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Save the National Gun Registry! Say NO to Bill C-391!

It's time to ACT NOW!

After weeks of testimony at the House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Safety from groups representing doctors, police, police chiefs, unions, victims of domestic violence, and women's shelters - all in support of maintaining Canada's national gun registry - Members of Parliament are poised to vote on legislation to dismantle this vital tool that keeps our communities safe.

The CAW has joined with hundreds of thousands of Canadians across this country calling on MPs to vote NO when Bill C-391 returns for third and final reading in Parliament in the coming months.  Bill C-391 is a Conservative-lead private members bill intended to dismantle Canada's long gun registry - the existing government program that administers the registration of rifles and shotguns.

By eliminating the long gun registry the government is depriving police, suicide prevention and domestic violence prevention officers of an essential tool that helps protect families and communities from gun violence.  Police use the registry over 10,000 times each day including when intervening in domestic disputes.

These are the guns most often used to kill police officers, women in domestic violence situations and in suicides, particularly those involving youth.

The gun registry has saved lives. Since its inception, gun deaths have dropped dramatically.

      ·            In 1991, more than 1400 Canadians were killed with guns, today it's less than 800.

      ·           The firearm homicide rate is down by 40% while the homicide rate without guns is down only 28%.

      ·            The rate of homicides with rifles and shotguns and the rate of women murdered with guns have plummeted.

      ·            Domestic homicides with firearms, suicide with firearms and robberies with firearms have also declined dramatically over the last decade.

The CAW joins with Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, Association of Emergency Physicians, YWCA Canada, Canadian Labour Congress, Federation of University Women, Adolescent Health, national women's groups, suicide prevention experts, women's shelters, elected politicians at the municipal, provincial and federal levels as well as victims of gun violence in opposing Bill C-391 and protecting the gun registry.

All Conservative MPs, as well as a number of Liberal and NDP MPs, voted in favour of Bill C-391. These elected officials need to hear from the Canadian public that the gun registry is intended to keep our homes, schools and communities safe.

Let's get their attention!

Tell them you will not vote for anyone who votes in favour of Bill C-391 in the next election.

CAW Activist Tool Kit:

      ·            Did your MP vote for Bill C-391? Find out here.

·            Share information. Talk to your family and neighbours about the importance of Canada's gun registry.
      Download the CAW fact sheet. Join us on Facebook.

·            Talk to your MP.  Let them know your views on the gun registry and Bill C-391. 
      Call them or send an electronic message by clicking here.

Other important links:

      ·            Canadian Labour Congress' Keep Our Communities Safe Campaign      

      ·            Coalition for Gun Control

• Bill C-391 - CAW Brief
• Women leaders demand NDP vote to keep gun registry - open letter
• Letter to NDP leader Jack Layton from Canadian women leaders -June 2010
• NDP Members of Parliament who voted in favour of Bill C-391