As gun-related violence spikes in Toronto, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has called for adding more “common sense” gun restrictions to the country’s already restrictive firearm laws. Toronto enjoys a relatively low gun-related homicide rate compared to many U.S. cities, but that hasn’t stopped Trudeau from blaming guns for the city’s crime.
“Recent shootings have underscored the need for common sense firearms policy,” Trudeau said at a press conference after a meeting with Toronto Mayor John Tory. “We need action. But Mayor Tory and I agree that we can’t simply arrest our way out of this problem.”
Seventeen people were shot in one weekend last week, and this summer saw the most shootings ever recorded in one month in Toronto, City News reported. The number of shootings so far this year (267) has eclipsed the number occurring over the same period last year (248), according to Reuters. Twenty people have died as a result of this year’s violence and 132 people have been injured.
Officials in Toronto and Montreal have requested a nationwide handgun ban to combat the violence, but Trudeau stopped short of promising that policy in his statements earlier this week.
SEE ALSO: Vice News: How To Buy a Gun In Canada
But gun control is still likely to be a major issue in Canada’s upcoming elections, and Trudeau acknowledged that gun control will be a part of his party’s platform, along with investing in police departments to help combat “gun violence.”
On Monday the federal and Toronto municipal governments each pledged C$1.5 million ($1.13 million) to the Toronto Police Service to help combat gun violence.
Tory believes that, along with a handgun ban, Toronto needs a tougher stance on crime.
“We have to address the root causes of gun violence and get much tougher with criminals who often laugh at things—literally, laugh at things—like bail and sentences practices,” he said.
Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders agrees with Tory’s tough-on-crime stance, but he doesn’t believe a handgun ban will decrease gun-related violence.
“We know that most gun violence in Toronto is directly connected to street gang activity,” he said on Twitter, adding that the police will be rolling out a plan to combat gang violence in the coming weeks.
I welcome Mayor Tory’s initiative securing Provincial and Federal funds to help address gun violence in our city. We know that most gun violence in Toronto is directly connected to street gang activity. @TorontoPolice has a comprehensive plan to address the issue. 1/2
— Mark Saunders (@marksaunderstps) August 12, 2019
SEE ALSO: I Heard A Man Being Murdered, And No One Could Do Anything About It
Vancouver Police Chief Adam Palmer pointed out that much of the violence perpetrated with guns is committed by known criminals with already-illegal firearms.
“In every single case there are already offences for that. They’re already breaking the law and the criminal law in Canada addresses all of those circumstances,” Palmer said Wednesday.
“The firearms laws in Canada are actually very good right now. They’re very strict.”
Canada’s gun control policies are much more restrictive than those in the United States, despite a thriving pro-gun culture in rural areas and western provinces. Some municipalities like Toronto totally ban handgun possession. Owning any type of firearm requires passing a safety course and obtaining a license, and handguns and AR-type rifles require obtaining an additional “Restricted License.”
Is there “common sense” in Canada?????
Obviously not since Canadians reelected Trudeau.
You would think these people who are smart enough, evidently, to gain high political office, would see the correlation between more gun laws affecting law-abiding gun ownership and the increases in crime, but no, they are so blinded by their egos and self-righteousness that facts and statistics cannot make it into the dim recesses of their brains…and, anyway, they would never admit to doing something stupid. Unintended consequences are a bitch and brainless actions that replay or “reinforce” the source of the unintended consequence instead facing reality are just plain unforgiveable. Carry-on Canada, your laughing stock is rising. A social credit or two may be coming your way.
I would like for the Dem Prez Candidates to provide examples of gun laws that in their opinion defied “common sense.” The responses would clarify the issue, since there are no guns laws they would NOT support in the name of “common sense.”
What are the demographics of these criminals?
The same as here in the states, which is the reason for “We can’t arrest our way out of this.” Criminal justice “reform”, which means it’s not fair to lock up violent criminals if they’re black.
Canada does not allow the gathering of racial or ethnic statistics, a failing recently high-lighted by the Covid. However gender-based responses are the norm. When the latest gun-grab was announced…
‘Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland stressed that these weapons are not for hunting but have been manufactured “to kill people and to look like they can kill people.”
“These guns make it easier to commit mass murder,” Freeland said. “The culture around their fetishization makes our country inherently more dangerous for the people most vulnerable, and that is women and girls.”
The Deputy Prime Minister expressed specific concerns about gender-based violence, adding that by moving forward with this new regulation, “we are putting feminist ideas into practice.”
Even this libertard haven known as Canada seems to have an inner city gun crime problem. Maybe because scumbag criminals don’t abide by the law and never will. That’s why they are scumbag criminals. No matter how much liberal feel good stupidity you use it won’t change the fact that scumbag criminals don’t abide by the law. Gun laws only infringe upon law abiding citizens rights. Wake up.
Oh yes, go after the law abiding citizens! You can’t control the street gangs, and you want to make it harder for the good guy’s to defend themselves! Ever hear of the (KEYSTONE COPS), there’s a similarity here!
HOW ARE YOU DOING WITH THE DRUG PROBLEM, MAYBE MORE LAWS ON THE BOOKS WILL TAKE CARE OF THAT PROBLEM ALSO??? I guess if law enforcement is AFRAID of the gangs, go after law abiding citizen, makes sense to me, just saying!!!!
“common sense gun laws”…… no, I’m not feeling the love yet.
Both Canada and the US need to first ban gangs. Then we both must bring back the death penalty. Make belonging to a gang a death penalty offense. Also we need to execute ALL who are prisoners and in prison gangs! That would be a very good start! 😃👍🇺🇸 🇨🇦
So the canooks gov KNOWS most of the gun violence is directly connected to street gangs BUT says they can’t arrest their way out of it (reduction via arrest and conviction). They do want to take action by banning handgun ownership to law abiding citizens. That makes NO COMMON SENSE AT ALL!
Just do something! It doesn’t seem to matter if it is THE RIGHT THING, does it?
We certainly see enough of that in the U.S. don’t we? Law upon law upon law that have absolutely no effect, other than to give the appearance to voters that the politicians are doing something about the problem.
Think how much better off we all would be, if politicians cared about fighting crime, as much as they care about getting elected.