From: owner-can-firearms-digest@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca (Cdn-Firearms Digest) To: cdn-firearms-digest@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca Subject: Cdn-Firearms Digest V8 #570 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 Monday, October 31 2005 Volume 08 : Number 570 In this issue: Grits weather sponsorship scandal lieing Sides spar over gun law's success Gun bill focuses on storms OFFICER SHOOTS SELF Letter to Globe and Mail (unpub) ... Letters: Guns and crime Detecting Weapons Man, 37, faces weapons charges October 31, 2005 - CFC PERFORMANCE REPORT FOR 2004-2005 letter to Vancouver Province ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 14:15:00 -0600 (CST) From: "Bruce Mills" Subject: Grits weather sponsorship scandal http://www.canada.com/ottawa/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=4137921f-8b3d - -4417-baf2-cf97ca000162 Grits weather sponsorship scandal poll: Voters split on turfing Liberals, still prefer Martin over Harper Norma Greenaway The Ottawa Citizen October 31, 2005 The federal Liberals have weathered the Quebec sponsorship scandal so far, according to a new national poll that says Canadians don't think any federal party stands out as the best one to clean up the corruption uncovered by the Gomery inquiry. The Ipsos-Reid poll, conducted for CanWest News Service and released on the eve of Justice John Gomery's much-anticipated report, also says Canadians are more than twice as likely to blame former prime minister Jean Chretien for the scandal than his successor, Paul Martin, or officials of the federal Liberal party in Quebec, or public servants. The poll captured an electorate deeply divided on whether the opposition parties should try to bring down the minority Liberal government because of the inquiry's revelations about the abuse of taxpayers' dollars. Asked specifically if the Liberals have lost their "moral right to govern," and whether the opposition parties should force an immediate election, 48 per cent agreed with the proposition, and 45 per cent disagreed. The result is a statistical dead heat when the survey's margin of error is taken into account. Support for pulling the plug on the Liberals was up slightly, however, from a poll in April when 45 per cent said they favoured the idea, and 52 per cent disagreed. The poll, combined with one released Saturday on Canadians' voting intentions, paints a picture of a skeptical electorate itching for a change of government, but unwilling so far to either turn its back on the Liberals or embrace the Conservative party. Pollster Darrell Bricker, president of Ipsos-Reid, says a fresh eruption of anti-Liberal sentiment is possible once the Gomery report is released. "It seems to have a life of its own," he said. Mr. Bricker said Liberal popularity has "cratered" every time there was some new revelation or allegations during the Gomery hearings about kickbacks, accounting scams and fraud associated with the doling out of millions of taxpayers' dollars by the Chretien-led government in the name of the now-defunct sponsorship program. Mr. Bricker says the polls expose the depth of Canadian cynicism about federal politics. Almost seven in 10 respondents said, for example, that if the Liberals introduce across-the-board tax cuts in the next few weeks, they will see the move mostly as an attempt to "distract people from the Gomery report and the sponsorship scandal." More than six in 10 Canadians also said they don't think the Gomery report will result in meaningful change in the way the government works. Judge Gomery, presiding over a commission of inquiry, can single out individuals for misconduct, but he cannot make findings of criminal guilt or civil responsibility. His report -- the interim instalment will be presented tomorrow -- has politicians of all parties on alert because of the potential his findings will have for tarnishing reputations. The bad news for Mr. Martin and his political competitors is that Canadians declared no clear favourite when asked which leader and federal party would do the best job of cleaning up the system. One quarter of respondents chose Mr. Martin and the Liberals, one quarter chose Jack Layton and the NDP, 22 per cent chose Stephen Harper and the Conservatives, and 11 per cent picked Gilles Duceppe and the Bloc Quebecois. Still, about half of those surveyed -- 51 per cent -- said they are still more likely to trust Mr. Martin as prime minister than Mr. Harper, regardless of the Gomery findings. Mr. Bricker said the 11-point spread Canadians give Mr. Martin over Mr. Harper gives the prime minister little to brag about, considering the sky-high ratings he enjoyed when he won the Liberal leadership less than two years ago. "He's kind of like the tallest short guy," Mr. Bricker said. "He doesn't really stand out. He's just descended very quickly down into the morass with a fairly hapless crowd." However, Mr. Bricker said, the poll confirms the inability of the Tory and New Democratic parties -- unlike what the Bloc has done in Quebec -- to take advantage of the scandal. "It's not like anybody has seized the issue as being the 'party of clean,' " he said. "It's not like anybody has broken away from the pack on that. So, people are just throwing up their hands and saying; 'Oh well, I don't think anybody is necessarily going to be any better (than Mr. Martin).' " The sampling of opinion on Gomery-related questions involved telephone interviews last Tuesday though Thursday with 1,000 adult Canadians. The results are considered accurate to within 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. The poll on party popularity is based on telephone interviews with 2,000 adults over the same period. The results are considered accurate to within 2.2 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. Although the polls suggest the Liberals have survived the scandal to date, the party is clearly not thriving, and the "prospects of forming a majority (government) are pretty slim," Mr. Bricker said. Based on last week's sampling of voter intentions, the Liberals, with the support of 38 per cent of Canadians, remained in minority-government territory. The Tories trailed by 12 points at 26 per cent. The NDP had 18-per-cent support, and the Bloc had 11 per cent. In Quebec, however, the Bloc has the support of 47 per cent of voters, compared with 33 per cent for the Liberals. Among the latest findings: - - Residents of Alberta (61 per cent), Quebec (54 per cent) and Atlantic Canada (53 per cent) were most likely to agree that the Liberals have "lost their moral right to govern" and that the opposition parties should force an election. - - Thirty-four per cent of respondents pointed to Mr. Chretien when asked who was most to blame for the scandal, 15 per cent picked Mr. Martin, who was finance minister at the time, 14 per cent chose officials from the federal Liberal party in Quebec, 12 per cent said public servants in the Department of Public Works, and 10 per cent blame all parties. Reminder: Duceppe hopes to keep resentment boiling, page A4; Susan Riley: It sure will be nice when this is over, page A12 © The Ottawa Citizen 2005 ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 14:15:30 -0600 (CST) From: Joe Subject: lieing Does anyone know what the penalties are for lying to the Gomery Inquiry? Apparently in the US, the penalties are pretty stiff if found guilty of lying to a grand jury. Yours in Tyranny, Joe Gingrich White Fox, Sask - --------------------------------------------------------------------------- - ------------------------------------------------------------ Lewis Libby Indicted, Resigns By Melanie Hunter CNSNews.com Senior Editor October 28, 2005 (CNSNews.com) -- Vice President Dick Cheney's Chief of Staff I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby was indicted Friday afternoon on five counts in connection with the investigation into who leaked the identity of CIA agent Valerie Plame to the media -- one count of obstruction of justice, two felony counts of making a false statement and two counts of perjury. Libby resigned after the indictment was handed down, and Cheney accepted his resignation. Libby could receive a maximum of 30 years in jail and a $1.25 million fine, if convicted. "When citizens testify before grand juries they are required to tell the truth," Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald said in a statement. "Without the truth, our criminal justice system cannot serve our nation or its citizens. The requirement to tell the truth applies equally to all citizens, including persons who hold high positions in government." According to the Justice Department, the charges allege that Libby lied to FBI agents who interviewed him on October 14 and November 26, 2003; committed perjury while testifying under oath before the grand jury on March 5 and March 24, 2004; and engaged in obstruction of justice by impeding the grand jury's investigation into the unauthorized disclosure -- or "leaking" -- of Valerie Wilson's affiliation with the CIA to various reporters in the spring of 2003. "In an investigation concerning the compromise of a CIA officer's identity, it is especially important that grand jurors learn what really happened," said Fitzgerald. "The indictment returned today alleges that the efforts of the grand jury to investigate such a leak were obstructed when Mr. Libby lied about how and when he learned and subsequently disclosed classified information about Valerie Wilson," Fitzgerald added. The vice president said Libby informed him of his resignation, which Cheney accepted "with deep regret." "Scooter Libby is one of the most capable and talented individuals I have ever known. He has given many years of his life to public service and has served our nation tirelessly and with great distinction," said Cheney in a statement. "In our system of government an accused person is presumed innocent until a contrary finding is made by a jury after an opportunity to answer the charges and a full airing of the facts. Mr. Libby is entitled to that opportunity," added Cheney. "Because this is a pending legal proceeding, in fairness to all those involved, it would be inappropriate for me to comment on the charges or on any facts relating to the proceeding," Cheney concluded. Copyright © 1998-2005 CNSNews.com - Cybercast News Service ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 14:17:31 -0600 (CST) From: Joe Subject: Sides spar over gun law's success http://www.kinston.com/SiteProcessor.cfm?Template=/GlobalTemplates/Details. cfm&StoryID=31629&Section=Local Sides spar over gun law's success October 30,2005 BY Barry Smith Freedom Raleigh bureau RALEIGH - In a little more than a month - Dec. 1, to be exact - NorthCarolina's concealed handgun law will be 10 years old. Both gun control advocates and gun rights supporters say that the law, which allows law-abiding citizens to obtain a permit to carry concealed handguns under certain circumstances, has been a success. However, they give different reasons for saying the law has worked well. Lisa Price, executive director of North Carolinians Against Gun Violence,said that is because her organization and other gun control advocates fought to make sure that certain restrictions and training requirements were included in the law. Paul Valone, president of Grass Roots North Carolina, a gun-rights organization, said that many of the restrictions placed in the state's concealed handgun law actually hinder it ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 14:18:13 -0600 (CST) From: Joe Subject: Gun bill focuses on storms http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051030/EDITORIALS/5 1029050/1096/editorials Having won passage for a deadly force bill in the 2005 Legislature, the National Rifle Association is pushing another gun-related measure for next year's session that would guarantee gun owners could not have their firearms confiscated during emergencies, such as hurricanes. Rep. Mitch Needelman, R-Melbourne, has filed a bill (HB 285) that would block ''the seizure, taking or confiscation of firearms that are lawfully possessed'' during a state of emergency. The NRA says the legislation is needed to protect gun rights, following reports that Louisiana authorities confiscated guns during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. ''The breakdown of civil order in New Orleans during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina demonstrates that Americans' right to keep and bear arms are especially important during a state of emergency," said Chris Cox, the NRA's chief lobbyist. Cox said the NRA would be urging all the states to take steps to make sure guns are not taken from their legal owners during emergencies. And with the filing of Needelman's bill, Cox said Florida becomes "the first state to take that important step." Other co-sponsors of the House bill include Reps. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala; Will Kendrick, D-Carrabelle; and John Legg, R-Port Richey. The new proposal may further bolster Florida's national image as a gun-friendly state. That was certainly true after the passage of the deadly force bill, which allows Floridians to use firearms to defend themselves if they feel threatened in their homes or in public. The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence has called upon lawmakers to repeal that law, arguing it could lead to tragic shootings. And the group launched a low-budget national campaign warning visitors who come to the state to ''please be careful" if they end up in a confrontation. But such criticism is not likely to derail the NRA's latest effort. Marion Hammer, a former NRA president and current executive director of the Unified Sportsmen of Florida, said her group appreciates Needelman's effort. She said the constitutional right to own a gun provides "lawful Americans with the means to protect themselves and their loved ones - and that right is of utmost importance during a time of disaster." Elections The Florida Fraternal Order of Police endorsed a number of candidates this month for next year's elections, including Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist for the Republican gubernatorial primary. But Crist's endorsement was not an open and shut case. The FOP's screening committee handily recommended that the group endorse Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher for the governor's race. But when the full board voted on the endorsement, a sudden push from members near Crist's Pinellas County base swung enough votes to narrowly endorse Crist. That wasn't the end of the confusion. Usually, the FOP endorses candidates after the primary. But this year, the group chose Democratic and Republican candidates in a number of races. For governor, the FOP endorsed Crist and Democratic candidate Sen. Rod Smith, D-Alachua. For attorney general, the group endorsed Republican Bill McCollum and Democrat Sen. Walter ''Skip'' Campbell. For chief financial officer, the group endorsed Senate President Tom Lee, R-Brandon, and the group also endorsed the lone incumbent among the Cabinet races, state Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson, also a Republican. FOP president James Mann said last week that the decision to endorse Democrats in their primary races was a last-minute choice after members opined that Smith and Campbell both had histories of supporting law enforcement. The FOP is one of the state's largest law enforcement groups, representing more than 23,000 officers. Compiled from reports by Joe Follick and Lloyd Dunkelberger of the Sun Tallahassee Bureau. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 14:19:46 -0600 (CST) From: "David Worfolk" Subject: OFFICER SHOOTS SELF Date: Sat, 29 Oct 2005 11:13:09 -0600 (CST) From: Cap'n ECO Subject: officer shoots self My letter to the times Colonist......... Police Officer Shoots Self: TOO ALL! Also if the firearm is a service firearm it possably is not registered, therefore there is posable further charges to be layed after the Investigation is complete. Dave L. W. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 14:20:41 -0600 (CST) From: "Robert S. Sciuk" Subject: Letter to Globe and Mail (unpub) ... Canada opens door for 700,000 ... (fwd) Immigration Minister Joe Volpe views the "Immigration department as a recruiting vehicle for Canada's demographic and labour market needs ... we are desperate for immigration". Of course one more cynical than myself might think that the immigration quotas are being increased simply to fuel votes for the Liberal party in the wake of Gomery -- but not I. While immigration is important and necessary for Canada's future growth there are some important first steps which seem to have been overlooked prior to further opening the flood gates. We have a mess with regard to refugee claimants, and we need to increase our ability to perform background checks and review claims. We have no ability to track illegal immigrants and refugees once inside the country, and most importantly, there are tens of thousands of deportation orders currently in effect which cannot be executed as the subjects have disappeared into the multicultural mosaic underground which provides a perfect hiding place for those who are fleeing removal orders. While it is 'nice' to have PhD cab drivers and convenience store clerks, it occurs that while Canada's economy depends upon immigration for its future growth, the Liberals have put the cart squarely before the horse. Sure, Canada needs immigration, but we should have the ability to control the flood gates. The first order of business is to reform the severely disfunctional Immigration Department itself -- then we'll talk. Sincerely, Robert S. Sciuk Oshawa, Ont. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 14:57:09 -0600 (CST) From: Breitkreuz@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca, Garry - Assistant 1 Subject: Letters: Guns and crime PUBLICATION: National Post DATE: 2005.10.31 EDITION: National SECTION: Editorials PAGE: A16 BYLINE: Chris Rumbold SOURCE: National Post WORD COUNT: 129 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Guns and crime - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Re: Don't Blame American Guns, John Lott, Oct 28. What the staggering rise in gun crime in the UK and Australia suggest is that there is no correlation between the levels of gun ownership and gun crime in a society. Consider that countries like Switzerland and Norway that have very high gun ownership rates and low levels of gun crime. The data also show that guns used in crimes don't come from licensed gun owners. If that were the case, gun crime in the UK would have dropped to an all time low, in response to the new gun-control restrictions imposed by the government. If we want to understand why certain societies are getting more violent, our politicians need to look beyond guns for the answer. Chris Rumbold, North Vancouver, B.C. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 14:57:11 -0600 (CST) From: Breitkreuz@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca, Garry - Assistant 1 Subject: Detecting Weapons DATE: 2005.10.28 CATEGORY: General and national news PUBLICATION: bnw WORD COUNT: 106 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Detecting Weapons - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ WASHINGTON -- The U-S military is testing technology that would let American soldiers know exactly where a gun is fired, and the type of weapon used. It can trace the weapon milli-seconds before the bullet hits and is different from gunfire detection systems already deployed in Iraq that rely on acoustics. This one, called WeaponWatch, is powered by infrared sensors that detect missiles or gunfire at the speed of light. Military officials say any technology that helps American soldiers find enemy snipers quickly will save lives. Critics say human reflexes are far more sluggish than either light or sound and wonder whether those few extra nonseconds would provide any practical advantage over existing sonor technology. (AP) ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 14:57:50 -0600 (CST) From: Breitkreuz@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca, Garry - Assistant 1 Subject: Man, 37, faces weapons charges PUBLICATION: The Ottawa Citizen DATE: 2005.10.31 EDITION: EARLY SECTION: City PAGE: D8 SOURCE: The Ottawa Citizen WORD COUNT: 100 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Man, 37, faces weapons charges - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ A 37-year-old man was arrested and charged with weapons offences after a bullet was fired through a Mechanicsville window late Saturday night. Just before midnight, police arrested Luc Bernard. Police say a male victim inside 46 Garland St. suffered only minor shrapnel injuries in the incident and did not require medical treatment. Mr. Bernard is charged with possession of a restricted weapon, possession of a concealed weapon, possession of an offensive weapon, pointing a firearm, assault with a weapon, careless use of a firearm, threats and mischief. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 14:57:53 -0600 (CST) From: Breitkreuz@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca, Garry - Assistant 1 Subject: October 31, 2005 - CFC PERFORMANCE REPORT FOR 2004-2005 President of the Treasury Board Tables 2004-05 Departmental Performance Reports for the Government of Canada For immediate release - October 31, 2005 http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/media/nr-cp/2005/1031_e.asp CANADA FIREARMS CENTRE DEPARTMENTAL PERFORMANCE REPORT FOR 2004-2005 http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/rma/dpr1/04-05/CFC-CAFC/CFC-CAFCd45_e.pdf ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 15:09:17 -0600 (CST) From: Joe Subject: letter to Vancouver Province unpublished letter to Vancouver Province I read your article "Unfair to blame smuggled guns: U.S. ambassador:", DATE: 2005.10.30, EDITION: Final, PAGE: A11. I agree with the American ambassador, it is unfair to blame smuggled guns on the U.S.. The investigation(s) which led to charges for Jason Smith was primarily done by U.S. agents, not Canadian. Of course we must all remember Smith's innocence or guilt to these charges has yet to be proven in a court of law. How can Canada blame the U.S. when the U.S. is the ones finding these alleged criminals. Also, gun cops, NWEST Canada's (National Weapons Enforcement Support Team ) released figures indicating 94 percent of firearms seized in Vancouver in 2002 originated in Washington State. That is a profound statement considering NWEST has no effective means of tracing these firearms especially to the U.S. Perhaps their statement is more like PREPOSTEROUS. If they tried to use Canada's $2 billion error filled boondoggle registry they would not find many folks in Washington State or any other U.S. state registered in it. If they used the error filled registry to find folks in Canada it would not help them very much either. The U.S. wisely refrains from keeping a firearms registry because they realize only law-abiding citizens would comply anyway. Remember criminals tend to keep information concerning their possessions to themselves, but don't you dare tell the Liberals. Your report also states that 90% of the guns seized in Vancouver were handguns. How many of these seized guns led to conviction of a criminal? Remember handgun owners were required to registrater their firearms in Canada since 1934. Why isn't our gun registry keeping these criminals who possess and use firearms for crime off the streets? I forgot, I forgot, criminals do not license themselves nor do they register their firearms. Anyway, the Liberals think it is worth $2 billion dollars of OUR money trying to entice criminals into complying. This leads to another matter. Your article states agents at B.C. borders confiscated 692 guns. Those seizures, included handguns, semi-automatic pistols and shotguns. Your article failed to include how many CONVICTIONS resulted from these seizures at the border. I find that much more significant than how many seizures border guards made, don't you? How many of these confiscated firearms must our agents now return to their lawful owners? Get rid of the gun registry, get rid of NWEST, use all the money to hire some real cops who chase real criminals. ] Yours in Tyranny, Joe Gingrich White Fox, Sask ------------------------------ End of Cdn-Firearms Digest V8 #570 ********************************** 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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