The Editor,

Re: "Watts to feds: Get tough on guns," the Now, Jan. 24.

January must be a time of idleness for politicians in Surrey that results in them making up issues to appear to be earning their positions of disproportionate privilege and pensions.

This would explain the recent "guns-in-our-streets" themed chest-beating by Mayor Dianne Watts and MP Jinny Sims.

Watts' letter to Ottawa did a nice job of getting her name on the front page of local papers with almost no effort and makes it appear she is proactive and relevant through this hollow public posturing.

Her request to "increase mandatory sentence for illegal possession of a firearm" looks good on paper but is impractical at best. Changing the law so that a mixed up kid with a BB gun gets the same sentence as a hardcore drug gang member with a bag of full-automatic assault rifles is beyond ridiculous.

Also, the justice system is highly resistive to politicians imposing rules that hamper a judge's options. The mayor's call for "prior drug convictions be an aggravating factor resulting in more severe mandatory sentences" is also a bit silly.

Sentences have always been based upon past criminal convictions. I do, however, agree that efforts to stop the weapons (mostly cheap handguns) being brought across the border from the United States as part of the drug trade need to be improved. But her letter does not address anyone at Canada Customs and Revenue.

I received the newsletter from Sims that was mentioned in the article. It is pure, hysterical anti-Conservative rhetoric about gun control. I'm really not concerned that drug dealers will be wandering our streets with rifles nearly five feet long, weighing 28 pounds and costing around $6,000. It's cheap handguns from the U.S. that are of most concern. At least Watts got that right.

TW Burger, Surrey