I’m Glad That I Don’t Have Canadian Murder Rates Where I Live

Pajamas Media ^ | 02/14/2013 | Clayton Cramer

[SeekAndFind]

I recently prepared for an interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation concerning the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut. I thought it would be worth my while to compare murder rates between the two countries, but also between adjoining divisions of those two countries. There was a time when Canadian murder rates were low enough compared to the U.S. for American gun-control advocates to argue in favor of Canadian style gun control for our country. This is no longer the case.

It is certainly true that for Canada as a whole, murder rates are still considerably lower than for the United States as a whole. For 2011, Canada had 1.73 homicides per 100,000 people; the United States had 4.8 murders and non-negligent homicides per 100,000 people. What I find fascinating, however, is to look at murder rates for Canadian provinces and compare them to their immediate American state neighbors. When you do that, you discover some very curious differences that show gun availability must be either a very minor factor in determining murder rates, or if it is a major factor, it is overwhelmed by factors that are vastly more important.

For example, I live in Idaho. In 2011, our murder rate was 2.3 per 100,000 people. We have almost no gun-control laws here. You need a permit to carry concealed in cities, but nearly anyone who may legally own a firearm and is over 21 can get that permit. We are subject to the federal background check on firearms, but otherwise there are no restrictions. Do you want a machine gun? And yes, I mean a real machine gun, not a semiautomatic AR-15. There is the federal paperwork required, but the state imposes no licensing of its own. I have friends with completely legal full-automatic Thompson submachine guns.

Surely with such lax gun-control laws, our murder rate must be much higher than our Canadian counterparts’ rate. But this is not the case: I was surprised to find that not only Nunavut (21.01) and the Northwest Territories (6.87) in Canada had much higher murder rates then Idaho, but even Nova Scotia (2.33), Manitoba (4.24), Saskatchewan (3.59), and Alberta (2.88) had higher murder rates. (Okay, Nova Scotia is just a teensy-weensy bit higher than Idaho for 2011.)

What about Minnesota? It had 1.4 murders per 100,000 in 2011, lower than not only all those prairie provinces, but even lower than Canada as a whole. Montana had 2.8 murders per 100,000, still better than for Canadian provinces and one Canadian territory. When you get to North Dakota, another one of these American states with far less gun control than Canada, the murder rate is 3.5 per 100,000, still lower than Manitoba, Saskatchewan, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut. And let me emphasize that Minnesota, Montana, and North Dakota, like Idaho, are all shall-issue concealed-weapon permit states: nearly any adult without a felony conviction or a domestic violence misdemeanor conviction can obtain a concealed weapon permit with little or no effort.

At this point, you’re going to point out that there are many American states that have very high murder rates, especially in the South, and on the coasts. This is certainly true, but irrelevant to the question of whether gun-control laws reduce murder rates. If gun availability or a lack of restrictive gun-control laws was sufficient to explain any substantial part of murder rates, then these low restriction states should have higher murder rates than their Canadian neighbors, and yet if anything, the situation is the reverse: the Canadian provinces often have higher murder rate than their low gun-control American counterparts.

There are very real social problems that contribute to differences in murder rates. If gun availability is one of those contributors, it must be a very unimportant part of that contribution. Perhaps those focused on gun control as a method of saving lives might be better off concentrating on the social problems that really matter.

[SeekAndFind]

FROM A POST ON THE ABOVE SITE:

According to Statistics Canada, in 2011 there were 598 homicides in the whole country. They broke down by method as follows:

Stabbings – 35.4% (204)

Shootings – 27.4% (158)

Beatings – 21.7% (125)

Strangulation/Suffocation – 6.9% (40)

Fire – 3.6% (21)

Vehicular – 2.6% (15)

Shaken Baby Syndrome – 0.7% (4)

Poisoning – 0.5% (3)

Other – 1.2% (7)

What’s interesting is how the shooting homicide statistics break down. Again, from Statscan in 2011:

Handgun – 65.7% (94)

Rifle/Shotgun – 21% (30)

Sawed-off rifle or shotgun – 10.5% (15)

Fully automatic firearm – 1.4% (2)

Firearm-like weapons – 1.4% (2)

Unknown – (15)

In short, in Canada:

- you are far more likely to be stabbed to death than shot;

- you are far more likely to be beaten to death than shot with a handgun;

- you are far more likely to be strangled or suffocated than shot with a rifle or shotgun

And you are three times as likely to be killed by a family member, a friend or an acquaintance as by a complete stranger. That’s probably because we all know each other up here anyway, eh?

Most of the firearm homicides in Canada are committed with a handgun, despite handguns being tightly controlled since the 1930s; and according to police reports, 44% of firearm homicides are gang-related. So if somebody shoots you in Canada, chances are it will be with an illegal handgun. But on the up side, chances are it’ll be somebody you know.

[SeekAndFind]

STATSCAN FROM CANADA:

http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/legal12b-eng.htm

Homicide offences, number and rate, by province and territory

HERE’s DATA FROM THE FBI ON OUR END:

http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2011/crime-in-the-u.s.-2011/tables/table-5

[re_nortex]

...many American states that have very high murder rates, especially in the South...

The reason for that is self-evident: Holder's people.

Factor them out (as well as the illegals from Mexico), and the South has overall crime numbers (and murder rates) matching those of, ahem, less diverse areas.

[NoLibZone]

In order to achieve the Canadian murder rates we would need the kinds of cultural diversity Canada has.

Like the Liberal happiest nations on earth report nations, Canada is 95% one race.

America is a failed state that will never get past the slavery issue.

[Paladin2]

"Canada is 95% one race."

Aren't The French a different Race?

[Paladin2]

What about looking at ‘Rat controlled cities/counties/Congressional Districts vs. similar political affiliations of neighboring Canadian political entities?

[re_nortex]

In order to achieve the Canadian murder rates we would need the kinds of cultural diversity Canada has.

That's the truth. The map I posted a few messages back in this thread visually illustrates the dangers from the communist program of multiculturalism imposed upon our once great country. It boils down to this simple slogan which can't be repeated enough in my opinion:

Diversity is perversity.

[GilesB]

Actually, they are a different species.

[GilesB]

Actually, they are a different species.

[Squawk 8888]

Same race, different culture.

[re_nortex]

[Paladin2]

How can Hispanic be a Race then?

[Squawk 8888]

There is a huge myth out there that Canada never had a "gun culture". The truth is that during the 19th century gun ownership was mandatory here, primarily to deter prospective American invaders. Even now any aircraft flying over the Far North is required to carry firearms and ammo.

To all- please ping me to Canadian topics.

Canada Ping!

[Squawk 8888]

Technically it isn’t a race. The whole race fixation in the USA is something I could never wrap my head around because to me the key is culture. Billy Cosby and Al Sharpton may be of the same race but their cultures are worlds apart.

[dfwgator]

Cubans are not Mexicans are not Puerto Ricans.

[Paladin2]

The US media are not about technicalities nor logic.

I've always been amazed with the "Black English" spoken by "certain" Bermudians.

[Pining_4_TX]

Now, now, you are not allowed to say that! The truth cannot be spoken in any discussion about crime.

[re_nortex]

Now, now, you are not allowed to say that! The truth cannot be spoken in any discussion about crime.

Just very recently, I've noticed that Free Republic has become better about "plain speaking" on this matter. That change has been for the better since we can now clearly identify the problem, and hence, plan the steps toward a remedy, without resorting to coded language. FR is pro-God, pro-life, pro-gun and evidently, is becoming increasingly even more against political correctness. Either that or the mods have been slumbering! :-)

[fanfan]

Minnesota, Montana, and North Dakota, like Idaho, are all US States with “challenging” weather, when compared to the rest of your Country.
Many large cities in Canada are like large cities in the US, but with cold winters.
Our crazies have to live North of the US:-D

[fanfan]

Aren't The French a different Race?

Yes.