September 05, 2007

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Many adults in Canada would support changes to their current firearm legislation, according to a poll by Angus Reid Strategies. 52 per cent of respondents think a complete ban on handguns would be justified, since current regulations are not working and guns stolen from legal owners are being used in crimes.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Many adults in Canada would support changes to their current firearm legislation, according to a poll by Angus Reid Strategies. 52 per cent of respondents think a complete ban on handguns would be justified, since current regulations are not working and guns stolen from legal owners are being used in crimes.

Conversely, 40 per cent of respondents believe a complete ban would be unjustified, as it would affect law-abiding Canadians such as collectors and target shooters.

Canada’s gun registry—initiated in the 1990s as an effort to limit access to firearms—ran into severe operational problems and questions regarding its cost. In May 2006, auditor general Sheila Fraser calculated the decade-long expense of the program at $854 million U.S.

In late 2005, the Liberal party—led at the time by Paul Martin—called for a ban on handguns. Canada has more than 500,000 registered handguns, which are mainly handled by police, security guards, licensed target shooters and collectors.

Canadians renewed the House of Commons in January 2006. The Conservative party—led by Stephen Harper—received 36.3 per cent of the vote, and secured 124 seats in the 308-member lower house. Harper leads a minority administration after more than 12 years of government by the Liberal party.

In June 2006, public safety minister Stockwell Day tabled a legislative amendment to abolish the gun registry, saying, "We will focus on effective measures of tackling crime that will protect families and communities. Counting and tracking every long-gun in Canada has been ineffective and costly, and has distressed law-abiding taxpayers who must complete endless amounts of paperwork."

Polling Data

Some people have called for a complete ban on handguns in Canada. Which of these statements comes closer to your own point of view?

A complete ban would be justified, since current regulations are not working and guns stolen from legal owners are being used in crimes	52%
A complete ban would be unjustified, as it would affect law-abiding Canadians such as collectors and target shooters	40%
Not sure	8%

Source: Angus Reid Strategies

Methodology: Online interviews with 1,086 Canadian adults, conducted on Jul. 13 and Jul. 16, 2007. Margin of error is 3.0 per cent.

Other findings: 76 per cent of respondents think gun violence is a very or moderately serious problem in Canada; 55 per cent believe Canada’s gang problem is confined to specific areas and people; 87 per cent call for mandatory jail terms for crimes committed with firearms; 55 per cent think enacting a complete ban on handguns would be effective in reducing gun violence; 73 per cent would introduce new outreach programs to steer youth away from gangs; and 82 per cent would take action to stop illegal gun smuggling from the United States. In addition, 73 per cent of respondents want the Senate to ratify Bill C-10 (which seeks to increase mandatory minimum jail sentences for gun crimes) and 65 per cent want the upper house to ratify Bill C-35 (which calls for suspects charged with gun crimes to demonstrate to the court why they should be granted bail).

 

Complete Poll (PDF)

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