Canadian Guns

In reacting to the gun issue that arose out of Newton, an old friend but non-blogger sent me the following about Canada:

In February 2012, when the Conservative government passed legislation that killed the long gun registry, I disapproved but said and did nothing. I thought: this is what Canada gets by electing a conservative and populist government dependent on rural seats.

Now, I’m very ashamed of myself and regret my silence.

When children were slaughtered in Connecticut in December, my friends and I engaged in conversations about the deplorable state of US gun regulation and the failure of morality in that society. But we also realized we cannot be smug in relation to our neighbours. Within the past year, Canada’s government had also rejected a policy of gun control. We had rejected an effort to become a more civilized society and resolutely turned backwards.

The Government of Canada should be ashamed of itself.

The only people who have had the courage to protest the regressive end to the gun registry are Quebecers, and we should thank them and give them credit for their stance.

Belatedly, I have contemplated writing to the Prime Minister to express my shame and dismay at the decision taken last year. But I realized that is a waste of paper – I live in an urban riding and my voice is irrelevant to the current government. But I think Canadians everywhere should recognize their basic humanity and the importance of striving always to form a more civilized society. Canada appears to be 12^th in the world in per capita possession of guns. What conceivable excuse have we for this status?

None I think.