Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to present a petition pursuant to Standing Order 36 on behalf of quite a number of constituents from the greater Kamloops area.
The petitioners point out the concern Canadians have regarding violent crime and violence on our streets. Polls indicate that 90% of Canadians do not believe stricter gun control laws will actually prevent more violent crimes. The petitioners point out a number of studies which show that while violence has been a problem, stricter gun control laws have been ineffective in changing anything. The petitioners also point out that in 1997 the RCMP investigated over 88,000 cases regarding violent crimes and only .08% involved the use of firearms.
The petitioners are suggesting that Bill C-68 which is obviously costing hundreds of millions of dollars is a wasted piece of legislation and the government should be doing a number of other things which they articulate in terms of more effective ways to fight crime.