The House of Commons Committee on Public Safety and National Security is holding public hearings to discuss a possible ban on the use of "tasers" by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the society's representative proposed that tasers not be banned.
John Gray, of the B.C. Schizophrenia Society, said nearly one-third of all police calls for services involve a person with a mental health problem. He argued that when presented with elevated risks, the taser may be a better option than a physical fight, or the use of a baton or gun.
Gray's opinion was in sharp contrast to two others who appeared before the Commons committee on public safety during a fact-finding trip to the Vancouver International Airport, where Robert Dziekanski died last October after being hit with an RCMP taser.
At least 13 investigations have been launched following the public outrage that ensued after Dziekanski died on Oct. 13.
Both the B.C. Civil Liberties Association and lawyer Cameron Ward, who has represented the families of those who have died from tasers, urged MPs to call for a moratorium on their use.
The association's Murray Mollard said politicians need to ensure the shock device doesn't pose a risk of harm.
