Canadian minister douses gun criminals ban

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OTTAWA, July 20 (UPI) -- Canada's immigration minister said Friday Mayor Rob Ford's idea of banning those convicted of gun crimes from living in Toronto is not legally workable.

"Once you're released and you're beyond parole you get what's called mobility rights of the Charter of Rights -- you get to choose where you're going to live, and whether we like it or not, that's the situation," Immigration Minister Jason Kenney said during an interview on CFRB-AM, Toronto. "We can't tell people which city they can or cannot live in."

Kenney did say, however, he would work hard to deport criminals who are in Canada illegally.

Ford has repeatedly said this week he wants to boot anyone convicted of gun offenses out of Toronto, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported. His comments were triggered by a shooting at a Toronto street party Monday that left two people dead and 23 injured, the network said.

"I don't care if you're white, pink or purple," Ford told CFRB Thursday. "I don't care what country you're from. I don't care if you're a Canadian citizen or not. All I'm saying is if you're caught with a gun and convicted of a gun crime, I want you out of this city."