Prime Minister Paul Martin’s plan to ban handguns to combat the rise in violent crime in urban areas of Canada is not only ineffective, but outright ridiculous. (Not that Stephen Harper’s plan to increase policing and institute harsher penalties is any better.) What many politicians are still failing to realize is that controlling access — either through tougher border control or a selective ban — is not going to stem the tide of violent crime; people who want to get a hold of a weapon will still be able to do so easily.

I decided to do a small and informal study: I decided to see just how easy it would be for someone like me to get their hands on a firearm. After a series of phone calls and a few conversations, I discovered that for about $100, I could get a handgun in about two hours after my point of first contact. Had there been a band on handguns, my estimated cost would have gone up by about $50.

Price may be a deterrent in this case, but my above example only shows how control of access will not be a real hindrance, but instead just an easily-surmountable obstacle to obtaining weapons. Add that to the fact that only 16% of gun-related homicides in Canada are committed with registered firearms, and it is clear that the solution to this problem is not in access control, but in working with affected communities in eliminating the perceived need for violence in dispute resolution.

Earlier this autumn I wrote about a utopian society where violent crimes would be eradicated due to their inefficiency in creating fear. Though I have not given up on such a vision (and in fact, I applaud groups like B.L.I.N.G. for furthering a similar message on a more realistic level) I will acknowledge that concrete measures must be taken in order to prevent Toronto’s (and other Canadian cities’) slow slip into chaos. The most feasible and potentially most powerful measure that can be instituted quickly is the increase in community recreation programs.

I wrote earlier this summer that increasing recreation funding was a simple but important step in solving Toronto’s gun crisis. Involvement in the arts may give youth an opportunity for creative expression, and participation in sports may give youth an opportunity for the positive release of physical aggression, but the true power of recreation extends much further than the obvious tangible benefits. Recreation allows youth to make connections with other like-minded peers, and also provides positive role models for young people who may be lacking the opportunity to access inspiration from successful and socially-conscious individuals from their own community. In addition, neighborhood recreation centres provide focal points for social support and education for all members of the community, young or old, creating cohesion and a sense of belonging.

With all these blatantly-obvious benefits of recreation programs, perhaps Prime Minister Martin would be better advised to spend the money needed to enforce his proposed gun ban on community services instead. Sounds like common sense to me.