Statement from Canadian Doctors for Protection from Guns on federal gun control announcement

​Canadian Doctors for Protection from Guns applauds today's announcement by Minister LeBlanc. These steps go a long way towards fulfilling the Liberal government's promise to close loopholes in the 2020 assault weapons ban, prevent new firearms with similar characteristics from entering the market, proceed with a buyback of such firearms, and reduce risks of firearm-related gender-based violence. 

Guns that can injure and kill many people in mere moments have no place in our society. A wide body of scientific literature tells us that laws restricting private access to firearms can protect our loved ones from preventable injury and death. A recent Canadian study further demonstrated this fact, wherein legislation from 13 different countries was studied for its impact on rates of homicides, suicides, femicides and mass shootings. The study found that "restrictive, national level bans without sunset provisions are the most effective way to reduce firearm mortality". Research also revealed that prevention-focused measures of revoking firearms or suspending gun licenses from those at high-risk may reduce suicides, mass shootings, and domestic violence.
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As physicians who have witnessed the devastating consequences of gun injury, we welcome these constructive, evidence-based steps that will make Canada safer. We urge all political parties to reject disinformation from the gun lobby and endorse these measures to protect the health and well-being of Canadians.

A major new Canadian study of firearm violence globally has found that national laws restricting access to guns save lives. Findings from this research reinforce the importance of recent federal gun control laws and can inform the public discourse as gun lobby groups and their political allies seek to discredit them. The study should also spark the federal Liberal government to finally follow through on its promise to close the loopholes in its 2020 assault weapons ban, proceed with a buyback of such firearms, and prevent new firearms with similar characteristics to the banned weapons from entering the market. 
 
“This latest study reinforces what the wide body of scientific literature and common sense has told us for decades, public laws that restrict private access to firearms prevent injury and death,” said Dr. Najma Ahmed, a trauma surgeon and Chair of Canadian Doctors for Protection from Guns (CDPG), and one of the many contributors to the study.   
 
As part of the research, legislation from 13 different countries was studied for its impact on rates of homicides, suicides, femicides and mass shootings. The study found that “restrictive, national level bans without sunset provisions are the most effective way to reduce reducing firearm mortality.” Research also revealed that prevention-focused measures of revoking firearms or suspending gun licenses from those at high-risk may reduce suicides, mass shootings, and domestic violence. Additional observations included the reduction of firearm violence linked to background checks, and reduction of suicides by firearm with policies restricting access to this type of lethal means.
 
Federal legislation passed in 2019, C-71, increased mandatory background checks for new firearm licenses from five years to lifetime checks. However, implementation of the Red Flag Law provision in 2021’s federal legislation C-21 remains in progress. CDPG calls on Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc to move forward on this critical measure.
 
“There was already good evidence, now enhanced by this study, that intervening to remove firearms from someone at risk of violence to themselves or others can be effective in saving lives,” said Dr. Julie Maggi, a psychiatrist and board member of CDPG, and a contributor to the study. “We hope this latest evidence will encourage the government to act expeditiously to implement the Red Flag Law.”
 
Gun lobby advocacy and disinformation continue to cloud the future of Canadian gun control laws, particularly given Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s promise to repeal recent federal measures such as a national freeze on handguns, stronger background checks, the Red Flag Law, and a ban on more than 1,500 types of semi-automatic assault-style weapons, guns Mr. Poilievre has claimed are regular “hunting rifles”.
 
Among the assault weapons the federal government has already banned through C-21 and the 2020 Order in Council are guns used in some of the worst mass shootings in Canada's history. These are firearms capable of killing many people in mere moments.
 
While our country may fare well compared with the United States, we rank 9th in firearm mortality among 36 nations of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Most mass shootings here are committed by legal gun owners or with guns diverted from legal sources, and RCMP Deputy Commissioner Mark Flynn noted in Senate Committee testimony on Bill C-21 that, regarding crime guns, “through our tracing efforts, 69 per cent of those firearms were deemed to have legally been imported or manufactured in Canada.”
 
“What this broad, international scope of evidence tells us is that policymakers need to follow the science in order to save lives from firearm violence,” said Dr. Matt Strickland, an Edmonton-based trauma surgeon and board member of CDPG. “What the experience from other countries also tells us is that it is possible to maintain hunting cultures and protect our loved ones from preventable injury and death.”
 
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About Canadian Doctors for Protection from Guns
Canadian Doctors for Protection from Guns (CDPG) is a grassroots organization concerned about the increasing public health impact of firearms. We represent physicians working in collaboration with nurses, paramedics, rehabilitation specialists, psychologists, researchers and other front-line health care professionals. We have all witnessed first-hand the emotional and physical trauma and devastation caused by guns. CDPG calls for a comprehensive public policy response to this crisis in our communities, including preventative tools to reduce gun use and their consequences on youth violence, domestic abuse, and suicide.
 
For more information, please contact:
Christopher Holcroft
Empower Consulting, for CDPG
416-996-0767
[email protected]
 

Bill C-21 [An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)] is a proposal for sensible gun control that will save lives.
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Toronto, May 30, 2022 – Canadian Doctors for Protection from Guns (CDPG) is welcoming the announcement of new firearm legislation by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Minister of Public Safety Marco Mendicino today as another important step in protecting public health and well-being. Entrenchment of the assault weapons ban, action on high-capacity magazines, and ending the purchase, transfer, and sale of new handguns across the country all reflect the advice from the health care community that these weapons are an unnecessary risk to our communities.

“Reducing access to handguns and banning assault weapons are evidence-based measures that will save lives,” said Dr. Najma Ahmed, co-Chair of CDPG and Professor of Surgery, Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto. "I was the on-call surgeon the night of the Danforth shooting in 2018, an act committed in Toronto with a handgun originating in Saskatchewan. I will never forget that night. My colleagues and I have seen too many lives cut short or forever changed by the bullet from a gun and it is why we created Canadian Doctors for Protection from Guns in 2019.”

Shortly after CDPG was formed, physicians and other health workers rallied in cities across the country to call for a national ban on handguns and assault weapons. More than 15 health care associations including the Canadian Medical Association have since echoed this call. Today’s announcement is a win for public health advocacy.

“Gun injury is a public health issue,” said Dr. Kirstin Weerdenburg, Pediatric Emergency Physician and Trauma Team Leader at IWK Health in Halifax. “I am proud of my colleagues such as Dr. David Mulder and Dr. Alan Drummond who have been advocating for action on gun control for decades.”
 
While there are many details to be reviewed in the legislation and this is undeniably an important step, there is much work left to do, including expanding direct federal support for community-led initiatives that address social determinants of gun violence – poverty and racism among them, and identifying new ways to reduce the smuggling of guns into Canada from the United States.

More than 75% of gun deaths in Canada are suicides and the science is very clear that restricting access to lethal means will save lives, particularly because most people who survive a suicide attempt do not try again, and the risk of a completed suicide with a gun is very likely. In addition, the arming of hate is an increasing cause for concern, as evidenced by the seizure of guns in Coutts, Alberta in February. We are concerned there is does not appear to be a clearer “red flag law” mechanism to quickly remove guns from someone who may be a risk to themselves or others in these contexts. We look forward to more direct engagement with Minister Mendicino on this subject.

CDPG has also advocated for a national firearms research and policy centre, a proposal that was the first recommendation in the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security’s report on gun control this spring. Unfortunately, this too is not included. While some of our members have contributed to recent, important studies on gun injury and death in Canada, the government and public would benefit from better understanding the full breadth of the issue and to study existing and potential policies that will save lives and reduce harm from guns. 

“The two most recent mass shootings in the United States – targeting the black community in Buffalo and children in Uvalde – are yet another wake-up call for Canadians to not only remain vigilant in our commitment to firearm restrictions but to work to strengthen policies and address social determinants that will reduce gun injury and death,” said Dr. Julie Maggi, CDPG co-founder and Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto.

While Canada’s rate of gun death is fortunately much lower than that of the United States, we compare much less favourably to other peer countries. In fact, our age-adjusted firearm mortality rate is 5th highest among 23 countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. It is why CDPG members will continue to advocate.
 
“Preventing gun injury and death is, or at least should be, a non-partisan issue,” said Dr. Elizabeth Varughese, Family Physician and Clinical Instructor, University of British Columbia. “We look forward to ongoing dialogue with this government and the opposition parties to protect public health and well-being.”

On this important day, Canadian Doctors for Protection from Guns recognizes the work of many other advocacy groups who have helped bring about the important changes made today, including PolySeSouvient, Danforth Families for Safe Communities, and the Coalition for Gun Control. We applaud their commitment.

Canadian Doctors for Protection from Guns is calling on the Liberal government to take bold action – and we need your help.

Please send your message to The Honourable Marco E. L. Mendicino, Minister of Public Safety, right away. 

Canada needs, urgently: 
• a national handgun ban 
• a “Red Flag” law 
• a national firearms research centre 
• community directed investments 
• the assault weapons ban enshrined in legislation

You may read our recommendations below and our full brief here:
https://www.ourcommons.ca/Content/Committee/441/SECU/Brief/BR11628358/br-external/CanadianDoctorsForProtectionFromGuns-e.pdf  ​