From: owner-can-firearms-digest@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca (Cdn-Firearms Digest) To: cdn-firearms-digest@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca Subject: Cdn-Firearms Digest V9 #416 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, May 18 2006 Volume 09 : Number 416 In this issue: Re: Tories gut gun registry Exactly what did Mr. Day change? Re: Globe Column: Gun registry dying with a whimper not a bang Subject: Re: Wait & See Re: Exactly what did Mr. Day change? Re: Subject: Re: Wait & See Your blat RCMP TORIES JAM GUN REGISTRY Nerf gun could have been deadly Day admits gun registry may linger: Parliament may not pass Letter: Majority favours scrapping of long-gun registry Long-gun amnesty called 'abuse of Parliament' ELEVEN LIBERAL FIREARMS AMNESTIES ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 18 May 2006 07:50:08 -0600 (CST) From: 10x <10x@telus.net> Subject: Re: Tories gut gun registry At 09:30 PM 5/17/2006 -0600, you wrote: >http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2006/05/17/gun-registry-changes.html Among other changes Day announced: The government will transfer responsibility from the Canada Firearms Centre to the RCMP. It will cut the annual operating budget for the program by $10 million. And how does declaring an amenesty for those folks with firearms owners to allow them to get unregistered guns into the registry gutting the registry?? Mr. Day has given gun owners exactly what they asked for but the opposite of what they want. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 18 May 2006 07:50:46 -0600 (CST) From: 10x <10x@telus.net> Subject: Exactly what did Mr. Day change? The gun registry is still there. You have to use the registry to transfer any guns you buy or sell. There is now an amensty for licensed gun owners to get long guns into the registry. Those gun owners without firearms licenses are still in danger of facing criminal charges and prison sentences if caught while in possesion of their firearms. Mr. Day and the Conservatives have given gun owners something but it most certainly doesn't "GUT" the gun registry. Nor does it deal with the dangers of the firearms license and the ability of a anti gun minister of Justice to revoke all firearms licenses in Canada. The rest of the changes are still just window dressing, the appearance of "doing something" while leaving things much the same. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 18 May 2006 07:55:12 -0600 (CST) From: "mred" Subject: Re: Globe Column: Gun registry dying with a whimper not a bang - ----- Original Message ----- > PUBLICATION: GLOBE AND MAIL > DATE: 2006.05.18 > PAGE: A12 > BYLINE: JOHN BARBER > SECTION: Column > EDITION: Metro > WORD COUNT: 694 > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Gun registry dying with a whimper not a bang This guy took his lessons from Pol Pots manifesto ed/ontario ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 18 May 2006 07:55:59 -0600 (CST) From: "B&C Beaudoin" Subject: Subject: Re: Wait & See >The rules to get licenses can be changed at will by the >minister of >justice, as can the fees. So far, wait & see what is tabled. >Licenses can also be revoked at the whim of the minister >of justice = even=20 >if registration disappeared tomorrow. YEP! - See above. >It is still illegal to possess a firearm without a firearms >license. YEP! - See above. >Charges can still be laid and the amnesty does not >extend to non = license >holders. YEP! - See above. >Licensing is the most dangerous part of the firearms act >and it = remains >unchanged. I guess I'm part of a majority of Canadians in disagreement with that statement... >Firearms owners have to be educated about the dangers >of and criminal = consequences of NOT HAVING A >FIREARMS LICENSE. Firearms owners need to get their license. Later, Brad ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 18 May 2006 08:01:29 -0600 (CST) From: "mred" Subject: Re: Exactly what did Mr. Day change? - ----- Original Message ----- From: "10x" <10x@telus.net> > The gun registry is still there. You have to use the registry to > transfer any guns you buy or sell. There is now an amensty for licensed > gun owners to get long guns into the registry. Those gun owners without > firearms licenses are still in danger of facing criminal charges and > prison sentences if caught while in possesion of their firearms. > > Mr. Day and the Conservatives have given gun owners something but it > most certainly doesn't "GUT" the gun registry. Nor does it deal with the > dangers of the firearms license and the ability of a anti gun minister > of Justice to revoke all firearms licenses in Canada. > > The rest of the changes are still just window dressing, the appearance > of "doing something" while leaving things much the same. He tried to straddle the fence , appeasing firearms owners and the antis but alienating both parties. ed/ontario ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 18 May 2006 08:16:29 -0600 (CST) From: Bruce Mills Subject: Re: Subject: Re: Wait & See B&C Beaudoin wrote: >>Licensing is the most dangerous part of the firearms act >and it = > remains unchanged. > > I guess I'm part of a majority of Canadians in disagreement with that > statement... > >>Firearms owners have to be educated about the dangers >of and criminal = > consequences of NOT HAVING A >FIREARMS LICENSE. > > Firearms owners need to get their license. Then please explain, in detail, your rational argument for supporting such a position. Perhaps you can do a better job of it than the others who share your opinion. Yours in Liberty, Bruce Hamilton Ontario ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 18 May 2006 08:17:30 -0600 (CST) From: "Maurice Curtis" Subject: Your blat To: Sir: A truly amazing piece of work. You managed to insult Sheila Fraser's physical stature and decry Minister Day by accusing him of cowardice while hiding behind Ms. Fraser. All the time quoting Wendy Cukier from behind. Can't you do your own work or did your limp wrist spill your milk? In sympathy for you.. Maurice Curtis ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 18 May 2006 08:59:40 -0600 (CST) From: "Hill, Larry" Subject: RCMP Hello, Could someone tell me if we are better off having the RCMP in charge again. I am having a problem in the thought of taking my firearm to the police station for them to hold it until my registration papers come. Here we go again. Larry ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 18 May 2006 09:03:19 -0600 (CST) From: owner-cdn-firearms@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca (Majordomo User) Subject: TORIES JAM GUN REGISTRY PUBLICATION: The Toronto Sun DATE: 2006.05.18 EDITION: Final SECTION: News PAGE: 10 ILLUSTRATION: photo by Jonathan Hayward Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day waits to detail gun registry changes yesterday. BYLINE: KATHLEEN HARRIS, OTTAWA BUREAU DATELINE: OTTAWA WORD COUNT: 258 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ TORIES JAM GUN REGISTRY AMNESTY FOR RIFLE OWNERS - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Without enough opposition support to scrap the gun registry, the Conservative government is knee-capping the program by giving amnesty to shotgun and rifle owners who failed to register their weapons and refunding fees for those who did comply. One day after Auditor General Sheila Fraser revealed hidden cost overruns and sloppy database information, Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day introduced measures to weaken the registry. Slamming the program as too costly and unreliable to effectively tackle crime, Day said the government will cut $10 million from the budget and move registry operations from the Canadian Firearms Centre to the RCMP. "Our gun control program has to focus on fighting crime, not wasting almost $1 billion requiring law-abiding citizens to partake in an expensive program, which we have said for years is not effective and the auditor general herself has confirmed," Day said. MONEY DOWN DRAIN Rules remain the same for handguns and restricted weapons, and storage and training requirements will remain in place. Day said the government will stop pouring money down the drain and invest more heavily in police officers and measures to curb illegal gun smuggling. The government will table a bill to repeal the gun registry, but it likely be defeated by opposition MPs, Day said. Until the law is changed by Parliament, gun owners are still required to obtain a registration certificate, but the amnesty will give them until May 17, 2007, to comply. Day said the $10 million earmarked is only the "first step of savings" and the figure will mount as the program winds down. He said most police "quietly" support the plan. But Liberal MP and public safety critic Irwin Cotler blasted the Conservative plan as an "affront" to Parliament. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 18 May 2006 09:03:37 -0600 (CST) From: owner-cdn-firearms@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca (Majordomo User) Subject: Nerf gun could have been deadly PUBLICATION: The Record (Kitchener, Cambridge and Waterloo) DATE: 2006.05.18 EDITION: Final SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 SOURCE: RECORD STAFF DATELINE: WATERLOO WORD COUNT: 101 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Nerf gun could have been deadly - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Seventeen police officers, including members of the tactical unit, canine unit and sergeants, descended on the University of Waterloo campus yesterday after a man was spotted running around campus, pointing what looked like a gun at people. The "gun" in question turned out to be a Nerf dart gun, which shoots out soft foam darts. A group of students was playing a game, and one had covered his brightly coloured toy gun with black tape to make it look like a real machine gun, said Staff Sgt. Sandy Shantz. Shantz said the student was playing a dangerous game that could have resulted in serious injury or death "A police officer could have shot him," he said. Ultimately, no charges were laid because the dart gun wasn't a real weapon. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 18 May 2006 09:03:55 -0600 (CST) From: owner-cdn-firearms@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca (Majordomo User) Subject: Day admits gun registry may linger: Parliament may not pass PUBLICATION: Montreal Gazette DATE: 2006.05.18 EDITION: Final SECTION: News PAGE: A12 BYLINE: ALLAN WOODS SOURCE: CanWest News Service DATELINE: OTTAWA WORD COUNT: 531 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Day admits gun registry may linger: Parliament may not pass law: MP. Tories waive fees on firearms registration, give owners one-year amnesty to comply - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Conservatives say they believe a majority of Canadians support their plan to abolish the 10-year-old long-gun registry, but they are much less certain about the backing of Parliament's opposition parties. So while Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day announced yesterday that the Tories would waive fees on firearms registrations and give a one-year amnesty for gun owners to comply with the law, he admitted that the controversial legislation requiring shotgun and rifle owners to log their weapon with the government could be around for longer than many would like. "We are bringing forward legislation (to scrap the registry) and we'll table it soon. I have confidence that it will be seen as common-sense legislation, but I certainly can't predict for a moment how opposition members will vote on that," Day said. "If Parliament does not support a new law, people will have to comply with the law that is there and they'll have to do that by May 17 - a year from now." The public safety minister was speaking at a news conference one day after auditor-general Sheila Fraser released a report that found the former Liberal government hid more than $60 million in gun registry costs from Parliament in two instances where the program had exceeded its annual budget. The costs were related to a contract to set up a replacement computer system for the registry. After three years of development at a cost of almost $90 million, that computer system is still not working, and Fraser said there are no performance tests to show that the firearms registry is improving public safety. "The auditor-general herself questioned the reliability of the data. That's not very reassuring for police officers going up to a residence and knowing whatever data they are getting is not that reliable," Day said. Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe said the Conservatives are bowing to "certain lobbies" that support their party and oppose the gun registry. He discounted Tory claims that they were wiping out the gun registry because it had been wasteful of taxpayers' money. "The auditor-general said that that was in the past," he said. Long-gun owners will still be required to obtain licences, submit to background checks and safely store their weapons, Day said. The public safety minister also said that the new measures will transfer responsibility for the Firearms Act to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, cut the Canadian Firearms Centre's budget by $10 million and eliminate the need for physical verification of long guns. But toothless as the gun registry may now be (with a one-year amnesty on unregistered guns and no licensing fees), the law remains in place - a fact that opposition MPs fumed about following Day's announcement. They said the government is undermining existing laws. "That's not the way the government of Canada should function," said New Democratic MP Joe Comartin. "It's not the way any minister should conduct his business, but that's exactly what they are doing - and it just proves that there's not enough support in the country, or in the House of Commons, to get that amendment through that will do away with the long-gun registry." The Conservatives are believed to have commissioned a special report from the Library of Parliament examining various ways they could dismantle the federal gun registry without introducing legislation that could be defeated in the minority government. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 18 May 2006 09:04:28 -0600 (CST) From: owner-cdn-firearms@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca (Majordomo User) Subject: Letter: Majority favours scrapping of long-gun registry PUBLICATION: Vancouver Sun DATE: 2006.05.18 EDITION: Final SECTION: Editorial PAGE: A16 BYLINE: Chris Rumbold SOURCE: Vancouver Sun WORD COUNT: 124 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Majority favours scrapping of long-gun registry - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Contrary to what your headline says, Canadians fired up over plans to kill gun registry: Two out of three people are opposed to Prime Minister Stephen Harper's plans to dismantle the program, an Ipsos Reid's opinion poll in fact shows a slim majority (54 per cent) of Canadians want the long-gun registry scrapped. While there is support for registration and strict control of restricted firearms such as handguns, there is no evidence to suggest that public opinion has shifted away from the findings of other surveys conducted in the past few years that have consistently shown an increasing majority of Canadians support scrapping the long-gun registry. Chris Rumbold North Vancouver ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 18 May 2006 09:04:54 -0600 (CST) From: owner-cdn-firearms@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca (Majordomo User) Subject: Long-gun amnesty called 'abuse of Parliament' PUBLICATION: GLOBE AND MAIL DATE: 2006.05.18 PAGE: A6 BYLINE: CAMPBELL CLARK SECTION: National News EDITION: Metro DATELINE: Ottawa ONT WORDS: 830 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Long-gun amnesty called 'abuse of Parliament' Ontario, Quebec and opposition parties denounce Ottawa's plan to scrap registry - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Conservative government announced plans to scrap the registry of rifles and shotguns, in a move that the government said will render records on 90 per cent of all guns that are now registered "obsolete," but reduce the registry's budget by only 12 per cent. Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day announced an immediate one-year amnesty so that owners of rifles and shotguns will not have to register them, and promised legislation to kill the long-gun registry "soon." That law is far from certain to pass in the minority Parliament, however, and opposition parties accused the government of an undemocratic "abuse of Parliament" in ordering an amnesty to gut the registry, even though it does not have the approval of the Commons to kill it. Mr. Day used Tuesday's report by Auditor-General Sheila Fraser -- which found the previous Liberal government hid gun-registry overspending, but also that it had made satisfactory progress on financial controls -- to fuel his arguments for killing the long-gun registry. "Our government will not waste Canadians' money the way the old Liberal regime did," Mr. Day said, calling the long-gun registry "costly and ineffective." All three opposition parties oppose scrapping the registry, and the governments of Canada's two most populous provinces, Quebec and Ontario, vowed to fight to keep it, arguing it is a tool to fight crime. It remains unclear whether enough opposition MPs will break ranks to allow the Tories to pass the bill, which Mr. Day said he hopes to table in June. "I'm very surprised that the government has declared here that there will be an amnesty, that they are prepared to suspend the law while it is in place," said Liberal public safety critic Irwin Cotler. "Without a bill, it's an abuse of process, it's an abuse of Parliament, and it's an abuse of the democratic process." The amnesty, until May 17, 2007, means that owners of rifles and shotguns will not be prosecuted for failing to register each of their guns, but it also goes further. Long-gun owners who did not renew their licences to own a gun after 2003 will also not be prosecuted. There are 7.1 million guns now registered, of which 6.6 million are unrestricted long guns such as rifles and shotguns. Transfers or purchases of such guns will no longer have to be registered under the Tory plan. "Those records are there," Mr. Day said. "They are going to become increasingly obsolete." There are also roughly 500,000 restricted firearms such as handguns in the registry, which will continue to be registered. The Canada Firearms Centre -- popularly called the "gun registry," but in fact the organization that licenses and registers all guns and gun owners -- will be dismantled, and its remaining operations transferred to the RCMP. But the spending budget will be reduced by only $10-million a year -- from $82.3-million to $72.3-million -- because most of the budget, $61-million, is for licensing firearms owners, which will continue, rather than registering weapons, which costs $15.7-million. In fact, the Conservative moves will make the gun registry more expensive for taxpayers, because they will also stop charging most licence fees, which were to bring in $22.7-million this year. "This was never about the costs," said Wendy Cukier, president of the Coalition for Gun Control. She said long-gun registration is important to supporting police investigations, making gun owners accountable and combatting illegal gun sales. "If you have a licence that allows you to buy as many guns as you want, and there's no record kept of the fact that you own those guns, there's nothing to keep you from selling those guns illegally," Ms. Cukier said. "Remember, every illegal gun begins as a legal gun." Mr. Day, however, argued that registering long guns is ineffective in reducing crime. Handguns will continue to be registered, though, and he said the difference is "the fact that handguns are so much easier to use in the commission of a crime." Registry advocates and opponents differ over whether a decline in homicides committed with long guns since 1995, when the long-gun registry bill was passed, is linked to registration. In 1995, there were 176 homicides committed with firearms in Canada, including 61 with rifles or shotguns. In 2004, there were 172 gun homicides, including 37 committed with rifles or shotguns. Yesterday, provincial governments in Ontario and Quebec joined forces to fight Ottawa's plans to scrap the long-gun registry. Ontario Attorney-General Michael Bryant said he and Quebec Public Security Minister Jacques Dupuis agreed to work together to keep it intact. "Ontario's committed to doing everything it can to fight gun crime and address the illegal gun trade, including placing controls on the illegal gun trade," he said. "We do not support amnesties from public safety, amnesties from safe storage and amnesties from gun control." ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 18 May 2006 09:05:26 -0600 (CST) From: owner-cdn-firearms@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca (Majordomo User) Subject: ELEVEN LIBERAL FIREARMS AMNESTIES GLOBE & MAIL, MAY 18, 2006: /"I'm very surprised that the government has declared here that there will be an amnesty, that they are prepared to suspend the law while it is in place," said *Liberal public safety critic Irwin Cotler*.* "Without a bill, it's an abuse of process, it's an abuse of Parliament, and it's an abuse of the democratic process."* The amnesty, until May 17, 2007, means that owners of rifles and shotguns will not be prosecuted for failing to register each of their guns, but it also goes further. Long-gun owners who did not renew their licences to own a gun after 2003 will also not be prosecuted./ *SO, ONLY CONSERVATIVE FIREARMS AMNESTIES ARE AN "ABUSE OF THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS"?* ** *-----------------------------------------------------------------* *March 4, 1999 - Background on Firearm Amnesties* *Special Bulletin for Police No. 6* _http://www.cfc-ccaf.gc.ca/compliance-conformite/bulletins/police/bulletin6_e.asp_ *March 4, 1999 - Important Notice Amnesty* *Special Bulletin for Police No. 7* _http://www.cfc-ccaf.gc.ca/compliance-conformite/bulletins/police/bulletin7_e.asp_ The Honourable Anne McLellan, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, has announced a federal legislative amnesty period commencing on December 1, 1998. *Terms of the Amnesty - For Individuals* *The amnesty period for all individuals who own non-grandfathered prohibited handguns is one year - from December 1, 1998 to November 30, 1999.* *July 6, 1999 - Extension of Amnesty - Unregistered Restricted Firearms* *Special Bulletin for Police No. 12* _http://www.cfc-ccaf.gc.ca/compliance-conformite/bulletins/police/bulletin12_e.asp_ Amnesty Extension As you may have heard, the amnesty for individuals and businesses who possess unregistered restricted firearms has been extended by six months. The amnesty, which began on December 1, 1998, will now end on November 30, 1999. *February 10, 2000 - Amnesty Extension and Proposed Change* *Special Bulletin for Police No. 15* _http://www.cfc-ccaf.gc.ca/compliance-conformite/bulletins/police/bulletin15_e.asp_ *In a Snapshot* ** Amnesty extended to December 31, 2000* * "Omnibus" bill proposes the grandfathering of some dealers' inventories * Bill still must be passed by Parliament to take effect *December 21, 2000 - Amnesty Extension* *Special Bulletin for Police No. 21* _http://www.cfc-ccaf.gc.ca/compliance-conformite/bulletins/police/bulletin21_e.asp_ *Snapshot* ** The amnesty for individuals and businesses in unlawful possession of s. 12(6) handguns, prohibited short handgun barrels or unregistered restricted firearms has been extended until June 30, 2001.* *June 27, 2001 - Amnesty and Transfer Fee Waiver Extended* *Special Bulletin for Police No. 33* _http://www.cfc-ccaf.gc.ca/compliance-conformite/bulletins/police/bulletin33_e.asp_ *Snapshot* ** The amnesty in place for prohibited handguns and unregistered restricted firearms is being extended to December 31, 2001.* * The waiver of the transfer fee is being extended to December 31, 2002. *Amnesty Extension* In Special Bulletins for Police Nos. 7, 12, 15, and 21, we informed you of an amnesty for individuals and businesses in possession of s. 12(6) handguns, prohibited short handgun barrels, and unregistered restricted firearms that they cannot lawfully have.* This amnesty has been extended to December 31, 2001 as Bill C-15, which is currently being considered by Parliament, proposes to change the grandfathering date for these handguns to December 1, 1998. Given the government's resolve to address these issues through Bill C-15, the current amnesty has been extended to protect both dealer inventories and individuals in possession of prohibited handguns while Parliament considers these amendments.* The amnesty also provides an additional six months for individuals in possession of unregistered restricted firearms to have them registered without fear of repercussion. *December 20, 2001 - Amnesty Extension* *Special Bulletin for Police No. 43* FOR DISTRIBUTION TO ALL POLICE OFFICERS _http://www.cfc-ccaf.gc.ca/compliance-conformite/bulletins/police/bulletin43_e.asp_ *Snapshot* ** The amnesty in place for prohibited handguns and unregistered restricted firearms is being extended to December 31, 2002. * ** In Special Bulletins for Police Nos. 7, 12, 15, 21, and 33, we informed you of an amnesty for individuals and businesses in possession of s. 12(6) handguns, prohibited short handgun barrels, and unregistered restricted firearms that they cannot lawfully have. This amnesty is being extended to December 31, 2002.* The government recognizes the difficult situation of businesses that were caught with large inventories of s. 12(6) handguns in 1995 and has addressed this by proposing to grandfather these inventories up to December 1, 1998 in Bill C-15B, which is currently being considered by Parliament. Bill C-15B also proposes to change the grandfathering date for these handguns to December 1, 1998 in order to grandfather individuals who acquired them prior to that date. *Given the government's resolve to address these issues through Bill C-15B, the current amnesty has been extended to continue to protect both dealer inventories and individuals in possession of prohibited handguns while Parliament considers these amendments.* The amnesty also provides an additional year for individuals in possession of unregistered restricted firearms to have them registered without fear of repercussion. The same applies to businesses newly regulated under the Firearms Act. *December 6, 2002 - Introduction of Grace Period for Registration, Extension of Amnesty for Prohibited Handguns, and Amnesty for Business Consignment Sales* *FOR DISTRIBUTION TO ALL POLICE OFFICERS* *Special Bulletin for Police No. 52* _http://www.cfc-ccaf.gc.ca/compliance-conformite/bulletins/police/bulletin52_e.asp_ *Snapshot* ** The amnesty for prohibited handguns has been extended until December 31, 2003.* * There is an amnesty for unregistered consignment firearms in business inventories until December 31, 2003. * There is a grace period until June 30, 2003, for firearms owners whose registration application was submitted but not processed before the deadline. * The information in this bulletin is also being sent to firearms businesses, public agents, prosecutors, and justices of the peace on the Canada Firearms Centre mailing list. *August 25, 2003 - Update on Amendments to Firearms Law* *FOR DISTRIBUTION TO ALL POLICE OFFICERS* *Special Bulletin for Police No. 56* _http://www.cfc-ccaf.gc.ca/compliance-conformite/bulletins/police/bulletin56_e.asp_ Coming into Force As discussed in previous Special Bulletins for Police, sections 1 to 7, 11, and 17 of the Public Agent Regulations are already in force.* Sections 8 to 10 and 12 to 16 are scheduled to come into force on January 1, 2004, after the supporting regulations have been finalized. If there is a change, you will be notified.* *December 1, 2003 - Update on Amendments to Firearms Law* *FOR DISTRIBUTION TO ALL POLICE OFFICERS* *Special Bulletin for Police No. 57* _http://www.cfc-ccaf.gc.ca/compliance-conformite/bulletins/police/bulletin57_e.asp_ *Snapshot* * The coming into force of certain Firearms Act regulations, including some sections of the Public Agents Firearms Regulations, has been deferred. ** The amnesty for prohibited 12(6) handguns has been extended until December 31, 2005.* *Amnesty Extension for 12(6) Handguns* The amnesty has been extended until December 31, 2005, for individuals who acquired and registered a prohibited 12(6) handgun between February 14, 1995, and December 1, 1998, and for businesses with an inventory of 12(6) handguns that had been reported to the Commissioner of the RCMP on December 1, 1998.* During the period of the amnesty, affected individuals and businesses can lawfully possess those 12(6) handguns even if they do not have a valid licence or registration certificate issued under the Firearms Act. The extension of the amnesty allows affected owners to retain possession of their 12(6) handguns, pending the completion of proposed regulatory changes aimed at allowing businesses to sell their 12(6) handguns at retail to properly licensed individuals*. The extension also allows affected owners more time to dispose of firearms they cannot lawfully keep. *May 7, 2004 - Amnesty for Owners of Prohibited 12(6) Hanguns* *Special Bulletin for Police No. 58* _http://www.cfc-ccaf.gc.ca/compliance-conformite/bulletins/police/bulletin58_e.asp_ *Snapshot* ** There is an amnesty until December 31, 2005 to protect certain individuals and businesses from penalties for possessing certain prohibited handguns without a valid firearms licence or registration certificate for those handguns.* * Affected businesses and individuals still require a valid firearms licence and registration certificate for all other firearms in their possession. Prohibited Handguns The Criminal Code prohibits handguns with a barrel length of 105 mm (about 4.14 inches) or less and handguns that discharge .25 or .32 calibre ammunition, except for a few specific ones used in International Shooting Union competitions. These handguns are commonly referred to as 12(6) handguns, named after the original subsection of the Firearms Act that created grandfathered privileges for certain handgun owners. *Owners Protected by the Amnesty* As a rule, it is an offence to possess a firearm without a valid firearms licence authorizing its possession and a valid registration certificate for the firearm. However, an amnesty currently protects certain owners from penalties for possessing a prohibited handgun without a licence granting privileges for that class of firearm and a valid registration certificate for the handgun in the following circumstances:***** The owner is an individual who lawfully acquired and registered the handgun under the former law, but the owner or the handgun is not eligible for grandfathered status under s. 12(6) of the Firearms Act. This affects owners whose only prohibited handguns were registered between February 14, 1995 and December 1, 1998 and handguns that were registered in Canada for the first time between those dates. Without grandfathered status, individuals cannot get a licence authorizing possession of a prohibited handgun, and they cannot re-register the handgun.* *November 29, 2005 - End of Amnesty for Prohibited Handguns* *Special Bulletin for Police No. 67* _http://www.cfc-ccaf.gc.ca/compliance-conformite/bulletins/police/bulletin67_e.asp_ *Snapshot* ** The amnesty ends on December 31, 2005, for individuals who registered a prohibited handgun after February 14, 1995, and for businesses that had prohibited handguns in their inventory on December 1, 1998. * ** There are no plans to extend the amnesty.* * Several notices have been mailed to individuals with handguns registered under the former law to inform them of what they need to do to comply with the current legal requirements. * A final notice is being sent to owners who have not yet complied. * There may be a slight increase in the number of handguns and prohibited handgun barrels turned in to police in coming weeks as a result. ------------------------------ End of Cdn-Firearms Digest V9 #416 ********************************** 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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