Banning handguns is a great idea

Stardate 4978.5

Paul Martin has proposed a sweeping ban on handguns. I believe this is a great policy, and if carried out properly could actually help out in a situation that is only growing worse. Before the gun advocates jump all me, consider the fact that these weapons are built for one purpose. And it doesn't include grouse hunting. In the hands of the Police, or the Military, they are lethal at close range. In the hands of a collector or private owner, they may appear to be safe, but when the wrong person gets a hold of it, or someone loses their cool, trouble occurs.

Some of the Liberal proposal includes:

• a new 250 officer unit from the RCMP dedicated solely to fighting gun-related crimes, as well as other organized crime and drug trafficking.
• 75 new officers at Canada Border Services to combat illegal importation of handguns from the US.
• tougher sentences for gun-related crimes, by changing the Criminal Code to double the mandatory minimum sentences for such crimes.
• encouraging community-based gun prevention, with help from a $50 million Gun Violence and Gang Prevention Fund to focus on youth at risk.
• waving the re-registration fees for owners of long guns in order to encourage compliance with the Canada Firearms Program.
• a gun amnesty and buy-back program that draws from an Australian model, including a gun stoppers initiative aimed at ensuring the turn-in of illegal weapons.

I think out of all this, the best is the tougher sentencing for gun-related crimes. The problem there is that these offenders should have to do their time... good behaviour and early release is rubbish. The increase in security at borders is good, but will probably not do that much. It is a shame. If the Americans want to have guns until they are pried from their "cold dead fingers" so be it... but frankly, we don't need them up here in Canada.

I have chosen two of my favorite handguns (from an entertainment perspective) as images. The Beretta 93 R features an extended 20 round magazine, and is capable of firing single shot or fully automatic 3 round bursts. It has a flash suppressor built right on, and features a fold down fore-grip for rock steady targetting. It is capable of firing 110 rounds a minute. The second image is the .44 Automag. Dubbed "Big Thunder by Mack Bolan writer Don Pendleton, this gun is as close to a rifle as a handgun could ever be. A close range shot from this massive weapon would likely shred a guy with ease. It could take down a black bear no problem, so against a human it is a devasting weapon.

Snappy and graphic sales descriptions to be sure, but tell me why they should be on the streets in Vancouver, Toronto or Red Deer. Tell me why *anyone* outside of the military should even have a chance of owning one of these killing machines...