British Columbia Attorney General Niki Sharma has urged the federal government to regulate machetes following a spate of attacks in the province.In a letter to Attorney General and Minister of Justice Arif Virani, she called for actions similar to those taken by other countries, including the criminalization and confiscation of the weapons."Like most British Columbians, I am very concerned about recent reports of violent incidents involving machetes and long-knives in urban centres," she wrote, pointing out that many of them have been perpetrated by young people, those experiencing mental health crises, and those with criminal histories. "These bladed knives are particularly dangerous weapons, capable of inflicting life-altering and life-ending injuries."She argued that while such weapons "serve no legitimate purpose on modern Canadian city streets," they have continued to be "readily and cheaply available without restrictions.""I am aware that in England and Wales the possession, manufacture, importation and sale of machetes and zombie knives will be criminalized effective September 24, 2024, and police will have powers to seize and destroy these dangerous weapons before they maim someone," she continued. "I encourage your government to explore similar reforms to better protect Canadians from the risk of machetes." She noted, however, that "appropriate consideration" would have to be taken to ensure they were not confiscated in areas where there are "limited legitimate uses," such as agriculture and hunting.Sharma suggested the government could amend section 88 of the Criminal Code to classify "knives with machete-like characteristics" as dangerous weapons, and expressed an openness to discussing any potential solutions.Her comments come on the heels of a number of attacks involving knives. .UPDATED: Rustad calls on government to tackle violent crime after Vancouver stranger attack leaves one dead, another with hand cut off.On September 4, for example, one man was killed and another had his hand chopped off by a machete-wielding criminal. The latter victim has since had his appendage re-attached.
