There has been a lot of debate recently in Canada on the issue of gun control. The Canadian Parliament enacted the Firearms Act to strengthen gun control by requiring gun owners to register their firearms. Just recently, the Alberta government brought forward a charge, involving five other provinces and numerous pro-gun groups, complaining that the law is unconstitutional and interferes with provincial jurisdiction. They also claim the act violates property and civil rights guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Parliament maintains that the Canadian government has the right to protect public safety. Pro-gun control organizations, police chiefs and the City of Toronto also support the firearms law. The Canadian government's adoption of the Firearms Act is legitimately constitutional and falls within the jurisdiction of Parliament as it seeks only to protect the well-being of Canadians. Furthermore, this legislation does not interfere with provincial jurisdiction because it represents all the rights of Canada. Canadian law requiring the licensing and registration of firearms has been in place since the 1930s. The new statute, enacted in 1995 is currently the subject of heated debate, the act extends licensing and registration requirements to shotguns and rifles. Wendy Cukier, president of the Coalition for Gun Control, says, "More Canadians are killed with rifles and shotguns than with handguns every year." The ultimate aim of the law according to the government is to reduce firearms crime and violent crime, including murder. Additionally, Cukier believes the real issue is saving lives, as licensing and registration help make gun owners more responsible. He also points to a list of children killed by guns: a boy killed at a birthday party, a third-grader shot while his twin played with a rifle. Gun control advocates might also highlight some other incidents involving firearms, including the 1989 massacre at Montreal's Ecole Polytechnique that took the lives of fourteen women and the recent school shooting that killed a fifteen-year-old student years. Ironically, the shooting occurred at a high school in Taber, Alberta, the same province that is waging a fight to have its gun laws unconstitutional. On February 21 and 22 of this year, the Supreme Court of Canada was asked to rule on whether ...... middle of paper ...... legitimate recreational activities; and firearms are the tools of some trades. At the same time, guns are intimidating; mutilation of weapons; and weapons kill. It is precisely because of this paradox that firearms are used for both good and evil that controversy surrounds government gun control efforts. “It is clear that the new firearms legislation is aimed only at the best interests of Canadian citizens. Public safety and welfare undoubtedly take precedence over traditional gun culture. Firearms advocates' argument that licensing and registering firearms will turn them into criminals is invalid since firearms have the potential to seriously injure and kill people and therefore should be treated with caution and special care. The Firearms Act enacted by the Government of Canada should be viewed as a positive concept and not as a law that invades property and civil rights. The reason Canada is a safe country is due to our strict gun control laws. Furthermore, if this statute were declared..