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The councillor said his motion, to be tabled at the next council meeting, was not inspired by the Eaton Centre shooting in which two men were killed and five others wounded, including a 13-year-old boy who was shot in the head.

“We’ve had scene after scene in this city, repeated now — and I have been on council for six years — of bullets flying through Toronto, hitting people.”

Mr. Vaughan said he recognizes he will be challenged by the gun community but said he is ready for the fight, which includes the mayor and the federal Conservative government.

Public Safety Minister Vic Toews called the proposed bullet ban a “misdirected effort” on Wednesday.

“The issue isn’t the legality or illegality of bullets or guns. The issue is these guns in the hands of criminals. That needs to be stopped. Our focus has been on focusing on those individuals who in fact are breaking the law,” said Minister Toews. He would not comment on whether the city has the power to enact such a ban. “I think their time would be better spent on assisting the victims of crime with various initiatives.”

Rob Ford said Mr. Vaughan has the wrong target in his sights.

“It’s not the hunters, these are gangs. I wish we could get the guns out of the city with respect to these gangs. It is going to be very difficult, but you don’t take it out on hunters and the sportsman show,” Mr. Ford said.

It is going to be very difficult, but you don’t take it out on hunters and the sportsman show

In the past five years, 314 guns were reported as stolen to police. The numbers were highest in 2010, when 109 guns were stolen, followed by 70 thefts in 2007. Many of the handguns, rifles and shotguns were stolen from residences rather than commercial businesses.