Harper, it's a trap
Paul Martin's handgun ban is just trick to make the Tories look like 'right-wing gun-lovers'
By Greg Weston
December 9, 2005
Paul Martin's plan to fight gang violence by banning all handguns that are essentially already banned certainly won't stop shoot-outs in the streets of our cities, but the move does set a nasty political trap to ambush the Conservatives in the current election campaign.
Handguns have long been illegal in this country in the hands of everyone but police, some security agencies, registered collectors and target shooters.
The only change in the "total ban" Martin announced with great fanfare yesterday is that collectors would have to turn in their handguns to police, or risk having to find a new hobby behind bars.
Of the 75 homicides in Toronto this year, 50 were committed with handguns, and it's a safe bet that whoever has been on the trigger-end of those shootings -- a large number are gang-related -- registered collectors are not among the usual suspects.
The Liberals claim many of the handguns used in crimes are stolen from collectors, but supporting evidence has not been forthcoming.
As for the gangsters, drug-dealers, bandits and other criminals involved in gun-toting incidents, re-banning their illegal weapons is not likely to suddenly bring peace and goodwill among hoodlums.
The issue of gun crime was bound to become front and centre in the current election campaign in the wake of a spate of horrible and highly visible street murders in the notorious Jane-Finch area of Toronto, a poor suburban ethnic neighborhood that has become Canada's most active shooting gallery.
Fact is, the overall number of firearm homicides in Canada has been declining for a number of years, and with the exception of 2005, shootings generally have accounted for something less than a third of all murders over the past decade.
So, why would the Liberals bother?
The answer is not so much to position themselves as the new law-and-order posse as it is to bait the Conservatives into a public relations trap of being portrayed as the party of right-wing gun-lovers. In short, scary.
Even by the usual standards of Martin's spin-machine, the Liberal ban on banned guns has been a masterpiece of shameless politicking.
The Liberal strategy was rolled into action Wednesday night when most major media outlets were leaked enough sketchy details to generate front-page headlines proclaiming a "total ban on handguns."
The message was the Grits are the party that would stop at nothing to end gun violence.
It is the classic Liberal wedge issue with a bullet, intended to separate the Grits from the Conservatives along not only left-right ideologies, but also urban-rural lines.
Polls have consistently shown over the years that gun control of any kind is popular in the urban Liberal strongholds of central and eastern Canada, and decidedly less in the rural and Western regions that tend to be Conservative country.
It was no accident that Martin chose to unveil the full details at a carefully staged media event at a community centre in the heart of the Jane-Finish combat zone, flanked by Ontario attorney general Michael Bryant (Liberal), and Toronto Mayor David Miller (NDP supporter and fan of huge federal transfers to the city).
Then came the bait to draw out Conservative fury.
"Guns kill people," Martin said, clearly goading the Tories to trot out the old anti-gun control slogan: "Guns don't kill; people do."
Then another morsel of bait: Martin said the long-gun registry that the Conservatives so despise will stay, but there will be no more fees to re-register firearms. Complaints anyone?
Finally, the Liberals are leaving the final decision whether to implement a total ban in the hands of each province. Ralph Klein, come on down, and do a little screaming from Conservative country.
For his part Stephen Harper obviously smelled the trap, avoiding any tough talk on the handgun ban.
In this shooting contest, Harper may be best just to duck.
<center>****************************************** ******************</center>
To the Editor
The Toronto Sun
Greg Weston’s column December 9th warns: “It’s a Trap, Harper”
The now infamous Liberal handgun ban is an evasion of government duty and responsibility.
The Liberals are required to give us peace, order and good government. The people of Jane - Finch and other urban areas plagued with crime do not enjoy the safety and security of the person demanded by our constitution.
Our constitution puts the responsibility for criminal law, except the constitution of courts of criminal jurisdiction, but including the procedure in criminal matters squarely on the Liberal government.
Justice Minister McLellan and Prime Minister Martin are directly responsible for the bail hearing rules that allow someone caught illegally packing a handgun to obtain bail even though he has outstanding charges, prior convictions for violence and known criminal associates.
Criminals love the privilege of being equal to honest citizens suspected of a crime until convicted, but are Torontonians as happy with being equal to the violent criminals who prey on them? Are Torontonians happy with the lenient sentences handed to criminals convicted of drug dealing, pimping and violent crimes?
Toronto has millions of decent, law-abiding hard working citizens who do not deserve to be caught in a cross-fire of criminal gangs warring over lucrative drug and sex trades.
Blaming handguns for the failure of the Martin Liberals to provide safety and security to Torontonians is a despicable evasion of duty and responsibility. They can be held accountable on January 23 at a ballot box in your neighbourhood.
WestViking
Paul Martin's handgun ban is just trick to make the Tories look like 'right-wing gun-lovers'
By Greg Weston
December 9, 2005
Paul Martin's plan to fight gang violence by banning all handguns that are essentially already banned certainly won't stop shoot-outs in the streets of our cities, but the move does set a nasty political trap to ambush the Conservatives in the current election campaign.
Handguns have long been illegal in this country in the hands of everyone but police, some security agencies, registered collectors and target shooters.
The only change in the "total ban" Martin announced with great fanfare yesterday is that collectors would have to turn in their handguns to police, or risk having to find a new hobby behind bars.
Of the 75 homicides in Toronto this year, 50 were committed with handguns, and it's a safe bet that whoever has been on the trigger-end of those shootings -- a large number are gang-related -- registered collectors are not among the usual suspects.
The Liberals claim many of the handguns used in crimes are stolen from collectors, but supporting evidence has not been forthcoming.
As for the gangsters, drug-dealers, bandits and other criminals involved in gun-toting incidents, re-banning their illegal weapons is not likely to suddenly bring peace and goodwill among hoodlums.
The issue of gun crime was bound to become front and centre in the current election campaign in the wake of a spate of horrible and highly visible street murders in the notorious Jane-Finch area of Toronto, a poor suburban ethnic neighborhood that has become Canada's most active shooting gallery.
Fact is, the overall number of firearm homicides in Canada has been declining for a number of years, and with the exception of 2005, shootings generally have accounted for something less than a third of all murders over the past decade.
So, why would the Liberals bother?
The answer is not so much to position themselves as the new law-and-order posse as it is to bait the Conservatives into a public relations trap of being portrayed as the party of right-wing gun-lovers. In short, scary.
Even by the usual standards of Martin's spin-machine, the Liberal ban on banned guns has been a masterpiece of shameless politicking.
The Liberal strategy was rolled into action Wednesday night when most major media outlets were leaked enough sketchy details to generate front-page headlines proclaiming a "total ban on handguns."
The message was the Grits are the party that would stop at nothing to end gun violence.
It is the classic Liberal wedge issue with a bullet, intended to separate the Grits from the Conservatives along not only left-right ideologies, but also urban-rural lines.
Polls have consistently shown over the years that gun control of any kind is popular in the urban Liberal strongholds of central and eastern Canada, and decidedly less in the rural and Western regions that tend to be Conservative country.
It was no accident that Martin chose to unveil the full details at a carefully staged media event at a community centre in the heart of the Jane-Finish combat zone, flanked by Ontario attorney general Michael Bryant (Liberal), and Toronto Mayor David Miller (NDP supporter and fan of huge federal transfers to the city).
Then came the bait to draw out Conservative fury.
"Guns kill people," Martin said, clearly goading the Tories to trot out the old anti-gun control slogan: "Guns don't kill; people do."
Then another morsel of bait: Martin said the long-gun registry that the Conservatives so despise will stay, but there will be no more fees to re-register firearms. Complaints anyone?
Finally, the Liberals are leaving the final decision whether to implement a total ban in the hands of each province. Ralph Klein, come on down, and do a little screaming from Conservative country.
For his part Stephen Harper obviously smelled the trap, avoiding any tough talk on the handgun ban.
In this shooting contest, Harper may be best just to duck.
<center>****************************************** ******************</center>
To the Editor
The Toronto Sun
Greg Weston’s column December 9th warns: “It’s a Trap, Harper”
The now infamous Liberal handgun ban is an evasion of government duty and responsibility.
The Liberals are required to give us peace, order and good government. The people of Jane - Finch and other urban areas plagued with crime do not enjoy the safety and security of the person demanded by our constitution.
Our constitution puts the responsibility for criminal law, except the constitution of courts of criminal jurisdiction, but including the procedure in criminal matters squarely on the Liberal government.
Justice Minister McLellan and Prime Minister Martin are directly responsible for the bail hearing rules that allow someone caught illegally packing a handgun to obtain bail even though he has outstanding charges, prior convictions for violence and known criminal associates.
Criminals love the privilege of being equal to honest citizens suspected of a crime until convicted, but are Torontonians as happy with being equal to the violent criminals who prey on them? Are Torontonians happy with the lenient sentences handed to criminals convicted of drug dealing, pimping and violent crimes?
Toronto has millions of decent, law-abiding hard working citizens who do not deserve to be caught in a cross-fire of criminal gangs warring over lucrative drug and sex trades.
Blaming handguns for the failure of the Martin Liberals to provide safety and security to Torontonians is a despicable evasion of duty and responsibility. They can be held accountable on January 23 at a ballot box in your neighbourhood.
WestViking
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