February 14, 1995 For Immediate Release
ROCK KEPT HIS WORD - LAW-ABIDING GUN OWNERS ARE TO BE TREATED AS CRIMINALS
"Reinstating the death penalty would do more to reduce violent crime than registering all firearms."
Ottawa - Garry Breitkreuz, MP for Yorkton-Melville was disappointed but not surprised by Justice Minister Allan Rock's gun control legislation tabled this morning in the House of Commons. "I was disappointed because for over two months now, Rock has heard nothing but complaints about his gun control proposals from law-abiding citizens in every province in Canada, from police officers on the street, from provincial Justice Ministers and Attorneys General in Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba, the Yukon and the NWT, from pollsters, criminologists, from MPs in every political party, and, a quick review of his bill shows that he just isn't listening," reported Breitkreuz. Responding to the Minister's news release which said he still wanted to hear from Canadians during the review by the Standing Committee on Justice, Breitkreuz reminded everyone, "In November in the House of Commons Rock said, "the consultations are over" and that his "proposals are final". If he hasn't listened to anything we have been saying in the last two months then I have my doubts if he will listen to anything law-abiding firearms owners will have to say in the next few months before he and Prime Minister Chretien force the Liberal backbenchers to vote the bill into law."
"Just as sure as there will be a tax revolt if the Liberals raise taxes in this month's budget, I guarantee you that the legislation Rock introduced today will foster a revolt against intrusive, costly, bureaucratic gun controls which will actually increase crime rates rather than reduce them," asserted Breitkreuz. "The registration of all firearms, including rifles and shotguns, will cost hundreds of millions of dollars and Justice Minister Allan Rock cannot demonstrate exactly how it will save even one life."
The bottom line remains that the Liberals continue to give the impression that they are governing effectively by introducing meaningless legislation into Parliament. People I hear from want government to reduce government spending, reduce taxes, put a stop to the abuse of our social programs, eliminate waste and mismanagement, end duplication and overlap between levels of government, keep bureaucrats from intruding into our lives, and get tough on violent criminals. While the country continues to decline because of a lack of any real vision and any real action by the Liberal government, we continue to debate gun registration which is way down on the list of priorities for the average Canadian," criticized Breitkreuz.
Rock said last September he wouldn't govern by taking a "head-count". Now that he has a few selected polls which seem to show some support for his registration proposals, he says he has "broad public support". "But polls produce conflicting results," commented Breitkreuz, "For example, in Saskatchewan, a government poll shows that 86% of Saskatchewan people do not believe increased firearms registration will result in a decrease in crime." "However, we may see some unexpected benefits from Mr. Rock's new support for head-counts," said Breitkreuz. "Now that Rock believes so much in polls, maybe he will reinstate capital punishment. I'm sure that this will deter more criminals and save more lives than forcing 7 million law-abiding citizens to register all their guns."
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