On Thursday, the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, declared that, from now, the first Friday of every June each year will be designated as the National Day Against Gun Violence.
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“Beginning this June 2, this day will honor the victims of gun violence, bring awareness to the crisis in our country, and encourage Canadians to come together to find solutions,” Trudeau said in a press release.
According to the release, as a symbol of peace and ceasefire, Canadians are asked to wear white attire on their National Day Against Gun Violence.
“It’ll be a day of remembrance and a time to recommit ourselves to building a Canada-free of gun violence,” said Trudeau as he met with gun safety advocates alongside Raptors President Masai Ujiri at the OVO centre.
“We’re all together in this,” said Ujiri. “I think sports brings people together, I think sports brings peace in an incredible way.”
Just announced alongside Masai Ujiri, gun control advocates, victims’ families, and community members: Starting this year, the first Friday of June each year will be the National Day Against Gun Violence. pic.twitter.com/AmWLktND3a
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau)
June 2, 2023
As per the government’s official data, the rise of gun violence persists in Canada despite the implementation of government measures designed to safeguard the people.
Such actions include the prohibition of the sale, purchase and transfer of handguns, the introduction of Bill C-21, the most stringent gun control legislation in a generation, and the banning of 1,500 models of assault-style firearms and their variants.
According to the release, firearms are involved in one-third of homicides in Canada, and there has been a significant increase (over 80 percent) in violent crimes related to guns since 2009.
