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Banning Hand Guns - Great Politics - Bad Policy

Posted by Staff / December 8, 2005

6 Comments

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As has been reported today here and here Paul Martin has pledged to ban handguns. Honestly a great idea in theory. Like most people I understand that handguns were made for one purpose, to kill other people. That being said, like the gun registry boondoggle, legal firearms owners are not commiting the crimes. Criminals are not going to turn in their handguns now that they are banned.

My fear is that we are throwing money away for another "firearms registry." 84% of homicides were committed with unregistered firearms - This despite the fact that handguns are now suppose to be registered and owners have a license. How is this proposal going to change anything?

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Michael / December 8, 2005 at 03:40 pm
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This is why I try to never say never. Jason, I agree with you on this one.

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Jason / December 8, 2005 at 04:18 pm
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Thanks - it's nice and rare that some does. What irritates me more is how the Ontario Attorney General (Bryant) and David Miller jumped into the Announcement today - if all 3 level actually follow through on this, it will be gun registry multiplied by 3. It is a very unworkable solution. Hey, but it is election time.
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Brian Bonner / December 8, 2005 at 05:08 pm
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It makes hand guns less available to be used in crimes. There will be less hand guns available to be stolen and moved around in Canada as they shouldn't be there in the first place. It could also pave way for laws such as gun violations = jail sentence or something of that nature. It isn't the perfect solution but its a link in a chain of actions that cumulatively could help eliminate gun issues in Canada
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matt / December 8, 2005 at 05:52 pm
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Start checking on your border with southern neighbour. Tough ones.

Quite simple solution.
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jason / December 8, 2005 at 07:48 pm
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Icouldnt agree more. The problem is at the border. This will do NOTHING to alleviate the border issue. This announcement is nothing more than electioneering. I hate to say it, but I actually feel bad for the lawful gun owners who just 5 years ago were required to pay for registration and licensing of their firearms, and now have to reliquish ownership. This is a huge victory for David Miller, as this announcement by Martin sends a signal that the feds should be providing the solution, not the city. Miller's support of such an initiative indicates how truly out of touch he is with the issue.

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Michael / December 9, 2005 at 04:24 pm
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The only good I see from this is if a ban encourages tougher penalties on people caught with handguns. Which is what Miller has always said he wants. Really the illegal gun solution, be it a ban, minimum sentences, tougher border control (or whatever else) will be coming from the Feds. It's ultimately a problem that stems from Federal jurisdiction. Then after they do what they can, the municipalities will be in a better posistion to enforce. Miller is just a mayor of a city with no power. Yet.
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