Cotler rejects tougher gun sentences

Wire Services
Brandon Sun
22 September 2005

TORONTO — Canada’s justice minister says the country’s gun laws are among the toughest on the books, and he dismissed calls for new minimum sentences as "a quick-fix solution" to a spate of gunplay in Toronto.

Irwin Cotler made the remarks Wednesday before hosting a one-day forum on urban violence at the University of Toronto, to which 120 city and government leaders were invited.

The meeting was called to address Toronto’s escalating gun violence, which has claimed 41 lives this year.

"We have a very tough regime already in place.  That’s why we have to look to other initiatives that may need to be taken," Cotler said.