National Council of Women of Canada - Blog

A Blog gives you current information and items of inerest. The National Council of Women of Canada (NCWC) has done two blogs on the meetings of the Commission on the Status of Women, 2010, and 2011. We are continuing now with a blog, on a range of topics of interst to members and the public. The NCWC has a very complete web site where you can learn more about the history and members of Council.

A blog (a blend of the term web log) is a type of or part of a website. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order.

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As of 16 February 2011 (2011 -02-16), there were over 156 million public blogs in existence.

The above from Wikipedia!

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Important information you should read about the gun registry

On May 2nd, Harper won his sought-after majority government. Out of the 153 MPs who had voted to save the gun registry last September, 81 were defeated, including certain long-time gun control advocates who have defended it vehemently, such as Gilles Duceppe (Bloc Quebecois), Michael Ignatieff (Liberal), Mark Holland (Liberal), Marlene Jennings (Liberal), Tony Martin (NDP), and many others. They will be missed greatly. We know that the gun lobby has actively helped Conservative candidates, and targeted MPs who supported the gun registry using NRA-inspired campaigns. In spite of tremendous pressure, all six NDP MPs who switched their vote to help save the gun registry last September were re-elected. (A complete list of defeated Members of Parliament is available on request)

The election results are a major setback, and although we do not know exactly what will happen next, there is no doubt the Conservative government will try to repeal the long gun registry. You can count on us to do everything possible to stop them, or at least slow them down. We will continue our fight to defend the integrity of our gun control laws, and to save the long gun registry.

We know that the gun lobby will not be satisfied until gun control is dismantled. Conservative politicians and gun lobby groups are already in the media mentioning plans to dismantle the registry and even more .  

Urgent Action is Needed
During the election, it became clear many candidates were ill-informed about the issue. Parliament is scheduled to return on May 23rd, and we need your urgent aid in: 
  • Contacting your newly elected or returning MP to share your support for the gun registry and for gun control. An unofficial list of MPs and their contact information can be found here
  •  Helping to educate your MP and your friends and family. The gun registry is an important public safety tool, and should be maintained. If dismantled, there will be no turning back. Please distribute our Myths and Facts Handout within your network. You may also link to it on your website or social network. 

Gun Registry: Just the Facts
The evidence is clear, the gun registry is effective, efficient both in cost and function, and most importantly, saves lives.
  • Most firearm-related deaths in Canada are caused by rifles or shotguns. All guns are lethal, and any gun in the wrong hands is dangerous. We need controls on ALL guns.
  • Although there is more opposition to gun control in rural areas and in the Western provinces, there are also higher rates of gun death in those areas.
  • Gun control works: firearm death and injury have declined with stronger laws.
  • Police, public safety, crime prevention, women's organizations, and others support the existing law, and maintain that it contributes to public safety.
  • Registration is a one-time procedure, and it's free. The system is in place, and 6.9 million rifles and shotguns are already registered. Once the registry is scrapped and the data erased, there will be no turning back.
  • The gun registry is consulted over 14,000 times per day by police, including when intervening in domestic disputes.
  • The cost to administer the long gun registry is less than $4 million annually.

Why is the registration of all firearms essential?
  • Registering all firearms assists police in removing ALL guns from dangerous people, enforcing prohibition orders, and taking preventative action when there is a risk of suicide or domestic violence.
  • While screening and licensing firearm owners reduces the risks that dangerous people will have access to weapons, registration is essential to enforcing licensing, as it holds gun owners accountable for their firearms and reduces the chances that their guns will be diverted to unlicensed owners
  • The gun registry aids police investigations. For example, two men were identified and convicted as accessories to the murder of 4 RCMP officers in Mayerthorpe, Alberta, in part because a registered gun was left at the scene of the crime.
  • All illegal firearms begin as legal firearms. Controls over legal guns are essential to preventing diversion and choking off the illegal supply.

Parliament overview
While the election results remain unofficial until May 23, the current breakdown in the House of Commons is:
Conservative: 167 MPs
Opposition: 141 MPs
  • NDP: 102
  • Liberal: 34
  • Bloc Québécois : 4
  • Green Party : 1
The current breakdown in the Senate is:
  • Conservative Party of Canada: 52 Senators
  • Liberal: 42 Senators 
  • Progressive Conservative: 2 Senators 
  • Independent: 2 Senators 
  • Vacant: 3 seats  

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