|
Members of Canadian Doctors for Protection from Guns share in the sorrow over the shooting of two teenage girls, a 15-year-old Montreal girl shot and killed in a vehicle, and a 14-year-old girl shot last night in her apartment in Toronto and in critical condition. We extend our sympathies. Our communities must be safe – especially for our children. These latest examples – and they are only the latest – of gun violence involving children must be a wake-up call to all Canadians. As physicians, we see these tragedies up close. It is devastating for everyone involved. No doctor wants to have to take a parent into the “quiet room” to explain to them their child has not survived the brutality of a bullet. No doctor wants to meet another parent who will never be themselves again because we as a society have failed their child. We cannot become immune to the headlines; we cannot let gun violence become the common occurrence it has been in the United States. These are shocking and unacceptable acts of gun violence that demand swift, comprehensive action from our political leaders at all levels of government and in all political parties. A multi-pronged approach that includes addressing the social determinants of health – poverty, racism, and education, among others, will save lives. We also know – the evidence is clear – that restricting access to guns and reducing their proliferation will save lives. No serious approach to addressing gun violence in Canada can ignore this.
Health workers try to heal the injured. Policy makers must do more to prevent these injuries. It is the least we must do for our children. -30- 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] Comments are closed.
|
RSS Feed
