‘I am victim of their decision’: Advocates call on the federal government to do more on gun control

MONTREAL (CityNews) – Gun control groups calling on the federal government to improve gun laws amid a rash of shootings in Montreal.

PolySeSouvient is calling on the federal liberals to revise current gun control measures.

#WATCH: “I’m really afraid for my friends, my family and also for my kids,” says Polytechnique massacre survivor Nathalie Provost @Polysesouvient, on the recent spike in gun violence in Montreal. She says Canada isn’t doing enough on gun control and wants a ban on handguns. https://t.co/vfMwunZMw1 pic.twitter.com/7rVY5891xn

— Alyssia (@rubertuccinews) August 9, 2021

Montreal and Quebec joined forces in response to recent shootings, creating a dedicated police unit to reduce gun trafficking.

“Montreal and Quebec they are doing what they can, and Montreal is not alone,” explained PolySeSouvient spokesperson Nathalie Provost.

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“There’s things to do on a provincial and municipal level, but the law on firearms is a federal law.”

In 2020, Canada banned the sale of roughly 1,500 assault-style weapons, but have yet to implement a long-promised buy back program because of the pandemic.

Nathalie Provost was shot four times in the Polytechnique massacre where a gunman killed 14 women in 1989 at Montreal’s École Polytechnique.

She wants to see those guns rendered inoperable and also hopes to see the government move on banning the importation of handguns.

“Technically, a handgun is a restricted weapon. It should be very hard to get license to have one, but with the black market, with the access, with the internet you can buy and sell weapons.”

Marc Alain, a professor at Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières and criminology researcher told CityNews that guns are coming into Canada quite frequently.

“Our neighbouring countries, just outside the border, which is a very permeable border,” he explained. “There are more guns than people. Guns are criss-crossing the border all the time.”

#WATCH: “Gun violence is a symptom,” says Marc Alain, criminology researcher, on the flare up in Montreal. He says the best way to curb it is with community policing and moving to adopt preventative measures for future generations. @CityNewsMTL pic.twitter.com/SB8OyNo6cD

— Alyssia (@rubertuccinews) August 9, 2021

In Montreal, there have been several fatal gun incidents this summer.

On Aug. 2nd, three men were killed and two injured in Rivière des Prairies. A few days later, a 31-year-old Longueil man was killed in a shooting on the south shore.

READ MORE: ‘Enough is enough’: Montreal police promise action after shooting leaves three dead

The latest – a 22-year-old man fatally shot in the Villeray neighbourhood Sunday night.

READ MORE: Montreal police probe shooting death of man, 22, in north central neighbourhood

“Gun violence is a symptom of something that has been going on an on for years. Not much has been done,” Alain continued.

“As a matter of fact, what were seeing must be tackled down by police repression… It’s the preventive aspect of that situation.”

Along with prevention, many say improving legislation can ease the problem.

In June, Prime Minister Trudeau announced that Canada would implement Bill C71, which would require sellers to verify the validity of a firearms licence before selling a non-restricted firearm, like a rifle or shotgun.

Meantime, Provost is demanding more of the next government in relation to gun control and violence.

“I am victim of their decision. And each year we don’t do something, it’s more complex to reinstate new controls because there’s more and more and more handguns, restricted weapons, in the streets.”