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 #790 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, September 8 2006 Volume 09 : Number 790 In this issue: China: Gun traders arrested TACTICAL UNIT CALLED TO GUN THREAT Pellet gun shooter eludes jail Murdered man had Angels link:bre RCMP officer defends killing of Ian Bush in B.C. Dagenais' killer loses appeal: SHOOTINGS LOCK DOWN CITY SCHOOL RE: Close air support OT: Interview of Kym Cousineau land mines GUN SHOW Re: Time to pull out: Trudeau ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 8 Sep 2006 12:02:01 -0600 (CST) From: owner-cdn-firearms@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca (Majordomo User) Subject: China: Gun traders arrested PUBLICATION: Montreal Gazette DATE: 2006.09.08 EDITION: Final SECTION: News PAGE: A15 COLUMN: Fast Track SOURCE: AFP DATELINE: BEIJING WORD COUNT: 53 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ China: Gun traders arrested - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Chinese police have arrested 41 people for trafficking firearms on the Internet, amid a nationwide crackdown involving the confiscation of more than 100,000 illegal guns, state press said yesterday. A total of 117 guns were confiscated. Firearms are outlawed in China. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 8 Sep 2006 12:02:22 -0600 (CST) From: owner-cdn-firearms@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca (Majordomo User) Subject: TACTICAL UNIT CALLED TO GUN THREAT PUBLICATION: The Ottawa Sun DATE: 2006.09.08 EDITION: Final SECTION: News PAGE: 10 BYLINE: SUN STAFF WORD COUNT: 80 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ TACTICAL UNIT CALLED TO GUN THREAT - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ A 19-year-old Ottawa man faces weapons charges after tactical officers surrounded a downtown apartment Wednesday night. Police were called to 153 Nepean St. around 10:15 p.m. after a 26-year-old man walked out of his apartment building and saw someone pointing a long-barreled weapon at him. According to police, a man stood on a balcony and said "I'm going to shoot you." The victim ran to Bank St. and called cops. The tactical unit identified the apartment and called the occupants out. Police seized two pellet guns and a quantity of drugs during the investigation. Tomass Svilans is charged with pointing a firearm, possession of a dangerous weapon and uttering death threats. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 8 Sep 2006 12:02:41 -0600 (CST) From: owner-cdn-firearms@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca (Majordomo User) Subject: Pellet gun shooter eludes jail PUBLICATION: The Leader-Post (Regina) DATE: 2006.09.08 EDITION: Final SECTION: News PAGE: B2 SOURCE: The Leader-Post WORD COUNT: 133 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Pellet gun shooter eludes jail - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ A young man who shot another man in the forehead with an air pistol will not serve any time in custody. Tyler Robinson, 18, appeared in Regina Provincial Court on Thursday, where he pleaded guilty to a charge of assault with a weapon in relation to the July 22 incident. Robinson had been a passenger in the back seat of a vehicle that was travelling east on Saskatchewan Drive when it passed another vehicle that the victim was driving. Robinson fired two rounds from the air pistol, one of which struck the victim in the forehead. Court heard the victim was not injured in the incident, although he was shaken. According to the Crown prosecutor, the victim also said the incident could have led to an accident. Robinson was handed a nine-month conditional discharge and will be required to complete 20 hours of community service. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 8 Sep 2006 12:03:04 -0600 (CST) From: owner-cdn-firearms@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca (Majordomo User) Subject: Murdered man had Angels link:bre PUBLICATION: Vancouver Sun DATE: 2006.09.08 EDITION: Final SECTION: WestCoast News PAGE: B1 / Front SOURCE: Vancouver Sun DATELINE: VANCOUVER ISLAND WORD COUNT: 444 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Murdered man had Angels link: Victim wanted to trade information for protection - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ VANCOUVER ISLAND - A former associate of the Hells Angels who wanted to be accepted into the witness protection program in return for providing information about Hells Angels activities has been killed in front of his Vancouver Island home. Chris Swann, 52, died Tuesday from multiple gunshot wounds in front of his rural Horne Lake Road home, north of Qualicum Beach. A life of drug dealing, jail, importing narcotics and running schemes linked to organized crime made Swann watch his back carefully, but vigilance failed to save his life. Swann knew he was taking a risk when he moved back to Vancouver Island after being released from a U.S. jail in September 2004. However, in a series of interviews with a newspaper reporter between October 2004 and August 2005, he said he wanted to confront those he blamed for his prison time and regain property -- such as his boat -- which he claimed the Hells Angels had stolen from him. Swann hoped his inside knowledge of drug smuggling was valuable enough that he could have a new life in comfort and was trying to persuade police to accept him into the witness protection program. While Swann said last year that he was talking to the RCMP, police said they will not discuss whether he was being considered for the program. "That's a question we never answer," said RCMP Sgt. Dean Hodgson of the Island district major crimes unit. "We never discuss that aspect of anyone. We don't confirm or deny it . . . Please don't ask me any more questions about that." Before his death, Swann talked about his life as a Hells Angels associate and his mission to loosen the grip he believed the Hells Angels held on Nanaimo. "They're not just good ol' boys. They're a bunch of conniving mothers," he said during an interview in October 2004. "These people are not right in the head. They beat up old people and everything. These guys ain't cool." Swann said he was being pressured by organized crime representatives to resume working for them. "They know I'm back. They're probably worried that I've seen stuff. I saw a lot of stuff when I was with those people. A lot of violence -- usually to do with business things," he said. "If I put enough steam and heat on these guys they're going to have to crawl back in their hole and stay there for a while." He put his faith in the firearms he kept in the house. "I've never committed a violent act with my guns, but if they really bug me . . .," he said, with the end of the sentence trailing off. Swann was killed about 4.30 p.m. Tuesday afternoon. Several people reported hearing a car speeding away from the scene. Police said Thursday they are looking at all aspects of Swann's life as they probe his killing, but would not say whether organized crime was at the heart of the investigation. "We're looking into his life for any possible reason why someone would want to kill him," said Hodgson. "That includes some of his activities he was involved in to make money, some of his personal activities, his love life. That's how these investigations work. We sort through the garbage figuratively and literally." A forensic autopsy is scheduled for today. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 8 Sep 2006 12:03:24 -0600 (CST) From: owner-cdn-firearms@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca (Majordomo User) Subject: RCMP officer defends killing of Ian Bush in B.C. PUBLICATION: GLOBE AND MAIL DATE: 2006.09.08 PAGE: A8 (ILLUS) BYLINE: SHANNON KARI SECTION: National News EDITION: Metro DATELINE: Vancouver BC WORDS: 834 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ RCMP officer defends killing of Ian Bush in B.C. station Victim attacked, choked and beat him, constable says in court documents - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ SHANNON KARI VANCOUVER A rookie RCMP officer says he was the victim of an unprovoked attack, beaten, choked from behind and told "to take his last breath" before he drew his weapon and shot Ian Bush. Constable Paul Koester acted in "self-preservation from imminent death or grievous bodily harm," a statement of defence filed in B.C. Supreme Court on Wednesday says. The statement is the first official explanation from the officer or the RCMP about the events of Oct. 29, 2005, when Mr. Bush, 22, was shot once in the back of the head after an altercation at the police detachment in the northern British Columbia town of Houston. The legal response alleges Mr. Bush "intentionally or in the alternative, negligently," caused his own death by attacking the officer. "I don't believe a word it says," said Andrea Patrick, Mr. Bush's sister. The allegations about her brother's conduct are "completely out of character," she explained. The statement of defence is the initial response to a civil suit filed in May by Mr. Bush's mother. The allegations have not been proved in court. The legal document was filed one day after the Criminal Justice Branch of the B.C. Ministry of the Attorney-General announced that the officer would not face criminal charges. That announcement was made more than two months after the branch received the RCMP report of its investigation into the shooting. The Crown's news release made only a general comment that it believed Constable Koester acted in self defence. In the past two days, however, B.C. Attorney-General Wally Oppal has spoken to several news outlets and has said the officer was choked and was nearly unconscious when he fired his weapon. The former judge based his conclusions on a briefing he received from the Criminal Justice Branch after the decision was made not to file charges. The branch acts independently of the Attorney-General in conducting criminal prosecutions in B.C. The night of the shooting, the young mill worker was arrested outside a hockey arena in Houston for having an open beer. Mr. Bush appeared "moderately intoxicated" as he provided two false names when asked for identification. The officer had "reasonable and probable grounds" to believe the man "willfully obstructed a peace officer in the execution of his duty," the statement of defence says. As a result, the officer was "authorized and required" to arrest and detain Mr. Bush for possible violations of the Criminal Code and the provincial Liquor Act. Mr. Bush was taken to the RCMP detachment in Houston and his handcuffs were removed as the officer completed paper work, in preparation to release the man from custody. When the officer asked Mr. Bush to sign a "promise to appear" form, which would require him to appear in court at a future date, he "suddenly and unexpectedly" began to punch Constable Koester repeatedly in the head and face, the statement of defence says. The officer offered to release Mr. Bush without signing the promise to appear form, but he allegedly continued his attack. "Bush choked Constable Koester from behind. When Constable Koester began to lose consciousness, Constable Koester drew his service pistol and struck Bush with the barrel of the pistol several times in an effort to break free," the statement of defence says. "Bush told Constable Koester to take his last breath." It was at this moment that the officer fired his weapon and killed Mr. Bush with a shot to the back of his head. The officer was "authorized and justified in using his service pistol," and Mr. Bush ought to have known that lethal force might be used when he "chose to attack" Constable Koester, the court documents say. The statement of defence is filed on behalf of the officer and the B.C. Solicitor-General, who is responsible for any findings of wrongdoing by the RMCP when they are providing local policing. Both defendants are represented by a senior federal Justice Department lawyer, as part of an agreement with the province and the RCMP. The version of events put forward by the officer is very difficult to accept, Ms. Patrick said yesterday. "Ian would never have attacked a police officer," she said. "I can see him fighting back, especially if he was fighting for his life, which he obviously was, because he is gone." She was also disappointed by Mr. Oppal's comments, especially since the Ministry of the Attorney-General is another defendant in the civil suit. "It is very unnerving." He is a powerful man," Ms. Patrick said. "I guess it is what he believes to be true. But he doesn't know what happened." The video monitoring system at the RCMP detachment was not operating at the time of the altercation, which might have provided some independent evidence. Ms. Patrick is hopeful "all the evidence will be out in the open" at a coming coroner's inquest. "We all have a right to know," she said. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 8 Sep 2006 12:05:59 -0600 (CST) From: owner-cdn-firearms@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca (Majordomo User) Subject: Dagenais' killer loses appeal: PUBLICATION: The Ottawa Citizen DATE: 2006.09.08 EDITION: Final SECTION: City PAGE: F1 / Front BYLINE: Dave Rogers SOURCE: The Ottawa Citizen ILLUSTRATION: Colour Photo: Rene Michaud was a 29-year-old woodcutter witha long criminal record when he was convicted of the killings in 2003. WORD COUNT: 525 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Dagenais' killer loses appeal: Michaud serving life sentence in shotgun killings - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Quebec Court of Appeal in Montreal has rejected Rene Michaud's appeal of his conviction in the 2003 shotgun killings of retired Ottawa teachers Bob and Bonnie Dagenais at their cottage in Val-des-Monts. The gruesome shooting of Mr. and Mrs. Dagenais after an intimate dinner at their cottage on Nov. 22, 2003, shocked Ottawa-Gatineau. They had been retired for less than six months, following a combined 60 years as educators at more than 20 schools around Ottawa. Mr. Michaud, a 29-year-old woodcutter with a lengthy criminal record, was found guilty in November 2003 of first-degree murder in the shooting deaths of the popular couple at their cottage on Dodds Lake, 70 kilometres northeast of Ottawa. Each was shot at point-blank range with stolen 12-gauge shotguns, during what defence lawyers tried to portray as a botched robbery. The three judges who heard the appeal on June 1 released their decision this week. A second accused, who was 16 at the time of the shooting and cannot be named due to provisions of the former Young Offenders Act, pleaded guilty and testified against Mr. Michaud. The young man is serving four years in detention and five years of mandatory supervision for first-degree murder in the killing of Mrs. Dagenais and for second-degree murder in the death of Mr. Dagenais. During the summer of 2002, the teen began hanging out regularly in a chicken coop with Mr. Michaud, mutual friend Daniel Prescott, and other teenagers. They would sit in the coop smoking cigarettes, hashish and marijuana, drinking and eating junk food. In Mr. Michaud's version of events, whenever the youth got high or drank, he would talk about committing a murder. Before the shootings, Mr. Michaud and the youth broke into area cottages, in between hunting expeditions. They robbed 10 to 20 places, taking items such as propane tanks, food, rifles, hammers, ATVs, shotgun shells, speakers and even a beige plastic toilet. Mr. Michaud's lawyer, Hughes Surprenant, argued at the appeal that Justice Jean-Pierre Plouffe made eight errors in his address to the jury during his client's trial. Mr. Surprenant said he could not comment on the decision yesterday because he had not seen it. Assistant Crown attorney Denis Pilon said Mr. Michaud had appealed the verdict and was asking for a new trial. "There was no way to appeal the sentence, because it is mandatory. When you are found guilty of first-degree murder, there can be no debate on the sentence. "The court of appeal unanimously rejected Mr. Michaud's appeal. The consequence of this unanimity is that if Mr. Michaud wants to appeal the case, he will have to ask the Supreme Court of Canada for leave to do so. This decision will be extremely difficult to appeal, because we all know that the Supreme Court rejects 90 to 95 per cent of such motions." Mr. Pilon added that the Quebec Court of Appeal justices discussed only four of the eight grounds for appeal because they said the other four grounds had no merit. "I never saw an accused go to the court of appeal and pretend that the judge should have explained to the jury that a murder was a common enterprise involving another person," Mr. Pilon said. "He complained about that and was totally wrong. "His lawyer complained that the judge gave his opinion on the facts, but he only put to the jury certain questions. This is permissible in Canadian law, because jurors are lay people who are not used to the rules of evidence." ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 8 Sep 2006 14:26:58 -0600 (CST) From: owner-cdn-firearms@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca (Majordomo User) Subject: SHOOTINGS LOCK DOWN CITY SCHOOL PUBLICATION: The Calgary Sun DATE: 2006.09.08 EDITION: Final SECTION: News PAGE: 5 BYLINE: SARAH KENNEDY, CALGARY SUN WORD COUNT: 158 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ SHOOTINGS LOCK DOWN CITY SCHOOL - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ A Calgary high school was locked down for more than an hour yesterday, after four students were shot with a pellet gun while standing outside the building. Insp. Guy Slater said the teenagers weren't seriously injured, suffering minor bruising, but police advised the principal of William Aberhart high school, 3009 Morley Tr. N.W., to keep students inside while they searched for the shooter. "Police inquiries led them to a residence across the street from the school, where we located a 20-year-old male who led us to the pellet gun," said Slater, adding it's not known whether the students who were shot at were targeted, or if the suspect had any connection to the school. Calgary Board of Education spokeswoman Shelley Knapp said teachers would be calling students' parents to inform them of the incident. William Matthew Houghton, 20, has been charged with a number of offences, including four counts of assault with a weapon. Meanwhile, a student at Dr. E.P. Scarlett high school is reportedly facing charges after a pellet gun was fired from a vehicle. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 8 Sep 2006 14:28:22 -0600 (CST) From: Rob Sciuk Subject: RE: Close air support > Date: Fri, 8 Sep 2006 07:23:59 -0600 (CST) > From: "Sig Wolst" > Subject: Close air support > > Rob: > > Canada actually does train intensively with close air support. On any > given day there are numerous missions out of 4Wing CFB Cold Lake that > fly in support of army exercises going on at Camp Wainwright. I'm aware, Sig of the existence of our F-18's, (I had applied for CF admission for flight training back in '81 when they were first coming on line, and I was graduating University -- accepted too, but I opted not to go for various reasons). The problem is that F-18's at Wainwright are not useful in Afghanistan. We don't have A-10's or AV-8 equivalents, or even attack helos which could offer very useful ground support, albeit at somewhat greater risk. I just feel that it is important that if we are going to commit to do a job, we should be able to be self sufficient on the battlefield. That would mean transport helos, attack helos, heavy lifters, and armoured cav. at a minimum. Preferably some fast movers and ground attack planes would be useful as well. There are many on this digest much more qualified than I to comment on the current situation, but I feel that our troops in Afghanistan are up against it, and could/should be better supported. Rob. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 8 Sep 2006 14:29:09 -0600 (CST) From: Subject: OT: Interview of Kym Cousineau Fellow CFD Denizens, I heard an interview of Kym Cousineau on CBC last night. Kym was wounded in the so-called friendly fire incident on Monday. The CBC interviewed him from his hospital bed in Germany and what Kym said made me even more proud to call myself Canadian and I wish everyone who is blaming those Evil Americans for killing our men could listen to the respect that Kym has for our American partners in the operation. He says simply that the A-10 pilot made a mistake, and he has a message for Canadians: we're there to do a worthwhile job and we could really use your support. I have an MP3 of the interview (available to anyone for the asking), but it's also available online at the CBC web site: http://www.cbc.ca/radioshows/AS_IT_HAPPENS/20060907.shtml Kym's interview is followed immediately by an interview of Colonel Dennis Thompson which is worth listening to also. Dave ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 8 Sep 2006 14:29:30 -0600 (CST) From: Bill Farion Subject: land mines Hi; See that those kind caring gental Africans are back to planting landmines again! http://www.sahara-overland.com/ What happened to the wonderful ban Canucks are so good at bragging about! ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 8 Sep 2006 14:29:58 -0600 (CST) From: "Tracey Kleim" Subject: GUN SHOW Moose Jaw is having a fall gun show! The gun show is sept 23 and 24th It goes from 10 - 5 ... It is at the Legion ... cost is $3 for more info call Kevin 692-6146 Tracey Kleim ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 8 Sep 2006 14:31:46 -0600 (CST) From: Rick Lowe Subject: Re: Time to pull out: Trudeau Rob Sciuk wrote: > Subject: Letter to Toronto Sun (unpub) ... > > Time to pull out: Trudeau ... (fwd) Too bad old Pierre hadn't pulled out sooner... > Dear Sir/Madame, > > Trudeau spawn Sacha proposes on one hand that Canada commit mission > interruptus and cut and run from our Afghan deployment, and on the other > hand that Canada not usurp due process and rights of the accused in > dealing with terrorist threats. I suppose we should be grateful that he > held short of referring to our troops as "acting like terrorists". Why would we expect any different from the offspring of a father who was willing to accept being conscripted (I imagine because he didn't like the idea of jail much) but would not serve outside of Canada in the war itself - and was eventually kicked out for being a disciplinary problem. Bad paper discharge and he becomes prime minister... only in Canada. I also seem to recall that one of the sons was briefly an officer cadet in the CF and went AWOL before finally permanently removing the uniform. And I do believe it was Alexandre Trudeau - but I'm not sure; anyone else got a better memory? Canada's first family indeed... To close, some words from one of our guys over in Afghanistan as to how things are going: The move back passed quickly, everyone had a lead foot as we pushed closer and closer to the base. Night had fallen by the time we reached Kandahar city, and it was nothing like I had remembered it. Shops and restaurants and hotels had opened. Fruits and vegetables were for sale. You would never have guessed that the city had just gone through a war. It was amazing. Because of our presence, people had their lives back. A lot of people in Canada think that we should not be here in Afghanistan, but those people don't see the remarkable changes happening here. One interpreter told me, "Because Canada is here, our people are happy again." So to all those Canadians who continue to harp about what they don't know — here's your straw, suck it up. I have more than a few friends that are serving over there right now or have already done a tour, most of whom I did a tour in Yugo with when it was still a hot shooting war and we WEREN'T peacekeeping. Not one of them has said anything other than they are making an easily visible and important difference over there. These are soldiers in their late 30's and 40's, they aren't idiots, they're beyond the point of wanting to be there so they can finally ply the trade they've trained at their entire careers. These are mostly men I trusted with my life at one point or another in the past, and men whose opinions and judgement I trust now. If they say they're making an important and worthwhile difference, I believe them. And some media commentator, columnist, or political leader saying otherwise is going to have to take a walk in their boots and see and do what they have before I'll ever take his word over theirs. ------------------------------ End of Cdn-Firearms Digest V9 #790 ********************************** 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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