Sunday October 6, 2024 | SURREY, BC
BC ELECTION CAMPAIGN DAY 16 of 28
Political campaign news coverage by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Your 28-day voter’s guide for BC Election 2024
Today Premier David Eby said a re-elected BC NDP government would give police the tools they need to get illegal guns off the streets of BC communties.
Making the announcement in Surrey, Eby expressed deep concern about the BC Conservative leader’s statement that a BC Conservative government would refuse to enforce bans on handguns and semi-automatic weapons.
“That would put people in communities at greater risk.” said Eby today.
“The idea that we would go backwards and pull tools away from police designed to keep us all safer is bizarre,” he said. “I don’t want, nobody wants, except for, apparently, John Rustad, to import lax U.S., style handgun and semi-automatic gun rules that make us all less safe.”
Police can enter homes to seize guns:
He gave an example of a recent seizure of guns in Langford, where the West Shore RCMP would not have been able to enact that seizure from a private home without the necessary resources.
“Federal gun laws target the weapons that gang members use to kill each other and terrify neighbourhoods,” said Eby.
Referring to the leader of the BC Conservatives, he said that John Rustad’s “clear public repeated plan to block police from using these laws has criminals celebrating and police worried,” said Eby.
“Police need every available tool to keep our neighbourhoods and schools safe. Only the BC NDP are committed to give them everything they need to enforce gun laws. We’re proud of that,” Eby said today.
“Together we can make sure police officers on the frontlines have what they need to go after gangs,” said Eby. “Leaving police empty-handed in this fight against organized and brutally violent gangs and criminals is reckless and disrespects the personal sacrifices police officers make to keep our neighbourhoods safe.”
Bill C-21:
The federal Bill C-21 freezes handgun sales, restricts semi-automatic assault weapons, and gives police the authority to seize firearms from people involved in domestic violence of with restraining orders against them.
Eby said in Surrey today that John Rustad has repeatedly stated that he’ll “instruct police not to enforce those laws”. Rustad said that three times already: at a community event in Fort St John in August, at a campaign press conference on September 27, and during a radio debate this week.
British Columbians may wish to reflect on that intent … taking the BC government one step closer to instructing police is a dangerous precedent.
Guns in the home:
“The majority of women and girls killed in BC are killed by a current or former partner, and we know that having a gun in the home makes that significantly more likely,” says Samantha Grey. She is the Director of Sexual Assault Services at the Surrey Women’s Centre.
“Keeping guns off our streets and out of the hands of perpetrators of domestic violence makes families and communities safer,” says Grey. “We can’t afford to stop enforcing these important laws in BC.”
Domestic homicides account for 15% of all murders in BC. Previous incidents of domestic violence have been shown to be a strong predictor of future violence.
“I am deeply alarmed by John Rustad’s comment that he would not enforce gun laws, which gives police the power to remove guns from people subect to protective orders and those involved in intimate partner violence,” says Tracy Porteous, former Executive Director and foudner of the Ending Violence Association of BC.
Anti-gang programs:
Eby will also continue anti-gang programs such as the new integrated Gang Homicide Team. That team focuses on investigating gang-related homicides and improving intelligence coordination related to gang activities.
===== RELATED:
- RCMP arrest two youths for brandishing weapons on bus (May 15, 2023)
- West Shore RCMP drug bust dug up dynamite (April 13, 2023)
- Drugs & weapons seized by West Shore RCMP (July 19, 2022)
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