Alice Wong, MP

Due to multiple media requests to comment on Bill C-391, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Firearms Act (repeal of long-gun registry), MP Alice Wong is making the following statement:

“On September 22, the House of Commons voted 153-151 to accept a recommendation from the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security to not proceed any further with Bill C-391 – a bill that would have repealed the Long Gun Registry. Along with 150 other members of parliament, I voted against this motion as I wanted to see Bill C-391 come back to the House of Commons for third reading.

There has been some misunderstanding, even among members of the media, that this bill would scrap the firearms registry in its entirety. This is not true, as it would only exempt non-restricted firearms such as hunting rifles from registration. Restricted firearms, such as handguns, would still require mandatory registration.

Although I personally received minimal correspondence from constituents either for or against Bill C-391, nevertheless I supported it since I still believe the Long Gun Registry is an onerous bureaucratic burden on those who use firearms for recreational purposes. It has come at great cost to the taxpayer and its effectiveness is highly questionable.

At the same time, it is important to emphasize that whether firearms of any type are registered or not, there are strict laws governing their usage in Canada. The Conservative government has been and remains focused on enacting tough laws for criminals, especially those that use guns to commit criminal acts.

As an example, in the last Parliament the government introduced the Tackling Violent Crime Act, which included minimum sentences for crimes involving firearms. In the last session, Parliament passed into law Bill C-14, which introduced three new offenses for reckless discharges of firearms. In addition, for this session the government has seven new bills to help catch criminals and keep them off our streets.

No matter what the status of the firearm registry is, we will be tough on criminals, whether they choose to commit their crimes with firearms or not.”

As autumn is nearly upon us, many Canadians will escape the cold weather by traveling to sunnier and warmer climates, including Mexico. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has just issued the following warning to entering Mexico by land (attached below). Please note you can read the full travel report for Mexico at this link.

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Thinking of travelling overland to Mexico? Think again!

Please note that the Government of Canada has just issued an official warning against non-essential travel to the border areas between the United States and Mexico, due to continuing high levels of violence linked to drug trafficking.

Canadians should avoid crossing Mexico’s northern border by land, as shootouts, attacks, and roadblocks may occur at any time. Criminals especially target SUVs and full-size pickup trucks for theft and carjacking along highways of the states of Nuevo León, Tamaulipas, Baja California, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Sonora, and Sinaloa. Travellers are advised to reconsider their need to travel to these border states. They should do so only if it is absolutely necessary and after making appropriate arrangements to ensure their personal safety.

To help you prepare for a safe trip, be sure to consult the Travel Report for Mexico on the Consular Services website at www.travel.gc.ca, or call 1-800-267-6788 (in Canada and the United States) or 613-944-6788.

RICHMOND, British Columbia, September 16, 2010 – On behalf of the Honourable Gary Lunn, Minister of State (Sport), Alice Wong, Member of Parliament (Richmond), today confirmed the Government of Canada’s contribution to the Canadian Wheelchair Sports Association in support of the 2010 World Wheelchair Rugby Championships, which run from September 17 to 26 in Richmond, British Columbia.

“The Government of Canada is proud to support the 2010 World Wheelchair Rugby Championships, which will once again showcase our Richmond Olympic Oval,” said Ms. Wong. “By bringing together the world’s best players from 12 countries, this event will provide participants and spectators alike with an outstanding opportunity to enjoy the highest level of competition. If you have not seen this sport, you are missing some of the best athletes in the world.”

“Our Canadian athletes are so proud to be showcasing their sport on home soil. They play fast, aggressive, hard-hitting wheelchair rugby and want nothing more than to be wearing gold and singing O Canada at the closing ceremonies,” said Catherine Cadieux, Executive Director of the Canadian Wheelchair Sports Association.

Originally called “murderball” by its Canadian inventors, wheelchair rugby has evolved into one of the most exhilarating Paralympic sports.

The Government of Canada believes that participation in sport is part of a healthy lifestyle and contributes to a healthy society. Hosting international sport events gives Canada the opportunity to showcase our country to athletes and spectators from all over the world.

The Government of Canada is the single largest contributor to sport in Canada and supports participation and excellence from the playground to the podium. A contribution of $250,000 was provided to the 2010 World Wheelchair Rugby Championships through Sport Canada’s Hosting Program.

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For more information (media only), please contact:

Vanessa Schneider
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Gary Lunn, P.C., M.P.
Minister of State (Sport)
819-934-1122
vanessa.schneider@pch.gc.ca

Media Relations
Canadian Heritage
819-994-9101
1-866-569-6155
media@pch.gc.ca