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P.A. mayor calls for review of provincial gun licensing laws

Jan 19, 2018 | 7:00 AM

The Mayor of Prince Albert plans to write a strongly worded letter to the provincial government, urging a review of the province’s gun licensing laws.

The move comes following a break-in this week at a downtown city business. An undisclosed number of handguns were stolen from Arnie’s Guns and Archery early Wednesday morning.

Greg Dionne said the gun theft raises serious safety concerns for the general public as well as the men and women on the police force. Acknowledging gun store robberies have happened in other cities as well, Dionne plans to bring the issue to the next Board of Police Commissioners meeting.

“It’s not unique to us, but now that it has affected us we are a little more aggressive because we want to make sure people are protected,” he said.

Dionne also wanted to be a lot more proactive at the local level. He said he will request an investigation into the gun store that was robbed to make sure they were complying with the regulations of their license.

“I know there are certain restrictions on how you are supposed to store [guns] and keep them safe. I know personally you have to have your guns at home in one place and the ammunition somewhere else, and the guns have to be locked up and secured,” Dionne said.

Ward 7 Councillor Dennis Nowoselsky sits on the Board of Police Commissioners with Dionne. He said he would support Dionne’s letter, but adds more could be done locally.

“I am supportive of reviewing it but my key thing is we gotta deal with the deep problems, you know, why are the property offences so high,” he said.

Nowoselsky said the city has a big problem with addictions and people stealing to support their habit. He said the city needs to do a better job building the economic base to help create jobs.

“Part of the reason for crime is poverty. People start to steal when you live on the edge and the addiction issue is a community issue. I’ve never seen so many arrests for intoxicated people,” he said.

The next scheduled meeting of the Board of Police Commissioners is Feb. 26, but Dionne hinted a meeting could happen sooner as the board is also in the process of hiring a new police chief.

 

nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell