I think some posters have correctly identified the source of our divisions and acrimonious debates is a characterization of alternative viewpoints as "them" verses "us" - instead of having respectful, constructive dialogue on the content of an alternative viewpoint. Just the language "left wing ideals" serves to further enforce that divide; helping keep the apparent 2 sides apart. I guess the questions I would ask would be:
- Whom is served keeping this divide apart?, and
- How do we negate this diversionary tactic of divide and conquer?
Wrt the topic of gun control legislation - I would suggest that all governments seem to want more control at the top end. That includes especially the US and it's ever-increasing restrictions and propaganda over muslims and immigration - but also Canada as well.
Ever since the Lepine massacre at the Polytechnique in Montreal on Dec. 6 in 1989 - that was a convenient excuse to bring in more restrictive and ill-conceived legislation; such as registering long arms. Many of the safe storage regulations were already in effect BEFORE the massacre. Order of Canada, and Order of the White Rose were handed-out to gun control supporters after the shooting. I don't remember any farmers from Western Canada getting an Order of Canada after traveling and parking their combines on the front lawn of the Parliament Buildings opposing further restrictive gun laws. I don't remember anyone calling for more mental health services neither - nor tracking what potentially caused Mark Lepine to do what he did. Interestingly, Nathalie Provost (one of the appointees above) was quoted as saying: “
Marc Lépine was deeply in pain, and we never heard his pain or listened to it, and that made him become the man that he was”.
Instead, Government and criminal justice officials feared that extensive public discussion about the massacre would
cause pain to the families and lead to antifeminist violence. As a result, a public inquiry was not held.
Instead, Heidi Rathjen, a student who was in one of the classrooms Lépine did not enter during the shooting, organized the Coalition for Gun Control with Wendy Cukier. Their activities, along with others, led to the passage of Bill C-68, or the
Firearms Act, in 1995, ushering in stricter gun control regulations.
Obviously divide and conquer has worked well with the federal government and the head of the RCMP on this topic. The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police and the Canadian Police Association seem to think they should be the only ones needing firearms in this country.
http://www.torontosun.com/2013/03/1...-appointees-stand-apart-from-their-colleagues
http://news.nationalpost.com/news/c...al-firearms-approval-back-to-rcmp-bureaucrats
https://www.liberal.ca/realchange/guns/
http://www.cufoa.ca/
Obviously, the committee needs to hear from normal, less-urban people (not just Montrealites and Liberal supporters) to whom a gun is a tool like a fishing rod or a chainsaw - and so do anti gun proponents. They need to be called out on their tactics of divide and conquer, and this discussion needs to happen out in the public - and not behind closed doors. I would suggest everyone concerned about this issue to stay on top of it and give input, and demand to see minutes of the meetings from:
The Honourable Ralph Goodale
Minister of Public Safety
House of Commons Ottawa,
Ontario Canada K1A 0A6
Telephone: 613-947-1153
Fax: 613-996-9790
Email:ralph.goodale@parl.gc.ca
Web Site:ralphgoodale.ca
Scott Bardsley
Office of the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
269 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa, Canada K1A 0P8
613-998-5681
Cory Pike
Director of Issues Management & Regional Affairs,
Office of the Minister at Public Safety Canada
269 Laurier Avenue, West
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0P8
Telephone : 613-991-2924
Marci Surkes
Chief of Staff at Office of the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness,
Public Safety Canada
269 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0P8
613-991-2924
Media Relations
Public Safety Canada
613-991-0657
MICHAEL COOPER
Official Opposition Deputy Critic for Justice
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6
613-996-4722
613-995-8880
MP@michaelcoopermp.ca
Hon. Rob Nicholson (Niagara Falls)
Conservative Justice Critic
147 Confederation Building
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
Tel: 613-995-1547
Fax: 613-992-7910
E-mail:
Rob.Nicholson@parl.gc.ca
Web Site:
www.robnicholson.ca
Mike Farnworth MLA
Provincial NDP Justice (Public Safety and Solicitor General) Critic
107A - 2748 Lougheed Hwy,
Port Coquitlam,
V3B 6P2
604-927-2088
mike.farnworth.mla@leg.bc.ca
Murray Rankin MP
Justice and Attorney General critic for the NDP
1057 Fort Street
Victoria, BC V8V 3K5
250-363-3600
murray.rankin@parl.gc.ca