Ban Taser Guns in Canada

This petition is started to give Mr. Robert Dziekanski justice, and also justice to his mother and family. It is started as well to protect all of us that live in Canada. If this incident is allowed to "disappear" and be quietly "resolved", then it WILL happen again.

It is high time that the R.C.M.P. be held truly accountable for their actions this time. The R.C.M.P. have demonstrated that they have no respect for either the weapon (Taser Gun) or the people of whom they inflict it upon.

This gentleman had died at the R.C.M.P.'s hands in less time than it takes to make a cup of coffee and they made ABSOLUTELY NO ATTEMPT to help him. Please see the video link below for the tragedy that unfolded.

Please see video here.

The above video courtesy of CTV News, with appreciation.

This man was dead in minutes.

If they (R.C.M.P.) are allowed to continue onwards WITHOUT any reprimand whatsoever, what does that say for our quality of life in Canada, and how we as Canadians regard it? More importantly, what does that say about how we that live in Canada will be treated by the R.C.M.P. in the future?

If it happened to him, it can happen to anyone. That has been shown now, as the latest incident at the Vancouver International Airport clearly demonstrates.

**RCMP arrived shortly after 1:30 a.m. and Dziekanski was dead within minutes.**

** Above Excerpt** from the CTV website, article: With a report from CTV British Columbia's Peter Grainger in Vancouver.

**The incident is being investigated by the RCMP's civilian oversight body.**

** Above Excerpt** from the CTV website, article: With a report from CTV British Columbia's Peter Grainger in Vancouver.

How can any justice be served when the R.C.M.P are being investigated by their "civilian Body"???

The answer is simple. It can't. Period.

Before someone else's father, son, brother, or even sister, daughter, mother dies this way again, we MUST ban Taser guns. 17 people to this date have died in Canada since 2003.

The following is courtesy of A. Cameron Ward & Company
BARRISTERS & SOLICITORS, Vancouver, BC.

**2006 Taser-related death toll: 65
January 3, 2007

Sixty-five more people died in North America after being Tasered by police in 2006, bringing the total number of such fatalities to 232. The Taser is a controversial "less than lethal" weapon that is designed to inflict excruciating pain and incapacitate subjects with 50,000 volts of electricity. Despite the number of Taser-related deaths, and the deaths of a number of animals as well, the manufacturer and law enforcement officials maintain the weapon is safe.**

This is also courtesy with thanks from A. Cameron Ward & Company, BARRISTERS & SOLICITORS, Vancouver, BC.

http://www.cameronward.com/tasers/

**An unidentified man died after he was Tasered by RCMP at the Vancouver International Airport early this morning. He is at least the 283rd person to die in North America after being shocked with the Taser's 50,000 volt electrical output. Sixteen of those deaths have occurred in Canada since 2003, and the latest is the sixth BC fatality. The RCMP has been involved in eight of the Canadian deaths.

The police will investigate this incident themselves and clear the Taser of any responsibility, perhaps blaming the unfortunate man's death on "excited delerium", which is not a recognised medical condition.

The Taser was quietly introduced into Canada in 2000, without any public debate or prior independent safety testing. Although electric fences and cattle prods must undergo rigorous tests before being sold, the Taser is subject to no such control.**

For the latest list in Canadian Fatalities, please click the link below:

http://www.cameronward.com/tasers/

The following is courtesy of AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL, at the following link:

http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGAMR200032007

**AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

Public Statement

AI Index: AMR 20/003/2007 (Public)
News Service No: 110
14 June 2007

**In a recently released report, Amnesty International outlines how the use of tasers by law enforcement officers in Canada raises a number of concerns. The first is the more serious, but less widespread incidence of death following taser use, while the second is the pervasive inappropriate use of the weapon.**

Need I say more?

We must serve the proper justice to his Mother and to Robert Dziekanski himself. Most importantly, we must use the freedom of speech that we value and cherish to ensure that this never happens again, and speak up NOW!

After all, if we don't, then who will?