From: owner-can-firearms-digest@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca (Cdn-Firearms Digest) To: cdn-firearms-digest@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca Subject: Cdn-Firearms Digest V6 #556 Reply-To: cdn-firearms-digest@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca Sender: owner-can-firearms-digest@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca Errors-To: owner-can-firearms-digest@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca Precedence: normal Cdn-Firearms Digest Thursday, October 9 2003 Volume 06 : Number 556 In this issue: Column: IS MCGUINTY FRIEND OR FOE OF OUTDOORSMEN? Regina teen given the maximum sentence for shooting his father to death Fontaine was not licensed to possess eight rifles and one handgun West meets east in cowboy-style shoot-outs at Ontario gun clubs Hunters hunted by firearms registry Column: OUR SAFETY BE DAMNED Two men beaten, stabbed in home invasion robbery RIFLE-TOTING YOUTHS ROBBED VARIETY STORE ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2003 09:36:39 -0600 (CST) From: "Breitkreuz, Garry - Assistant 1" Subject: Column: IS MCGUINTY FRIEND OR FOE OF OUTDOORSMEN? PUBLICATION: The Toronto Sun DATE: 2003.10.09 EDITION: Final SECTION: Sports PAGE: 106 BYLINE: JOHN KERR COLUMN: Outdoors - -------------------------------------------------------------------------= IS MCGUINTY FRIEND OR FOE OF OUTDOORSMEN? - -------------------------------------------------------------------------= Well, it happened. The Ontario political landscape is predominantly a shade of red. And I do not mean the fall leaves. With a Liberal majority poised to rule in the Ontario Legislature by month's end, what changes can anglers and hunters expect regarding fish and wildlife management? Likely not a lot. When the Liberals were in power in the past, they did a fair job. That does not mean a few things will not fall by the wayside. First, the formation of a Fish and Wildlife Commission, heralded into legislation by the departing Tories and then never followed through, is likely to remain on hold. Although touted by organized conservation groups looking for a seat on the commission, it was not a pressing issue with most anglers and hunters. Expect the Liberals to ignore it, too. No doubt a return of a spring bear hunt is also a dead issue, excuse the pun. Premier-elect Dalton McGuinty wisely avoided it during the election campaign. Then again, you never know. Hunting and fishing are important activities in many of the northern ridings now held by Liberals, and the bear hunt is an especially hot topic there. As well, McGuinty does not seem particularly knowledgeable about angling and hunting. He will be looking for advice from his caucus. The convictions and influence of who takes over the ministry of natural resources reins from Oshawa's Jerry Ouellette likely are to shape Liberal policy on outdoors issues. It is anyone's guess who the new minister will be, but I am betting on eastern Ontario's Ernie Parsons. He has been a justifiably outspoken critic of the Tories' mishandling of the Bay of Quinte walleye fishery. One thing is a given. The Liberals will reverse the province's stance of not enforcing and prosecuting simple long-gun registry charges. McGuinty made it clear in the past that he supports the billion-dollar boondoggle foisted on hunters by his federal cousins in Ottawa. When hunting this fall, be sure to take along the registration certificate for the firearm you are using. By law, a certificate must be kept with the gun, so also remember to take it out of your wallet and store it with the firearm after the hunt. The cheap paper certificates the Canadian Firearms Centre issued as a cost-saving move, instead of the sturdier plastic versions first used, are going to be the federal Liberals' next big problem. They do not stand up. One day in a wet duck blind turns them into mush. The CFC says to laminate certificates, at your own expense. Or make copies to take when you hunt. Considering the cost to register guns and buy licences, hunters deserve better than this. Certificates, which are supposed to last a lifetime, should be durable. Like the cheapy paper versions, we can always hope the questionable long-gun registry will not last long either after the next federal election. Meanwhile, here is a tip for hunters who do not want to spend more money to laminate paper certificates. Make copies and cover them on both sides with clear tape. Trim to fit your wallet. Cheap. But effective. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2003 09:37:32 -0600 (CST) From: "Breitkreuz, Garry - Assistant 1" Subject: Regina teen given the maximum sentence for shooting his father to death PUBLICATION: The Leader-Post (Regina) DATE: 2003.10.09 EDITION: Final SECTION: City & Province PAGE: B1 / Front BYLINE: Andrew Ehrkamp SOURCE: The Leader-Post - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Father's death a tragedy - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- A 17-year-old Regina teen was given the maximum sentence under the law for shooting his father to death at close range with a sawed-off rifle -- a situation both his lawyer and the Crown prosecutor describe as a tragedy. The teen was sentenced Wednesday to the maximum three years under the Youth Criminal Justice Act for manslaughter, but given credit for six months spent at the Paul Dojack Youth Centre. Provincial Court Judge Linton Smith also imposed a lifetime firearms ban, to be reviewed after 10 years to protect the teen's aboriginal hunting rights. The teen must also submit a blood sample to the national DNA database and take counselling. The teen's name, and certain details of the case, cannot be published under terms of the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Court heard that on March 19 of this year, the teen went to the house where his father was living, armed with a sawed-off .22-calibre rifle which had been stolen earlier. The father had lent the teen some property in the past. Crown prosecutor Roger Decorvy told court the father was shot in the chest, at close range, in his basement bedroom. A "bang" was heard and the teen emerged from the bedroom screaming for someone to call 9-1-1. Decorvy said the father had been bleeding "profusely" from his mouth and nose and later died of massive blood loss at the scene. Decorvy told court that the rifle used in the crime had a very sensitive trigger, but there was no proof that the teen intended to fire it. Although both the Crown and defence lawyer David Armstrong made a joint recommendation on sentencing, Decorvy told court the fact the father was shot at close range was an aggravating factor. "It's a great tragedy . . . caused by carelessness," Armstrong added. Armstrong said that if "anything positive" has resulted from the case, it's that the teen has renewed his relationship with his mother, who was in the courtroom Wednesday along with many of the teen's extended family. Armstrong told court the teen had been drinking that day and he has "limited memory" of the incident, but he was very upset at the time. The teen was "practically hysterical, banging his head on the police car" and he spent 12 hours "curled up" while in custody, Armstrong told court. Armstrong also said the teen still has difficulty sleeping seven months after the incident occurred. "He's still coming to terms with the event." ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2003 09:40:41 -0600 (CST) From: "Breitkreuz, Garry - Assistant 1" Subject: Fontaine was not licensed to possess eight rifles and one handgun PUBLICATION WINNIPEG FREE PRESS DATE : THU OCT.09,2003 PAGE : A3 CLASS : City EDITION : - -------------------------------------------------------------------------= $623,000 fraud scheme alleged Ex-treatment centre head arrested after leaving court - -------------------------------------------------------------------------= Paul Samyn Paul Samyn OTTAWA -- A massive RCMP fraud investigation has turned up more corruption charges as well as weapons offences involving the former chairman of the Virginia Fontaine Addictions Foundation. Perry Douglas Fontaine was in custody at the RCMP's Manitoba headquarters yesterday after being arrested in connection with what the Mounties allege was a $623,000 fraud scheme. Fontaine was in court yesterday for a remand hearing on previous charges. When he left the building, RCMP issued a warrant for his arrest on the new charges and took him back into custody. He was remanded in custody, and is slated to have a bail hearing this morning. In addition to five counts of fraud over $5,000, the 50-year-old Fontaine is also facing four charges related to what police say was the discovery of unlicensed firearms and high-capacity rifle and handgun magazines during a raid of his homes in July. One count of fraud was laid against Fontaine in July in connection with what the RCMP say were inflated travel claims. The latest fraud charges against Fontaine revolve around what the RCMP say were a number of fictitious contracts that he had the treatment centre enter into with KAGF Consulting. RCMP say Fontaine was tied to the company, but refused to provide any further details about KAGF. "Essentially it was a scheme for KAGF to receive money for no services," said RCMP Const. Les Dolhun. "There never was any intention to provide services." Dolhun said the money flowed from the treatment centre at Sagkeeng First Nation to KAGF and finally to Fontaine. Once the spending scandal involving the treatment centre broke in October 2000, when its staff were found to be on a Caribbean cruise paid for by taxpayers, Fontaine made efforts to disguise the flow of money he was receiving as part of his fraud scheme, Dolhun said. The latest batch of charges against Fontaine come as the RCMP continue to tighten their investigative net, which they promise soon will result in more arrests. To date, Fontaine and six others have been charged in the RCMP investigation, which spans three provinces. On Monday, RCMP in Ottawa laid four more corruption charges against Paul Cochrane, the ex-assistant deputy minister at Health Canada. Last week, Manitoba Mounties also charged Patrick James Nottingham, an ex-Health Canada director in its Manitoba region, with three fraud counts of fraud involving nearly $1 million in tax dollars. All charged are innocent unless convicted. Dolhun said the weapons charges relate to about eight rifles and one handgun, which Fontaine was not licensed to possess. Canadian Alliance justice critic Vic Toews had praise for the hard work the Mounties were doing but wondered why it took the RCMP to get to the bottom of mismanagement at Health Canada. "We don't know what Health Canada is doing about this situation," said Toews (Provencher). "These charges are not the result of any deliberate examination by Health Canada of the spending of taxpayer money and I am very concerned this is just the tip of a very big iceberg." paul.samyn@freepress.mb.ca ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2003 09:42:46 -0600 (CST) From: "Breitkreuz, Garry - Assistant 1" Subject: West meets east in cowboy-style shoot-outs at Ontario gun clubs DATE: 2003.10.08 CATEGORY: Lifestyles BYLINE: STEPHANIE LEVITZ PUBLICATION: cpw - -------------------------------------------------------------------------= West meets east in cowboy-style shoot-outs at Ontario gun clubs - -------------------------------------------------------------------------= TORONTO (CP) _ With his pistol at the ready, the tumbleweed a rollin', and his cowboy hat set just so, the Rev. Damon Fire will fight for his honour this weekend in a barn shootout just east of Ottawa. "There ain't room for both of us in this global village," says Marshal McLuhan, one of the nefarious characters who will take Fire on. Known out of the corral as Dave Bartlett, McLuhan is also the president of the Eastern Ontario Handgun Club, which is bringing together a dozen or so eastern Ontario gun enthusiasts for a Cowboy Action Shooting weekend starting Saturday. Cowboy Action Shooting, also know as Western Action Shooting or Single-Action Shooting, is a sport rapidly growing in popularity among the gun clubs of eastern and southern Ontario. Gun owners re-enact the down-and-dirty gun battles of frontier towns immortalized by characters like Billy the Kid or Wyatt Earp. Using real guns and real amunition, the sport combines elements of role-playing with potentially deadly force. Old-fashioned pistols, rifles and shotguns must be reloaded after each shot. Their handlers shoot at targets, however, not at each other. And just as the weaponry must be true to the 19th century, so too are the shooters. Before stepping into shooting scenarios designed to replicate the look and feel of western gunfights, shooters choose a character and then find an outfit to match the role. The aliases _ such as Rev. Damon Fire for Marc Greatti who brought the sport to eastern Ontario _ can be an alter-ego, political message or just a simple nickname. "It's a bit of a play on words _ aim and fire," Greatti, 40, says of his moniker. "I used to do this on Sunday a lot and my parents were mad that I didn't go to church. I figured if I can't go I'll be a reverend at this game." Bartlett chose his alias to honour the man he considers to be the greatest "marshal" in Canadian history _ Marshall McLuhan, the famous media theorist. Since shooters are replicating gunfights from the 1800s, not any old outfit will do. "It is the only place . . . where two men will meet, covered in guns and ammunition and say to each other I just love that shirt you've got, where did you get it?" jokes Hugh Fraser, 63, who has been organizing matches in Burlington, Ont., for the last ten years. Participants can drop a pretty penny in suiting up for a meet _ the guns alone can cost more than $1,000. Guns have been blazing at these kinds of events in Ontario since 1985, when Frank McFarquhar, 56, saw an ad in a magazine about California clubs staging the shoots. The sport then spread west in Canada, with events now staged as well in B.C., Alberta and Manitoba. Matches and meets are also held around the world, with close to 60,000 participants registered in the Single Action Shooting Society. "It is about putting the fun and romance of old west and old guns into sport," said McFarquhar. "It comes from people whose minds are like the John Wayne mind _ you never lie, once you start a job you finish it. Those morals are part of the game." Participants are quick to point to the game's spirit for creating such a buzz. "Your handshake is as good as your word. The whole concept is to live the cowboy way either by historical association or the western movies which I grew up on," said Walter Yovdoshuk, 57, who organizes matches in Palgrave, Ont. Yovdoshuk says the combination of history with firearms attracts men to the matches as much as it draws in women. "She's just as deadly with a six-shooter and a better shot than I am at some cases," Yovdoshuk says of his wife, who in addition to being a sharp-shooter makes the couples wild-west wardrobe. "When we started it, we really didn't think it would take off the way it did," said Kevin Beardsley, 54, of the Eastern Ontario Handgun Club. "It's spreading extremely fast. A lot of that has to do with the fact that it is a relaxed form of competition." American competitions generally recreate famous scenes from frontier history or Clint Eastwood classics, but north of the 49th parallel, organizers are quick to draw on Canada's wild west history for a little game-time inspiration. "We had train robberies, we had shoot-outs," said Beardsley. "It just hasn't been glorified like it has on the American side. They're the ones who have really researched and brought out that aspect of their history." "The cowboy side of Canada is just starting to come out." ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2003 09:45:06 -0600 (CST) From: "Breitkreuz, Garry - Assistant 1" Subject: Hunters hunted by firearms registry PUBLICATION: Montreal Gazette DATE: 2003.10.09 EDITION: Final SECTION: Editorial / Op-ed PAGE: A30 SOURCE: The Gazette - -------------------------------------------------------------------------= Hunters hunted by firearms registry - -------------------------------------------------------------------------= Your Oct. 3 report on the decline of hunting, "Roll out the barrels: Hunters aim to halt sport's decline," is out of this world. It does not even mention what is likely the main factor in this decline. When the cost of something goes up, people want less. Hunting is now a high-cost activity: The cost a hunter must incur is the time, risk and humiliation necessary to keep one's firearms from the prying hands of the state. Every five years, a hunter has to declare, under penalty of prison if he lies, that he has had no relationship breakdown and taken no Prozac. Hunters have never been so hunted since the beginning of French colonization. Pierre Lemieux Lac Saguay ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2003 09:47:08 -0600 (CST) From: "Breitkreuz, Garry - Assistant 1" Subject: Column: OUR SAFETY BE DAMNED PUBLICATION: The Winnipeg Sun DATE: 2003.10.09 EDITION: Final SECTION: News PAGE: 5 ILLUSTRATION: photo by Jason Halstead, Sun Media JEFFREY MARSH: It's incredible that an incorrigible and dangerous criminal was set free. BYLINE: TOM BRODBECK, CITY COLUMNIST - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- OUR SAFETY BE DAMNED MARSH FIASCO A SLAP IN THE PUBLIC'S FACE - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Few cases illustrate the utter contempt our justice system has for public safety better than the story of 39-year-old Jeffrey Marsh, a serial robber who is back behind bars after yet another alleged robbery and high-speed vehicle pursuit in Winnipeg. Marsh is the guy who was sent to Winnipeg from Edmonton because nobody in Alberta wanted him. He was discharged from an Alberta prison on a "statutory release" which landed him at a halfway house in Winnipeg. His criminal record dates back to 1981. He's dangerous, a high risk to re-offend -- because he's done it so often during the past 22 years -- and he simply shouldn't be out on the street. According to his parole documents, Marsh's criminal activities "have escalated in severity," and officials have found he's unlikely to live a "pro-social life" upon his next release. PAST PATTERN "You have stated that it is your intention to stay away from offending for good, but your past pattern of offending indicates otherwise," his latest parole sheet reads. Despite this, our justice system -- after giving this guy years of programming, medication and chance after chance to get his life together -- still sees fit to release him into the community, putting the public at great risk. It absolutely blows my mind. Six years ago, after being released from prison, a Toronto police officer had to open fire on the car Marsh was driving in a bid to stop him from running him over. Marsh was charged with numerous offences and was put behind bars again. He was released about three years later and within weeks went on a robbery spree in Edmonton, holding up a bank, IGA stores, a liquor store and a pizza joint over a three-month period. He was charged with seven counts of robbery with a firearm, eight counts of wearing a disguise, possession of an offensive weapon (a shotgun) and auto theft. Remember, at this point, the guy's been robbing banks and stores and leading cops on dangerous, high-speed pursuits for nearly 20 years. And how does the justice system respond? They put him behind bars for about three years and then set him free in Winnipeg. Within a week, he gets charged with numerous robbery and dangerous driving offences. No kidding. The new charges supposedly came as a surprise to Gord Holloway, district director of Correctional Services of Canada. "(Marsh) had indicated to us that he was going to follow through and that if he did all right, he would be able to move back to his home community in Edmonton within two months," said Holloway. DANGEROUS Who is this guy, Gomer Pile? It's crystal clear Marsh should never have been let out in the first place. He's a repeat, dangerous offender that should be locked up indefinitely. The justice system's first obligation should be to protect the safety of the public, not give criminals limitless opportunities to rehabilitate themselves. The fact Marsh was even walking the streets last week is a disgraceful failure of Parliament, our courts and of Corrections Canada to uphold even the most basic levels of public safety. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2003 09:49:07 -0600 (CST) From: "Breitkreuz, Garry - Assistant 1" Subject: Two men beaten, stabbed in home invasion robbery PUBLICATION: Edmonton Journal DATE: 2003.10.09 EDITION: Final SECTION: CityPlus PAGE: B4 SOURCE: The Edmonton Journal DATELINE: EDMONTON - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Two men beaten, stabbed in home invasion robbery - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- EDMONTON - Two men were in hospital late Wednesday, one in serious condition, after they were stabbed and beaten during a home invasion in the city's west end. Annette Bidniak, police information officer, said four suspects burst into a suite near 183rd Street and 87th Avenue shortly before 3 p.m. and began to beat and stab two men. The attackers pointed a shotgun at the two men and robbed them. Bidniak said the robbers were apparently masked, but police believe at least one of them knew someone in the suite. "This was not a stranger attack." A third male was in the suite in another room, but wasn't found by the robbers and escaped injury. Bidniak said police were trying to identify the four attackers. One of the two victims had "very serious injuries," Bidniak said. The other had less severe injuries, but was kept in hospital for observation. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2003 09:49:23 -0600 (CST) From: "Breitkreuz, Garry - Assistant 1" Subject: RIFLE-TOTING YOUTHS ROBBED VARIETY STORE PUBLICATION: The London Free Press DATE: 2003.10.09 EDITION: Final SECTION: City & Region PAGE: B4 BYLINE: KELLY PEDRO, FREE PRESS CRIME REPORTER - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 TEENS CHARGED AFTER HOLDUP RIFLE-TOTING YOUTHS WEARING DISGUISES ROBBED MEADOWLILY VARIETY STORE. - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- London police have charged four teenagers after several rifle-toting youths wearing disguises walked into a variety store Tuesday night and demanded cash. Two employees at Meadowlily variety store on Hamilton Road were ordered to the ground while thieves took money and cigarettes at about 11 p.m, police said. The suspects fled in a white Dodge Dakota. Shortly after, an off-duty London police officer spotted a white Dodge Dakota being driving aggressively and called 911. Police followed a pickup truck to Oliver and Vauxhall streets, where it mounted a curb and hit a street sign, Const. Paul Martin said. Three youths fled the truck. One youth inside the truck was arrested. Three others were arrested nearby. Police also found two rifles. A 16-year-old, two 17-year-olds and 19-year-old Chol Angou are charged with several offences, including two counts of robbery, robbery with a firearm and possession of stolen property over $5,000. The 16-year-old and the two 17-year-olds can't be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. London police said a second vehicle was involved in the incident. A blue 1997 Chevy Suburban, is still outstanding, Martin said. The vehicle, with licence plate 656 YRY, was stolen from Jacksway Crescent Monday night. Police believe Tuesday's armed robbery may be linked to a 2001 Dodge Dakota stolen from a parking lot at Adelaide and Oxford streets Monday night. A citizen later called police from the northbound lane on Pond Mills Road near Egerton, reporting being followed too closely by a white Dodge Dakota. It pulled up beside the citizen's vehicle and one person in the back pointed what appeared to be a rifle. Soon after, police responded to a Thompson Road variety store after it was robbed. Four men entered the store carrying long guns and took cigarettes, police said. ------------------------------ End of Cdn-Firearms Digest V6 #556 ********************************** Submissions: mailto:cdn-firearms-digest@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca Mailing List Commands: mailto:majordomo@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca Moderator's e-mail address: mailto:akimoya@cogeco.ca List owner: mailto:owner-cdn-firearms@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca FAQ list: http://www.magma.ca/~asd/cfd-faq1.html and http://teapot.usask.ca/cdn-firearms/Faq/cfd-faq1.html Web Site: http://teapot.usask.ca/cdn-firearms/homepage.html FTP Site: ftp://teapot.usask.ca/pub/cdn-firearms/ CFDigest Archives: http://www.sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca/~ab133/ or put the next command in an e-mail message and mailto:majordomo@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca get cdn-firearms-digest v04.n192 end (192 is the digest issue number and 04 is the volume) To unsubscribe from _all_ the lists, put the next five lines in a message and mailto:majordomo@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca unsubscribe cdn-firearms-digest unsubscribe cdn-firearms-alert unsubscribe cdn-firearms-chat unsubscribe cdn-firearms end (To subscribe, use "subscribe" instead of "unsubscribe".) 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