Ottawa rolling out $86M to combat guns and gang activity

By The Canadian Press

Ottawa will spend $86 million to stop illegal guns from entering the country and to combat the rise of gun violence in Canada.

The Canada Border Services Agency will receive $51.5 million to expand its detector dog teams, which help border-security officers detect drugs and guns at key highway crossings with the United States. The money will also go toward expanding X-ray scanning technology at postal centres and air cargo facilities.

The RCMP will get $34.5 million over five years to enhance their intelligence resources to help catch more cross-border firearms traffickers and smugglers.

The money is part of a five-year $327-million funding commitment announced earlier this year aimed at addressing criminal gun and gang activities.

Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale says gun violence and organized crime are serious problems in Canada and that focused initiatives are needed to reduce violent crime across the country.

Border Security Minister Bill Blair says public consultations on a possible ban on handguns and assault weapons is ongoing, and expects to deliver a report back to government by the end of the year.

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