february 24, 2021
News Advertiser PAGE 3
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Proposed Firearms Legislation Draws the Ire of Elected Officials Michelle Pinon News Advertiser “Taking firearms away from lawabiding citizens does nothing to stop dangerous criminals and gangs who obtain their guns illegally. If the Liberals really cared about public safety they would get serious on gun crime and get tougher on gangs and criminals who are terrorizing Canadian streets including the sources of their illegally obtained guns.” That is one of the responses Lakeland MP Shannon Stubbs made to the Liberal government’s proposed firearms legislation it introduced in the House of Commons this past week.
Stubbs, who serves as the Conservative Shadow Minister for Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, said Bill C-22 relaxes penalties for serious offences and crimes using guns in Canada. The proposed legislation would allow municipalities to ban handguns through bylaws restricting their possession, storage, and transportation.
Vegreville Mayor Tim MacPhee commented on the matter, stating, “As far as the new gun laws are concerned, I do not think that it should be left up to municipalities to make those decisions. What if we had 8,000 different byelaws across the country regarding guns? That, would make no sense. It is my opinion that nobody needs an assault rifle for hunting. The guns that are used to commit crimes are not registered gun owners. The penalties for using a gun in a crime should be more severe; automatic 10 years in jail, no probation. That’s my thoughts, and then whatever crime was committed, the sentence to be put on top of that. I have recently written a letter to the Justice Minister and was on a working seminar through AUMA, (Alberta Urban Municipalities Association) last week where he, (Justice Minister and Solicitor General Kaycee Madu) was a guest speaker. We have repeat offenders in our community who are not in jail that have been charged with crimes and possession of weapons. The justice system needs to be more severe for anybody who uses a gun. I think the federal government’s approach to guns is backwards. Trying to buy guns from hunters and people in the rural Canada makes no sense. All Canadians should write a letter to their MP. Crimes involving guns is an epidemic in this country.”
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