MEDIA NEWS RELEASE

Ottawa, November 17, 1997  Reform MP Dr. Jim Pankiw said that Deputy
Prime Minister, Herb Gray, revealed the Liberal's real agenda on Gun
Control on Friday.

After signing a firearms convention which seeks to prevent the illicit
manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, the Deputy PM stated "This
could be the start of a global movement that would spur the development
of an instrument to ban firearms world-wide that would be similar to our
land mines initiative."

In October, the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Lloyd Axworthy said that he
would like to establish an International Treaty to restrict the
proliferation and misuse of small  arms.

"Comments like these, coming from senior Cabinet Ministers, indicate
that Bill C68 is only the first step of a larger Liberal agenda to
eliminate firearms ownership in Canada," Pankiw stated.

Bill C 68 passed by the Liberals in the last Parliament, would establish
a National registry for long arms, ban certain firearms and confiscate
handguns that fall into disuse. Bill C 68 is currently being challenged
before the courts in four provinces and the two territories.

The Liberals still have law-abiding gun owners in their sights.
Meanwhile, illegal guns continue to pour in through certain points along
our borders and criminals who use firearms are given a slap on the wrist
sentence. But this should not surprise us- the Liberals are always way
off target when it comes to cracking down on criminals and enforcing our
smuggling laws," Pankiw concluded.

For further info contact Dr. Jim Pankiw MP @ 1 613 992 8052.


Scott Edmunds
NFA Manitoba
VP Communications