Should Canada pass a handgun ban to fight gun violence?
Three kids shot at 1st birthday party in Etobicoke, June 20  Just this week, in the Bronx, a man shot another man at point blank range, even though the victim was in the company of two young children. Miraculously, the kids were able to flee for their lives. Well, Toronto, we exceeded this enormity, right here in Etobicoke, Ford Nation country, bullet for bullet and limb for bloodied limb. Ontarians should know that in Justin Trudeau, we have a prime minister who is not serious enough about getting guns off city streets, especially handguns, and that on the subject of guns, Doug Ford is a complete fool, determined to overrule Toronto efforts to meet this scourge with a municipal ban of our own. Lets reflect on Supt. Ron Taveners report, that the victims included an 11-year-old boy, a five-year-old girl, a 23-year-old man shot in the legs and a one-year-old grazed by a gun shot. But lets reject Taverners remark: Unbelievable that this type of thing should happen.  It is totally believable, even predictable. If we dont hold our leaders feet to the fire, things will get even worse. Dr. Ron Charach, Toronto  These kids are supposed to be eating ice cream, June 21  The problem is for Canadians that this should not be beyond comprehension, because we see versions of this on television from the U.S. every day, where guns are seen as right and the solution to gun violence; if you are afraid of being shot, buy a gun to defend yourself! They fail to explain how children buy guns and defend themselves. What is beyond comprehension is why we allow this to happen in Canada. All Canadian politicians must support actions to stop this before one more child is caught in the crossfire from the guns of people who dont care who gets shot. Keith Parkinson, Cambridge, Ont. All-in against gun violence, June 22  What an irresponsible statement in this editorial! We know, of course, that a ban on legal guns doesnt magically rid us of the illegal ones, but it does reduce the overall number than can fall into the wrong hands by accident, theft or intent.  Show me the statistics that handguns owned by licensed, trained sport, target and competitive shooters are used by criminals! The shooting community is extremely careful how they store and transport their firearms. Criminals, by nature, do not obey the laws of the land. Passing a handgun ban will only affect the law-abiding citizens of this country, whose only sin is to enjoy a shooting sport. Go after the smugglers and criminal use of firearms and leave the legal sport-shooters alone.