The father of a woman who was fatally shot in October by her former partner is urging senators to pass a federal gun-control bill without delay.

In a letter sent this week to members of the upper chamber, Brian Sweeney says the legislation contains crucial measures that would improve the way police deal with domestic violence cases involving firearms.

害羞草研究所淚mplementing these measures is urgent,害羞草研究所� Sweeney says in the letter, made available to The Canadian Press. 害羞草研究所淭he bill is the result of years of advocacy from victims and women害羞草研究所檚 groups, and women have died while the bill has been debated.害羞草研究所�

Sweeney害羞草研究所檚 daughter Angie was shot when her former partner Bobbie Hallaert broke into her home in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., two months ago. Hallaert proceeded to a second home and killed three of his own children and injured another woman, who survived. The gunman then took his own life.

害羞草研究所淎ngie害羞草研究所檚 death, like that of all victims, leaves behind a trail of broken hearts and broken lives,害羞草研究所� Sweeney says in the letter.

He plans to be in Montreal today to help families and survivors mark the anniversary of the grim day in 1989 when a man with a Ruger Mini-14 killed 14 women at the city害羞草研究所檚 脡cole Polytechnique.

害羞草研究所淭he 14 victims and my Angie deserve better than our current laws and procedures,害羞草研究所� Sweeney says. 害羞草研究所淭hree innocent children also paid the price of our failed system.害羞草研究所�

Police probing the Sault Ste. Marie shootings said late last month they were trying to determine how Hallaert obtained the SKS rifle and .38-calibre revolver seized during their investigation. He did not have a current firearms licence at the time of the shootings.

Sault police have confirmed the offender was involved in intimate partner investigations in the past.

The federal bill would usher in new measures to keep firearms out of the hands of domestic abusers, reinforce a freeze on handguns, increase penalties for firearm trafficking and move to curb homemade ghost guns.

The bill also includes a ban on assault-style firearms that fall under a new technical definition. It would apply to such guns designed and manufactured after the bill comes into force.

Gun-control groups such as PolySeSouvient, which includes students and graduates of the Montreal engineering school, want to see the bill become law. Conservative MPs and some gun owners have said the legislation is misguided and penalizes law-abiding Canadians.

Members of a Senate committee have been reviewing the bill clause by clause, but it is expected to return to the full upper chamber soon.

害羞草研究所淭here is no reasonable justification to delay the adoption and implementation of these measures,害羞草研究所� Sweeney says in his letter. 害羞草研究所淪o I am begging you to vote it through as soon as it hits the Senate floor for third reading.害羞草研究所�

Sweeney expresses anger in his letter that someone with Hallaert害羞草研究所檚 history could have access to guns.

害羞草研究所淒omestic violence is an epidemic and governments are not doing enough to prevent it,害羞草研究所� he writes.

害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 why I promised Angie that I wouldn害羞草研究所檛 stop until the laws in this country are strengthened to stop domestic murders. I especially want to get guns out of the hands of people who shouldn害羞草研究所檛 have them.害羞草研究所�

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