LIBERAL GUNS-AND-GANGS STRATEGY AIMS TO FIGHT BC CRIME: DOSANJH

Ban On Military-Style Assualt Weapons Included

The federal Liberals promised a guns-and-gangs strategy for B.C.
yesterday.

It was part of a made-in-B.C. agenda that also promised more
child-care spaces and long-term backing for the Insite drug facility.

"We will go after gangs and guns with a new task force, dedicated to
this growing problem," said Ujjal Dosanjh, who is seeking re-election
in Vancouver South.

"B.C. suffers in a very significant way, perhaps more than others, in
the cross-border gun traffic, in the pot-growing and drug trade, and
the gang wars." The Liberal crime-fighting plan includes: - A national
400-strong guns-and-gangs task force, with a large contingent of cops
in B.C.

- - A ban on military-style assault weapons.

- - New measures to mark and track guns crossing the U.S.-B.C.
border.

- - A crackdown on Internet predators.

- - Rules ensuring spouses are notified about gun purchases.

Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day called the Liberals' crime plan
"disappointing, hypocritical and, at best, a cruel joke." Day said the
Liberals and NDP have opposed crime legislation, such as raising the
age of consent to 16 from 14.

"The time for talking is over when it comes to dealing with gun
activity and gang activity on our streets," said Day.

The Liberals promised to fund the Insite safe-injection facility,
which the Tories want to close.

"Some of these policies are British Columbia-driven," said Dosanjh.
"They apply nationally, but they have been very, very strongly argued
for by the B.C. contingent of the Liberals in Ottawa." Don Davies, the
NDP candidate in Vancouver-Kingsway, said the Liberals got their
chance to create a just society, but didn't.

"This is an agenda of broken promises and weak leadership," said
Davies. "It's more what's not in the plan." He said there's nothing
about housing affordability and homelessness in B.C.

"They were in power for 11 years in majority government, and had an
opportunity to do lots of things, consistent with what they're
claiming to do now," said Davies. "But they never followed through on
them." Two more made-in-B.C. platforms are due out from the Liberals
in the coming weeks, one on prosperity, and the other on the
environment.