Justin Trudeau joined B.C. Premier John Horgan, Surrey Mayor Linda Hepner, and Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson to make a transit announcement centring on light rail transit. Then Prime Minister held a “round-table discussion” on gangs and gun control at a YMCA in Surrey, with youths aged 13 to 18 who have been affected by gun violence.
“We’re going to be talking about how we can give you the tools and give our community the tools to be more successful in the coming years and overcome some of the challenges we are facing and give everyone a real and fair chance to succeed,” he said.
“Obviously there are significant challenges facing youth in Surrey issues around guns and gangs and that is the headline we are here to talk about but more than that I want to hear from you around the issues you are facing and where we can do a better job as a society of giving you the tools to figure out how you, your friends and your schools and your community can do better,” he added.
We’re committed to keeping Canadians safe from gun violence, and our young people out of gangs. My thanks to everyone who came to share their stories with Ministers @BillBlair, @HarjitSajjan and I today in Surrey. pic.twitter.com/BVLFaW2pKi
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) September 5, 2018
Trudeau also spoke with the seniors, youth and representatives from Wake Up Surrey, a grassroots movement aimed at stopping gang violence on this city’s streets.
Suki Sandhu of Wake Up Surreytold that they wanted a commitment that this is a priority for the feds. He also asked for the increased funding for programs to keep kids out of trouble and away from gangs, and is also demanding a federal task force on gun violence.
Wake Up Surrey leader Sukhi Sandhu reacts to meeting with PM Trudeau in Surrey Tuesday. #surreybc pic.twitter.com/qnRcDA931M
— Tom Zytaruk (@tomzytaruk) September 4, 2018
The meeting was also attended by Harjit Sajjan and Bill Blair, federal minister of border security and organized crime reduction and Assistant Commissioner Dwayne McDonald, officer in charge of the Surrey RCMP.
ਅੱਜ ਮਾਣਯੋਗ ਪ੍ਰਧਾਨ ਮੰਤਰੀ ਜਸਟਿਨ ਟਰੂਡੋ ਸਰੀ ‘ਚ ਜਾਗੋ ਰੈਲੀ ਦੇ ਵਲੰਟੀਅਰਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਮਿਲੇ। ਕਮਰੇ ਵਿੱਚ ਉਹ ਇਕੱਲੇ ਅਤੇ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੇ ਸਟਾਫ਼ ਦੇ ਦੋ...
Posted by Gurpreet Singh Sahota on Tuesday, 4 September 2018
Read More About Our Common-Sense Firearms Bill Designed To Keep Canadians Safe, And Guns Out Of The Hands Of Criminals:
Crime rates generally in Canada have been on the decline for more than two decades, but offences involving firearms have become more prevalent, especially since 2013. Many communities across the country have been facing a steady increase in gun violence over the past five years. Gun-related homicides, domestic and gender-based violence involving guns, criminal gang activity and gun thefts are all up significantly.
To keep communities safe, the Government of Canada is strengthening Canada's gun laws in a common-sense, focused and effective way. Legislation introduced today prioritizes public safety and effective police work, while respecting law-abiding firearms owners. This government will not bring back the federal long-gun registry.
The new legislation proposes to:
Enhance background checks on those seeking to acquire firearms - by eliminating the existing provision that focuses those checks primarily on just the five years immediately preceding a licence application.
Enhance the utility of those background checks and the effectiveness of the existing licensing system - by requiring that whenever a non-restricted firearm is transferred, the buyer must produce his/her firearms licence, and the vendor must verify that it is valid.
Standardize existing best practices among commercial retailers to maintain adequate records of their inventories and sales. These records would be accessible to police officers on reasonable grounds and with judicial authorization, as appropriate.
Ensure the impartial, professional, accurate and consistent classification of firearms as either "non-restricted" "restricted" or "prohibited" - by restoring a system in which Parliament defines the classes but entrusts experts in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) to classify firearms, without political influence.
Bolster community safety in relation to restricted and prohibited firearms (mostly handguns and assault weapons) - by requiring specific transportation authorizations to be obtained whenever restricted or prohibited guns are moved through the community, except between a residence and an approved shooting range. The rules for transporting non-restricted firearms (such as legally owned rifles and shotguns) will not change.
This legislation will complement prior steps to create a more balanced and representative Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee; to strengthen infrastructure and technology at the border to better interdict gun smuggling, to withdraw from manufacturers/importers the authority to determine in certain circumstances their own firearms classification, and support provinces, territories, municipalities, communities and law enforcement in local initiatives to combat illegal gangs and gun crime.
Read more about our common-sense firearms bill designed to keep Canadians safe, and guns out of the hands of criminals: https://t.co/GBJ8GVklVG
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) September 5, 2018
