similarity in the public attitude towards firearms and gun control"(586). Both Canada and the United States were originally English colonies, and both have historically had similar patterns of immigration. Moreover, Canadians are exposed to American television (both entertainment and news programming) and, Canadians and Americans read many of the same books and magazines. As a result of this, the Canadian public has adopted "much of the American culture" . In an article by Catherine F. Sproule and Deborah J. Kennett of Trent University, they looked at the use of firearms in Canadian homicides between the years of 1972-1982. There findings firmly support the conclusion that gun control is beneficial. According to Sproule and Kennett, gun control "may be influencing some suspects to kill by other methods, but it is less likely for these suspects to kill multiple victims". From the study conducted by Sproule and Kennett the rate of violent crimes was five times greater in the U.S than Canada, and "almost double the rate of firearm use in American than Canadian homicides" (32-33). In short, the use of firearms "in Canadian homicides has declined since the legislative changes in gun control in 1977". As mentioned in lectures, Canadian cities have been traditionally safer, and less vulnerable to 'Crime Waves' than our American neighbours due to our extensive police force and gun control laws . A factor to be considered, though, is our national heritage or culture which holds traditions of passiveness and peace unlike the American Frontier heritage. From our textbook, Why Nothing Works, Marvin Harris points out that the "American Constitution guarantees citizens the right to bear arms, and this has made it possible for U.S. criminals to obtain firearms more readily than their counterparts in countries like Japan...". Marvin Harris indicates that "the high rate of homicide in the United States undoubtedly reflects, to some extent, the estimate...
