April 21, 2008

It's Time to Stand Up for the Safety of Canadians instead of Misguided Gun Owners

Earlier this month, I wrote a post regarding the wrong and harmful actions of the Conservative government in regards to the federal gun registry. I strongly oppose their efforts to break apart the registry because I am a firm believer in gun control laws and the methods of enforcement. Safety is far, far more important than the ability to own deadly and potentially fatal weaponry.

My outrage on this issue has only increased today in light of a Toronto Star Story which states that the Government has given back to gun owners far more money than it has cost to run the Registry. According to the article, the operating costs since 2006 amount to $35.9 million, yet they have refunded and/or waived $56.5 million!

They could have more than covered the costs of operating this vital Registry, but instead they have undermined it financially, morally, and publicly. When is this government going to wake up and put the safety of vulnerable Canadians before the frivolity of gun enthusiasts? Hopefully soon, before too many innocent lives are lost to gun crimes.

It is time to make a firm stand against firearms here in Canada. Stop refunding money to gun owners when it can be used to support the Gun Registry!

3 comments:

Jim said...

Please explain to me how the firearms registry is a safety or crime fighting tool. Barring that, please cite one example of a life it has saved.

Or maybe read this...

http://www.lowe.ca/Rick/FirearmsLegislation/AGangThatCouldn'tShootStraight.html

Unknown said...

“Individual Licence Refusal and Revocation
21,676 firearms licences have been refused or revoked by Chief Firearms Officers for public safety reasons.
• 7,414 applications have been refused
• 14,262 firearms licences have been revoked.
Note : Reasons why firearms licence applications have been refused or licences revoked include: a history of violence, mental illness, potential risk to himself/herself or others, unsafe firearm use and storage, drug offences, and providing false information.”

Jim please explain to me if 14,262 people had there licences revoked how would the authorities determine if the person owned any firearms, and then, take the appropriate measures.

The Cons are sending a mix message to gun owners. Similar to when the Libs were debatating the legality of pot.

Jim said...

See, this is where those of you that are uninformed and ignorant to Canadian firearms law always seem to stumble. You are quoting LICENCING stats...this has NOTHING to do with the REGISTRY. These are two completely different things.

I am pro licencing but completely against a registry of any sort. It is futile and not cost effective.

To answer the question you posed, if a person was to have their firearms licence revoked why would the authorities even need to determine what firearms that person owned? The person would be served notice to dispose of their firearms by whatever means. In fact, I gun store that I visit has had guns placed by prohibited owners, into paid storage while legal matters are sorted out. It can be as simple as the Firearms Center getting a phone call from an unhappy ex-girlfriend for them to yank your licence.

It matters not what firearms the person used to own, because if they are in possession of one while prohibited, then they would be breaking the law...end of story.

Your term "appropriate measures" has me a little concerned though...if you are under the impression that the police call in the SWAT team and kick in the door to seize guns because someone has been issued a prohibition, then you would be mistaken...thankfully.

Perhaps you would just be happier if guns were banned outright? Seems to have worked wonders in Chicago...

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=6093374

Sarcasm off.