Canadian politician to raffle off handgun

TORONTO, March 19 (UPI) -- A Canadian Conservative member of Parliament has come under criticism for plans to raffle off a handgun at a gun lobby dinner near Toronto next month.

MP Garry Breitkreuz of Saskatchewan has a bill working through Parliament to abolish Canada's rifle registry and to soften laws on handguns, the Toronto Star said. As such, he will be the guest speaker at the Canadian Shooting Sports Association's annual general meeting and dinner April 18 in Mississauga, west of Toronto.

The group's Web site says raffle tickets will be sold for a special "Canadian Edition'' of the Beretta PX4 Storm handgun, which isn't available to the public but is used by Canadian Border Services officers.

The news brought immediate condemnation from local and federal officials, including the leader of the federal New Democratic Party, Jack Layton, who represents part of Toronto.

He noted the Toronto area is plagued by gun violence and more than 60 people were killed with handguns in the region last year.

"It's the kind of thing you expect to hear south of the border," Layton said to the Star, referring to the United States "The fact you could pick one up in a raffle prize sends exactly the wrong message."

The Star said it was unable to reach Breitkreuz or the association for comment.