Target criminals who use weapons illegally, not the weapons, implied Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer on Monday.
Sheer’s Conservative Party is set to unveil its strategy to improve public safety, which proposes giving police more tools and implementing tougher laws to crack down on illegal gun users in Canada.
Among those tougher laws includes targeting repeat offenders, increasing sentences for those who knowingly possess smuggled weapons and cracking down on what’s known as “straw purchases” where legally bought guns are diverted to criminal markets.
“We need to get guns out of the hands of people who use them to commit crimes, and that’s what this policy will do,” said a senior Conservative party official.
“A handgun ban may sound like a good idea, but it will only make criminals out of responsible gun owners while doing nothing to prevent criminals from getting guns.”
The announcement comes during an uptick in gun killings in Canada, prompting increased calls for Ottawa to ban handguns and assault weapons.
However, Sheer has taken a strong stance against the push for a handgun ban, saying it would penalize law-abiding gun owners while failing to address the ongoing use and smuggling of illegal guns by criminals and gang members.
With files from the Canadian Press.
