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Canadians across the country have responded with horror to yet another mass shooting in the United States. The killing of 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida this month has revived debate over our neighbours’ toxic gun culture.

But something is different this time around. Student survivors have refused to stay silent. They are sparking a long overdue sea change in the conversation around guns and gun control in America. It’s a powerful thing to witness.

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The inspiring scenes of student activism south of the border should prompt Canadians to revisit our own national conversation around these issues. Despite some very real cultural and legal differences between the two countries, the fact is that Canada has a growing gun problem.

It’s true that handguns are more difficult to obtain here than in the United States. Owners must obtain licences, go through safety training and extensive checks that look into the criminal record, mental health and third-party references of a potential owner. Fully automatic weapons are prohibited. However, long guns (rifles and shotguns), mainly used for hunting and sport-shooting, do not need to be registered.Some permitted firearms can be easily modified. And despite our laws, illegal guns are still available. The relaxed regulations south of the border help feed a market for illegal weapons trafficked into Canada.