Michael Den Tandt is editor of the Sun Times in Owen Sound and a national affairs columnist for Sun Media. This is what he has to say about the long gun registry.
What a puerile analysis of such a complicated issue.
He fails to mention the fourteen women killed in the Montreal massacre nor the four mounties slain in Mayerthorpe Alberta.
He fails to ponder on the fact that a lot of the cost in setting up the registry was probably due to the obstructive tactics of long gun owners.
He fails to explain why he is ignoring the appeal by the Chiefs of Police to leave the registry in place.
He does not examine what is at the bottom of all this. In my view, it is the influence of the American Constitutions's Second Amendment which "protects an individual's right to possess a firearm unconnected with service in a militia, and to use that arm for traditionally lawful purposes, such as self-defense within the home". The American fear of being without a gun has rubbed off on Canadians. Long gun owners are afraid that gradually their long guns, by a thousand cuts, will be taken away from them.
Finally den Tandt has failed to offer some middle ground. I will do it for him. It is my belief that local sportsmen's associations, for example the Sydenham Sportsman's Association, could very responsibly and very competently contract to look after all aspects of the long gun registry for their particular area. I understand that they would be very wary of doing so but on the other hand we should start the dialogue.
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