Toronto/CMEDIA: Canada’s federal government reportedly was called by Ontario to legalize use of pepper spray by people for their self-defence.
The request was made in a letter on Sat by Ontario Attorney General Doug Downey in a letter to his federal counterpart, federal Justice Minister Sean Fraser.
By legalizing the use of pepper spray for self-defence, Downey wrote that it would give “vulnerable, law-abiding citizens a practical, immediate tool to defend themselves.”
Pepper spray is considered currently a prohibited weapon when used on people under the Criminal Code.
A prohibited weapon reportedly is defined as “any device designed to be used to injure, immobilize or otherwise incapacitate any person by the discharge therefrom of tear gas, Mace or other gas, or any liquid, spray, powder or other substance that is capable of injuring, immobilizing or otherwise incapacitating any person.”
The Alberta government’s similar request in 2021 was rejected by the federal government, saying in a letter that “all weapons that are prohibited have been prohibited for a reason.”
“When confronted with a problem, the solution cannot simply be to increase accessibility to prohibited weapons. This can actually lead to further violence,” their statement read.
The federal government is also being called by Downey to institute mandatory collection of the DNA of a person arrested for sexual offences.
“This will accelerate investigations and get dangerous criminals off the streets sooner, while safeguarding the privacy rights of the innocent,” he wrote, noting that if the person is acquitted or there is no conviction, the sample is automatically destroyed.
The federal government should pursue victim notification, Downey also suggested. when there is a match in the DNA database in sexual offence cases, so survivors are informed, supported and protected.
“We are urging the federal government to address Ontario’s calls for change and take renewed action by considering these new measures that would help hold offenders accountable, protect communities across our nation and keep criminals off the streets,” he wrote.
