Musings —09.05.2021 08:22 AM
—30-second spot. Female narrator. Quiet soundtrack. Grainy images of bodies being wheeled away.
Here’s the script.
“This is the Ruger Mini.
It was used to murder 14 women in Montréal.
It was used to murder 22 people in Nova Scotia. 36 Canadians.
Justin Trudeau wants to ban it.
Erin O’Toole wants to keep it around.
On September 20, remember those 36 Canadians. Be their voice.
On September 20, vote Liberal.”
Please, Warren. Any Ruger available in Canada is a 5-shot semi-automatic. Not an automatic rifle. Not a 20-round rifle either.
The ones used in the murders were smuggled in from the US. Handguns killed way more than 36 people. Gangs.
I don’t own a gun. I don’t like guns. I don’t like Liberal bullshit wedge issues either.
Fred,
You see, you’re like a plurality of people, honest and willing to forthrightly put out the facts and present them as they are. Himself is the absolute opposite of that and his war room is a clear reflection of that. They think they’ve finally found the wedge that will reverse the polling trend and save their ass. They don’t deserve to be re-elected, much less to get a majority but that is beside the point if this wedge issue catches fire with women in general and gun-control advocates in particular.
Ronald – folks just don’t get it – too busy chasing their own tail on this issue – that’s not the point – Con’s had a cakewalk first 2 weeks and just gave the Libs an issue that resonates – big fail – didn’t have to do it
Lawrence,
Absolutely. No argument from me.
We could argue that the party is the party and a future government would be the government — but at this point, that point is pretty much moot.
Don’t agree with the content. Not one bit. Its ludicrous at this stage to suggest that Justin would ever do something serious about gun control.
But I totally agree that fence sitting, low attention span, Joe and Jane Frontporch would believe it. The strategy and the language used here would make this an effective wedge issue.
He pledged to maintain a ban on assault weapons.
Nobody proposed banning the automobile on account of that guy in Toronto who ran people over a couple years ago.
What is he supposed to do? Every time the Liberals propose to ban this or that thing O’Toole is supposed to go along with it? Is symbolic policy always good policy?
EKOS: Conservatives +6
Mainstreet: Conservatives +3
Abacus: Conservatives +1
“The Liberal government has tried to decrease gun crime by spending billions to take people’s guns away. People who aren’t criminals. People who live on the frontier, outside the protective reach of the RCMP.
They have failed. They’ve had 5 years to shit or get off the pot, and in the meantime more people have died (insert politically-inflated number here).
Be the voice of the (insert number again) people that the Liberals could have saved if only they had listened to the RCMP at the outset.
Close the border. Stop the gangs.
And quit making it look like you give a fuck about anything but your trust fund.”
Fixed it.
When you’re ahead, you do everything humanly possible to hold the lead to election day. Ignoring this risks a collapse in polling and overall support. Team O’Toole needs to remember that.
Some leaders would take the chance and ignore this. Were I a party leader, there’s no way in hell that I’d let sleeping dogs lie. It’s a nuclear option and therefore must be immediately effectively neutralized.
Nanos: Conservatives +1
I was in Carleton University writing my Human Genetics & Evolution Biology exam when those 36 women were murdered. As soon as I got home after the exam the news had broke about the Montreal slaughter which has scarred our country for decades.
Most of my classmates in Experimental Psychology were women whereby males were a small minority. School was never the same after that infamous night.
What Canadians have yet to address is the knee jerk behaviour of males that resort to violence as a means of attempting to solve their own text book Psychopathy.
Male violence throughout society is the real problem of socialization that is never addressed.
Lastly, my Biology professor was female as were myriad of my professors back in the 90s.
RW
Edit: I meant to write 14 instead of 36.
RW
You can ban drugs from your home, but that won’t stop your kids from using drugs that they can easily find. I know I tried that. Banning drugs solves nothing as we have seen.
Banning guns solves nothing. It’s just hubris!
People who shoot with guns are either criminals, or have mental issues. The former need better rehab, while the latter need better care.
Honestly, the only way O’Toole loses the election at this point is if he gets caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy. No one cares about guns in Canada, we don’t perceive ourselves as having the same issue with them as the crazy yanks.
Don’t worry if you use a gun to commit a crime, Justin’s Liberals will reduce your sentence and make it easier for you to get parole.
JPB,
If it’s a true case of self-defence, then I’m on board 100%. And I remain a proud progressive red tory.
Justin Trudeau has had six years to ban the Ruger Mini. How many more years does he need?
jsa,
Trudeau Liberal time is not like other people’s time. LOL.
Turns out that Trudeau did ban Ruger Mini at some point in the past, but I definitely get what you’re saying 🙂
Maybe the Liberal Party should commit to doing something about the RCMP. That might be more effective than trying to fearmonger about guns.
O’Toole backtracks … it’s Labour Day weekend; folks don’t want to think about politics over the long weekend.
Minimal damage … wouldn’t recommend the Libs continue this subject.
As an aside: none of my diehard Liberal friends and acquaintances are supporting Justin.
Polls are still showing a close race.
I’m wondering if the party is headed for around 110 seats?
Maybe the Liberals should try to stop gun smuggling at the border, increase sentences for gun-related crimes, and deport those who commit such crimes and are in the country illegally. That’s more meaningful than banning guns.
Gilbert,
Agreed but lets not delude ourselves that a government of any political stripe will ever substantially reduce or eliminate the trafficking of guns across the border. When the second coming arrives, we’ll still have made negligible progress on this issue and all the politicians already know that.