1. CONTROVERSY: Will gun control make us safe? Debunking the myths.

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

4. CONTROVERSY: Will gun control make us safe? Debunking the myths. Myth Number 1 Criminal violence means guns.

5. CONTROVERSY: Will gun control make us safe? Debunking the myths.

6. Criminal violence means guns? Violent Crimes (1994) TOTALWITH FIREARMS Homicide596196 [32%] Attempted murder918306 [33%] Assault236,3645,959 [3%] Sexual Assault31,69050 [< 1%] Other sexual offences3,8120 Abduction1,1300 Robbery28,8887,371 [26%] Total violent crimes 303,39818,204 [6% of violent crimes]

7. CONTROVERSY: Will gun control make us safe? Debunking the myths. Criminal violence means guns? Total deaths with firearms 1,031 100% Suicide with firearm 818 79% Murder with firearm 159 15% Firearm accident 45 5% Legal intervention 9 1% 1997 statistics

8. CONTROVERSY: Will gun control make us safe? Debunking the myths. Criminal violence means guns? Suicides (1997) Total suicides3,671 Firearms818 [22%]

9. CONTROVERSY: Will gun control make us safe? Debunking the myths. Criminal violence means guns? Accidental Deaths (1997) Total accidental deaths8,801 Motor vehicles3,042 Falls2,622 Surgical/medical misadventures193 Firearms45 [1%]

10. CONTROVERSY: Will gun control make us safe? Debunking the myths. Myth Number 2 Women are the victims of gun violence.

11. CONTROVERSY: Will gun control make us safe? Debunking the myths. Women are the victims? Homicide in Canada (1994) Total homicides596 – Involving a firearm196 [32%] Victims – Male398 [66%] – Female198 [33%] Spousal homicides85 – Women killed by conjugal intimate65 – Women killed by conjugal intimate w/firearm24 Source: Special request, Senator Anne Cools, her testimony to The Supreme Court of Canada

12. CONTROVERSY: Will gun control make us safe? Debunking the myths. Women are the victims? Homicide in Canada (1999) Total536 – Involving a firearm165 [30%] – Committed during another criminal offence152 Victims – Male67% – Female33% – Consumed alcohol/drugs38% – Known criminal record41% Accused – Consumed alcohol/drugs50% – Known criminal record62% – Previous conviction for violent offence60% – Known history of spousal violence74%

13. CONTROVERSY: Will gun control make us safe? Debunking the myths. Myth Number 3 Gun ownership leads to violence

14. CONTROVERSY: Will gun control make us safe? Debunking the myths. Gun ownership violence? Household Ownership of Firearms CITY/TOWN SIZEHANDGUNFIREARM Over 500,000 1% 11% 10,000 – 499,999 4% 24% Under 10,000 6% 44% Source: Mauser and Buckner (1995)

15. CONTROVERSY: Will gun control make us safe? Debunking the myths. Gun ownership violence? Regional Variations in Violent Crimes (1994) CANADA RURAL URBAN Total violent crimes95,993 9,74086,253 Involving firearms 5,929 370 5,559 Percent 6.2% 3.8% 6.4% Source:special request, Stats Can Incident-Based Survey [1995].

16. CONTROVERSY: Will gun control make us safe? Debunking the myths. Gun ownership violence? Urban and Rural Firearm Deaths in Canada (1991) CITY/TOWN SIZEHOMICIDE RATES Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver2.64 50,000 +2.15 49,999 – 10,0002.06 9,999 – 1,0001.68 Less than 1,0002.32 Source: Canadian Firearms Centre Report, Urban and Rural Firearm Deaths in Canada

17. CONTROVERSY: Will gun control make us safe? Debunking the myths. Myth Number 4 Guns are not used in self-defence in Canada

18. CONTROVERSY: Will gun control make us safe? Debunking the myths. Guns used in self-defence?

19. CONTROVERSY: Will gun control make us safe? Debunking the myths. Myth Number 5 Gun control keeps us safe.

20. CONTROVERSY: Will gun control make us safe? Debunking the myths. Gun control keeps us safe? Trends in handgun homicides in Canada (rates as percent of gun homicides and total homicides)

21. CONTROVERSY: Will gun control make us safe? Debunking the myths. 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. CONTROVERSY: Will gun control make us safe? Debunking the myths. 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. CONTROVERSY: Will gun control make us safe? Debunking the myths. 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. CONTROVERSY: Will gun control make us safe? Debunking the myths. 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

25. CONTROVERSY: Will gun control make us safe? Debunking the myths.

26. Gun control keeps us safe? Brief Summary of Evaluation Studies of Canadian Firearms Legislation Dependent Significant VariableEffect – Scarff (1983)Homicide rateYes – Sproule and Kennett (1988)Homicide rateNo – Mundt (1990)Homicide rateNo – Mundt (1990)Armed robbery rateNo – Mauser and Holmes (1992)Homicide rateNo – Mauser and Maki (1998)Armed robbery rateNo – Department of Justice (1996)Homicide rateYes

27. CONTROVERSY: Will gun control make us safe? Debunking the myths. Gun control keeps us safe? Evaluating 1977 Canadian Gun Legislation: Homicide Rate

28. CONTROVERSY: Will gun control make us safe? Debunking the myths. Gun control keeps us safe? Evaluating 1977 Canadian Gun Legislation: Robbery, Armed Robbery, and Robbery with Firearm

29. CONTROVERSY: Will gun control make us safe? Debunking the myths. US vs. Canada Comparison Sources: Juristat, "Homicide in 1992" vol.14, No 4. Crime in the United States1992, FBI

30. CONTROVERSY: Will gun control make us safe? Debunking the myths. Gun control keeps us safe?

31. CONTROVERSY: Will gun control make us safe? Debunking the myths. Gun control keeps us safe?

32. CONTROVERSY: Will gun control make us safe? Debunking the myths. Gun control keeps us safe?

33. CONTROVERSY: Will gun control make us safe? Debunking the myths. Gun control keeps us safe?

34. CONTROVERSY: Will gun control make us safe? Debunking the myths.

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