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Since Americans are approximately three times* more likely than Canadians to be murdered this doesn't seem too extreme. Both countries are below the world-wide per capita murder rate, but the difference is statistically unimportant. Have you ever wondered about the murder rate on network television? (*2.9x in 2015)

A higher murder rate is what you would expect to see if additional people were dying because of guns. If guns had no effect on the murder rate then there would be no tangible effect. I am NOT saying that this proves anything.
I.e.
proposition: "More people die in the US than in Canada because of diseaseX"
refutation: "DiseaseX is not the cause because more people die in the US than Canada"
Is a non sequitur.

You followed that with a fallacy of relative privation.
I.e. It doesn't matter because something is worse.

Thank you for your considerate reply. I didn't intend to stake out and argue a position but you're correct, I would have been committing a logical fallacy if that was my justification. And I wasn't disputing your 5:1 measure either. Our cultures are very similar but distinct. Our nations are also multicultural and morphing as we speak. (Again, not an arguement but an observation with which you might agree.) Violent death is a tragedy. It is a tragedy in Alberta, Alabama or Albania. In the US this is a complicated and emotionally charged subject and facts are not easily ascertained. Statistics on "shootings" often don't describe the circumstances of the event (self defense might be viewed very differently than an aggravated assault). Some US states don't contribute data to the FBI or CDC. Uniform reporting standards are also difficult to verify. But civil discussion might be still more rare than accurate information. Thanks again.

Yes I agree with all of that. My pleasure :D