From: owner-cdn-firearms-digest@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca (Cdn-Firearms Digest) To: cdn-firearms-digest@broadway.sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca Subject: Cdn-Firearms Digest V2 #985 Reply-To: cdn-firearms-digest@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca Sender: owner-cdn-firearms-digest@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca Errors-To: owner-cdn-firearms-digest@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca Cdn-Firearms Digest Wednesday, April 28 1999 Volume 02 : Number 985 In this issue: BERNARDO - LETTER OF THE DAY Re: Gun ranges and insurance Breitkreuz calls for sworn affidavits CBC radio debate on ban of firearms in canada Re: Unapproved Rifle Range Ottawa Citizen uses RCMP lie to slander gun owners Re: media request Re: Attention dealers Join the federally authorized Alberta Militia! importing firearms into Canada Breaking News - Alberta School Shooting Does New Gun Control Proposal Addresses School Shootings? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 28 Apr 1999 21:20:37 -0600 From: "Breitkreuz, Garry - Assistant 1" Subject: BERNARDO - LETTER OF THE DAY LETTER OF THE DAY COLUMN -- [The Toronto Sun - Wednesday April 28, 1999] PUBLICATION The Toronto Sun DATE Wednesday April 28, 1999 PAGE 15 HEADLINE: LETTER OF THE DAY COLUMN RE THE recent tragedy in Colorado: Another senseless mass murder has occurred and, predictably, the attention of the media is focused on that glamorous issue, gun control. Pundits from Anaheim to Yellowknife bray "if the United States only had more gun controls this wouldn't have happened." Really? It happened in Ottawa a couple of weeks ago. In a country with some of the toughest firearms laws in the world. Know why? Because firearms and their availability have absolutely nothing to do with violence or crime. Is this radical thinking? Not really. There are 200 million firearms in the United States and a mere 21 million in Canada (RCMP numbers from 1977) and if there really was a connection between guns and violence there would be daily blood baths everywhere. I'm afraid that firearms are no more responsible for these tragedies than are the plumbing pipes or propane canisters used to make the bombs that killed and injured so many in the Denver school killings. The real bottom line is a society that glorifies violence and a ghoulish media who delight in bringing their audiences every chilling detail. Why are we so shocked when our children act out a scene from Natural Born Killers? Tony Bernardo Oshawa Editor's Comment: (Why should anything surprise us when in our permissive society anything goes?) ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Apr 1999 23:14:22 -0600 From: Dave Tomlinson Subject: Re: Gun ranges and insurance >Could somone shed some light on the firing range issue, I live in a >small rual community in s.w Ontario, and we shoot skeet at a fellows >farm, where can I find out info on regulations and insurance needs? Call 1-800-731-4000 and ask for: 1. A copy of the March 1998 Regulations 2. A copy of the Firearms Act 3. A copy of Chapter III of the Criminal Code. Do NOT accept any other publication, as many of the CFC's publications contain serious errors of law. You can only be SAFE by going to the law itself. > Is it possible to join the N.F.A as a club or will it complicate >things. It would be sad to see over 4 decades of tradition die do to >legislation. Any help would be appreciated. Regards Chris , Email, >farm@scsinternet.com Certainly it is possible. The fee for affiliation is $45 or $3 per person, whichever is larger, and the club can buy $5,000,000 in liability insurance covering all members, the club, and the owner of the land for $4.75 per club member. The coverage is for all firearms hunting, range shooting, range archery, and fishing anywhere in Canada or the contintental US. For details, go to www.nfa.ca David A Tomlinson National President, NFA ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Apr 1999 23:18:50 -0600 From: "Breitkreuz, Garry - Assistant 1" Subject: Breitkreuz calls for sworn affidavits ANYONE WHO SAW OFFICERS WITH A RIFLE OUT OF A CASE AT THE FED-UP II RALLY IS ASKED TO SEND A AFFIDAVIT ATTESTING TO WHAT YOU SAW ON PARLIAMENT HILL ON SEPTEMBER 22, 1998. SUCH AN AFFIDAVIT CAN BE SWORN BEFORE A COMMISSIONER OF OATHS OR A NOTARY PUBLIC. PLEASE COPY THIS MESSAGE AND DISTRIBUTE TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW WHO ATTENDED THE RALLY. Send either the originals or a copy of your sworn Affidavit to: Garry Breitkreuz, MP Yorkton-Melville House of Commons Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6 Fax: (613) 992-8676 THE OTTAWA CITIZEN QUOTE - September 23, 1998 [NO RIFLES, JUST BINOCULARS] The Ottawa Citizen, "Shooting down the conspiracy myth" by Ron Corbett, page A3, September 23, 1998: "I tracked down RCMP Inspector Al Nause, the man in charge of security on the Hill for yesterday's protest, and put the questions to him. Do you have snipers on the East Block and on rooftops along Wellington Street? "No, we don't," said Insp. Nause. "When someone has binoculars we don't normally call them a sniper. We call them observers. Who told you they were snipers? asked Insp. Nause. "Just about everyone." The inspector laughed. Offered to bring me up to the roof to see for myself. Perhaps I should have, just to confirm the story completely, although I took him at his word. Gutless journalist, perhaps." THE OTTAWA CITIZEN QUOTE - April 28, 1999 [.308 RIFLES "IN CASES" AND BINOCULARS] The Ottawa Citizen, "RCMP snipers watched gun-law protest" by Tim Naumetz, page A4, April 28, 1999: "But the officiers, members of the Emergency Response Team, kept the .308-calibre rifles in cases and used binoculars as they kept watch from the rooftops on the crowd of gun owners, Inspector Al Nause said yesterday." ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Apr 1999 23:19:10 -0600 From: Paul Chicoine <701506@ican.net> Subject: CBC radio debate on ban of firearms in canada Thursday April 29 CBC radio nation wide program "This Morning" with hosts Enright and Benoit will have a debate concerning a total ban on guns in Canada. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Apr 1999 23:20:05 -0600 From: "Neil A. Ball" Subject: Re: Unapproved Rifle Range Well, I'm confused (and who isn't these days concerning firearms law?). Somebody wrote: >According to several local firearms instructors, I can no longer fire >at an informal range on private property. Do do so will net each >shooter a $1000.00 fine and loss of weapons. The range in question has >an excellant backstop (small mountian) and has been in continuious use >for close to 30 years. But has never been formally approved. Any >clarification on this would be very useful. Alan Harper wrote: >You CAN shoot unrestricted firearms at the backstop (assuming normal safety >rules are observed) without approval by the government. >You MAY NOT shoot restricted firearms, except at a range approved by the >Attorney General (that's the way in Ontario, anyway). Restricted firearms >include pistols, and various long arms, such as Order In Council (OIC) >restrictions (AR15, for example). DAT wrote: } That advice is obsolete. Read the March 1998 Regulations at page } 118, section 3. My question is: "Can I still go out to my favorite gravel pit, on Crown Land, and plink away at targets with non-restricted long guns?" Methinks the gravel pit could be considered an "informal range", at least by the volume of spent brass and hulls evident but, located on public property. However, this doesn't fit the legal definition of shooting range that's given in the March 1998 Regulations at page 118, section 3. The March 1998 Regulations at page 95, section 15, Handling of Firearms, states "An individual may load a firearm or handle a loaded firearm only in place where the firearm may be discharged in accordance with all applicable Acts of Parliament and of the legislature of a province, regulations made under such Acts, and municipal bylaws." Is it specified anywhere else in Chapter 39 just where these places are where non-restricted firearms may be discharged or is this primarily a provincial matter? Is this national pastime of pre-(hunting) season target shooting/sighting-in/plinking another casualty of C-68? If not now, is it expected to be soon? N. A. Ball Manager, XRD Laboratory Dept. of Geological Sciences Room 240 Wallace Building University of Manitoba Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 CANADA Ph. (204)474-8075 FAX: (204)474-7623 e-mail: na_ball@umanitoba.ca ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Apr 1999 23:21:16 -0600 From: "Barry Glasgow" Subject: Ottawa Citizen uses RCMP lie to slander gun owners Apr 28 13:16:00 1999 To: "The Ottawa Citizen" "Ron Corbett" "RCMP Public Complaints" Copy to: "The Ottawa Sun" "Garry Breitkreuz" "Solicitor General Lawrence MacCauley" "Justice Minister Anne McLellan" "Al Dorans - rally organizer" From: "Glasgow, Barry Subject: Ottawa Citizen uses RCMP lie to slander thousands [the opinions expressed within are the sole opinion of the author and are not the opinions of the service provider] On September 22nd, 1998, about 30,000 firearms owners (by police estimates) gathered for a peaceful rally on Parliament Hill to protest against the government's misguided firearms regulations (Bill C-68). During the 3-hour program, many people noticed RCMP tactical teams on the surrounding rooftops overlooking the crowd with binoculars and bipod-equipped sniper rifles. Some were dismayed that government officials saw fit to use such intimidating precautions against a crowd that had staged a simlar peaceful protest three years earlier. A few approached reporters to remark on this but were met with dismissive skepticism. One of them, however, decided to go to the source in order to determine if the claims were truly unfounded. It should be noted that the Ottawa Citizen's reporter, Ron Corbett has been following the debate on Bill C-68 for over four years and has taken every opportunity to cast those opposed to it in an unfavourable light. He approached the RCMP head of security, Inspector Al Nause, and asked, "Do you have snipers on the East Block and on rooftops along Wellington Street?" "No, we don't," said Insp. Nause. "When someone has binoculars we don't normally call them a sniper. We call them observers." "Who told you they were snipers?', he asked. "Just about everyone", replied Mr. Corbett. According to his article titled "Shooting down the conspiracy myth" published the next day in the Citizen, the inspector laughed. [see attached] It is this theme that prevailed throughout Mr. Corbett's article - - the result being that not one of the thousands of the article's readers would have any doubt that the majority of the rally's participants were little more than paranoid, conspiracy theorists whose bunker mentality hides them from sane, rational explanations. He even went so far as to compare the majority of those peaceful upstanding citizens to Randy Weaver - a white supremist and survivalist who shot it out with federal agents at Ruby Ridge, Idaho in 1992. This has caused tremendous hurt and outrage among our company's shooting club members who attended the rally and for the many thousands who could not but who were exposed to this slur when they read about it in the Citizen or on Internet newsgroups across the country when it was rebroadcast by irate gun owners. Reform MP, Garry Breitkreuz has finally been able to attain documents under the Access to Information Act that clearly prove that the RCMP did in fact procure four sniper rifles and seventeen sub-machineguns for security detail on the Hill that day [see attached]. So not only was Mr. Corbett's article an unfair generalization of Canadian gun owners, the slanderous portrayal was based entirely on a lie. This has done irrepairable damage to the reputation of all who have spent so much time trying to bring the problems and costs of Bill C-68 to the forefront - - only to be slandered and dismissed by the likes of Mr. Corbett. I respectfully request that the Citizen advise Mr. Corbett to issue a public apology to the thousands of people he has unfairly and irresponsibly slandered and whose reputations he has damaged. I am forwarding this to the RCMP Public Complaints Commision so that they may properly deal with Inspector Nause. He had full knowledge of the facts when he was asked and yet lied to the media and the public when he had no good reason to do so. This facilitated the damage so eagerly caused by Mr. Corbett. Regards, Barry Glasgow Transportation Coordinator, Fed-Up II Rally 4041 Torbolton Ridge Rd. RR#2, Woodlawn, Ont. K0A 3M0 613-832-2449 ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Apr 1999 23:22:04 -0600 From: Jim Irwin Subject: Re: media request Susan Wessling, Reporter, asked: > What other tips would you offer them? (them being people just > beginning to hunt.) Become a member of the local Fish and Game Club. These clubs are often the source of the training which DAT suggested and are, in any case, a good place to enquire about the availability of such training. As well, they will meet more experienced outdoorsmen (and women) who will be able to help them along in their own development. These local club memberships also generally include membership in the provincial Fish and Wildlife organization. Jim Irwin ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Apr 1999 23:22:38 -0600 From: Peter Kearns Subject: Re: Attention dealers Would any dealer having a NEW business licence please forward a copy to Kearns & McMurchy at (780) 413 9756 We need a few examples to research a point of law. regards, Peter Kearns Simon says: The liberal piglets achieved something they never intended to.......They turned honest gun dealers into reasonably knowledgeable part time legal researchers......... ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Apr 1999 23:24:47 -0600 From: Peter Kearns Subject: Join the federally authorized Alberta Militia! Noted Alberta firearms activist Bob Lickacz (also Provincial NFA President) has been granted permission to drill and train members of his own personal militia! Mr. Lickacz, (or should we call him "Colonel?") requested authority from the Minister of Justice to conduct "authorized" drills and training for his own private army. Note: Section 70 of the Criminal Code of Canada allows the Governor in Council, (aka Chretien's piglets) to prohibit people from "training or drilling themselves." (WARNING: Drilling holes in oneself would likely be painful and may lead to medical complications!) Mr. Lickacz being an inquisitive (and some unkindly say a devilish) type, several years ago wrote demanding authority from the Minister to train in the use of arms, and drill his own personal militia! The Minister, (as appears depressingly usual in these cases) neglected to reply, (which was her first mistake.) "Colonel" Lickacz patiently waited for a year and then sent another (more urgent) plea, to be allowed to openly drill and train his own militia. Being a conscientious (some say rather pedantic) person, he enclosed a copy of his first request and included an observation or two relating to the good manners and poor upbringing of those who fail to acknowledge legitimate and politely written requests..... This may have irked old "asbestos drawers Annie," because copies of the good "Colonel's" messages were released (apparently in retaliation) from her office to the media, who then proceeded to lambaste and vilify him for having the audacity to suggest forming a militia......"in Canada yet!" By now the "Colonel" was becoming more than mildly interested in the process of government through the media, so he fired off another urgent missive that explained his point to Annie that "if the law doesn't specifically prohibit something, then it must be legal!" Shortly thereafter the good (and kindly) "Colonel" received an answer from a highly placed Department of Justice flunky which in essence told him to go ahead and drill and train in the use of arms, "UNTIL WE PROHIBIT IT." Some may (unkindly) think that "Colonel" Lickacz was only trying to bait and humiliate the "powers that be" in Ottawa. That wasn't the case at all! It was simply a patriotic Canadian citizen attempting to clarify an element of Canadian law to his personal sattisfaction. The law referred to in Section 70 ONLY applies if people gather to train and drill WITHOUT LAWFUL AUTHORITY....... The "Colonel" by pestering the Minister eventually became LAWFULLY AUTHORIZED, and so the feds can't legally shut down "the Lickacz Irregulars." Remember brethren, the feds said a few years ago that armed militias were strictly an American phenomenon, and could never be formed in Canada........... Oh yeah? (But then, the feds were gullible enough to become involved in forming Canada's first officially sanctioned private army....) Peter Kearns NATIONAL FIREARMS ASSOCIATION COMMUNICATIONS Simon says: Perhaps a good marching song would be "Annie get your gun!" ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Apr 1999 23:26:03 -0600 From: "Breitkreuz, Garry - Assistant 1" Subject: importing firearms into Canada I just got off the phone with Roger Lucy, Deputy Director (613-992-9167) of the Exports Controls Division at the Dept. of Foreign Affairs and International Trade regarding the troubles firearms dealers are having importing firearms, components and ammunition into Canada. He advised that the problems resulted from a change in export rules implemented by the U.S. Office of Defence Trade Controls. The new U.S. Instructions for the Permanent Export of Firearms and Ammunition are available at: http://www.pmdtc.org/ Mr. Lucy advises that Canadian firearm dealers wanting to import firearms, components and/or ammunition into Canada will need either an Import Permit or an International Import Certificate issued by his Division. These can be obtained by sending a fax request to Mr. Lucy's fax (613) 996-9933. If you need assistance call either Mr. Lucy at (613) 992-9167 or his colleague Bernard Charland at (613) 992-0478. Mr. Lucy said they would be issuing an official bulletin on this issue shortly and it would be available on the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade website at: http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/ Dennis Young Parliamentary Assistant (613) 992-4394 ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Apr 1999 23:30:06 -0600 From: jimpook@fisheries.com Subject: Breaking News - Alberta School Shooting Two students shot in Alberta high school TABER, Alta. (CP) -- Two students were shot in a high school in southern Alberta on Wednesday. There were unconfirmed reports that one victim died and the other was critically injured. Both were believed to be Grade 11 students. A secretary at W.R. Myers public high school in Taber said one person was in custody after the shooting, which occurred around the lunch hour. She could not confirm initial reports that the suspect was a Grade 9 student. The shooting came one week after two students terrorized a school in Littleton, Colo., resulting in the deaths of 14 students and one teacher. Taber is a farming community of about 8,000 famous for its sweet corn. It is about 300 kilometres southeast of Calgary. Helen Ikebuchi, whose daughter lives kitty-corner from the school, said she could see police cars with flashing lights parked at the corner. Ambulances and other emergency vehicles sped past in a steady stream, she said, and "there were about 10 or 12 school buses lined up along the side. "I suppose that was for possible evacuation in case they had to put them (students) in buses because it's quite cool here." Ikebuchi said she could see students wandering around after quietly filing out as they would for a fire drill. "I noticed they were all lined up walking down the sidewalk along the school. I suppose they were evacuating the school at that time." The high school is also connected to a junior high. There is an elementary school across the street. - 30 - [At 11 PM MDT (01:00 EDT) they are confirming one 17-year-old dead and another in critical condition...] ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Apr 1999 23:31:35 -0600 From: Manny Masongsong Subject: Does New Gun Control Proposal Addresses School Shootings? First of all, I would like to express my sympathy to all the victims of the recent school shootings at Columbine High in Colorado and the victims of today's incident in Alberta. These things should never happen, but they do. It is a real tragedy in our society. I watched Clinton's presentation of his proposal in Washington on TV yesterday and have these comments to say: it is unfortunate that he used this opportunity for a political agenda. The details of his proposals, if implemented at the time of the shootings would have never prevented the tragedy as much as the Ottawa bus depot shooting was not prevented under the Canadian FAC regulations. The reason I was saying this is this: We all know the two students in Colorado produced a lot of bombs and had knowledge in advance on how to cause injury and carnage through them. If they were not pre-occupied with the use of the firearms or did not have them at the time of the shooting, imagine what would have happened if they instead detonated all these bombs that they made along with molotov cocktails, etc. in the middle of and in strategic locations inside the cafeteria where there, I believe, were about 900 students present.If they did that and locked or blocked the doors and exits from outside, we would have had a much greater tragedy in our hands. Fatalities would have been in the hundreds, not 13 as in this case. And the killings would have been a lot more indiscriminate. As a matter of fact, a lot more people were killed this way in disco places New York, Manila, Europe, and many other locations. And many of these incidents were not even as well pre-planned as in Columbine. With guns, you can kill people one at a time. With bombs, you can multiply the effect a hundred fold in just one instant.Just look at the Oklahoma bombing. My point is, even if we take guns away from insane people, they would still have access to other means to cause much greater suffering. It is not the gun, but the mental attitude, the behaviour and the wrong focus of our society that needs attention.The police were not faultless either. They had been warned many times in advanced of this insanity and they never responded. If they did, we would have never heard of Columbine High School. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. In this case, there were many weak links and the availability of the guns to these kids is just one of them. I do agree that there should be some control on who should have ownership of firearms as they are, admittedly, can be deadly weapons. But gun control is just one small aspect of the overall solution. And we should not lose focus of that fact. We owe it to our children and their children's children to be more flexible in our approach to this issue. I have trigger locks in all my guns, they are stored unloaded and all locked up. I have three children and they do not even know where the ammos are stored. We can do all our share as responsible gun owners, but guns are not the only factor in this tragedy.We need to let others, especially the anti-gun proponents, become aware of this fact. Manny Masongsong Delta, BC ------------------------------ End of Cdn-Firearms Digest V2 #985 **********************************