Gun Control: Canadian politicians are forgetting rural women

Outcry and national poll suggests Canadians, and women in particular, support gun registry

(a press release from the Coalition for Gun Control)



TORONTO, April 26, 2010 -

Citing letters from rural women’s groups across the country and just released polling results, the Coalition for Gun Control is calling on federal politicians to remember that the vocal opponents to gun control do not speak for Canadians, for rural women nor even for all gun owners.

“We hear repeatedly that gun control is an urban issue that “punishes” rural gun owners,” said Wendy Cukier, Coalition for Gun Control president. “The terrible irony is that where there are more guns, there are also higher rates of gun death and injury. Most police officers killed with guns are murdered with rifles and shotguns but suicides with firearms and domestic violence in rural communities seldom make the front page. Rural women’s groups, psychiatrists and health care professionals along with police have all documented these problems and why the registry is important to help keep guns from people who are a danger to themselves or others. Rifles and shotguns are the guns most often used in violence against women because those are the firearms most readily available.”



Citing a just released Leger and Leger poll, Cukier added: “Twice as many Canadians (59 per cent) say the registration of rifles and shotguns should be maintained compared to those who say it should be scrapped (27 per cent). In every province but Manitoba and Saskatchewan more people support the registry than oppose it. The poll also shows that women support the gun registry (66 per cent) compared to men (51 per cent). More people living with gun owners (47 per cent) support the registry than oppose it (36 per cent) and a substantial proportion of gun owners (36 per cent) actually support the registry (versus 59 per cent opposed). The opponents may be louder and better financed, but among households with guns in Canada, votes are almost evenly split. Many politicians from rural areas seem to forget that women vote too.”



Poll Highlights

1. Overall, supporters of the registry outnumber opponents by 2:1
- 59 per cent said registration is useful and should be maintained compared to 27 per cent who thought it was useless and should be scrapped and 14 per cent who said undecided or preferred not to say.



2. In every province across Canada, except Manitoba/Saskatchewan more people support the registry than oppose it.

Quebec 74 per cent to 12 per cent, Ontario 58 per cent versus 27 per cent, MB/SK 39 per cent versus 45 per cent, ALB 48 per cent versus 37 per cent, BC 57 per cent versus 31per cent



3. Women are more likely to support the registry (66 per cent) than men (51 per cent)



4. Parents also support the registration of firearms with 61 per cent for and 26 per cent against.



The omnibus poll conducted by Leger and Leger for the Coalition for Gun Control had 1506 respondents (margin of error ± 2,53%, 19 times out of 20) n December 21 to 23, 2009 and asked:



Recently, new legislation was introduced to eliminate the need to register rifles and shotguns. While licenses to own are renewed periodically, registration is a one time only procedure that occurs when a gun is purchased. A lot of money was spent setting up the system, but the current cost of registering rifles and shotguns is three million dollars a year. Some people say that registration ensures gun owners are accountable for their firearms and that the registry is an important tool used daily by police to prevent and investigate crime. Others say that registering guns unduly burdens gun owners, is of no use and should be eliminated. Which represents your position?



Response:

The concept of registering guns is useful and should be maintained; or

The concept of registering guns is useless and should be eliminated



Among the groups which have formally opposed the Government proposal to end the registration of rifles and shotguns are: the Coalition of Provincial and Territorial Advisory Councils on the Status of Women; Provincial Association of Transition Houses and Services of Saskatchewan; Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters; The Grande Cache Transition House Society; Manitoba Association of Women's Shelters (Nova House Inc.); Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres; The Federation des femmes du Quebec; Association feminine d’éducation et d’action sociale, Women’s Sexual Assault Centre of Renfrew Council; Manitoba Action Committee on the Status of Women; Kenora Sexual Assault Centre; as well as National Associations such as Canadian Federation of University Women; National Council of Women of Canada; YWCA Canada; The Canadian Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Clubs; and National Association of Women and the Law.



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For more information, please visit www.guncontrol.ca