7 minute read
GREAT DEBATE
Proposed federal gun law makes no one safer
OPINION
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KIRK WINTER, WRITER-AT-LARGE
In May, the federal government moved to ban more than 1,500 different models of firearms from further importation, sale, resale or usage. Both Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Public Safety Minister Bill Blair claimed Canadians will be safer as a result because these so-called “assault rifles” that make up the bulk of the models to be banned are a threat to the public at large.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
The key weapon banned by the order-in-council is the Armalite AR-15, the civilian version of the weapon used by the Canadian Armed Forces. It is only manufactured in semi-automatic versions and it cannot be made fully automatic. It is a favourite of target shooters everywhere because of its light recoil and inexpensive ammunition.
The AR-15 has been a restricted firearm in Canada since the 1970s. Additional licensing and training are required to own one and even then its transportation and usage are limited to licensed gun clubs in Canada.
These guns cannot be used for hunting, and the government knows the location of every Armalite in Canada because of tough ownership and licensing procedures. Not a single legally-owned registered Armalite in Canada has ever been used in the commission of a crime in this country.
Critics from across the political spectrum believe the Trudeau Liberals are using the Nova Scotia shooting in April to push this through. The deranged criminal responsible for killing more than 20 people recently had been banned from owning firearms in Canada because he had been convicted of assaulting his girlfriend. His Norinco 305, also now on the banned list, had been bought illegally in the United States and smuggled into Canada.
Tragically, if press reports are correct, he also killed many people with weapons taken from the cruiser of the RCMP officer killed in the shooting. Our gun laws worked correctly, and the only way the murderer killed a single person was by smuggling a weapon in from the United States and killing a peace officer and then stealing her weapons. The new Liberal legislation would have not saved a single life in Nova Scotia.
Canada has proven time and time again to be at the forefront of safe and sensible gun legislation that has led to our nation having one of the lowest rates of gun violence in the world. Fully automatic firearms have never been legal in Canada. Handguns have been tightly controlled since the early 1930s. Canada’s safe storage laws and training and licensing requirements are the gold standard when compared to many other countries.
If the government truly wants to spend $500 million to make Canadians safer, the money would be much better spent on tougher border inspections, and closing the illegal gun pipeline from the U.S. where most of our gun problems begin.
Restricting access to guns saves lives
OPINION
TREVOR HUTCHINSON, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
Like a vast majority of Canadians — 79 per cent according to a recent poll — I think the federal government’s proposed ban on “assault-style” weapons is a good idea.
The new regulations were passed in the aftermath of the April mass murder in Nova Scotia, although this policy was part of the federal Liberals’ platform since before the last election. And the specifics of the Nova Scotia tragedy are beside the point. There is a reasonwhy more than 200 health, women’s, policing and community organizations have advocated for a similar policy for years: banning assault rifles is simply good public health policy.
When Australia banned assault rifles in 1997, the number of mass-shooting deaths went from 104 over the previous 18 years to zero over the 22 years following the ban. Even the United States saw a 40 per cent drop in mass-shooting fatalities for the 10 years it had similar policies (1994-2004).
Research shows that such bans not only decrease the number of mass shootings, they reduce femicide (the murder of women and girls) and suicides. Restricting access to guns saves lives. Since Canada restricted access to rifles and shotguns, the rate of homicide due to rifles and shotguns has decreased by 53 per cent.
This new Liberal policy is not about taking away guns from lawful hunters or farmers. It’s about deciding, as a society, that there is no place in our society for weapons that were designed solely for the efficient killing of humans.
When you get into the specifics of the new policy, it’s about restricting calibre, shots and barrel lengths. The now banned .375 Cheyenne Tactical is designed to hit a 36” inch plate at 3,800 yards. That is not for hunting.
As for the AR-15, there’s a reason that the U.S. Army has used some version of this weapon for years: Because of its muzzle velocity, it is an exceptionally good weapon for killing humans. It is designed so that a shooter of minimal skill can kill as many people as possible. I get that some people have found hobbies with this killing machine. I loved firing a machine gun when I was in the army. But sacrificing a hobby is worth it if it’s going to save lives. And numerous studies show that banning assault rifles will save lives.
Opponents of the ban also cite illegal handguns as the real problem. They are right: Illegal guns are a big problem and handguns are an even bigger one. There should be stricter border controls. But these new restrictions prohibit the guns that were used in the tragic mass shootings in the Quebec mosque, Moncton, Dawson College and École Polytechnique. All of those weapons were legally purchased and owned.
Will these new restrictions solve every gun-related problem we have? Absolutely not. Is there more we must do to solve gun violence in Canada? Absolutely.
But prohibiting these weapons designed only to kill people is a good start.
How do you feel about the government’s proposed ban?
Let us know by emailing kawarthalakespublisher@gmail.com in 150 words or less
The residents of Fenelon Court have provided a wealth of local heirloom recipes. Many are simple recipes from the land that make the most of what is at hand. Because I could not photograph someone making their heirloom recipe this month, I thought I would try a local farm food, stuffed beef heart with dandelion greens salad.
Salad
The fat is trimmed from the heart and the inside is sprinkled with salt and pepper. Prepare your preferred stuffing and fill the inside (I made my stuffing from challah bread and added sage and thyme). Sew in the stuffing. Sear the heart and add some beef broth to a small roasting pan. Cover and cook at 325° for 15 minutes per pound. Pick young dandelion leaves and rinse them until the water is free of debris. Add other salad ingredients that you have on hand.
Dressing
To make a basic vinaigrette, mix 1 part vinegar, 2 parts oil, and add salt, pepper and herbs to taste.
Sharon Walker is the creative director at Maryboro Lodge: The Fenelon Museum. She is documenting local, heirloom recipes for a cookbook. If you have a recipe that you would like to see featured, contact her at sharon@maryboro.ca.
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THANK YOU
To all of our team members at Extendicare Kawartha Lakes & Lakeland Village, your dedication and determination is forever appreciated.
We want to
THANK YOU
To all of our team members at Extendicare Kawartha Lakes & Lakeland Village, your dedication and determination is forever appreciated.
We want to
THANK YOU
To all of our team members at Extendicare Kawartha Lakes & Lakeland Village, your dedication and determination is forever appreciated.
We want to
THANK YOU
To all of our team members at Extendicare Kawartha Lakes & Lakeland Village, your dedication and determination is forever appreciated.
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