of all nine long guns, including the suspect firearm and a quantity of ammunition.”
The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police is “biased” and “political”?
A ridiculous argument but listen to Yves Francoeur, the head of Montreal’s 4,700-member police union.
“We have to register our vehicles, we have to register our properties, we have to register our trailers and we shouldn’t have to register our guns?” Francoeur asked. “It doesn’t make any sense.”
Lastly, it was NDP leader Jack Layton and Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff allowing a “free vote” that let 12 NDP and eight Liberal MPs kill the registry.
Both face serious credibility questions on the gun registry are getting a backlash for their new position from supporters.
And so they should.
But there is still time for Canadians who support the long gun registry to influence the final vote by MPs.
Contact Layton, Ignatieff and other MPs to let them know it is a vote determining issue for you – it’s the only way to save the registry – and save lives.
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