From: owner-can-firearms-digest@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca (Cdn-Firearms Digest) To: cdn-firearms-digest@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca Subject: Cdn-Firearms Digest V10 #642 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 Wednesday, July 18 2007 Volume 10 : Number 642 In this issue: Weapons against mass destruction- The Ottawa Citizen McCurdy faces charges after incident at bridge- The Windsor Star Scores another ??? Quebec woman dies after marsh rescue Re: Scores another A little humour for a change. National crime rate down in 2006 U.S. gang crackdowns called a 'tragic failure' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2007 11:44:01 -0600 From: News@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca Subject: Weapons against mass destruction- The Ottawa Citizen Weapons against mass destruction http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=784461a0-bc16-4dd6-8187-f1adb09e81d7&p=1 Elite military unit trains to track down terror -- and defeat it David Pugliese, The Ottawa Citizen Published: Tuesday, July 17, 2007 CFB SUFFIELD, Alta. - The explosion in the terrorist lab was unexpected and had spread contamination throughout the room. An RCMP officer, clad in a bulky suit designed to protect him from the blast as well as chemical, biological and radioactive agents, collapsed after the booby-trap detonated. Nearby, a group of Canadian military specialists, also wearing protective gear and gas masks, rushed to help the man, putting him on a stretcher and moving him away from the area believed to be contaminated by some kind of chemical, biological or radioactive substance. At that point, the delicate process of decontaminating the RCMP officer begins, the first step before he can receive any medical aid for his injuries. His suit is hosed down with various chemicals and the layers of protective gear are carefully removed before medical staff can check his condition. Although the scenario recently played out at this sprawling base in southern Alberta was just a practice exercise -- there was no actual explosion, although at times, small amounts of chemical or radioactive substances were used -- the speed and efficiency of the soldiers' reactions would be the difference between life and death in a real situation. The military members gathered around the RCMP officer are from the Joint Nuclear Biological and Chemical Defence Company, the Canadian Forces' unit whose job is to deal with weapons of mass destruction. The company, part of the military's special operations command, handles the "Jack Bauer-24" type scenarios; it provides a national response for chemical, biological and radioactive threats, whether it be tracking down and dealing with a weapon of mass destruction or collecting and cataloguing evidence that might be used in court to prosecute terrorists for creating or setting off such a device. The unit was formed in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and by July 2002, was ready with an initial cadre of 46 people. Over the years, it has expanded to include more than 100 personnel and a technical array of equipment ranging from robots that can operate in contaminated environments to some of the best nuclear, biological and chemical protective gear in the world. "It's not a large unit, but it's very surgical in nature," explained Maj. Stephane Boucher, until recently the company's commanding officer. "You don't need an 800-man infantry battalion to do what we do. You just need exceptional soldiers with exceptional capabilities." The unit can also conduct detection, sampling and identification of a full range of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear hazards as well as provide advice to senior commanders and government officials. Their world, at which the Citizen was recently given a rare glimpse, is one of mustard gas, anthrax, smallpox and dirty bombs, the term used to describe a weapon that combines radioactive materials with an explosive. The unit works closely with specialists from the Public Health Agency of Canada, who deal with biological threats, as well as the RCMP's explosive ordnance disposal section in Ottawa, the Ottawa police forensice unit and the RCMP forensic unit, the only team dedicated to do such work in a contaminated environment. The company is part of Canada's Special Forces Command, which also includes the Ottawa-based Joint Task Force 2 counter-terrorism unit, a special operations aviation squadron and the Canadian Special Operations Regiment based in Petawawa. The military has recommended to the Harper government that JTF2 be relocated to CFB Trenton -- the home location of the company -- but approval for that move has not yet been given. Officers say it makes sense to co-locate JTF2 with the company since they have worked closely together in the past and in the event of a terrorist attack in Canada involving a weapon of mass destruction, both would likely be called to respond. Maj. Boucher says the scenarios the company uses to practise its skills are all based on events Canada's allies have faced over the years or intelligence that has been collected about the potential for such incidents to happen. The company is a high-readiness force which, in military jargon, has been given a "no fail" mission, making it and JTF2 the only organizations in the Canadian Forces with such a task, according to officers. "There's a big difference between 'cannot fail' and 'no fail'," explained Maj. Boucher. "When we get called out, that means that every other tool in the toolbox has been used or has expired. After that, the cupboard is bare." A certain number of unit members are on alert at all times, ready to move out at a moment's notice, either for an international or domestic mission. Those on standby are kept on a short leash; they aren't allowed to consume alcohol and are restricted in how far they can travel from their homes in the Trenton area. Unit members don't receive extra pay, but the job still attracts highly motivated people, Maj. Boucher said. "It would make a really bad TV commercial," he explained: "We want you to come here, we won't give you any extra money, we won't give you extra time, we'll tell you do this, do that and we're going to ask you to put your life on the line every day. "But the guys do come and they're all pumped about it," he added. About half are from the army, with the navy and air force providing the rest. Most of the job, whether it involves gathering evidence from a terrorist lab or calculating how far the contamination from a chemical or biological weapon might spread, is done in hot and bulky protective suits. Canada has some of the best gear in the world for such jobs, but even so, moving about for long periods of time in the equipment can be difficult. One of the more rigorous tasks some of the unit members perform are "vertical entries"; rappelling into a contaminated environment, such as in sewers or elevator shafts. "It's all easy when you're wearing the $300 Mountain Equipment Co-op special shoes and the right climbing harness, but doing it dressed in our gear is a whole different ball game," said Maj. Boucher. One thing the unit does not do, he emphasized, is mass decontamination of casualties. The company would take care of its personnel who were exposed to various substances, as well as the RCMP and Public Health Agency specialists it works with in the field. But if Parliament Hill were hit with a chemical or biological attack, it would be up to civilian agencies, such as the fire department, to deal with the casualties. "There are very little threats out there that you can't decontaminate with bleach and water," Maj. Boucher explained. "The reality is that every pumper truck in every fire hall can do that." The threat of an attack on Canada involving chemical, biological or radiological substances is very real, according to those in the unit. Maj. Boucher believes that at some point, there will be an "incident," since various terrorist groups, including al-Qaeda, have indicated a desire to develop and use such weapons. In 2004, French police said they disrupted a plan by a group linked to al-Qaeda to use chemical and biological weapons. In 2003, the Pentagon informed Congress that al-Qaeda has a sophisticated program to produce biological agents. U.S. forces in Afghanistan have also uncovered equipment and documents that showed rudimentary efforts by the terror network to develop chemical weapons. Maj. Boucher said one of the most difficult scenarios the unit would face would be dealing with a weapon of mass destruction, such as a dirty bomb or nuclear warhead, smuggled on board a ship. Vessels are large and it would be easy to hide such a device. In addition, Canada has such a long coastline it would be possible to transfer such a weapon to a smaller ship and bring it into the country undetected. "Most major ports have radiation detection equipment, so the bad guys won't come through Vancouver," Maj. Boucher said. "But they might come through one of the many inlets on the coast of B.C. and load off the device on to a fishing trawler and then take it into a small fishing village." To deal with such potential scenarios, the company prefers seasoned military personnel for its ranks. Most are volunteers and Company Sgt.-Maj. Mike Bezeau said unit personnel have at least three years service in the Canadian Forces. "We're looking for people who come with operational experience," he said. "We tend to look for people who have demonstrated an ability to think on their feet." Desi, a former armoured corps crewman who has been with the company for four years, said he decided to volunteer because of the unusual nature of the work. The 36-year-old sergeant, who asked that his last name not be used for security reasons, has handled all forms of chemical agents and a fair number of biological ones. It's those substances, such as anthrax, smallpox and the plague, that are particularly unnerving. "When you're working with those, you take the extra time," said Desi. "Afterwards, when you do get to think about it, it does give you an eerie feeling if you consider what would happen if things went bad." Working in the protective suit can also be extremely tiring, added Desi, who is a section commander for sampling and identification of biological, chemical and radiological agents. Heat stress is a common ailment among the company's members and officers try to limit the time troops spend in the contaminated "hot zone." "The mental stress when you're in a contaminated environment and supervising members of your team can also be difficult," explained Desi. "I'm sweating to the point of dehydration." Plans are also under way to expand the unit over the next several years, an effort that will improve its capability as well as the quality of life for its personnel. The addition of more specialists should cut down on the amount of time a unit member is on call, which currently is about half the year. "That's a lot of time for our people to be on call," explained Company Sgt.-Maj. Bezeau. "It's mentally stressful, not only for them, but for their families." The fact that the unit has been brought under the wing of the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command is also a positive sign and a signal that the company will be in existence for a long time, added Maj. Boucher. "This year is a our fifth anniversary and we're quite proud of that because many people thought we would be part of some sort of a fashionable post-9/11 trend, which would then peter out," he said. "But I think we're going to be needed for quite a while yet." © The Ottawa Citizen 2007 ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2007 11:48:57 -0600 From: News@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca Subject: McCurdy faces charges after incident at bridge- The Windsor Star McCurdy faces charges after incident at bridge http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/news/story.html?id=dcf14f86-19f8-4e9f-b7e0-5835344f679d Windsor Star Published: Tuesday, July 17, 2007 A former Windsor MP is facing criminal charges after an incident involving a customs officer at the Ambassador Bridge. Howard McCurdy, a former city councillor, NDP MP and president of the Windsor and District Black Coalition, is charged with obstructing a peace officer and resisting a peace officer. The incident occurred June 23. Andrea Kent, spokeswoman for the Canada Border Services Agency, said there was an incident at the bridge, but wouldn't reveal what happened. A person's "experience" at a border crossing is protected under privacy laws, she said. McCurdy also wouldn't talk about it on Monday. "We will let you know when we want to let you know," he said. © The Windsor Star 2007 ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2007 13:56:27 -0400 From: Lee Jasper Subject: Scores another It was said: >Caught this one in the Winnipeg Sun at lunch today. So tell us Bruce >how is it you get published so much and I can't even get a single >letter in the paper. > >"Misfired legislation >"The morning after two shootings occurred in one stretch of a North >End street, a third shooting occurred this morning about seven blocks >away." > >And just what, exactly, did the Firearms Act do to prevent or solve >these crimes? > >Bruce N. Mills > > Not a tome, but to The Point and PITHY. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2007 09:39:06 -0700 From: "Todd Birch" Subject: ??? Here in BC we've had yet another murder of an East Indian woman by her spouse (alleged, he's just been charged). This guy as a history of mysoginist/abusive behaviour towards women. How is it that we feel the need to register gun owners who have committed no crime but not people who have a proven track record of being a danger to society? Our CPFO has decreed that henceforth, our ATTs are valid only in BC. I believe that long term 'show permits' are no longer being issued and short term ATTs will be necessary in future. Why this retrogressive step? What good purpose is being served by it? TB ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2007 13:45:10 -0600 From: Larry James Fillo Subject: Quebec woman dies after marsh rescue Call 911 and let them die- This isn't from a large city like New York City, does anyone remember the Kitty Genovese case which was considered scandalous news in the 1960s? After decades of the state usurping citizens rights and responsibility even village life is imitating big city ghettos. While confronting violent criminals may be dangerous for ordinary citizens not doing so is definitely dangerous for their fellow citizen victims. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Que. woman dies after marsh rescue CanWest News Service Published: Monday, July 16, 2007 MONTREAL (CNS) -- A woman died in a Sherbrooke hospital after after a man allegedly tried to drown her in a marsh. A neighbour called police after he heard a woman screaming Saturday in the village of Waterloo, about 100 kilometres east of Montreal. When police arrived, they saw a man holding a woman's head under water in a marsh. The man ran into nearby woods. The woman, 30-year-old Nathalie Dupont, was taken to a hospital and died during the night. A 36-year-old man was found later in the woods. He was taken to a hospital in Granby. The arrested man is the victim's domestic partner, police said. The couple have lived together for at least five or six years, the neighbour said. The man is slated to appear in court in Granby today. The StarPhoenix (Saskatoon) 2007 ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2007 16:39:12 -0400 (EDT) From: Bruce Mills Subject: Re: Scores another - --- Lee Jasper wrote: > >"Misfired legislation > >"The morning after two shootings occurred in one > stretch of a North > >End street, a third shooting occurred this morning > about seven blocks > >away." > > > >And just what, exactly, did the Firearms Act do to > prevent or solve > >these crimes? > > > >Bruce N. Mills > > > > > > Not a tome, but to The Point and PITHY. That's the idea: to ask in one short, simple to understand sentence just how effective has the Firearms Act been. This is something that every newspaper worth its salt should be asking on our behalf. Everybody should start sending in their own version of this to the news media every time a shooting incident occurs. Yours in LIBERTY! Bruce ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2007 23:56:12 -0300 From: jim hill Subject: A little humour for a change. A young farm couple, Homer and Darlene, got married and just couldn't seem to get enough lovin'. In the morning, before Homer left the house for the fields, they made love. When Homer came back from the fields, they made love. After supper, they made love. And again at bedtime, they made love. The problem was their nooner. It took Homer a half hour to travel home and another half hour to return to the fields and he just wasn't getting enough work done. Finally Homer asked the town doctor what to do. "Homer," said the doctor, "just take your rifle out to the fields with you and when you're in the mood, fire off a shot into the air. That will be Darlene's signal to come out to you. Then you won't lose any field time." They tried Doc's advice and it worked well for a while until one day when Homer came back to the doctor's office. "What's wrong?" asked the Doc. "Didn't my idea work?" "Oh, it worked good," said Homer. "Whenever I was in the mood, I fired off a shot like you said and Darlene'd come runnin'. We'd find a secluded place, make love, and then she'd go back home again." "Good, Homer. So what's the problem?" asked the Doc. "Ah mighta trained her too good. I ain't seen her since huntin' season started!" ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 18 Jul 2007 10:48:40 -0400 (EDT) From: Bruce Mills Subject: National crime rate down in 2006 http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/237224 National crime rate down in 2006 Jul 18, 2007 09:32 AM Canadian Press OTTAWA – A new study says the national crime rate hit its lowest point in more than 25 years in 2006, driven by a decline in non-violent crime. Statistics Canada says the crime rate dropped by three per cent last year, mainly due to declines in break-ins, thefts under $5,000 and counterfeiting. The national crime rate has declined by about 30 per cent since peaking in 1991. The rate fell in every province and territory last year, with the largest drops reported in Prince Edward Island, Alberta, New Brunswick, British Columbia and Saskatchewan. The total violent crime rate remained virtually unchanged from 2005, mainly due to a stability in the rate of minor assaults, which account for six in 10 violent crimes. The national homicide rate fell 10 per cent, halting two years of increases, but there were increases in many serious violent crimes such as attempted murder, aggravated assault, assault with a weapon, robbery and kidnapping or forcible confinement. The property crime rate dropped four per cent from 2005, as the rate of break-ins fell five per cent to its lowest level in over 30 years. The rate of motor vehicle theft also declined, down two per cent The crime rate among young persons aged 12 to 17 rose three per cent in 2006, the first increase since 2003. The rise was driven by increases in mischief and disturbing the peace. The rate of young people accused of homicide was the highest since 1961, when data were first collected. The largest drop among the provinces was reported in Prince Edward Island, down 11 per cent, followed by declines of about five per cent in Alberta, New Brunswick and British Columbia. Despite a four per cent drop in overall crime, Saskatchewan reported the highest rate among the provinces for the ninth straight year, followed by Manitoba and British Columbia. Ontario, Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador had the lowest rates, continuing an eight-year-old pattern. Violent crime rates declined or remained stable in all provinces, except for slight increases in Quebec and Saskatchewan. Similarly, property crime rates declined or remained unchanged in all provinces and territories. The largest drop in property crime rates was in Saskatchewan, down 13 per cent. The largest declines in urban crime rates occurred in the West – Saskatoon fell nine per cent while Abbotsford, B.C., and Regina both dropped eight per cent. Even so, Regina, Saskatoon and Abbotsford recorded the highest overall crime rates, in that order. The largest increases were reported in London, Ont., a nine per cent rise, and Sudbury, Ont., and Saguenay, Que., both increasing eight per cent. Saguenay still reported the lowest crime rate, despite its increase. Police reported 605 homicides in 2006, 58 fewer than in 2005. This resulted in a rate of 1.85 homicides per 100,000 population, 10 per cent lower than in 2005. The national homicide rate has generally been declining since the mid-1970s, when it was around 3.0. Virtually all provinces and territories reported declines in their homicide rates in 2006. The most notable occurred in Ontario, where there were 23 fewer homicides. The highest homicide rates were found in the Western provinces. Saskatchewan, which had 40 homicides, reported the highest rate (4.1 per 100,000 population) among the provinces. The lowest provincial homicide rates were in Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Quebec. Quebec's 1.2 per 100,000 population was its lowest in that province in 40 years. The highest urban homicide rates were reported in Regina, 4.5 homicides per 100,000 population, followed by Edmonton (3.7) and Saskatoon (3.3). Bucking the national trend, the Ottawa-Gatineau area reported an unusually high number of homicides. The rate in Gatineau (3.1) was the highest in almost 20 years, and Ottawa's rate (1.8), while similar to the national average, was the highest in over a decade. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 18 Jul 2007 10:54:21 -0400 (EDT) From: Bruce Mills Subject: U.S. gang crackdowns called a 'tragic failure' http://www.thestar.com/GTA/Crime/article/237060 U.S. gang crackdowns called a 'tragic failure' Jul 18, 2007 04:30 AM Betsy Powell Crime Reporter More police, more prisons and more punitive measures aren't the answer to reducing gang activity, concludes a new U.S. study that experts here say underscores the need for Canada to reject that approach in favour of investing in jobs, schools and programs for disenfranchised youth. The study, released today by the Washington, D.C.-based Justice Policy Institute, says popular suppression approaches to gang violence are a "tragic failure" in Los Angeles and Chicago, while promoting jobs, education and healthy communities draws youth away from gangs and violence. "Despite decades of aggressive gang enforcement – including mass arrests and surveillance, huge gang databases, and increased prison sentences for gang crimes – gang violence continues at unacceptable rates," the authors conclude. Former Liberal MPP Alvin Curling, appointed by the province to conduct a youth violence review, said the report supports his opinion that putting more people in prison won't curb gang violence over time. It also confirms the need for the provincial review to "go beyond the criminal aspects of things," Curling said yesterday. Robert Gordon, director of Simon Fraser University's criminology department, has studied gangs on the West Coast and said the report confirms the "wisdom of the Canadian way." "We shouldn't be tempted, particularly during periods of enhanced street-gang activity, we shouldn't be spooked into making bad policy decisions," he said. The death of teenager Jane Creba in 2005 following a gang shootout in downtown Toronto was followed by a chorus of calls for stiffer sentences and crackdowns, a typical response, Gordon said. But he maintains research shows such tactics alienate local residents and trap youth in the criminal justice system. An alternate approach took place in New York City where a variety of street work and intervention programs "outside the realm of law enforcement" were adopted and caused gang violence to decrease by the end of the 1980s, the study says. It also found that in the U.S., gangs are responsible for a relatively small share of crime, youth gang membership fell between 1996 and 2004, white people make up a large proportion of gang members and most gang-involved youth quit before reaching adulthood. The study says resources should be redirected from "failed gang enforcement efforts to proven public safety strategies."Toronto-based gang expert Lew Golding, of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, agrees with the spirit of the report. Reactive strategies feed the problem, while interventions give confidence to youth who are empowered through bonding together. When gang members are released from jail, they return "to the neighbourhood where all the influences remain," Golding wrote in an email. The Justice Policy Institute studies alternatives to incarceration. ------------------------------ End of Cdn-Firearms Digest V10 #642 *********************************** 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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