Gun Ownership and Gun Control in Canada

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Gun Ownership and Gun Control in Canada

The Oscar-won documentary ‘Bowling for Columbine’ has aroused people’s

awareness of gun ownership and gun control issues. Should gun

ownership be banned or should guns be controlled?

Does gun ownership create a violent society? The answer is not

measurable, however, from the firearm situation between America and

Canada, the answer is more obvious. America probably has the highest

rate of gun ownership in the world. In Canada, the percentage of

Canadian households with a rifle is approximately equal to the level

in United States. According to the statistics of gun murder rates

around the world from ‘Bowling for columbine’, America has 11,127 gun

accidents while Canada merely has 165. Is the number of gun ownerships

a main factor behind a violent society? Indeed weapon does not commit

crimes, the perpetrator does. As well, most crimes do not involve

licensed gun owners. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police estimated the

pool of illegal handguns in Canada to be about 50,000. Shockingly, in

New York City alone, conservative estimation put the number of illegal

handguns at over 700,000. Well, it seems the firearm problem in United

States is worsened by the illegal gun owners. So, who should own guns?

To the members of NRA (National Rifle Association), anyone who

interested in shooting should own a gun; however, guns are more

destructive weapons than knives. Therefore guns should only be

legalized for certain occupations or certain purposes. Occupations

such as policemen, bank or airport security guards and farmers should

be allowed to use guns. For leisure gun sport activities, guns should

be o...

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... law

system, however not all illegal applicants can! Some politicians

strongly support bans on gun uses will solve the firearm problems more

effectively. Significantly, bans on guns will indeed raise the demand

for illegal guns underground, which makes it harder for police to

control gun uses. i.e. a FAC gun control system in Canada works very

effectively due to the fact that fewer guns are traded in black

market.

‘Useless laws weaken necessary laws.’

--- Charles de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu (1689-1775)

Importantly, gun ownership doesn’t create a violent society, but

lenient gun control does. Nevertheless, bans do not make something

disappear, rather harder to control! Therefore a strict, uniform

federal gun control system is far more essential so as to ensure no

collateral effects of any gun uses!

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