I just read this notice on banning handgunds in Canada, I would really enjoy some input from our American neighbours on this one:
By: John Bermingham
The Province
March 17, 2009
http://www.theprovince.com/
Federal NDP Leader Jack Layton yesterday called the Lower Mainland gang killings an "arms race." Layton was in Vancouver to meet with Vancouver Police Chief Jim Chu and Coun. George Chow to discuss the spate of shootings around the city.
"There’s probably no city in the country right now that is understanding the need for action more than Vancouver," said Layton, after the meeting at Vancouver police headquarters.
"We’re not seeing this elsewhere in Canada but, believe me, we’re going to if we don’t see some action taken against these gangs." Layton, flanked by Vancouver-Kingsway MP Don Davies, said there aren’t enough cops on Vancouver streets.
He also pressed for more prosecutors, especially federal prosecutors.
And he wants to ban handguns in cities such as Vancouver, and called for an international summit on the illegal cross-border gun trade.
Last month, the Conservatives introduced legislation to make gang murders carry automatic life-in-jail penalties, and boost sentences for drive-by shootings and assaults on police.
It also re-introduced legislation to give mandatory jail time to those producing and selling illegal drugs.
"We haven’t seen what we need to see yet from the federal government," said Layton. "There’s need for more legislation, prosecutions, policing and prevention." But Justice Minister Rob Nicholson said Layton should support both bills, instead of playing to the cameras.
"You’ll never make the NDP happy," said Nicholson. We [the Tories] are the ones that are consistent on this." Nicholson said he’s trying to get the crime bills through the House of Commons, but the NDP is focused instead on a free-trade agreement with Colombia.
"I just want these things to go through," said Nicholson. "But I need the help of the other political parties." – Liberal MP Ujjal Dosanjh will hold a townhall meeting on gang violence tomorrow night at South Vancouver Neighbourhood House, starting at 7 p.m.
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I am all for banning illegal guns from gang members but the problem is that gangsters dont tend to follow the laws already in place. Banning handguns from everyone will not deter gangsters from carrying handguns, It will just take them away from law abiding citizens. Gangsters do not buy their guns from hunting stores or steal from hunters homes, they import them through their black market connections. Just like they dont buy cocaine, crack, heroine, meth, and weed at the store. They will always bring in their own weapons just like their drugs. So in closing, I feel banning handguns will just keep them out of the honest man’s hands and not the gangsters.