TORONTO, June 4, 2018 /CNW/ – Following several recent shootings in Toronto, and on the verge of what might be another “year of the gun” in that city, the Coalition for Gun Control urges Canadians to stand up for stronger gun control. On Tuesday June 5, the federal committee reviewing proposed Bill C-71 will make critical decisions on whether or not to close loopholes that have fueled the flow of illegal guns.
According to the latest police data as of May 28 there had already been 162 shootings in Toronto, which suggests a trend towards one of the highest rates since 2005, the so-called “year of the gun”.
“Unfortunately, the crisis of gun violence on the ground has not sparked a larger public conversation about gun control nor has it lead to bold action from our politicians,” said Wendy Cukier, founder of the national Coalition for Gun Control and co-author of The Global Gun Epidemic. “Canadians know about the power of the National Rifle Association, south of the border, but few are aware of the extent to which the gun lobby in Canada has hijacked the public agenda.”
The Toronto data is consistent with trends across Canada. From 2013 to 2016, criminal incidents involving firearms were up 30%, gun homicides increased 60%, and intimate partner and gender-based violence involving firearms was up by one-third. In 2016, 31% of all gun-related homicides involved the use rifles and shotguns, that is, firearms that are non-restricted and no longer registered (except in Quebec).
Click here to read the full media release.
For further information: Wendy Cukier, President, Coalition for Gun Control, wcukier (at) compuserve.com, 1-647-627-3582