Thursday, March 10, 2005

RCMP: Ralph Capitalizes on Murdered Police

EDMONTON: Alberta Premier Ralph Klein today expressed hope that in light of the slaying of four RCMP officers by a madman with a gun, the federal government will consider scrapping the gun registry. Klein astutely observed that the gun registry did nothing to prevent James Roszko from gunning down the officers at his farm at Rochfort Bridge last week.

If the RCMP officers were still alive today, they would no doubt have been gladdened by the premier’s comments. Ever the statesman, Klein has found hope where others saw only senseless tragedy. It is to be hoped that Prime Minister Paul Martin heeds the words of Alberta’s wise leader and issues an immediate apology to the families of the slain RCMP officers. He should express supreme regret for having been part of a government that introduced a registry that failed to save the officers’ lives. He should also say sorry to the hundreds of other families who have lost loved ones because the registry failed to save their lives. While he is at it, he should express profound remorse to the families of all motorists who have died because vehicle registrations fail to prevent car accidents. He should then proceed to eliminate the gun registry, all other federal registries, and to demand that the provinces scrap their respective registries. This is in line with the growing consensus that registries are of no use to anyone. It should be noted that despite increasing numbers of marriage registrations, a large number of marriages still end in divorce!

All in all, it is obvious that a major reason for murders, car accidents, divorces and all other ills in our society is an overabundance of paperwork.

According to the latest reports, in previous civilisations, such as Imperial Rome, where the equivalent of a federal gun registry did not exist, citizens were more peaceable, and deaths by firearms were unknown. Citizens had to resort to more cumbersome techniques such as crucifixion or poking people with spears. Could James Roszko have killed four police officers in seconds with only a spear? No. It is therefore quite evident that Klein’s point is as clear as mud.

Lastly, nobody should misconstrue Klein’s comments as a political stunt. How could it be a political stunt when everyone knows that Klein himself mourns the deaths of those officers more than anyone? He feels those families’ pain. That is the kind of sensitivity he has been famous for over the course of his 13-year regime. If a homeless man had drunk himself into an early grave, Klein would display similar sensitivity and surely pay his respects to the deceased’s friends at the Herb Jamieson Shelter. Moreover, he would certainly offer an astute and timely observation on the failure of the welfare system to prevent that death.

Klein knows that what people truly yearn for in times of tragedy is a politician recommending the elimination of a government program.

Moreover, given Klein’s particular sensitivity to Albertans’ feelings, he knows that when their emotions are raw, the mention of a multi-billion dollar federal program is a salve that sooths and heals all.

Let us hope that Premier Klein will continue his proud tradition of finding the right words for every occasion.