But surely that's just paranoia? If breakdown of society is a real threat then why don't other westernized countries allow their citizens to 'bear arms'. I understand what you are saying though & that whole way of thinking is so deeply ingrained in the Americans that it's probably a lost cause.

Canada is a slightly different kettle of fish though

Guns don't either. They are not purchased in Canada to enable the purchaser to shoot people, just as knives are not purchased to enable the purchaser to stab people.

You appear to accept this above.

Your argument appears to be: when people go crazy, a gun will enable them to shoot people. How is this different from: when people go crazy, a knife will enable them to kill people?

Your solution to the "gun" issue is to ban guns. Why argue otherwise for knives?

Eh? What practical purposes do guns have that people use in their everyday lives?

Warning post may offend some!

Canada is like a conjoined twin of America. It may want independence but attaining that independence has the potential to kill it.

Believe it or not there is a huge influx of tourism by Americans into Manitoba mainly for hunting, you ban guns they will no longer bring their hard earned cash north.

In terms of other Westernized countries, they are not true republics and therefore this is the fundamental difference between say the UK and the US.

To feed, to protect live stock, to protect foresters & to protect the nation.

There are more reasons but these are the major ones.

People that have them tend to shoot at things. 99.99999999999% of the time, they do not shoot at other people. They believe that they have good, practical uses. I accept that you don't.

Calgary's worst "mass murder" was recently performed with a knife.

What you are really saying is that you don't use them, so they should be banned? Go on, why don't you just admit it

Yes all very good reasons for a small minority of people to have them but what's the practical use for anyone else? Everyone uses knives, they are more of a tool than a weapon

In the western mentality you have no more rights than I do.

I can learn to fly - so can you.
I can learn to drive - so can you.
I can go to university - so can you.

We only take rights away from offenders, but you can't take my rights before I have done nothing wrong.

We may put cautionary measures in place before we allow you to practice something dangerous (such as a pilots license, a drivers license, a degree) but we can not stop you from applying yourself.

I never said they should be banned outright, I understand certain people need them, I just don't think they should be as freely available as they are. There is no need for the average person to own one, it has no practical use, & comparing it to knives (which everyone uses for reasons other than stabbing) is stupid. Guns are for shooting (not necessarily people) that is their only purpose, if you have no need to shoot anything you do not need one.

Yeah.

When was the last time someone killed 3 policemen and injured two with a knife?

The loony arguments are back.

I still can't believe IainK tried to bring cars in again.

The reality is most shootings are carried out by individuals who obtained their fire arms through legal means and were not criminals until that point.

If the law had been more restrictive or firearms weren't so readily available they'd have been reduced dramatically.

This forum's Gun lobbyists are yet to tell us why gun ownership is a good or important thing for society.

The criminal argument is rubbish.

The smoking and car argument beaten down to idiocy half a dozen times now.

Exactly so where's the harm in putting more measures in place for something that is also potentially dangerous.

Is shooting at targets a sufficient need? If not, why not?

Who are "average people"?

How freely available do you think they are? What further restrictions would you impose?

You may, or may not, be aware, that questions are asked of those applying for PALs relating to why they require guns. If an inappropriate answer is given, the PAL is not issued.

Are you posting in an inebriated state?

Shooting weapons is an activity that many regularly perform, from which few human fatalities result.

I suspect, but don't know, that as many injuries are inflicted with knives as with guns in Canada. I am confident that the purchasers of those knives were not "criminals" at the point of purchase.

Why shouldn't knives be banned?

Knives are important for food preparation and consumption.

Guns are for the insecure to feel they have the power to settle a score. Nothing more.

Again you are unlikely to kill 3 policeman with a knife they are simply not as dangerous.

Surely even you understand that?

See above