United States
Cleveland to Fight for Its Gun Restrictions In Front of Ohio Supreme Court
Cleveland Plain Dealer (Ohio)
10 March 2010
COLUMBUS, Ohio - If Cleveland had its way, every gun in the city would have to be registered, no one would carry a weapon openly and assault weapons would be banned. All three of those rules, however -- and there are others the city would like to impose -- run contrary to an Ohio gun law that took effect three years ago establishing one set of firearm rules for everyone from Lake Erie down to the Ohio River. The city has... ( gunpolicy.org )
Australia
Australian Arms Lobby Claims Gun Owner Privacy Threatened in Victoria
Herald Sun (Melbourne)
9 March 2010
Victoria's gun safety regime is under fire after a string of privacy breaches and other police gun register blunders. Shooters and traders say public safety is at risk from errors that could see information about guns fall into the wrong hands. In one of the worst examples, one person received about 80 registration certificates for a single gun. And a gun dealer was sent five application forms for a dealer's licence it... ( gunpolicy.org )
New Zealand
Judge Tosses New Zealand Police Reclassification of Assault Weapons
New Zealand Herald
3 March 2010
A High Court decision has set back efforts by police to impose greater controls on a wider range of firearms. The court has ruled against a move by police to reclassify many "sporting configuration" firearms as military-style semi-automatics (MSSAs). Police spent $60,000 advertising the changes. Owners would have had to undergo more stringent vetting, register each affected weapon and have a more expensive gun safe. ... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Tories Used 'Every Trick in the Book' to Stall Police Gun Registry Report
Toronto Star (Ontario), Editorial
1 March 2010
As Parliament resumes sitting this week, among the issues on the order paper will be gun control -- specifically, a private member's bill to abolish the long-gun registry. The bill passed second reading last fall by a vote of 164-137 as some Liberals and New Democrats joined the Conservatives in supporting it. Critics of the long-gun registry insisted that it is of little use to the police and not worth maintaining. This argument... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Women's Groups Pressure Opposition MPs to Save Canada's Gun Registry
Canadian Press
26 February 2010
MONTREAL, Canada - Gun-control advocates pleaded with Ottawa's opposition parties to stand united against a move to shelve the gun registry when Parliament reconvenes next week. The call came Friday from a coalition that included police, politicians, women's groups, and Heidi Rathjen, a survivor of Montreal's 1989 Polytechnique massacre. They said they hold no hope of persuading the governing Conservatives to back away... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Canada Safety Council Wants Replica Guns Registered, Owners Licensed
CBC News (Canada)
25 February 2010
Replica guns should be licensed and registered just like the real thing, say safety advocates and police. In recent years, police officers across the country have shot and killed several people holding guns that later turned out to be replicas. The Canada Safety Council has approached police to push for gun replicas to be regulated under the federal Firearms Act, said council president Emile Thérien. That would require them to... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda
Kampala Police Mark 4,300 Firearms, Hope to Trace Cops Renting Guns
Monitor (Kampala)
24 February 2010
KAMPALA -- All firearms belonging to the police have been marked to curb the misuse of guns by security officers. The Director of Police Operations, Mr Francis Rwego, said the exercise will bring to book police officers who have been engaging in armed robberies and hiring out guns to suspected criminals. "There have been incidences in the past where some police officers were engaged in criminal acts like robbery. We shall now be... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Tories Delayed, Disputed Mounties' Report Showing Gun Registry Success
Toronto Star (Ontario)
22 February 2010
OTTAWA -- The release of an annual firearms report last fall was delayed by testy officials in the public safety minister's office who demanded to know, among other things, details about an employee "celebration" of the program's 10th anniversary. That was just one of a series of questions posed to RCMP officials after the 2008 Commissioner of Firearms Report was delivered to the minister's office for tabling -- a full seven weeks... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Report Ranks California Gun Control Law the Best, Utah Worst in America
Orange County Register (California)
18 February 2010
California has the strongest gun laws in the nation, according to a survey released today by a powerful gun-control group as it prods state Legislators to enact further precautions. The survey by the national Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence gave California high marks for making background checks mandatory for all gun purchases and limiting buyers to one handgun a month. It also applauded a new state law that regulates the... ( gunpolicy.org )
Finland
National Handgun Ban Mooted After String of Shootings in Finland
Associated Press
17 February 2010
HELSINKI, Finland - A Finnish government commission on Wednesday proposed a ban on semiautomatic handguns after two school shootings in recent years left 20 people dead. The ban, which needs parliamentary approval, would sharply reduce the number of legal weapons in a country that ranks among the world's top five in civilian gun ownership. "We've had a very weapon-friendly culture," commission chairman Pekka Sauri said.... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Licensing, Registration to 'Harass Legitimate Gun Owners' in Maryland
Washington Times, Editorial
12 February 2010
The gun grabbers are at it again in Maryland. Next month, the state's House Judiciary Committee will initiate hearings on legislation forcing firearms enthusiasts to register with the state government before they can exercise their Second Amendment rights. The plan, drafted by Delegate Samuel I. Rosenberg, Baltimore Democrat, and Sen. Brian E. Frosh, Montgomery County Democrat, would mandate that citizens carry a special license... ( gunpolicy.org )
Guatemala
Climate of Insecurity Prompts More Guatemalan Women to Carry Guns
Tico Times (Costa Rica)
11 February 2010
The climate of insecurity in Guatemala is forcing women to arm themselves to protect themselves and their families, the Central American nation's state newspaper, Diario de Centroamerica, reported Monday. The official newspaper said an increasing number of women of different professions are acquiring weapons and registering them with Guatemala's Arms and Munitions Control Office. Some 9,200 weapons have been registered... ( gunpolicy.org )
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Licensed Gun Owners Number 300,000 in Bosnia, Many More Guns Illegal
SEESAC / BalkanInsight.com (Belgrade)
11 February 2010
According to official data, almost 300,000 Bosnian citizens hold firearms licenses, and many more possess weapons that are not registered. This number was given to media by Ivo Miro Jovic, a member of the state parliament's commission on security and defence. Jovic said that 164,000 citizens of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina hold a license for some kind of firearm, while in Republika Srpska the number reaches 116,000.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe
Security Firm Quickly Surrenders More Unlicensed Guns in Zimbabwe
Herald (Zimbabwe)
9 February 2010
HARARE -- Midsec Security Company, which was last month slapped with a US$700 fine for failing to renew 19 service firearms licences, has surrendered nine more unlicenced guns to Kadoma Police Station for investigations. Early last month, the security company was arraigned before the Kadoma Magistrates Courts for failing to renew licences for 19 service weapons and got away with a fine for breaking the Firearms Act. Police... ( gunpolicy.org )
Tonga
Tonga Police Seize 34 Illegal Firearms, 'Gang Warfare' Assault Rifle
Matangi Tonga / PACNEWS
4 February 2010
Powerful weapons including a semi automatic assault rifle of a kind used in gang warfare, have been seized by the police in Tonga. And police are urging the public to report the whereabouts of other illegal weapons that may be on the island. Tongan Police Commander Chris Kelley this week put on display some of the 34 illegal firearms that were seized by the Tongan police from various locations in Tongatapu, during the past nine... ( gunpolicy.org )
Argentina
Argentina Gun Buyback 'Wildly Successful,' 102,000 Firearms Destroyed
Inter Press Service News Agency
3 February 2010
BUENOS AIRES - As a disarmament campaign launched 17 months ago in Argentina nears its end, the government and civil society groups involved in the initiative announced that it has far exceeded even the most optimistic projections, despite the lack of publicity. The Interior Ministry reported that the programme, in which people voluntarily swap their firearms for cash, has so far collected over 102,000 guns and 721,000 munitions,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Cuba
Cuba Declares Gun Amnesty, Gives Owners 2 Months to Register Firearms
Associated Press
1 February 2010
HAVANA, Cuba - Cuba has declared a two-month amnesty for citizens to register unlicensed guns, and says those passing aptitude and psychological tests will be allowed to keep their weapons. The move is unusual in a state where almost no one except some active military personnel and plain-clothed state security agents are allowed to possess weapons. Even most police officers are required to leave their pistols at the station... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Privacy Commissioner Shoots Down Canada Gun Registry Poll Complaint
Canwest News Service (Canada)
26 January 2010
OTTAWA -- The RCMP did not violate the privacy rights of gun owners by giving their names, phones numbers and firearms information to a private pollster to conduct a survey about feelings on the controversial gun registry, says the federal privacy commissioner. Jennifer Stoddart dismissed a complaint from former public safety minister Peter Van Loan, who last September, asked the commissioner to investigate what he described as... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Washington Moves to Strike Montana's Secessionist 'Firearms Freedom Act'
Associated Press
21 January 2010
HELENA, Montana - Montana doesn't have the authority to exempt itself from national gun control laws, the federal government argued in new court filings, hoping to beat back a movement from states adopting the Firearms Freedom Act. The Department of Justice, in a brief filed this week in U.S. District Court in Missoula, said that federal gun control is a "valid exercise of Congress' commerce power under the Constitution." The... ( gunpolicy.org )
Australia
Queensland Prison Armoury Loses Glock Handgun, Staff Thief Suspected
Cairns Post (Queensland)
19 January 2010
A semi-automatic handgun reported missing from Lotus Glen Prison near Mareeba may have been stolen from a locked armoury by a prison staffer, authorities suspect. The Australian Federal Police and an explosives sniffer dog yesterday joined the search for the missing Glock 22 as officials admitted they did not know when the gun vanished. It could have been missing for weeks. They have also been unable to rule out the possibility... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Indiana Moves to Hide Data on Hidden Handgun Permits, Violent Abusers
Associated Press
17 January 2010
Public access to the state database of people with permits to carry guns would be closed under a bill on its way to the floor of the Indiana House. The bill was filed following complaints over newspaper stories that used information from the database to scrutinize how gun permits are issued, including one that found a permit wound up in the hands of a man who had pressed the barrel of a loaded handgun into the chest of a woman holding... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Kansas City Gun Deaths 4 Times New York's: Register Guns to Curb Crime
Kansas City Star (Missouri), Opinion
16 January 2010
As last year drew to its close, a story in The New York Times reported a bit of encouraging news. In what is by far the largest U.S. city, population nearly 8,364,000, the total of 466 homicides in 2009 was the fewest in any year since 1963. Doing the math -- dividing the number of people by the number of murders -- it meant that one New Yorker out of every 18,000 was at risk of being slain. It piqued my interest, so I... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
Ballistic Tracing Helps UK Police Reduce Gun Crime
BBC News
14 January 2010
The National Ballistics Intelligence Service (Nabis) works by combining advanced forensic technology and police intelligence information. It has played a key role in prosecuting "armourers", including Paul Alexander, who was jailed indefinitely last year. Nabis says guns are becoming difficult to obtain - meaning rival gangs must sometimes use the same weapons. The service, which was jointly established by the... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
Guns Banned to Prevent Philippine Election Violence
The National (Abu Dhabi)
13 January 2010
MANILA // The Philippine government imposes a total ban on carrying firearms throughout the country today in the run-up to the general elections on May 10. As well, police and military units are moving throughout the nation to dismantle private armies in an attempt to keep political violence down. Police and the military have identified between 90 and 132 private armies and have designated more than 500 towns and municipalities... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
Police, Soldiers Arrested for Carrying Guns in Philippine Election Gun Ban
Time (USA)
13 January 2010
An off-duty policeman with a .45 caliber pistol casually tucked into his trousers was the first person to be arrested in the Philippines' new six-month ban on carrying firearms in public -- a measure aimed at reducing political killings during the election season that has only just started but is already violent. The hapless cop was reportedly stopped at a police checkpoint in the capital region's Quezon City just 30 minutes into... ( gunpolicy.org )
Brazil
Brazil Announces Amnesty to Reduce 5million Unregistered Guns
Global Insight
11 January 2010
The Brazilian government has launched a new disarmament campaign, according to the interim justice minister Luis Paulo Barreto, Agencia Brasil reports. The Justice Ministry has also released data on a campaign to register firearms that ended on 31 December. The campaign saw 1.2 million arms registered last year and 14,544 arms handed over to the police in return for compensation. Anyone found with a weapon that has not been registered faces... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Gun Incidents Hurt NBA's Image
Detroit News
11 January 2010
Auburn Hills -- Marvin "Bad News" Barnes played for Pistons teams in the early 1970s nicknamed the "Detroit Hoodlums" because at least four players routinely brought guns into the dressing room for protection. They weren't afraid of teammates, but wanted to protect themselves from the streets of downtown Detroit, which had a bad reputation for crime. Barnes told aol.com he carried an unregistered .45-caliber pistol and... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
Gun Tracing Helps to Crack Down on UK Crime
BBC News
11 January 2010
A firearms database has linked more than 350 guns with crimes in its first year of operation in England and Wales. The National Ballistics Intelligence Service (Nabis) works by combining advanced forensic technology and police intelligence information. It has played a key role in prosecuting "armourers", including Paul Alexander, who was jailed indefinitely last year. Nabis says guns are becoming difficult to obtain... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Guns in Locker Room Case, 'Misguided Joke' Taken Very Seriously
New York Times
10 January 2010
WASHINGTON -- The office of Peter Nickles, the District of Columbia's attorney general, is on Pennsylvania Avenue, not far from the White House or the Verizon Center. The proximity of the three locations underlines how law, government, sports and the continuing threat of violence stand shoulder to shoulder in the nation's capital, creating a stark backdrop for Gilbert Arenas's decision to store several guns in a Verizon Center locker... ( gunpolicy.org )
India
India to Tighten Gun Licensing, Registration Laws to Curb Proliferation
The Hindu (New Delhi)
10 January 2010
In a bid to check proliferation of both legal and illegal weapons, the government has decided to review the law for granting licences to individuals and keep a database of those issued across the country. The Home Ministry says proliferation of arms, whether licensed or illegal, vitiates the law and order situation and holding of sophisticated weapons by conflicting parties directly contributes towards lethality of violent acts.... ( gunpolicy.org )
El Salvador
Military Audits Armouries as Assault Weapons Leak to Crime in El Salvador
La Prensa Gráfica (El Salvador)
8 January 2010
[Translated summary: El Salvador Ministry of Defence will audit its armouries to discover how military weapons are finding their way into criminal hands.] El ministro de la Defensa de El Salvador, David Munguía Payés, consideró hoy que es pertinente hacer una revisión periódica de los inventarios y almacenes de pertrechos de la Fuerza Armada. El funcionario no precisó cuándo se emprenderá una revisión a fin de... ( gunpolicy.org )
Guatemala,Costa Rica,Mexico,United States
Latin America to Test US Gun-Tracking System
USA Today
6 January 2010
MEXICO CITY -- Police in Latin America will soon have access to a Spanish version of a U.S. gun-tracking system that could widen efforts to hunt down crime suspects and weapons traffickers. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) said Wednesday that it is about to begin testing a Spanish-language version of eTrace, the computer system that helps police trace who buys U.S. firearms. "This is to allow... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
2010, A Year For the Second Amendment - LaPierre
Washington Post, Opinion
4 January 2010
The Second Amendment faces a decisive year in 2010. Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. has called for new semi-automatic gun bans - despite their decade-long record of fraud and failure, and despite his own Justice Department's failure to fully or even half-heartedly prosecute federal firearm felonies. Mr. Holder and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have demonstrated their willingness to use cooked statistics to blame Mexico's... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
75 Percent of NBA Players Own Guns for Protection an 'Alarming Subject'
Associated Press
4 January 2010
Not only have David Stern's pleas to leave the guns at home been ignored, one player even brought his to work. The commissioner could hand Gilbert Arenas a severe punishment whenever he decides to take action, but it seems clear Stern can't convince NBA players not to carry firearms. As far as they're concerned, players have the right -- and maybe even the need -- to own weapons, as long as they're doing it legally. ... ( gunpolicy.org )
Finland
Finland to Tighten 'Primitive' Gun Control Laws
Xinhua
1 January 2010
HELSINKI,Finland - Finnish Interior Minister Anne Holmlund said on Saturday that Finland will amend the gun law to tighten control on guns, Finnish media reported on Saturday. A 43-year-old man named Ibrahim Shkupolli, a Kosovo Albanian, shot and killed four employees at Sello shopping center in Espoo, southern Finland, as well as his ex-girlfriend at her home, who was also employed there, and finally himself on Thursday. The... ( gunpolicy.org )
Australia
Illegal Guns Seized Frequently as Australian Police Turn Up Heat on Gangs
ABC News (Australia), Transcript
30 December 2009
Hundreds of illegal guns have been seized in Australia recently in a police crackdown on organised criminal groups such as bikie gangs. The confiscated guns range from rifles to pistols. Just where are the guns coming from? Police can't say for sure but there are several likely sources. Brendan Trembath prepared this report. BRENDAN TREMBATH: Police wrap up a raid in the New South Wales southern highlands. Twenty-five... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Family Dispute Leads Gun Owner Pastor to Shoot Son Dead at Christmas
Associated Press
26 December 2009
DARBY, Philadelphia -- A pastor fatally shot one of his eight children on Christmas Day during a dispute at the family home, where more than a dozen relatives had gathered to celebrate the holiday, police said. Kirk Caldwell killed 21-year-old Jordan Caldwell after intervening in a violent confrontation between the son and a woman at around 2 p.m. at their home in suburban Philadelphia, Darby Borough police said Friday. Kirk... ( gunpolicy.org )
India
India Plans National Gun Registry, Owner Licensing, Gun Seizure Audits
Hindustan Times (Delhi)
24 December 2009
NEW DELHI -- In a move to check weapons seized by security forces finding their way back to the streets, the home ministry has decided to make annual audits mandatory for confiscated and obsolete weapons. The audit, a home ministry official said, was prescribed in the draft policy to ensure that security agencies tightened control over the arms seized by them. The new rule is part of the home ministry's overhaul of India's... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Gun Ownership 'Should Not Be Determining Factor' in Florida Adoptions
Tampa Tribune (Florida)
21 December 2009
TAMPA, Florida - The state Department of Children & Families will no longer document whether prospective foster parents own a gun. According to a Dec. 2 memorandum, DCF officials will discuss gun safety but won't document whether prospective parents have guns. Prospective parents must sign forms saying they're aware that Florida law requires people with loaded firearms keep them in a locked, secure place away from children. ... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Poll Finds Most NRA Members Favour 'Reasonable' US Gun Control
New York Times, Editorial
20 December 2009
The National Rifle Association has long fulminated in the gun control debate in Washington like the Great Oz in the Emerald City. Now along comes Frank Luntz, a conservative Republican pollster who, Toto-like, has snatched back Oz's curtain to reveal that gun owners favor much more reasonable gun controls than the gun lobby would ever allow the public to imagine. Mr. Luntz queried 832 gun owners, including 401 card-carrying N.R.A.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
'Stricter Measures' Imposed in 2010 Philippine Election Gun Ban
Philippine Daily Inquirer
19 December 2009
MANILA, Philippines -- The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will implement total gun ban for the May 2010 elections, prohibiting private individuals from carrying firearms and allowing only two security personnel for each candidate, an official said Friday. Comelec Resolution 8714 promulgated on December 16 states stricter gun ban provisions such that, "No person shall bear, carry or transport licensed or unregistered firearms... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
US Soldiers Register Private Guns, Lock Guns on Base After Mass Shooting
Blast Magazine (Boston)
19 December 2009
A new policy regarding privately-owned firearms is now in effect at Fort Hood, Texas, U.S. Army reports. All resident service people and their families must now report any personally-owned firearms. Those residing temporarily on the base are required to do the same. Servicemembers living or residing temporarily on the base must also report to the Directorate of Emergency Service any sale, purchase, trade, gift, exchange... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
US Army Base Ramps Up Gun Carry, Registration Policies After Massacre
Associated Press
17 December 2009
FORT HOOD, Texas -- Fort Hood is ramping up its gun-registration policy in the wake of last month's deadly mass shooting. Soldiers and their families living on the Army post and anyone staying there temporarily must register any personal weapon that's kept there. Now, the policy also applies to soldiers living off post and civilian hunters if they plan to use a gun at Fort Hood. Those who enter the post must tell... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Mother Lost Custody of Daughters, Shot Them Both, Her Mother, Herself
Associated Press
16 December 2009
SANTA ANA, California -- A court commissioner had tentatively ordered a Houston woman to relinquish temporary custody of her two young children to her ex-husband's sister hours before the family was killed in a murder suicide, an attorney said Wednesday. Authorities responding to a 911 call in an upscale, gated community in San Clemente found 38-year-old Elizabeth Fontaine; her mother, 67-year-old Bonnie Hoult; and daughters 4-year-old... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
4,000 Guns Surrendered, Registered in East Visayas Firearm Amnesty
Philippine Daily Inquirer (Visayas)
14 December 2009
TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines -- The campaign of the Philippine National Police (PNP) on gun amnesty program, which ended last month, yielded more than 4,000 firearms in Eastern Visayas. Although the gun amnesty yielded only about 10 percent of the total estimated 43,400 loose firearms in the region, PNP Eastern Visayas information officer Senior Superintendent Manuel Cubillo described the campaign as successful. "We were... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Ontario Attorney General Voices Strong Support for Long Gun Registry
Hill Times (Ottawa), Opinion
14 December 2009
TORONTO -- Canada's long-gun registry helps to save lives, protect communities, and prevent crime. It is an important public safety resource that our police use every day in the important work they do. This fall a federal private member's bill to eliminate Canada's long-gun registry has been working its way through Parliament and will soon be considered by a House of Commons committee. As a government that is doing everything in... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Canadian Long Gun Registry is Much More Than a Symbol
Metro (Canada), Opinion
10 December 2009
This past weekend, groups across the country commemorated the 20th anniversary of the Montreal massacre. Families of the victims mourned their loss and recommitted to defending Canada's gun control law, which they called a monument to the memory of the victims. Twenty years ago, a man walked into l'Ecole Polytechnique, separated the men from the women and screaming -- you are all a bunch of feminists -- killed 14 young women and... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Most US Gun Owners Favour Sensible Gun Laws, Disagree with NRA - Poll
Washington Post, Column
10 December 2009
The National Rifle Association wields power that would make an Afghan warlord jealous because the organization is thought to command legions of one-issue voters ready to punish any deviationism from the never-pass-any-new-gun-laws imperative. Many legislators fear that casting a vote for even a smidgen of restraint on weapons sales could be politically lethal. But imagine if NRA members were more reasonable than the organization's... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Canadian Police Support Massacre Victims: Don't Kill Long-gun Registry
Montreal Gazette (Quebec)
9 December 2009
Two Quebec police unions, the head of a Canadian coalition for gun control and a woman whose sister died during the école Polytechnique massacre of 1989 are calling on Canadians not to be taken in by the "myths" supporting the dismantlement of the national long-gun registry. "After 20 years ... it's really a lack of respect for the victims, for the families, for all the people who worked so hard to change the way that we fight... ( gunpolicy.org )
Australia
Computerised Asset Tracking Planned for Australian Customs Guns
Computerworld (Australia)
9 December 2009
Customs and Border Protection is to secure itself a new firearms asset tracking solution aimed at reducing the risk of illegal and improper use of firearms and other items of sensitive personal defensive equipment (PDE). The search for an asset tracking system comes more than a year after a 2008 internal audit raised concerns around the manual and disjointed approach to the management and coordination of weapons and PDE items. ... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Gun Control Advocates Fight 'Misinformation' Over Canadian Registry
CBC News (Canada)
9 December 2009
Twenty years after the École Polytechnique massacre in Montreal, survivors, victims' families, police officers and others are fighting what they are calling a campaign of misinformation about the federal long-gun registry. The groups, which also included advocates working on suicide prevention, appealed to the public to support the existing registry in a news conference in Montreal Tuesday. A private member's bill that... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Battle Over Firearm Registry, Gun Control Reveal a Changing Canada
New York Times
7 December 2009
OTTAWA -- Like public health care, Canada's tight gun-control laws help distinguish the country from its powerful neighbor to the south. But as Canadians commemorated the 20th anniversary of one of the country's most notorious shooting sprees on Sunday, their Parliament was on course to eliminate one of its most significant gun-control measures. A long-gun registry, which requires the registration of rifles and shotguns, emerged... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Canada Remembers Mass Shooting of 13 'Feminists' by Student with Rifle
Canadian Press
6 December 2009
MONTREAL -- Nobody took Marc Lepine seriously at first, when he walked into a classroom at the Ecole polytechnique on Dec. 6, 1989, and interrupted an engineering student's presentation on heat transfer. He stood there, in his threadbare parka, holding a 223-calibre Sturm-Ruger rifle. People stared, confused. One student asked him if he was playing a prank. "Everybody thought it was just a bad joke until he fired his weapon,"... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Gun Lobby Less of a Problem than Silence of the Canadian Majority
Toronto Star (Ontario), Opinion
6 December 2009
Twenty years ago today, an angry man walked into l'École Polytechnique in Montreal, separated the men from the women and screaming, "You are all a bunch of feminists!" killed 14 young female engineering students and injured 13 others. Many of us remember exactly where we were when we got the news. And exactly how we felt when we realized it could have been us or our daughters or our sisters. And we remember the outrage when we... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Gun Registry Demise Dismays Canadian Parents, Victims, Police, Women
Toronto Star (Ontario), Editorial
6 December 2009
On this night 20 years ago, a small group of heartsick Toronto women gathered at city hall to hold the first vigil for the 14 young women slaughtered that day at l'École Polytechnique in Montreal by a gunman screaming about "feminists." Every year since, women have marked Dec. 6 with memorials, vigils, reflections and vows never to let it happen again. On the second anniversary, a vanguard of prominent men stood in solidarity... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Scrapping Canadian Gun Registry 'Slap in the Face' for Massacre Victims
Globe & Mail (Toronto)
6 December 2009
Twenty years ago, the aftermath of the Montreal Massacre reshaped public opinion on gun control. Now, the House vote that ended the long-gun registry reopens old wounds - and has survivors fighting mad. To the sisters and mothers and survivors marked by loss, it remains the single most tangible legacy of the bloodshed at the École Polytechnique. It's also the most tenuous. Twenty years after a gunman took the lives of 14 women... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada,United States
Canadian Feminism Fuelled by Misogynist Montreal Mass Killer [Francais]
Le Devoir (Quebec)
5 December 2009
Elles s'appelaient Annie, Anne-Marie, Maud ou Maryse. Elles se nomment maintenant Elizabeth-Ann, Frédérique, Marie-Lise ou Marie. Les premières sont tombées sous les balles d'un homme qui n'aimait pas les femmes, au moment même où les secondes voyaient le jour. Vingt ans plus tard, c'est à leur tour de faire leur entrée à l'université. La tuerie de Polytechnique n'est généralement pas enseignée dans les écoles. Pas... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Generation of Feminists Created by Woman-hating Montreal Mass Shooter
Toronto Star (Ontario), Column
5 December 2009
"We are not feminists." A young, incredulous Nathalie Provost said those words to Marc Lépine 20 years ago Sunday. It was a bid to save her and her fellow students' lives -- the women Lépine had isolated in a university classroom before opening fire on them with a semi-automatic hunting rifle. Provost was one of the lucky four who survived. "At the time, I thought to be a feminist meant you had to be militant," says Provost,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Gun Registry a Potent Memorial of Montreal Shooting Massacre [Francais]
Le Devoir (Quebec)
5 December 2009
[Translated summary: Montreal school shooting massacre survivor and gun control campaigner Heidi Rathjen campaigns once again to retain the Canadian long gun registry.] OTTAWA -- Circonstance étrange pour un anniversaire spécial. Le malaise? Le 20e du drame de Polytechnique survient au moment où le principal héritage de l'événement -- le registre des armes à feu -- joue sa survie politique à Ottawa. Et cette épée de Damoclès,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Gun Registry, Gun Laws Save Lives, 'Uphold Social Order' in Canada
Peterborough Examiner (Ontario), Letter
5 December 2009
Recently, MPs voted 164 to 137 to repeal the registry of long guns and shotguns. This despicable, shameless, politically driven action flies in the face of public health, safety, and crime prevention. The issue of gun registration must not and cannot be limited to its impact on criminals. There are compelling reasons and widespread consensus in favor of compulsory gun registration. Gun registration provides vital safety information... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Misogynist Montreal Mass Shooter Rejected 'Mad Killer' Epithet [Francais]
Le Devoir (Quebec)
5 December 2009
«Même si l'épitète [sic]Tireur Fou va m'être attribué [sic] dans les médias, je me considère comme un érudit rationnel.» Ainsi se décrivait Marc Lépine dans sa lettre d'adieu, qui annonçait le carnage dont il sera l'initiateur et que chaque année l'on commémore. Depuis vingt ans, tout a été écrit sur cette tuerie de jeunes femmes. Tout, et dirions-nous, pas assez. Surtout à cause de la récupération politique... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
MPs, Victims, Women's Groups Boycott Canadian Shooting Anniversary
Toronto Star (Ontario)
5 December 2009
OTTAWA -- The potential demise of Canada's long-gun registry cast a shadow Friday over any attempts by federal politicians to mark the 20th anniversary of the massacre of 14 women at Montreal's l'École Polytechnique. In the Commons, Bloc Québécois MP Thierry St-Cyr (Jeanne-Le Ber) said the survivors of the tragedy have been let down by the "hypocrisy" of a government that helped usher in recent private member's legislation to... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
A Chronology of Canadian Gun Control Laws and Long Gun Registry
CBC News (Canada)
4 December 2009
When Canada's auditor general tabled her December 2002 report, she set her sights on Ottawa's controversial gun-registry program. Sheila Fraser blasted the federal government for exceeding its estimated budget, saying that by the time the smoke cleared and all gun owners and their guns were registered, the program would have cost taxpayers more than $1 billion. Opposition critics were quick to point out that figure is 500 times... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Fear Drives Hawaiians to Buy, Register Guns at Record Pace
Honolulu Advertiser
4 December 2009
Hawai'i residents have registered guns at a record pace for each of the past four years, and appear headed for a new high again this year, preliminary figures show. Nearly 26,000 firearms -- an annual record -- were registered with the four county police departments during 2008. Yearly gun registrations in Hawai'i have marched steadily upward for most of the past decade -- from about 13,600 in 2000 to 25,996 in 2008 --... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Massacre Survivor Says Canadian Government Can't Kill Gun Registry
Canadian Press
4 December 2009
MONTREAL -- A survivor of the murderous rampage at the Ecole polytechnique says the government will have blood on its hands if the controversial federal gun registry dies and there is a spike in firearm-related killings. Heidi Rathjen, a former engineering student at the school, was among those who worked to reform Canada's gun laws and set up the registry in the wake of Marc Lepine's attack on the school on Dec. 6, 1989. "I... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Polytechnique Shooting Survivor Backs Gun Control
Canadian Press
4 December 2009
A survivor of the deadly 1989 rampage at the École polytechnique says the Canadian government will have blood on its hands if the controversial federal gun registry dies and there is a spike in firearm-related killings. 'What does it say about all future gun victims? If this goes through, and the registry is abolished and gun-related murders and crimes go back up, the Conservatives will have blood on their hands.' -- Heidi Rathjen,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Tories Plan 'Huge Step Backward' to Dismantle Canadian Gun Registry
CTV News (Montreal)
4 December 2009
It was a cold early December night. The memories, all these years later, remain as sickening as ever. It's not something you can forget, nor should you. Their only crime was that they were bright young women with futures so promising. They were our daughters, our sisters, our friends. They will never grow old, have families, become engineers. December 6, 1989 changed all that. 20 years later we have come far. The legacy of the murders... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Tory 'Girlfriends' Hew to Party Line on Femicide, Vote to Kill Gun Register
Toronto Star (Ontario), Column
4 December 2009
If it weren't so hypocritical, it would be hysterical. On Wednesday, at a Parliament Hill ceremony marking the 20th anniversary of the Dec. 6 massacre at Montreal's L'École Polytechnique, Conservative MP Candice Hoeppner co-starred in Status of Women minister Helena Guergis's show of sympathy. Bad enough that, last month, Guergis voted for Bill C-391, the legislation that aims to kill the long-gun registry and Hoeppner... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
Police Target 800,000 Loose Guns in Wake of Philippines Gun Massacre
Manila Bulletin
2 December 2009
Philippine National Police (PNP) has started the crackdown on all loose firearms and delinquent gun owners following the termination of the two-month nationwide gun amnesty on Monday. Director General Jesus Verzosa, PNP chief, said that their determination to account for the estimated 800,000 remaining loose firearms across the country was further buoyed by what he described as "tradition of feudal politics and clan conflict" that... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Philippines Shooting Massacre: 57 Dead, Licensed Gun Owner Charged
Philadelphia Inquirer
24 November 2009
MANILA, Philippines -- The Philippine National Police is seeking to confiscate all 19 guns registered to Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. over his alleged connection with the slaughter of 57 people in Maguindanao last week. The Civil Security Group (CSG) has revoked all gun licenses issued to Ampatuan on orders of PNP Director Gen. Jesus Verzosa, said the CSG director, Chief Supt. Ireno Bacolod, in an interview with the Philippine... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
Own 3 Illegal Guns, Get Life in Prison Under New Philippines Legislation
Philippine Daily Inquirer
23 November 2009
MANILA, Philippines -- The Philippine National Police on Monday urged the Senate to ratify a House bill seeking to impose stiffer penalties over holders and users of illegal firearms. PNP Director General Jesus Verzosa called on Senate to ratify House bill 6776, a measure that would impose stiffer penalties for illegal possession of firearms and light weapons, amending some provisions of Presidential Decree 1866. The bill... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Chicago Politicians Ban Hidden Handguns for Everyone But Themselves
Chicago Tribune, Opinion
22 November 2009
Last week, the body of Chicago school board president Michael Scott was found in the Chicago River with a single bullet wound in his head. The big story was that this powerful, well-connected public official had, according to the Cook County medical examiner, committed suicide. The less-noticed story was that he did it with an illegal weapon. After all, handgun ownership is not allowed in Chicago, which has one of the strictest... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Tory MPs Face Backlash After Voting to Scrap Canadian Gun Registry
Tyee (British Columbia), Column
17 November 2009
"The recent vote is appalling. We will witness the tragic consequences of this bill." -- Dr. Carolyn Snider, Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians A lot of people had strong opinions on last week's column opposing the vote in Parliament to kill the long gun registry, passed with all Conservative and some Liberal and New Democrat MPs voting in favour. Today, I return fire on registry critics. Long guns... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Scrapping Canadian Gun Registry 'Dangerous Mistake, Will Haunt MPs'
Star Phoenix (Saskatchewan)
13 November 2009
The decision by a majority of Members of Parliament to scrap the long gun registry is a serious mistake that will return to haunt them. They caved into the right-wing redneck element that has opposed the registry since Day 1. The result will weaken our police forces and make the country a more dangerous place. Long guns basically are hunting rifles and they are more numerous and just as deadly as handguns. The registry... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Ohio Court Overturns Ban on Cities Setting Their Own Gun Control Laws
Cleveland Plain Dealer (Ohio) / AP
12 November 2009
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The 8th Ohio District Court of Appeals has sided with Cleveland in the city's fight to enforce its local gun ordinances. In a ruling Thursday, the three-judge panel declared that a 2007 state law unconstitutionally restricted the city's powers to regulate firearms. The judges reversed a lower court's decision to uphold the law, which says that only federal and state codes can limit the right to bear arms. ... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Scrapping Canada's Long Gun Registry Is Pandering to Vocal Minority
Vancouver Sun
9 November 2009
Will Canadians ignore the irony of Parliament scrapping the long-gun registry the day before two more mass shootings in the United States and just before the 20th anniversary of the massacre of 14 women by a man with a rifle at a Montreal university? Prime Minister Stephen Harper had better hope so because the stratagem of using a private member's bill is a transparent attempt to subvert what Canadians clearly want while evading... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Conservatives Distorting Firearm Facts to Suit Gun Lobby in Canada
Toronto Star (Ontario), Editorial
8 November 2009
Prime Minister Stephen Harper's law-and-order Conservatives have no valid reason to kill off Canada's rifle and shotgun registry, beyond pandering to their rural constituencies. So they've resorted to playing up the cost of the so-called "long gun" database and denying its usefulness, trying to cast it in the worst possible light. And sadly, with support from a handful of spineless New Democrats and Liberals, the Harper government... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Firearm Database Popular With Police: Canadian Tories Hid Report
Toronto Star (Ontario)
7 November 2009
OTTAWA -- New quarterly figures posted on the RCMP's website reveal not just increased police use of the controversial firearms registry, but increased civilian use as well, meaning more guns in the hands of Canadians are being legally registered. At the end of September, 7.46 million firearms were registered, up from 7.36 million at the end of last year. Of that total, 6.7 million are non-restricted long guns, such as rifles and... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
An Appalling Betrayal: Canadian MPs Cave In to Disgruntled Gun Owners
Ottawa Citizen (Ontario), Opinion
6 November 2009
What a bitter spectacle: MPs from all parties, except the Bloc Québécois, caving to a decades-long campaign by disgruntled gun owners, to U.S.-inspired attack advertising in targeted ridings and to self-interest to issue a death warrant to the long-gun registry. The symbolism could hardly be more poignant -- well, yes, it could be. Our parliamentarians missed the 20th anniversary of the Montreal massacre, which inspired the creation... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Canada's Competing Views on Guns Reinforce Town and Country Divide
Globe & Mail (Toronto)
6 November 2009
Different reactions. Divergent visions of a country. Wednesday's vote in the House of Commons to abolish the long-gun registry reinforced the divide between rural Canada and its metropolitan centres. While it was a good news day for hunters in small communities like Tarbutt Township, population 450, in Montreal there was dismay. "For city people, this registry is important, it's a relevant tool to fight crime,"... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
MPs Are Way Off Target: Long Gun Registry Makes Canada a Safer Place
Montreal Gazette (Quebec)
6 November 2009
Canada's long-gun registry was a product of tragedy, a response to the massacre of 14 young women at Montreal's École Polytechnique on Dec. 6, 1989. A registry was a rational step toward trying to make sure that the country would never again experience mass murder. The Polytechnique killer, Marc Lépine, used a semi-automatic gun that allowed him to shoot 28 people in 22 minutes. Few Canadians in 1989 knew it was considered... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Death of Canadian Gun Registry Would Not Be a Defeat for Gun Control
Globe & Mail (Toronto), Editorial
5 November 2009
The money spent on the federal long-gun registry would be better spent on preventing handguns and other weapons from crossing the border into Canada, or on youth programs in the most at-risk neighbourhoods. If the registry dies because of a Conservative private-member's bill, which passed a key vote this week, it would not be a defeat for gun control. It would be the end of a costly bureaucratic system whose benefits are uncertain. ... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Gun Registry Queries Jump 24%, 100,000 Gun Owners Fail to Relicense
CBC News (Canada)
5 November 2009
The number of police officers using the firearms registry jumped last year, according to a report prepared by the RCMP. Figures contained in the Mounties' annual performance report show that the number of queries to the Canadian Firearms Registry rose 24 per cent in 2008-09. The report also says the government spent just $8.4 million on the registry last year -- a third of what had been budgeted, in part because it needed... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Liberals Soften on Canadian Gun Law, May 'Decriminalise' Lawbreaking
Toronto Star (Ontario)
5 November 2009
OTTAWA -- In a surprising softening of Liberal policy, party leader Michael Ignatieff says penalties for violating requirements of the long-gun registry could be "decriminalized" as part of an effort to broaden its legitimacy in the eyes of rural Canadians. Ignatieff's statement set the stage for a vote hours later in the House of Commons in which a majority of MPs voted, for the first time in 14 years, to give "approval in principle"... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Minister Grilled Over Delayed Release of Canadian Gun Registry Report
Canadian Press
5 November 2009
OTTAWA -- Public Safety Minister Peter Van Loan attempted to undermine a report to Parliament on the federal gun registry Thursday -- calling into question the agenda of its authors after refusing to make the report public before a crucial parliamentary vote. The 2008 annual assessment of the Canadian Firearms Program by the RCMP will be tabled Friday, said Van Loan, 48 hours after the Conservatives won a vote in the House of Commons... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Minister Touts Favourite Canadian Gun Registry Figure, Ignores Others
CBC News (Canada)
5 November 2009
Peter Van Loan isn't releasing the annual report of the firearms commissioner until tomorrow -- a deadline he must adhere to under the rules of Parliament. But, the public safety minister was more than happy today to tell Canadians one statistic that apparently isn't in the report he received some time ago. That one statistic -- not in the report -- is this. Of the 3.5 million times police accessed the Canadian... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Quebec Prepares Emotional Backlash to Thwart Gun Registry Scrapping
Canadian Press
5 November 2009
MONTREAL -- If federal politicians want to kill the gun registry, the may have to stare down the families of Polytechnique massacre victims and a high-profile delegation from Quebec. The province's public safety minister reacted furiously to a move to scrap the long-gun registry, which was inspired by the murder of 14 Montreal university students almost 20 years ago. His comments Thursday underscored the emotional reaction... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Reports of Canadian Gun Registry's Imminent Demise May Be Premature
National Post (Toronto), Column
5 November 2009
The cagey MP sat back holding his glass of merlot and smirked at my naive assertion that the gun registry was indeed dead. A private member's bill killing the billion-dollar registry was endorsed with surprising strength in the House of Commons on Wednesday and is heading off to committee for fine tuning and, in theory, a rubber stamping. Not so fast, apparently. "It's going to the Public Safety committee," the... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Both Sides Agree Canadian Long Gun Registry Appears Doomed
Toronto Star (Ontario)
4 November 2009
OTTAWA -- Opponents of a long-gun registry in Canada are about to put a bullet in it. Both sides of the gun-control debate believe the Conservatives now have enough Commons votes to give parliamentary approval in principle to a private member's bill to kill the registry for rifles and shotguns. The vote late Wednesday is on the second reading of the bill, which would send it to a committee for more study and possible amendment... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Canadian Vote Moves Long Gun Registry Closer to Its Demise
Sun Media (Canada)
4 November 2009
OTTAWA -- The gun registry has moved one critical step closer to its slow demise. MPs voted 164-137 in favour of C-391, a private member's bill from Manitoba MP Candice Hoeppner to abolish the 14-year-old registry. Cheers of applause rippled through the House of Commons tonight after the vote passed with the support of 21 Liberal, NDP and independent MPs. The vote means the bill has approval in principle of the House. It... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Clear Majority of Canadian MPs Vote to Scrap Long Gun Registry
CanWest News Service
4 November 2009
OTTAWA -- MPs voted by a clear margin Wednesday to repeal the federal long-gun registry, signalling for the first time since the program was adopted 14 years ago that it is headed for the scrap heap, despite police assertions that it saves lives. A private member's bill, sponsored by Conservative backbencher Candice Hoeppner, had the backing of all the Tories, from Prime Minister Stephen Harper down, and enough Liberal and New Democrat... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ghana
Gun Registries to Be Installed Nationwide by Ghana Police
Daily Graphic (Ghana)
4 November 2009
The Ghana Police Service has been directed to instal arms registries across the country as part of measures by the government to properly control weapons. Additionally, the government is also taking steps to ensure a good stockpile management, as well as branding and tracing of official weapons, to deal with the impunity with which small arms are being used for violent crimes and conflicts in the country. The President,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Majority Votes to Repeal Canadian Long Gun Registry Requirements
Toronto Star (Ontario)
4 November 2009
OTTAWA -- A long-running effort by the Conservatives to kill the long-gun registry has passed an important hurdle in the House of Commons, with a majority voting for the first time in 14 years to study a bill to repeal it. MPs voted 164-137 to give "second reading" -- or "approval-in-principle" -- to a private member's bill sponsored by MP Candice Hoeppner (Portage-Lisgar) that calls for the repeal of legal requirements to register... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Canadian Police Chiefs Say 'We Lose the Long Gun Registry at Our Peril'
Globe & Mail (Toronto), Opinion
3 November 2009
The House of Commons will vote today on Bill C-391, which is intended to eliminate the need to register rifles and shotguns. This private member's bill will require the destruction of more than 8,000,000 firearms records. The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police strongly opposes it. The chiefs believe the elimination of Canada's national firearms licensing and registration system for rifles and shotguns will make Canada less... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Long Gun Registry a Gift that Keeps On Giving to Canadian Tories
Toronto Star (Ontario), Column
3 November 2009
OTTAWA -- Some political gifts just keep on giving. Among the most generous is the long-gun registry. Parliament is to vote Wednesday on the future of a sound idea gone horribly wrong. Whatever the result, it will be win-win for Conservatives and lose-lose for public policy. Carelessly created by Jean Chrétien and cynically kept alive by Stephen Harper, the overly complex, needlessly expensive registry is now a national... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Time to Put a Bullet in the Canadian Long Gun Registry - Vote Wednesday
National Post (Toronto), Editorial
3 November 2009
It's a good time for the federal gun registry to die. After 11 years of low-calibre crime-fighting -- shooting blanks at bad guys, backfiring financially or taking aim at all the wrong targets -- the billion-dollar boondoggle uncovered in 2002 by the Auditor General will likely be placed on the de-registration block Wednesday afternoon. The magic number to send the gun registry kill bill off for committee scrutiny and sober... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Bill to Abolish Canada's Gun Registry 'Well On Its Way to Becoming Law'
CBC News (Canada)
2 November 2009
According to my own informal survey of rural opposition MPs, it looks like Candice Hoeppner's bill to abolish the long gun registry is well on its way to becoming law. The vote on second reading is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 4. And because C-391 is a private member's bill, it'll be a free vote. That means MPs are freed from the usual requirement of voting along party lines. Despite holding almost all of northern... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Canadian Conservatives 'Don't Care About Good Policy,' Gun Violence
Hill Times (Ottawa)
2 November 2009
The Conservatives, who are running aggressive radio ads in 17 opposition rural swing ridings to pressure MPs to vote for this week's vote on the repeal of the long-gun registry, are using the divisive issue to try to win the ridings in the next election and in an effort to win a majority. "Conservatives are very successful in building up small constituencies to add to their base and this is a way of doing it, you find a wedge issue... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Conservative Wedge Issue Attack Threatens to Kill Canadian Gun Registry
Toronto Star (Ontario)
2 November 2009
OTTAWA -- Gun-control advocates say they are horrified and fearful that Canada's long-gun firearms registry is on the verge this week of being scrapped because the Conservatives may have enough support from the opposition to kill it. Wendy Cukier, president of the Coalition for Gun Control, says her organization has been monitoring the progress of a Conservative private member's bill to abolish the registry and is now bracing for... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Tories 'Ignore Majority to Appease Gun Lobby,' Scrap Canada's Registry
Ottawa Citizen (Ontario)
2 November 2009
MONTREAL -- With the 20th anniversary of the Montreal Polytechnique Massacre just weeks away, gun-control advocates and the victims' families are urging opposition members of Parliament to vote against a private member's bill that would abolish Canada's long-gun registry. If the bill is eventually passed by the House of Commons, it would eliminate the need to register the type of semi-automatic rifle that Marc Lepine used in 1989... ( gunpolicy.org )
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