Wow! You knew it was just coming. The Government of Canada is now warning its residents about mass shootings and the high rate of guns in the U.S. We are all familiar with the high degree of gun violence in the States, but one is increasingly seeing random shootings in public places often visited by tourists. These shootings tend not to be targeted, such as those in schools and religious institutions. A study by the non-profit Gun Violence Archive shows where public mass shootings have been taking place between 1966 to the present. Top of the list is retail locations — which are known to have high and uncontrolled foot traffic — followed by restaurants and bars. The same organization notes that there’s been an upward trend of mass shootings and gun-related deaths in recent years, with more than 200 mass shootings having occurred in the first five months of 2023 alone.
According to the Gun Violence Archive, in each of the three last complete years in the U.S., there have been more than 600 mass shootings which are when there are at least four injuries or fatalities. That’s almost two a day! In 2022, there were 20,200 deaths as a result of guns and 38,550 injuries. Even these stats could be an underestimation. The worst of the mass shootings, such as the very recent one in a Dallas-area mall which left nine people dead including the gunman, and last year’s shooting in Buffalo at a supermarket in a predominantly Black neighbourhood killing 10 people, made headlines worldwide. All adding to the fear and validity of the advisory.
Moreover, it’s not just Canada that has issued an advisory with respect to travel to the U.S. Other countries such as New Zealand and Australia have also advised their citizens to exercise increased caution while visiting, directly pointing to the gun violence issues. While the U.S. is still a relatively safe place to visit, Global Affairs Canada does recommend that Canadians research the locations where they are planning to visit and be constantly aware of their surroundings. In Canada, Canadians are not use to having mass shootings on a regular basis as they are very few and far between. For this reason, they need to understand the serious differences as they relate to gun possession and right to carry laws in certain states in particular. Let’s face it. A bullet doesn’t distinguish a target between an American and a Canadian victim.
The need to take specific safeguards when visiting the U.S. has never been greater. Tourism between our two countries has continued to be strong, particularly since post-COVID restrictions on travel have been increasingly removed in both countries.
In 2017, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security actually issued an official Active Shooter Reference Guide providing people with more information on how to protect themselves in an active shooter situation. I would suggest strongly that Canadians travelling or working in the U.S. obtain a copy as a preparedness initiative. The same advice would of course apply to Americans themselves.
FROLITICKS 
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