Police chiefs to study spike in gun violence

HALIFAX — Canada’s police chiefs say that in light of recent gunrelated deaths in Fredericton and in other cities across the country, they are striking a committee to analyze data related to gun violence.

The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, which wrapped up its annual conference Wednesday in Halifax, said it wants to come up with evidencebased recommendations to help combat the problem.

Vancouver Police Chief Adam Palmer, the newly elected president of the association, said that while gun violence “ebbs and flows” across the country, the chiefs believe there has been a spike in illegal firearm use over the past year.

“We are seeing in many cities, small and large throughout our country, an increase in gun violence, whether it’s Vancouver, Toronto, Winnipeg or out here in the Maritimes, we are seeing an increase in that,” Palmer said.

He said Canada’s current guncontrol regime is “actually very good” and the association is not calling for any wholesale legislative changes related to gun violence. It also isn’t calling for tighter restrictions for rifles and shotguns.

“But we are going to be looking at that issue [violence] and we may come forward with recommendations in the future.”

Palmer said the association supports measures to strengthen certain aspects of federal gun regulations in Bill C-71, including rules around obtaining a gun licence and the transportation of firearms.

Last week, Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction Bill Blair said the latest rash of shootings had added to a sense of public urgency for Ottawa to do more to keep deadly firearms out of the wrong hands.

Blair said this would include looking at “any measure which will be effective.”

Palmer said the overall issue isn’t law-abiding people who want to possess firearms, but rather people who are involved in criminal activity and who obtain guns through illegal means.