While Obama tries to get treaty, Canada is sending someone to spoil it – Dewar.
by Samantha Bayard
OTTAWA , March 19, 2013 (Straight Goods News) — Public safety critics and the Opposition are outraged that the Harper government is sending a gun lobbyist backed by the National Rifle Association (NRA) to the United Nations next week forArms Trade Treaty negotiations aimed at slowing the global flow of arms.
Negotiators from 150 countries are meeting until March 28 in hopes of regulating the world’s $70 billion trade in conventional weapons. Quebec gun dealer Steve Torino, President of the Canadian Shooting Sports Association and co-chair of the government's firearms advisory committee, will be representing Canada, which seemed ironic to the NDP's Paul Dewar.
"Right now, we have President Obama arguing for a strong, effective small-arms treaty to get guns out of conflict zones. On the other side, we have the Conservative appointee, Steve Torino," he said in the House. He said Torino is, "Being hailed by the NRA as one of its "beacons of hope". Whose side is the government on, Mr. Obama's or the gun lobby's?"
Foreign affairs minister John Baird responded by recalling that his government killed the gun registry. "What we do not what to do is target duck hunters and sportsmen," he replied. "We will not allow the New Democrats to take the long gun registry international."
Paul Dewar says the Harper government has assigned a top gun lobbyist who might thwart a global arms treaty
Dewar told SGNews, "Baird’s answer, frankly, was bizarre. His answer was 'We’re not going to have the same kind of registration of guns that the NDP brought here.' Well, we didn’t bring it in. And it’s not about that. This is about the arms trade globally. It’s got to do with guns in Mali, in Libya and places of conflict. So while the Obama administration’s trying to get a treaty actually agreed to, our government is sending someone to spoil it… Minister Baird said [he]… got advice from his folks to basically tell the negotiators not to focus on this treaty. In fact, to do little or nothing."
"Why do we have someone from the gun lobby going to negotiate a treaty to stop arms from being traded into conflict zones?" Dewar asked, saying an arms trade treaty like this would be affect access to weapons in new conflicts. "Is the intention to get an arms trade treaty really important to stem the conflict in places like Mali or is it just about protecting their gun lobbies' interest?" he asked.
About Samantha Bayard
Samantha Bayard is a young journalist living and working out of Ottawa. She has been a contributor to the Straight Goods News family of websites since 2009. She is an avid cyclist and lover of animals.
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