Trudeau proposes freeze on handgun ownership in Canada

"Gun violence is a complex problem," he said. "But at the end of the day, the math is really quite simple: the fewer the guns in our communities, the safer everyone will be."

Good to see a leader with some common sense who isn’t bought or played by the nra.

Good on him! Its the right thing to do.

Thank God he is NOT the leader of the USA. Punish Criminals. NOT law abiding citizens.

Almost two-thirds of gun crimes in urban areas involved handguns.

Sounds like the rationale for Trudeau's proposal is not related to mass shootings in another country.

"But at the end of the day, the math is really quite simple: the fewer the guns in our communities, the safer everyone will be."

What kind of math is that?

I'd rather live among 1000 law abiding gun-owners than 1 violent criminal with a firearm.

Absolutely the right move and about time!

Best thing to to for Trudeau, now that he's the most hated Prime Minister in Canadian history, disarm the population.

We saw how Trudeau treated the BLM protesters and Antifa. They didn’t get beaten by police or trampled on by police horese. They didn’t have their bank accounts frozen. This has been planned for a long time and Klaus Schwab has bragged about the fact that Trudeau and most of the Canadian Parliament belong to him.

What an embarrassment young Justin is. There is no "progressive" cause that he won't pander to. It is always easy to take advantage of tragedy to push an authoritarian agenda. It is harder to actually take concrete steps to prevent the tragedy from being repeated. We know which road Trudeau prefers.

As with the US, the murder rate in Canada has declined in the past 30 years, even as gun ownership has increased. Wonder why that is...

I'd rather live among 1000 law abiding gun-owners than 1 violent criminal with a firearm.

Where are you going to find a town that has 1,000 law abiding gun owners and no armed criminals, your imagination withstanding of course?

I'd rather live among 1000 law abiding gun-owners than 1 violent criminal with a firearm.

Oh, I definitely agree with that.

There's alot of bears in some areas of Canada so to ban handguns in all areas isn't fair.

I'd rather live among 1000 law abiding gun-owners than 1 violent criminal with a firearm.

Oh, I definitely agree with that.

Of course you do. That’s the lie you’ve been sold. Played like a fiddle.

@Bob Fosse I’m sure you and your husband will be the first to call for help if a bad guy with a gun held you up at gun point. I have no doubt your hypocrisy would shine through especially if a law abiding gun owner stoped that individual from harming you. You would be hugging them for saving you.

I know you don’t like the stories about law abiding citizens with guns stoping bad guys with guns because that completely destroys your leftist narrative.

Japan today seems to have a problem reporting on such events like the one that just happened in Georgia where a woman shot and killed a man who was shooting into a crowd of people.

I'd rather live among 1000 law abiding gun-owners than 1 violent criminal with a firearm.

Oh, I definitely agree with that.

By such ‘logic’ of course, Japan is a far more dangerous place to live than The US. Surely you can’t believe that.

I like Canada but the drugs and crimes in some areas are getting way to much.

Very similar to the USA.

Bob FosseToday  09:49 am JST

Where are you going to find a town that has 1,000 law abiding gun owners and no armed criminals, your imagination withstanding of course?

Ok, for you and other non-US citizens out there:

Kennesaw, Georgia, for example, has a population of 33,000 people, and a violent crime rate of less than 2 percent and has only had one murder in the last six years.

By law, in Kennesaw, each head of household is required to own a firearm.

-Hopkinton, MA has a zero violent crime rate

-Buckingham, PA has a zero violent crime rate

-Bernards Township, NJ has a zero violent crime rate

-The rate of violent crime in Middlefield, MA is 0.73 per 1,000 residents during a standard year.

There are thousands of cities in the US with large gun ownership which today, yesterday, the day before, the weeks and months before, did not have any violent gun related crime committed.

This is why the news focuses in certain cities and certain demographics in those cities where the majority of gun related crimes are committed.

You don't hear about no crimes being committed across the country.

Yes Sir, Congratulations Canada.

This is what a responsible leadership looks like, this is what a real Democracy looks like, guns should have NO PLACE in civilized society.

So I wonder what are the chances of this actually happening.

@Mark

No, this is what Authoritative regimes look like. Since when has society ever been civilized? Have you read any history books lately?

So much for the argument the more guns the more safe!!? just look at the rest the civilized world, kids walk to schools and back alone at the age 6, people walking back home alone in the middle of the night, Police officers walking around with NO Guns or even calls, families gather in parks on weekends having BBQ with kids running around.

This is what democracy suppose to look like, this is what freedom suppose to look like, NOT burying the bodies of our slaughtered kids and future generations day after day, attending funerals of killed friends and families buy Lunatics with guns.

Where I grew up, town of 3500, there was no crime. Because criminal types knew everyone was armed. So they moved on to easier targets.

Of course you do. That’s the lie you’ve been sold. Played like a fiddle.

Not a lie, the last time we had a homicide in our town it was back in 1979 out of over 30,000 pop, but if it's as you say a lie, then the lie is working very well.

Bob FosseToday  09:56 am JST

By such ‘logic’ of course, Japan is a far more dangerous place to live than The US. Surely you can’t believe that.

I'd rather live among 1000 law abiding gun-owners than 1 violent criminal with a firearm.

If you read my above original comment, you would see that no country or city or local izakaya is mentioned.

Why would living among 1000 abiding gun-owners in Japan be more dangerous than living among the same in the US? (rhetorical question in response to your illogical extrapolation of my hypothetical).

Mark, as usual the statistics do not back up your claim. Crime in general, and violent crime in particular, are far lower than they used to be. This even though firearms ownership is increasing in both Canada and the US.

Trudeau is making the usual mistake of so many people, that simply banning or outlawing something will make it disappear. Total nonsense. It didn't work with drugs, and it won't work with guns. All it will do is make life harder for law abiding citizens. Criminals and crazy people will NOT be stopped from getting firearms. Do you really think a person contemplating mass murder will think; "You know, I was going to get a gun and kill people. But guns are now outlawed so I guess I will just forget about it." Give me a break.

@Mark do you even live here in Japan? You do realize there have been several mass killings of children here in Japan.

You clearly aren’t paying attention to the news here in Japan today l. Almost daily we see report of people being murdered or children being killed by their own parents. Do you really think Japan is any more civilized than America?

I agree you can walk out side late at night and it’s safe, but that doesn’t make it civil. Its the culture here in Japan. You can’t do the same thing in China.

Let is not forget that Japan still ranks in the top 5 to 10 countries for suicide rates and has been this way since they started data on this. That doesn’t seem very civil to me.

MarkToday  10:27 am JST

So much for the argument the more guns the more safe!!? just look at the rest the civilized world, kids walk to schools and back alone at the age 6, people walking back home alone in the middle of the night, Police officers walking around with NO Guns or even calls, families gather in parks on weekends having BBQ with kids running around.

Did you read my post, fourth one up before yours?

And where are police officers walking around with no guns? They walk around with them in my city in Japan.

You clearly aren’t paying attention to the news here in Japan today l. Almost daily we see report of people being murdered or children being killed by their own parents. Do you really think Japan is any more civilized than America? 

Exactly.

I agree you can walk out side late at night and it’s safe, but that doesn’t make it civil. Its the culture here in Japan. You can’t do the same thing in China. 

Yes, and the more diverse the culture becomes, each culture has its own social norms and ways of doing things and is now in a new country trying to fit in some either adapt or adopt and acclimate themselves into their new culture and some don't. The more diverse, the more tensions, challenges, and obstacles society has to deal with.

Let us not forget that Japan still ranks in the top 5 to 10 countries for suicide rates and has been this way since they started data on this. That doesn’t seem very civil to me.

Bingo! And there is no country that is flawless, we can dissect and talk about the problems that are going on in Europe, South America, Africa, and the ME. The US has its share of problems, but the most violent, hardly, and not even close.

"What this means is that it will no longer be possible to buy, sell, transfer or import handguns anywhere in Canada," he said. "In other words, we're capping the market for handguns."

First of all, 99% of the people who own guns—I don’t care what kinds of guns—don’t shoot other people. They don’t.

ZERO people who have intentions of using their guns in a crime will sell it back. This will have no affect on reducing crime. In fact it could increase crime once criminals see less resistance from law abiding gun owners.

This will really annoy those cowards who need a pistol.

Your right @John-San those criminals who use guns against others are cowards. Thank goodness we have hero’s who stand up to such cowards and stop them with their legally owned weapons.

Painkiller. If your gun is not a bolt action then you are not a Hunter. In a civil society any other firearm is protection for cowards. So no I wouldn’t feel safe living with a 1000 law abiding cowards.

Trudeau evidently thinks this will boost his flagging popularity, but I can’t claim a good knowledge of reliable media or polling sources in Canada on this issue. From what I have seen, Canadians as a whole seem to favour stricter gun control.

Do any Canadians here have good sources on public opinion regarding this move? No partisan or conspiracy theory gibberish would be great.

Jimizo;

Canadian here. I actually think a small part of the proposal does have merit. Increased penalties for gun smuggling or illegal possession, great. Bans on ownership in cases of felony or domestic violence, great. Bans for mental health issues, great. I would be willing to pay extra taxes for any and/or all of these proposals to become reality.

As the article said, the majority of shootings are in cities with handguns. These won't be stopped by any kind of gun ban.

Canada does not have the history of revolution and aggression like the US. There isn't the culture of guns and freedom. Not good or bad, just different. American solutions won't work in Canada and vice versa.

Canada does not have the history of revolution and aggression like the US. There isn't the culture of guns and freedom. Not good or bad, just different. American solutions won't work in Canada and vice versa.

I agree.

RiskyMosaicToday  12:07 pm JST

Let's look at that

I did.

(unenforced - the police aren't going into homes checking there are firearms in there) law:

It is still a law; same as driving 5 miles over the speed limit on a highway isn't enforced.

So (b) says you are exempt from the law if you can't have a gun, can't afford a gun, or simply don't want one. I'm not saying the place doesn't have a low crime rate, I'm saying you can't simply say it's because every household has a gun in it.

Not arguing the contents of the law, but we both accept it is a law.

And I wasn't saying there was a cause and effect.

I was saying, in general, I would rather live among a high number of law abiding gun owners as opposed among violent criminals.

Wouldn't you?

Well the kid who walked into the school was. up until then, a law abiding citizen. With the history of so many Americans "in therapy", how far do we trust those "thousand law abiding gun owners." Judging by the statistics in America i wouldnt trust any of them.

how far do we trust those "thousand law abiding gun owners."

thats the problem with this whole thing.

You propose that the actions of a criminal should be allowed to supersede my personal rights as a law abiding gun owner.

Because you "think" based on statistics (of criminals) that I "might" misuse my gun.

Well ok you cant own a car, because I "think" you "might" drive after drinking. stats show that is pretty common, based on number of DUI arrests.

why restrict it to guns? anything that a criminal has ever used in the commission of a crime should not be allowed to be owned by anyone. its too risky.

(by the way, if you think this is only about guns.....I dont know what to tell you. The authoritarian government never stops, they just start with guns. because an armed and trained populace is difficult to control when you try to take away the other things too)

Because it doesn't really make any difference. 

It certainly does. It goes to my point of living where people who own guns are law abiding.

Just like driving on a highway--is is safer driving among those who obey the speed limit versus those who exceed it?

Neither. Luckily, I don't have to make that choice.

You made the choice. Because as you write:

I live in Japan where there are few gun owners and, touch wood,

So, you basically agreed with my hypothetical.

I've never encountered a violent criminal. (Not denying they are out there, but there are gun owners, too.)

And those gun owners are law abiding, right? So no fear.

And also those with a lot of violent gun related crime committed. And across the world there are cities with low gun ownership with low crime. And with high crime. Any combination is possible. The best you can say is gun ownership rates are unrelated.

Not the issue I am discussing, but can put it on the back burner.

Next week when another shooting happens in America he will take away the rest of the guns in Canada. Tragedies are fuel for tyrannies.

Crazy thing is, if you look at the stats you will see that more people are killed with knives than with rifles anyway. Guess we will need strict knife laws next!

Again, I am not sure where the fear and paranoia are coming from. According to StatsCan, the crime rate is lower now than in the past. Far lower in fact. Ditto with our cousins to the south. Yet the fear level is palpable. Shall we blame the 24 hour news cycle, perhaps social media, for exaggerating and exascerbating the situtation?

The shrill from the gun advocates is embarrassing.

Don't like another country taking measures that 99% of the world think fine.

It is too late to ever change things in the USA.

Best to keep the contagion within their borders.

Yee ha and all that

Blacklabel the majority of the comments are people from and live in a normal society that don’t have legal semi auto in their community So you claiming that you need a gun? Say a lot about the society you live in and the company you keep if you need a semi auto for protection.

Blacklabel the majority of the comments are people from and live in a normal society that don’t have legal semi auto in their community

We live in "a normal society" as well, we just have a second amendment and the majority of Americans are proud of it and want to uphold it.

So you claiming that you need a gun?

It's a choice, funny that every politician can get taxpayer security and private if they choose, but I can't? This is why we need the 2nd amendment.

https://nypost.com/2022/03/29/lori-lightfoot-secretly-protected-by-specialist-squad-of-71-cops/

So you're saying my life is less because I'm not a government official? They defunded the police and restricted their powers and yet, morale is low, cops are retiring at an alarming rate, criminals know this, but I should not be allowed to protect myself or my family? It's a choice and that right allows make to have that choice.

Say a lot about the society you live in and the company you keep if you need a semi auto for protection.

But that is our choice and it's not stopping the flow of people dying to try and get into this country, legal or not.

Kennesaw, Georgia, for example, has a population of 33,000 people, and a violent crime rate of less than 2 percent and has only had one murder in the last six years.

If your claim has any meaning, we would should therefore expect there to have been a material drop in the violent crime rate since the law was introduced in 1982. That would be reasonable, but not conclusive evidence that gun ownership in Kennesaw led to a fall in violent crime.

the number of murders that took place in Kennesaw the year prior to the law’s implementation was zero and therefore could drop no lower. And the increased number of armed robberies from 1980 (one) to 1981 (four) represented a sample so low that a subsequent reduction in such crime didn’t provide any meaningful data from which a conclusion about “mandatory” gun ownership and crime rates could be drawn.

Another aspect to consider is whether Kennesaw’s crime rates were observed elsewhere in the state. In the decade bracketing the law’s passage (1976 through 1986) there was a significant drop in murders, burglaries, property crimes, the property crime rate, and the burglary rate in Georgia as whole (despite Kennesaw’s outlier status with the gun law in question). Statewide, the murder rate similarly dropped in a fairly dramatic fashion after 1982

Sounds like the (unenforced) gun law made very little difference. Rather than comparing it to other cities in the rest of the country, it would probably be appropriate to compare it to neighboring towns with similar demographics.