MEDIA RELEASE

CUKIER EVASIVE ABOUT UN FIREARM WORKSHOPS

Saskatoon, January 19, 1998... Today at the University of Saskatchewan,
Reform MP Dr. Jim Pankiw attended a forum entitled International
Perspectives on Firearm Regulations. Pankiw confronted the keynote
speaker, Wendy Cukier (President of the Coalition for Gun Control),
about Canadas role at international firearm regulation workshops being
sponsored by the United Nations. However, Ms. Cukiers answers were
evasive and she revealed little about the secretive meetings.

Ms. Cukier attended the last workshop in Brazil while Pankiw was
refused observer status by Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy. In
denying Pankiws request, Axworthy wrote that, No provision has been
made for attendance by elected officials or other observers. All too
familiar with Liberal politics, Ms. Cukier advised Pankiw to join a
special interest group if he was interested in attending the meetings.

With the Liberals, you get government by special interest group, Pankiw
stated. Only under the Liberals would a special interest group take
precedence over an elected representative of the Canadian people.

Pankiw pointed out that while the UN workshops are being chaired by
Canadian officials from the Department of Justice, Canadians are left
in the dark as to what is being discussed and where these talks may
lead. Last year, Axworthy and Deputy Prime Minister Herb Gray spoke of
their support for a treaty to ban small arms worldwide.

For law-abiding gun owners, the worst is not over with the
implementation of bill C-68. The gun registration bill appears to be
just the first step in eliminating firearm ownership in Canada, Pankiw
said.

Reform is committed to scrapping bill C-68 and Pankiw noted that the
gun registration deadline is December 31, 2002, well after the next
election to be held in 2001. Law-abiding gun owners will fight back by
voting Reform, Pankiw concluded.


For further information contact:
Dr. Jim Pankiw, MP
1-306-975-4918