Mayor of P.A. promises gun return program as licensing discussion heats up

“We know this is an issue, people are breaking in and trying to steal these guns so they can cut them down. We want to encourage people, if they’re not using these guns, bring them in and we’ll destroy them for you,” Dionne said. He added council still needed to work with the province to make this initiative a reality.

Meanwhile the debate continues over possibly making the licensing and storage of guns even stricter. In the immediate aftermath of the robbery of the gun store Wednesday Dionne told paNOW that he was urging the province for a review of gun licensing laws and would be asking for an investigation of the store to make sure they were complying with all their license regulations.

“I know personally that you have to have your guns at home in one place and the ammunition somewhere else, and they have to be locked, with trigger guards …there are so many restrictions,” Dionne said.

However, callers to Talk Back did not seem overly excited about tougher storage and licensing requirements.

One caller questioned if law abiding citizens were somehow being held responsible for the criminal acts of others.

“With all these vehicle thefts he [the mayor] is saying it’s the owners’ problem because they leave property in the vehicle [which] tempts the thief. Now you’re talking it’s the gun shop’s problem because they got robbed?”

Another called to say “my TV is in my window and so I’m welcoming people to come into my house and steal my TV? No. My guns are my business; they’re in my home.”

And another called for gun owners to be left alone.

“Hunters and stuff aren’t the guys who are going and doing these robberies and crime …it’s the criminals. Leave the gun owners alone.”

With files from Nigel Maxwell and Glenn Hicks

brandon.graziano@jpbg.ca

by Brandon Graziano

Mayor of P.A. promises gun return program as licensing discussion heats up

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