From: owner-can-firearms-digest@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca (Cdn-Firearms Digest) To: cdn-firearms-digest@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca Subject: Cdn-Firearms Digest V7 #187 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 Friday, May 28 2004 Volume 07 : Number 187 In this issue: AN OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT GEORGE.W. BUSH Editorial: Good policy can save lives. Bad policies can kill. Editor (Makes sense to us) Fw: COPS BUST ONLINE TRAFFICKERS SEND HUBBY TO PRISON: CROWN Column: Tory outrage: How much is gas, how much is hot air? Column: When a candidate comes knocking, hand out the tough questions Fw: Column: It's time for some real change Conservatives air election campaign ad spoofing `wasteful'government Editorial: Look at the reviled gun registry. Re: LETTER OF THE DAY COLUMN Tory resigns amid bilingualism flap ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 28 May 2004 12:30:59 -0600 (CST) From: Joe Gingrich Subject: AN OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT GEORGE.W. BUSH February 8, 2002 AN OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT GEORGE.W. BUSH FR: Aaron Zelman, Executive Director Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership Dear President Bush and Administration Decision-Makers: I'm writing to alert you to an ominous, potentially tragic gap in your homeland security preparations. This gap could enable terrorists to escape scrutiny and operate anywhere from the largest cities to the deepest part of the American heartland where, as you know, agricultural facilities, dams, and power plants are vulnerable. The gap exists in the millions of square miles of the U.S. that simply can't be safeguarded by federal agents, even with the aid of sophisticated technology. Fortunately, you have at hand the one force that can most surely close this dangerous gap: The American people. After the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941, Americans living on both coasts were rapidly brought into action as civil defense wardens. They watched the skies and the seas for signs of invasion. They stood guard against spies and saboteurs. Everyone from housewives to retired military men accepted the natural duty of citizens to protect their own country and communities against attack. Many of these civilian defenders -- who, after all, were members of the constitutional unorganized militia -- went armed in their duties. They were ready not only to report dangers that they spotted to far-off "authorities," but to personally stand up for their country's safety and security. Franklin Roosevelt wasn't the only twentieth-century president to value an armed citizenry. President Theodore Roosevelt, who habitually carried a handgun for self-defense (as did his niece Eleanor), said that only with extensive firearm training could America "defend ourselves, protect others, or preserve peace" in the face of "strong nations" bent on aggression. When John F. Kennedy was a candidate for the presidency, he declared, "Although it is extremely unlikely that the fears of governmental tyranny, which gave rise to the second amendment, will ever be a major danger to our nation, the amendment still remains an important declaration of our basic military-civilian relationships, in which every citizen must be ready to participate in the defense of his country." What was true against "strong nations" is surely even more true when the enemy is small, hidden groups of men who may be living, planning, and acting out their evil in our neighborhoods. When terrorists are dispersed among us, what better answer than to disperse armed American guardians far and wide among them? If every American is a potential victim of terror, then shouldn't every American be expected and encouraged to defend self, home, family, community, and nation? Such widespread self defense is not only common sense, it is also effective national defense. There are not enough FBI agents, National Guardsmen, or police to cover every corner of America. No number of surveillance cameras or checkpoints can do that job (although they may help turn the U.S. into a police state in the vain attempt to achieve "security"). Spending $61.8 million on increased FBI surveillance capabilities, or $157.6 million to enhance that agency's computer systems, as your new budget proposes to do, can't protect Americans today, next week, or next month, and may never protect us all. But there are 285 million Americans who are on hand now, in every big-city neighborhood, small town, and rural crossroads. Some 80 million of them already own firearms, and millions are prepared to bring their own weapons and ammunition -- at no cost to the U.S. taxpayers -- to defend their homeland. The Talmud, the code of Jewish law, states: "If someone comes to kill you, arise quickly and kill him." That's good sense for dealing with terrorists, as well as common criminals. Just as a thief avoids breaking into a home where an armed-and- ready resident might be present, terrorists will surely think twice if they know a planeload or an office building full of potential victims might contain even a few who refuse to be victims -- and are armed with the means to enforce their refusal. If every hiker near a vulnerable dam, every farmer at a grain mill, every cleaning lady in a public building were a potential armed defender ... wouldn't terrorists be less inclined to see us and our institutions as easy targets -- as they so clearly did on September 11? President Franklin Roosevelt trusted his fellow citizens with the defense of the nation after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Now, after the after the worst attack against the U.S. in its entire history ... I must ask you, Mr. Bush and members of the administration: Why aren't you relying upon the American people? Mr. Bush, if you are truly want to be a truly effective defender of your nation, then you will: Explicitly recognize and encourage Americans' unlimited right to self-defense and defense of their own communities. Encourage citizens to be aware of their rights and responsibilities, particularly their second-amendment rights. Immediately instruct the ATF, FBI, and any other federal enforcement agencies to cease prosecuting non-violent Americans for technical violations of firearms laws or regulations. Permit and encourage Americans to bear arms on federal lands and in federal buildings. Considering that courts have repeatedly declared that government law enforcement has no obligation to protect any individual, encourage states to enable citizens to defend themselves or their communities Encourage those with military or police experience to share their expertise with fellow citizens in the form of firearm- training courses and other defense skills. I'm not talking about a draft, which would be involuntary servitude. I'm not talking about turning random, shoot-on- suspicion vigilantes loose upon the nation. I'm talking about a committed, educated defense, run by individuals at the community level and peopled by individuals, acting as free, well-trained, and informed citizens. I trust that your intentions are good. But as I'm sure many Americans will remind you, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Increasingly, Americans are growing uneasy about the usefulness of government surveillance of ordinary citizens on Main Street, USA. Mr. Bush, Mr. Cheney, Mr. Ridge, Mr. Ashcroft, Mr. Rumsfeld, Gen. Powell, Mr. Mueller, Ms. Rice: If you are serious about defending our homeland, I ask you to trust those citizens. Rely on them before you rely on uniformed force or Big Brother technology. It won't cost you a thing. It will help keep America free. And it might prevent another disaster whose cost is beyond measuring. Sincerely, Aaron Zelman Executive Director, Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership PO Box 270143 Hartford, Wisconsin 53027 Phone: 1-262-673-9745 Order line: 1-800-869-1884 (toll-free!) Fax: 1-262-673-9746 Web: http://www.jpfo.org/ ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 28 May 2004 12:42:50 -0600 (CST) From: "DRYoung" Subject: Editorial: Good policy can save lives. Bad policies can kill. PUBLICATION: The Ottawa Citizen DATE: 2004.05.28 EDITION: Final SECTION: News PNAME: Editorial PAGE: A12 SOURCE: The Ottawa Citizen - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Responsible government - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Many Canadians were taken aback by Mr. Layton's stark words, doubtless because we're not used to hearing politicians being blamed for the deaths of innocent people. But that's because we underestimate the significance of public policy. Good policy can save lives. Bad policies can kill. And since politicians choose policies, they have the power to save lives or take them. That is a fact, and it is irresponsible for politicians to not acknowledge it. http://www.canada.com/ottawa/ottawacitizen/news/editorials/story.html?id=e1641373-c5fa-4eb1-b6d8-7a6600970bca ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 28 May 2004 12:43:16 -0600 (CST) From: "DRYoung" Subject: Editor (Makes sense to us) PUBLICATION: The Toronto Sun DATE: 2004.05.28 EDITION: Final SECTION: Editorial/Opinion PAGE: 18 COLUMN: Letters to the Editor RE STIFFER sentences for gun violations: Do we really need more laws about crimes committed with guns? I don't think so. Instead, why not adjust our system so concurrent sentences are no longer the norm? http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/TorontoSun/Letters/ ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 28 May 2004 12:44:43 -0600 (CST) From: "DRYoung" Subject: Fw: COPS BUST ONLINE TRAFFICKERS PUBLICATION: The Toronto Sun DATE: 2004.05.28 EDITION: Final SECTION: News PAGE: 46 BYLINE: JONATHAN KINGSTONE, TORONTO SUN - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- COPS BUST ONLINE TRAFFICKERS - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- A RICHMOND Hill family is accused of shipping guns and drugs around the world to buyers who placed orders over the Internet, York Regional Police said yesterday http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/TorontoSun/News/2004/05/28/476391.html ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 28 May 2004 12:45:08 -0600 (CST) From: "DRYoung" Subject: SEND HUBBY TO PRISON: CROWN PUBLICATION: The Toronto Sun DATE: 2004.05.28 EDITION: Final SECTION: News PAGE: 15 ILLUSTRATION: photo A BRUISE in the shape of a gun barrel marks the cheek of Antoinette Robinson after she was beaten by her husband. BYLINE: SAM PAZZANO, COURTS BUREAU - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- SEND HUBBY TO PRISON: CROWN - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- A MAN who beat his common-law spouse with a gun and fired five shots in her direction should be imprisoned for eight to 10 years, a Crown attorney said yesterday. http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/TorontoSun/News/2004/05/28/476436.html ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 28 May 2004 12:45:58 -0600 (CST) From: "DRYoung" Subject: Column: Tory outrage: How much is gas, how much is hot air? PUBLICATION GLOBE AND MAIL DATE: FRI MAY.28,2004 PAGE: A17 BYLINE: JEFFREY SIMPSON CLASS: Column EDITION: Metro DATELINE: WORDS: 790 - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tory outrage: How much is gas, how much is hot air? jsimpson@globeandmail.ca - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Conservatives are making much of Liberal "waste, mismanagement and corruption" in the campaign's early going, and it looks like this charge will be a staple to the end. The three examples frequently cited by the Conservatives are fair ones for complaint. They were programs that ran into various levels of muck. But anybody who thinks their correction would save many dollars better think again. [snip] The Conservatives promise to scrap the $1-billion gun registry, a policy they opposed from the beginning. Fine, but that money represents a sunk cost that cannot be recovered. Scrapping the registry today would save a pittance relative to overall government spending. http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/HTMLTemplate?tf=columnists/Summary.html&cf=common/MiniHub.cfg&configFileLoc=config&hub=jeffreySimpson&title=Jeffrey_Simpson - ----------------------------------------- NEWS RELEASE - March 3, 2004 CBC's $2 BILLION DOLLAR COST ESTIMATE FOR THE GUN REGISTRY WAS LOW "One billion is gone and the only way to stop the waste of another billion is to scrap this useless program." http://www.garrybreitkreuz.com/breitkreuzgpress/guns115.htm ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 28 May 2004 12:46:25 -0600 (CST) From: "DRYoung" Subject: Column: When a candidate comes knocking, hand out the tough questions PUBLICATION: The Province DATE: 2004.05.28 EDITION: Final SECTION: Editorial PAGE: A18 BYLINE: Preston Manning SOURCE: Special to The Province - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- When a candidate comes knocking, hand out the tough questions - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you demand nothing from a candidate for public office, that's what you'll get. So, when candidates come knocking, have a list of the top things you expect from your elected representative in the House of Commons and from the next government. http://www.canada.com/vancouver/theprovince/news/editorial/story.html?id=b3d1b919-2934-4224-bafc-00a42fc2bfc7 ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 28 May 2004 12:46:53 -0600 (CST) From: "DRYoung" Subject: Fw: Column: It's time for some real change PUBLICATION: Calgary Herald DATE: 2004.05.28 EDITION: Final SECTION: Comment PAGE: A17 SOURCE: For The Calgary Herald ILLUSTRATION: Photo: Bert Brown - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- It's time for some real change - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Government scandals make it clear Canadians need an election based on ethics, integrity and political morality. Instead, we are getting recycled fear-mongering and destructive America-bashing. http://www.canada.com/calgary/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=1c16257c-7dfb-45aa-9570-26dd21d61950 ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 28 May 2004 12:49:06 -0600 (CST) From: "DRYoung" Subject: Conservatives air election campaign ad spoofing `wasteful'government DATE: 2004.05.27 CATEGORY: National general news BYLINE: BRUCE CHEADLE PUBLICATION: cpw - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Conservatives air election campaign ad spoofing `wasteful' government spending - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- OTTAWA (CP) _ The federal Conservative party is airing a new election campaign television ad. Here's a look: Producer: Watermark Advertising, Calgary. The Format Video _ To the music of a circus carousel and the chiming of the Peace Tower bell, the ad opens with the camera panning across stacks of Canadian bills, from $5 to $50. The camera pulls back to look over the shoulder of a man in a suit seated at his desk, in what appears to be the Prime Minister's Office. The man's hand, with a gold ring and wristwatch prominent, peels a $50 bill off the pile, scrunches it up and tosses it into a waste basket full of crumpled currency. Text _ White block letters on a black screen: ``SPONSORSHIP SCANDAL \ BILLION'' Video _ A female custodian in a dark Parliament Hill corridor empties a waste basket into a larger trolley bin overflowing with crumpled bills. She pushes down the cash, shaking her head in disgust. Text _ ``HRDC BOONDOGGLE 1 BILLION'' Video _ A garbage man on the street tosses a large plastic garbage bag into a dumpster where other bags are spilling their cash contents. Text _ ``GUN REGISTRY APPROACHING 2 BILLION'' Video _ Two garbage men watch as the dumpster is emptied into the back of a battered garbage truck. Text _ ``CAN YOU REALLY AFFORD ANOTHER FOUR YEARS OF LIBERAL WASTE?'' Audio-Visual _ A woman's voice says, ``Demand better, vote for the new Conservatives,'' as the same words in red appear on a white backdrop with the Conservative party logo. Accuracy: The ad alludes to three programs criticized in federal auditor general reports during the last four years. They include shoddy administration of up to $1 billion in grants and contributions from Human Resources Development Canada, and sparse, missing or misleading records on $250 million spent on the federal sponsorship program in the latter half of the 1990s. The auditor stated in 2002 that the federal gun registry will cost taxpayers about $1 billion by 2005 rather than the projected $2 million. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation estimated last year that the registry could cost $2 billion by 2012. The Conservative ad's claim that the registry is approaching $2 billion appears inflated. The Ad Expert Says: ``The ad adopts the familiar strategy of accentuating the negative. ``It launches its attack on three fronts using verbal claims, visual imagery and aural cues provided by the background music. The verbal claims . . . are organized using a familiar problem-solution format. Though the problem of wasteful and controversial spending by the Liberals is clearly articulated, the `Demand Better - vote Conservative' solution is rather weak. ``The slogan implies a promise that the Conservatives would spend taxpayers money in a more thrifty and ethical manner than the incumbents. Unfortunately, the ad does not explicitly state how the party will make this happen. ``This leaves the door open for undecided voters to wonder `does anyone have an actionable solution?' ``Strategic use of repetition is also used to achieve persuasion. Stacks of money. Bags of wasted money. Scandals, boondoggles and secrecy. These themes are reinforced by the repetitive droning of the `Carousel' organ music playing in the background. The amusement park music is used to mock and parody the incumbent party while providing an affective charge to the message and hinting that the carnivalesque spending will continue unless there is change.'' _ Michael S. Mulvey, assistant professor of marketing, University of Ottawa, and president, Uncommon Sense Inc., a marketing consultancy firm. Opposition Reaction: ``Typical of Stephen Harper _ an American-inspired attack. This is consistent with what we have come to expect from him. Does he ever speak of his policies?'' _ John Webster, Liberal campaign co-chair. Postscript: The biting, humourous tone of the latest Conservative ad contrasts with two earlier spots that featured a low-key, prime ministerial party leader Stephen Harper introducing himself to Canadians. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 28 May 2004 12:49:40 -0600 (CST) From: "DRYoung" Subject: Editorial: Look at the reviled gun registry. PUBLICATION: The Winnipeg Sun DATE: 2004.05.28 EDITION: Final SECTION: Editorial/Opinion PAGE: 11 ILLUSTRATION: photo by CP Auditor General Sheila Fraser finally unlocked the mystery of the Grits. BYLINE: JOHN GLEESON, EDITOR - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- WHAT SHEILA SHOWED US - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Look at the reviled gun registry. Canadians have smelled a rat on this one for years but figured the feds bungled it out of their usual incompetence, getting tied politically to an urban "motherhood" issue without understanding its full complexity. Now we have to wonder whether the registry itself was ever important to the people who set it up -- whether all that mattered was creating a billion-dollar (or maybe $2 billion) opportunity to screw the taxpayer. http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/Columnists/Winnipeg/John_Gleeson/2004/05/27/475927.html ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 28 May 2004 12:58:13 -0600 (CST) From: Jim Powlesland Subject: Re: LETTER OF THE DAY COLUMN On Thu, 27 May 2004, DRYoung wrote: > PUBLICATION: The Ottawa Sun > DATE: 2004.05.27 > EDITION: Final > SECTION: Comment > PAGE: 15 > COLUMN: Letter of the Day > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > LETTER OF THE DAY COLUMN > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > THE LIBERAL government promised Canadians that their federal firearm > registry would prevent "gun crime." > > Every time there is a shooting in Canada, it is simply proof that the > federal Liberals gun control scheme does not work. > > http://canoe.com/NewsStand/OttawaSun/Letters/ Here is the complete letter from Hinter. - ---- Wed, May 26, 2004 The Liberal government promised Canadians that their federal firearm registry would prevent "gun crime." Every time there is a shooting in Canada, it is simply proof that the federal Liberals gun control scheme does not work. If the firearm owner were licensed, then the background checks and all the intrusions into the personal privacy of Canadians failed to work. The scheme failed. If the firearm used in a crime were registered, then again the system failed. The firearm was used in a crime, registration was promised, by the Liberals, to prevent that. The scheme failed. If the firearm owner was not licensed, again, the system failed. The federal Liberals promised that their gun-control scheme would solve this problem. The system failed again. This $2-billion boondoggle is one of the most shameful failures in a growing list of Liberal failures. That these failures can cost Canadians their lives -- not just the waste of tax dollars is especially shameful. That there are real solutions, and the Liberals have, in 10 years refused to listen is the true tragedy - -- for all Canadians. James M. Hinter National President National Firearms Association (Indeed) ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 28 May 2004 12:58:21 -0600 (CST) From: Bruce Mills Subject: Tory resigns amid bilingualism flap http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1085743936988_12/?hub=TopStories Tory resigns amid bilingualism flap CTV.ca News Staff Conservative Leader Stephen Harper is in damage control mode today, trying to turn attention away from the first major controversy of the election campaign. Late Thursday, Conservative Party Critic for Official Languages Scott Reid resigned. He stepped down after he suggested that bilingual services from coast to coast be reconsidered. Reid also said he didn't think senior civil servants should have to be bilingual. The comments triggered an uproar, and Harper found himself defending the Conservative MP, while stressing his party's position on bilingualism. Harper said Reid was just expressing a personal opinion and tried to assure voters that the Conservative Party supports official bilingualism. CTV's Mike Duffy said the Liberals jumped at the opportunity to criticize the Conservatives. "The Liberals say this shows they're bigots and rednecks," Duffy said. Pierre Pettigrew, Minister for Official Languages, declared himself "outraged" at Reid's remarks. In a news release, he said, "Three days after posing in Montreal as the new champion of the French language, Stephen Harper reveals another face, as he refuses to recognize the French fact throughout Canada. Quebecers should therefore ponder the consequences of their vote on June 28." In Victoria, Prime Minister Paul Martin also took the opportunity to attack the Conservatives. "If anybody has to ask is there a difference of opinion as to the kind of Canada that we want and the kind of Canada Mr. Harper wants, I think that this is an indication of what that's all about," he said. Martin, who represents the Montreal riding of LaSalle-Emard, said: "I support official bilingualism. I support it unequivocally. I support minority language rights and I support them unequivocally." "For Martin this is manna from heaven," said Craig Oliver, CTV's Ottawa bureau chief, on Newsnet's Countdown with Mike Duffy. "Only fools fool with bilingualism. This is wrong and a mistake on so many levels." Oliver was reporting in New Brunswick, Canada's only officially bilingual province, on Thursday and he predicted the controversy could cost the Conservatives a seat or two there. ------------------------------ End of Cdn-Firearms Digest V7 #187 ********************************** Submissions: mailto:cdn-firearms-digest@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca Mailing List Commands: mailto:majordomo@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca Moderator's e-mail address: mailto:moderator@hitchen.org 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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