Nineteen children and two adults were killed in Uvalde Texas last week. Just 10 days earlier 10 people were killed in a Buffalo New York supermarket. Across the US, there have been 214 mass shootings this year. All those senseless killings using a military style weapon have made Canadians uncomfortable as gun related crimes in Canada have risen.
Today, more are willing to see greater controls on weapon ownership in Canada.
When 51 people were killed at two Islamic houses of worship in March 2019, the New Zealand government immediately passed laws banning military style weapons in that country. The government created a buy-back program that saw more than 56,000 weapons turned in by year end. Licencing standards to own firearms became more stringent. In its first-year, the program cost more than $100 million in payments from the government to firearms owners.
In Australia over 600,000 firearms have been bought back by the government since 1996, after 35 people died. Since then, the number of gun deaths has decreased to one third the number prior to the buy back program.
This week the Liberal government presented legislation that may include a buyback program included in Bill C-21 that disappeared with the calling of the election in 2021. Two years ago the government banned 1500 military-style assault style weapons. The legislation presented on Monday would freeze the import, sale and transfer of handguns. The legislation will also create harsher penalties for gun smuggling. The government proposes to introduce legislation for a buy-back program sometime in the future.
In Canada, persons wishing to own a firearm must proceed through hunting courses and strict handgun ownership programs before being able to acquire a firearm. In recent years, various opposition parties and gun owner groups have opposed the proposed legislation. The increase in homicide deaths in Canada is directly related to the use of handguns by assailants.
We will now know what is included in the legislation. We do know the firearm promises that were made prior to the last federal election and the contents of Bill C-21. Statistics do prove that removing military assault style weapons and banning handguns from the public does save lives. Now with the awareness of Uvalde and Buffalo, Canadians should be ready to accept more restrictions on gun ownership.
Former Publisher
Fort Frances Times
