Tories stand fast amid gun-control demands

[CHIMO]

OTTAWA — Conservative cabinet ministers are urging patience and calm in the burgeoning gun-control debate, saying they want time to look at all possible avenues for preventing a repeat of the shooting at Montreal's Dawson College.

Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay suggested the government could potentially look at expanding restrictions on weapons, such as semi-automatics. But he said that discussion is for the future.

"I would suggest there is a need not to be pulled into making rash, reactionary decisions," he said outside a caucus meeting.

"There's a horrible sense of loss in the city of Montreal, the families are devastated . . . and we need to show introspection, and a calm, intelligent approach for our country. We have tough laws in this country when it comes to firearms, but we need always to be prepared to recalibrate and make sure we have the emphasis right."

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[daleo]

1. Harper had best watch his step on this one

This will be a mine field for him. Urban Quebecers seem to be the most anti-gun Canadians in the country. If he looks like he is defending relatively unrestricted gun ownership, on top of his foreign policy, he can forget about any Quebec breakthrough.

I still don't understand how the shooter Gill got the weapons. The carbine seems like it ought to have been quite restricted. I thought you had to get these on the basis of belonging to a gun club, or being a collector. I wonder if there is still some news to come out on this issue.

"Still, Tory caucus members remained steadfast Friday in their support for eliminating the long-gun registry which they say is ineffective, pointing out that shooter Kimveer Gill had registered his firearms."

[benEzra]

2. The carbine was the least lethal weapon in his possession...

it is essentially just a 9mm pistol in a rifle's body. He also had a .45 caliber (11.43mm) pistol, and a 12-gauge (18.5mm, .729 caliber) shotgun.

I was under the impression that handguns are restricted at least as tightly as low-capacity self-loading carbines in Canada.

[daleo]

3. Yes, I think that is usually the case

I really haven't read any detailed explanation of the circumstances of him having these weapons - just that they were "registered". I wonder if they were registered in his name?

I think the construction of the quotes may be of some importance. I have repeatedly seen references to their being "registered", but I haven't yet seen the phrase "legally registered". Perhaps I am splitting hairs, but I have become sensitive to these nuances, due to the repeated tendency to "lie with the truth".