[Rockymtnx]

Cheap knives big trouble
Mayor, police chief want to cut supply of deadly weapons

By RICHARD LIEBRECHT, SUN MEDIA


Edmontonians can buy big knives for the price of a burger and fries.

That has the city's mayor and police chief scratching their heads on how to cut the supply of the deadly weapons.

"It's ridiculous, the price and ease of availability," Mayor Stephen Mandel said yesterday.

Hunting knives are widely available at city retailers - including Wal-Mart and Canadian Tire - at quite low prices.

And one Edmonton wholesale outlet - Liquidation Station at 16137 132 Ave. - recently advertised a nearly nine-inch-long dagger for $9.99 on the front page of its flyer.

Mandel rolled his eyes when he saw the flyer.

OVERREACTED

Last month, Mandel called for regulations on knife sales in the city after a fatal stabbing. He later changed his mind, admitting he overreacted.

But Mandel said that he is still looking for ways to curb knife availability. He said a tax on knives is one possibility to consider.

Cheap knives, like the one in the Liquidation Station flyer, also had police Chief Mike Boyd shaking his head yesterday.

"A dagger like that, not a folding knife, clearly can be pulled out ... and be used to injure people," he said.

"People who carry these kinds of weapons are a threat to the safety of our city."

He said low prices may make the knives even more available to a wider variety of people.

"I think we need to look at where people are and if they should be in possession of a knife under those circumstances," said Boyd.

Coun. Amarjeet Sohi said he doesn't have anything against hunters who use knives - if they keep them locked up - but big knives on sale bother him.

"These are not kitchen knives," he said. "It's not a necessity."

KNIFE BAN

Mandel's knife ban was a good starting point for discussion, Sohi said, but he added that he, too, isn't sure about how to curb the problem.

The owner of the discount knife dealer laughed off the ban idea.

"No one took Mandel's idea seriously, did they?" said owner Eric Bischoff.

"There's no way to apply that law unless the city is willing to inspect all goods coming into the city."

He said he sees no ethical problem with selling knives at bargain prices because it's still a profitable product.

Bischoff said that there are no laws requiring him to judge his knife-buying customers, and he has never restricted sales to anyone 18 years of age or over.

"The problem lies in policing and societal problems, not a retailer selling a knife," he said.