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Bill C-391, aimed at scrapping the Canadian Firearms Registry Program, is expected to go to the House of Commons for a vote by Members of Parliament in mid-June. In December, CUPE’s National Executive Board passed a resolution reaffirming its support of the Canadian Firearms Registry and its opposition to Bill C-391. 

The Standing Committee on Public Safety is about to wrap up its public consultations on the Conservative private member’s bill. In its recent submission to the standing committee, CUPE National President Paul Moist said, “It is important for MPs to know that there are many organizations representing hundreds of thousands of Canadians that oppose this Bill.”

CUPE is among them. One of our members was gunned down in the École Polytechnique killings. This and the fact that many of our members are frontline workers who see firsthand the effects of violence against women while many more are first response workers to violent situations such as police officers and paramedics.”

For the bill to be defeated, the 14 MPs who supported it at second reading need to be convinced to vote against it this time around. 

Take Action Now
 
Let these MPs know that you think passing Bill C-391 and scrapping the Gun Registry is irresponsible!  Urge them to defeat the bill and to encourage their colleagues in Parliament to do the same. These politicians in particular, clearly need to hear more about this from the people they represent.

Milo Murray, President of CUPE Prince Edward Island Division, has been a street level policy officer for 20 years. He says, “The Firearms Registry represents a valuable tool in assisting in my job, with keeping our communities safe. Firearms registration increases the accountability of firearms’ owners by linking the firearm to the owner. As a father, a union activist, and a police officer I am not in favour of Bill C-391.”
Murray also points out that:

  • Rifles and shotguns are the firearms most often found in people’s homes.
  • Domestic violence and spousal homicides involving firearms occur twice as frequently with long-guns as compared to handguns.
  • Long-guns are five times more likely to be used in suicides.

For more information about this action, please visit the Canadian Labour Congress website.