March 03, 2009
Mark Warawa to Support the Scrapping of the Long Gun Registry
Mark Warawa will support Langley gun owners by backing Bill C-301, a bill to scrap the long gun registry. The Langley MP met with the Langley Rod and Gun Club members on the weekend. "The Langley Rod and Gun Club is a wonderful group of residents that set an excellent example of how to safely use firearms. Hunters and recreational shooters are not the problem,” says Warawa. “It's criminals with guns that are the problem, and you can bet they haven’t registered their weapons. Our new crime bills will target dangerous offenders and get them off our streets."
“The Long Gun registry has been an absolute failure. It was originally budgeted to cost Canadians $2 million, but the price tag spiraled out of control to an estimated $2 billion a decade later,” says Warawa. “I believe Canadians would rather see their tax dollars keeping guns out of the hands of criminals and gangs, instead of trying to control law-abiding citizens.”
Warawa says the Government’s Tackling Violent Crime legislation is the proper way to go, which was passed last year. “Since May 2008, there has been tougher bail and sentencing laws for gun crimes, and now its time to ensure judges use the laws in their sentencing and bail decisions.”
Under the Act, all accused charged with serious weapons offences, sexual assault with a weapon; aggravated sexual assault; kidnapping; hostage taking; and, robbery or extortion now must show why they should not be kept in jail while awaiting trial, as opposed to the prosecutor having to show cause why bail should be denied.
In addition, gangsters convicted of firearm offences should have been receiving a mandatory minimum prison sentencing of five years for a first offence and seven years on a second or secondary offence for offences involving the actual use of firearms when the offence is gang-related, or if a restricted or prohibited firearm such as a handgun is used. Other offenders should be serving three years on a first offence and five years on a second or subsequent offence for other serious firearm-related offences including firearm trafficking, firearm smuggling and illegal possession of a restricted or prohibited firearm.
Bill C-301 is a Private Member’s bill put forward by Saskatchewan M.P. Garry Breitkreuz, and is being supported by the Conservative Government. If Breitkreuz’s bill receives support from a majority of M.P.s, it will also invite the Auditor General to conduct a public safety test on all gun control measures every five years. The Auditor General’s reports will reassure Canadians that all gun control laws are cost-effective at improving public safety, reducing violent crime and keeping firearms out of the hands of criminals. Bill C-301 has passed first reading and will come up for second reading on April 1st.
