Lawyer takes aim at gun lobby rhetoric
"Strong gun control remains one of the core values that separate us from the United States," says Toronto lawyer Clayton Ruby in an excellent article in today's Globe and Mail.
I agree with most of what he says, but there is one claim that is too bold.
"Canada had only 149 gun murders in 2002, compared with more than 10,800 in the United States -- proof that controls on firearms are effective." Don't forget that the overall population of the U.S. is significantly larger, that there are many cultural mores at work and that even aside from these and other factors, correlation does not imply causation. In other words, this is not proof. Aside from that, I'd agree that gun control has a huge impact on the amount of crime that takes place using firearms.
I agree with most of what he says, but there is one claim that is too bold.
"Canada had only 149 gun murders in 2002, compared with more than 10,800 in the United States -- proof that controls on firearms are effective." Don't forget that the overall population of the U.S. is significantly larger, that there are many cultural mores at work and that even aside from these and other factors, correlation does not imply causation. In other words, this is not proof. Aside from that, I'd agree that gun control has a huge impact on the amount of crime that takes place using firearms.
