March 23, 1995 For Immediate Release
CITY POLICE IN SASKATCHEWAN OVERWHELMINGLY OPPOSE GUN CONTROL BILL
"Views of police on the street at odds with position taken by Chiefs' Association," says Breitkreuz.
Ottawa - Today in the House of Commons, Garry Breitkreuz, MP for Yorkton-Melville, questioned Justice Minister Allan Rock about the overwhelming opposition to his gun control proposals from city police in a number of Saskatchewan cities. Ninety-nine percent of the members of the Saskatoon City Police Association voted against the controversial Bill C-68. Polls taken in Estevan, Prince Albert, Weyburn and Moose Jaw show 95% of city police are also opposed to the bill. "The smug and arrogant Minister fails to listen to the people, ignores the facts, defies common sense, and as usual ducked the question," advised Breitkreuz.
"The Justice Minister can no longer hide behind his repeated claims that the police are the ones asking for more gun control. We now have many Chiefs of Police writing us complaining that they do not support the position taken by the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police(CACP). Here are quotes from four Chiefs of Police who have written me: (1) "It is in fact one of the most offensive, costly, restrictive pieces of legislation ever imposed in peace time on law-abiding citizens"; (2) "I find the proposed gun control legislation asinine, ineffective and potentially prohibitively costly"; (3) "I am sure that most Members realize that the registration of rifles and shotguns will do absolutely nothing to control or prevent crime"; and (4) "Crime Control NOT Gun Control - Enough is Enough!"
Similar sentiments were made by Constable Murray Grismer, spokesperson for the Saskatoon City Police Association: (1) "Further gun laws will do nothing to deter crime or prevent violence within our community"; (2) "Criminals say the legislation means nothing to them. They say they can obtain a firearm any time they want within 15 minutes"; and (3) "Firearms represent a very small portion of the weapons used."
"The Chiefs of Police and the Canadian Police Association will eventually have to hold democratic votes of their members to see if the majority really want their associations to support the Liberal's anti-gun bill and continue to send money to the Coalition for Gun Control," predicted Breitkreuz. "I want to thank all those police officers for having the courage to provide their expert opinion on this costly, intrusive, totalitarian piece of legislation. They are true public servants who put their duty to the people ahead of politics. I encourage all police officers across the nation to match the courage of their Saskatchewan counterparts and democratically determine and publicly express their views on Rock's bill," concluded Breitkreuz.
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Two weeks ago Breitkreuz released results of surveys of police officers in the United States which verified that 85% of police officers felt that gun control had little potential to reduce crime. The difference in the USA is that the Chiefs of Police agree with their officers on the streets. "Now the first evidence is emerging in Canada that police on the street think the same as their American counterparts," commented Breitkreuz.