3. Gun Control Telling the Emperor he has no clothes Political marketing
Academic freedom
The NRA and methodology
September 11th opened eyes
Terrorists, not gun owners

4. Criminal violence means guns.
Myth Number 1
Criminal violence means guns.

6. Criminal violence means guns?
Violent Crimes (1994)
TOTAL WITH FIREARMS
Homicide [32%]
Attempted murder [33%]
Assault 236,364 5,959 [3%]
Sexual Assault 31, [< 1%]
Other sexual offences 3,812 0
Abduction 1,130 0
Robbery 28,888 7,371 [26%]
Total violent crimes 303, ,204 [6% of violent crimes]

7. Criminal violence means guns?
Total deaths with firearms 1, %
Suicide with firearm %
Murder with firearm %
Firearm accident %
Legal intervention %
1997 statistics

8. Criminal violence means guns?
Suicides (1997)
Total suicides 3,671
Firearms 818 [22%]

9. Criminal violence means guns?
Accidental Deaths (1997)
Total accidental deaths 8,801
Motor vehicles 3,042
Falls 2,622
Surgical/medical misadventures
Firearms [1%]

10. Women are the victims of gun violence.
Myth Number 2
Women are the victims of gun violence.

11. Women are the victims? Homicide in Canada (1994) Total homicides 596
Involving a firearm 196 [32%]
Victims
Male [66%]
Female [33%]
Spousal homicides
Women killed by conjugal intimate 65
Women killed by conjugal intimate w/firearm 24 Source: Special request, Senator Anne Cools, her testimony to The Supreme Court of Canada

12. Women are the victims? Homicide in Canada (1999) Total 536 Victims
Involving a firearm [30%]
Committed during another criminal offence 152
Victims
Male %
Female %
Consumed alcohol/drugs 38%
Known criminal record 41%
Accused
Consumed alcohol/drugs 50%
Known criminal record 62%
Previous conviction for violent offence 60%
Known history of spousal violence 74%

13. Gun ownership leads to violence
Myth Number 3
Gun ownership leads to violence

14. Gun ownership violence?
Household Ownership of Firearms
CITY/TOWN SIZE HANDGUN FIREARM
Over 500, % %
10,000 – 499, % %
Under 10, % %
Source: Mauser and Buckner (1995)

15. Gun ownership violence?
Regional Variations in Violent Crimes
(1994)
CANADA RURAL URBAN
Total violent crimes 95, ,740 86,253
Involving firearms 5, ,559
Percent % % %
Source:special request, Stats Can Incident-Based Survey [1995].

16. Gun ownership violence?
Urban and Rural Firearm Deaths
in Canada (1991)
CITY/TOWN SIZE HOMICIDE RATES
Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver 2.64
50,
49,999 – 10,
9,999 – 1,
Less than 1,
Source: Canadian Firearms Centre Report, Urban and Rural Firearm Deaths in Canada

17. Guns are not used in self-defence in Canada
Myth Number 4
Guns are not used in self-defence in Canada

18. Guns used in self-defence?

19. Gun control keeps us safe.
Myth Number 5
Gun control keeps us safe.

20. Gun control keeps us safe?
Trends in handgun homicides in Canada (rates as percent of gun homicides and total homicides)

21. Gun control keeps us safe?
History of gun law in Canada
1935
handguns registered
1977
required a police permit to purchase a firearm [Firearms Acquisition Certificate]
ban a large variety of weapons, including fully automatic firearms
eliminated protection of property as a legitimate reason for registering handguns
introduced penalty for “unsafe storage” of firearms
introduced requirements for Firearms and Ammunition Business Permits

22. Gun control keeps us safe?
1991
registration of semi-automatic military-style rifles
ban of converted automatic rifles
ban of high-capacity magazines
ban of “non-sporting” ammunition
new FAC requirements: applicants have to:
complete the firearm safety course,
Fill out the long application form (35 questions),
provide a passport-type photograph
obtain two references (one a wife or spouse)
mandatory 28-day waiting period
increased regulations for firearms dealers
specific regulations for safe storage, handling and transportation of firearms
introduction of firearm safety course for FAC applicants

23. Gun control keeps us safe?
1995
prohibition and confiscation of over half of all registered handguns (so called “Saturday Night Specials”)
introduction of firearms owners licences
POL – Possession Only Licence
PAL – Possession and Acquisition Licence
new requirements for PAL: applicants have to:
have separate rifle and handgun safety courses
fill out the long application form (35 questions)
provide a passport-type photograph
obtain two references (Plus spouse or former spouse)
new stricter regulations for safe storage, handling and transportation of firearms

24. Gun control keeps us safe?
1995 (continued)
regulation of shooting clubs, shooting ranges, and gun shows
new regulations for export and import of firearms
broadening of police powers of “search and seizure”
suspects of Firearms Act required to testify against themselves
licensing of firearm owners
January 2003
All firearms required to be registered

26. Gun control keeps us safe?
Brief Summary of Evaluation Studies of Canadian Firearms Legislation Dependent Significant Variable Effect
Scarff (1983) Homicide rate Yes
Sproule and Kennett (1988) Homicide rate No
Mundt (1990) Homicide rate No
Mundt (1990) Armed robbery rate No
Mauser and Holmes (1992) Homicide rate No
Mauser and Maki (1998) Armed robbery rate No
Department of Justice (1996) Homicide rate Yes

27. Gun control keeps us safe?
Evaluating 1977 Canadian Gun Legislation: Homicide Rate

28. Gun control keeps us safe?
Evaluating 1977 Canadian Gun Legislation: Robbery, Armed Robbery, and Robbery with Firearm

29. US vs. Canada Comparison
Sources: Juristat, "Homicide in 1992" vol.14, No 4.
Crime in the United States1992, FBI

30. Gun control keeps us safe?

31. Gun control keeps us safe?

32. Gun control keeps us safe?

33. Gun control keeps us safe?

35. Conclusions Ready, aim, fire Fire, aim, ready Fear and freedom
Cultural diversity
Thanks to Nora and Ted Sterling