National

Get on with gun-control measures, advocates say

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 30 Nov, 2020 08:47 PM

Advocates of stricter gun control are urging the Trudeau government to get on with promised reforms, saying they are months overdue.

Public Safety Minister Bill Blair has pledged new measures, including a buyback of recently outlawed firearms, stricter storage provisions and steps to control handguns.

Heidi Rathjen, coordinator of the group PolySeSouvient, told an online news conference today that several months later there are no signs of progress on legislation.

Rathjen was joined in the virtual session by victims of mass shootings who want to see government action.

The federal government outlawed a wide range of firearms by cabinet order in May, saying the guns were designed for the battlefield, not hunting or sport shooting.

The measures have met with stiff criticism from some firearms owners and the federal Conservatives, who question the value of the ban.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

HSBC Bank Canada reports Q1 profit down as it expects downturn to hurt loans

HSBC Bank Canada reported a drop in its first-quarter profit compared with a year ago as it took a charge related to bad loans it expects due to the downturn in the economy. The bank says it earned a profit attributable to common shareholders of $54 million or 11 cents per share for the quarter ended March 31. That's compared with a profit of $158 million or 32 cents per share in the first three months of 2019.

HSBC Bank Canada reports Q1 profit down as it expects downturn to hurt loans

Local restaurants feel squeezed by delivery apps' commission fees

Restaurants struggling to survive during the COVID-19 crisis have turned to take-out and delivery, but the fees charged by food-delivery companies are eating away their bottom line, some operators say. Physical distancing measures have decimated dine-in service, which accounts for most industry revenue, said Mark von Schellwitz, a vice-president of the non-profit Restaurants Canada.

Local restaurants feel squeezed by delivery apps' commission fees

Ottawa helping guide, but not dictating, provincial reopening plans: Trudeau

With Canada's two most populous provinces poised to outline plans for a gradual return to normalcy, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday that Ottawa will help guide, but not dictate, how provinces and territories should start easing restrictions. Ontario and Quebec together account for more than 80 per cent of the country's COVID-19 cases.

Ottawa helping guide, but not dictating, provincial reopening plans: Trudeau

Crisis lines face volunteer, cash crunch even as COVID-19 drives surge in calls

Despite a surge in demand due to COVID-19, many distress centres across Canada are dangerously close to folding thanks to major declines in both volunteers and revenue. Stephanie MacKendrick, CEO of Crisis Services Canada, which runs the only national suicide-specific helpline in Canada, says her organization relies on a network of approximately 100 community distress centres across the country to field calls from people.

Crisis lines face volunteer, cash crunch even as COVID-19 drives surge in calls

Conservatives gear up to grill government in modified return of House of Commons propose and oppose: Tories

Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer laid out Monday the numerous lines of inquiry his party intends to follow this week as a modified version of a House of Commons sitting gets underway. They include the state of the nation's emergency supply stockpile, the mishmash of federal economic benefit programs that allow some to fall through the cracks and to what extent the minority Liberals are backstopping provincial efforts to reopen their economies, Scheer said.

Conservatives gear up to grill government in modified return of House of Commons propose and oppose: Tories

Learning to live with COVID-19 requires permanent fixes to vulnerable settings

Canada's chief public health officer warned Monday there is still a lot we don't know about the virus that causes COVID-19, but said stopping this pandemic or preventing a future one will require more than just physical distancing and handwashing. Dr. Theresa Tam said we simply do not know yet whether someone who has had COVID-19 will be immune from getting it again, or how long that immunity will last.