Gun Ownership and Gun Control in Canada

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Gun Ownership and Gun Control in Canada The Oscar-won documentary ‘Bowling for Columbine’ has aroused people’s awareness of gun ownership and gun control issues. Should gun ownership be banned or should guns be controlled? Does gun ownership create a violent society? The answer is not measurable, however, from the firearm situation between America and Canada, the answer is more obvious. America probably has the highest rate of gun ownership in the world. In Canada, the percentage of Canadian households with a rifle is approximately equal to the level in United States. According to the statistics of gun murder rates around the world from ‘Bowling for columbine’, America has 11,127 gun accidents while Canada merely has 165. Is the number of gun ownerships a main factor behind a violent society? Indeed weapon does not commit crimes, the perpetrator does. As well, most crimes do not involve licensed gun owners. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police estimated the pool of illegal handguns in Canada to be about 50,000. Shockingly, in New York City alone, conservative estimation put the number of illegal handguns at over 700,000. Well, it seems the firearm problem in United States is worsened by the illegal gun owners. So, who should own guns? To the members of NRA (National Rifle Association), anyone who interested in shooting should own a gun; however, guns are more destructive weapons than knives. Therefore guns should only be legalized for certain occupations or certain purposes. Occupations such as policemen, bank or airport security guards and farmers should be allowed to use guns. For leisure gun sport activities, guns should be o... ... middle of paper ... ... law system, however not all illegal applicants can! Some politicians strongly support bans on gun uses will solve the firearm problems more effectively. Significantly, bans on guns will indeed raise the demand for illegal guns underground, which makes it harder for police to control gun uses. i.e. a FAC gun control system in Canada works very effectively due to the fact that fewer guns are traded in black market. ‘Useless laws weaken necessary laws.’ --- Charles de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu (1689-1775) Importantly, gun ownership doesn’t create a violent society, but lenient gun control does. Nevertheless, bans do not make something disappear, rather harder to control! Therefore a strict, uniform federal gun control system is far more essential so as to ensure no collateral effects of any gun uses!

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