Conservative Party of Quebec leader says a long-gun registry is a waste of money, and authorities would be better off going to sources of illegal guns.
Éric Duhaime said authorities need to crack down on proliferation of illegal arms, suggesting that they raid Aboriginal reserves to do so.
Speaking on Quebec City’s Radio X about Quebec’s plans to establish a long-gun registry, the Conservative Party of Quebec leader said it is a waste of money, and the province should lay off legal gun owners and go to the sources of the illegal gun trade.
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“The problem with crime isn’t the registry. We have to have laws against criminals, and leave hunters and farmers alone,” Duhaime told a caller on Wednesday afternoon. “But the problem with the political class is that it’s always easier to attack honest hunters and honest farmers than to attack bandits, or to go to Aboriginal reserves where there is illegal arms trade. Illegal arms are more dangerous than hunters or farmers who have guns, like pretty much all farmers.”
He said more pressure has to be put on border protective services to crack down on arms coming over the border.
“We have to ensure that illegal arms stop,” he said. “When you look at the crimes that occur, all the murders committed with firearms were all committed with illegal arms.”
The day started with a report about CAQ candidate Jean Boulet saying that “80 per cent of immigrants go to Montreal, do not work, do not speak French or do not adhere to the values of Quebec society.”
Later, François Legault said that admitting more than 50,000 immigrants a year into the province would be “suicidal” for Quebec.
“It’s not the first time. It’s not just Mr. Boulet — it’s the premier himself, who equated immigrants with violence. We’re all concerned,” Duhaime told reporters.
“At some point, we have to wonder: Is it really a mistake, or are they trying to send a mixed signal? It has come to the point that the premier can’t even talk about immigration because he’s making mistakes. Obviously, the CAQ has a problem with immigration, and that’s what we see right now.”
This story will be updated.
jmagder@postmedia.com
twitter.com/jasonmagder
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