The Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ) adopts a “disappointing” stance on gun control, decides the PolySeSouvient collective, which took advantage of the election campaign to question the various parties on their commitments in this regard.
As many organizations do when an election is announced, PolySeSouvient sent a list of four questions to the five main parties “to inform Quebecers concerned about public safety. »
Basically, the collective asked what each party was going to do to reduce or eliminate handguns in Quebec (for example with a buy-back program), if they would allow the police to intervene all along the “iron pipeline” through which illegal handguns from the United States transit, whether he will “proactively” support an amendment to Bill C-21 to ensure a total ban on assault weapons in Canada, and finally whether he will ensure compliance with the Firearms License Act to an acceptable level of at least 95%.
If the Conservative Party of Quebec did not even deign to respond, the CAQ sent a text explaining its position, without answering the four questions, indicated in an interview Nathalie Provost, spokesperson for the PolySeSouvient collective.
The issue of legal weapons
According to the text submitted, the CAQ wants to “prioritize only the fight against illegal trafficking”, with police personnel, ignoring all crimes committed using legal handguns, such as the tragedies at the Quebec City mosque, in Concordia, Dawson College, Metropolis and many others, deplores the organization.
“It’s not just a problem of illegal weapons,” hammered Mme Provost. In addition, the government of François Legault seems to abdicate its leadership and leave everything in the hands of Ottawa, she noted.
“I’m flabbergasted,” she exclaims: if the CAQ is re-elected to power, it’s the party that will be struggling with armed violence in Montreal, and that will have to respond to the population.
The Minister of Public Security, Geneviève Guilbault, however, has asked Ottawa on more than one occasion to act more forcefully at the border to prevent illegal weapons from entering the country.
“It’s just a request,” replied M.me Provost, sharp that “the CAQ does not go far enough. »
To opposition parties
PolySeSouvient therefore believes that only opposition parties in the National Assembly are committed to improving arms control.
With three commitments out of four, Québec solidaire (QS) was “very courageous”, says Mme Provost. However, he did not want to promise intervention on the “iron pipeline”.
The Parti Québécois and the Liberal Party have taken a similar position: the Collective analyzes that with their responses, they have not made clear commitments on the iron pipeline or to reduce or eliminate the number of legal handguns. in Quebec.
However, these three parties are committed to supporting the strengthening of the federal bill (C-21) so that all military-style assault weapons are prohibited and to taking action to increase compliance with the Quebec gun registry.
If the CAQ is returned to power, PolySeSouvient intends to request a meeting with members of the government to discuss with them the issues raised by legal weapons.
If the election campaign started with issues of armed violence, the subject has hardly made the headlines since.