Cdn-Firearms Digest Sunday, December 21 2008 Volume 12 : Number 884 In this issue: Copy of my Letter to the Editor of Red Deer Advocate FW: Support in 2008 May Not Extend to 2009 Niagara this Week - Letters - Sunday Hunting ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2008 17:33:13 -0400 From: "M.J. Ackermann, MD" Subject: Copy of my Letter to the Editor of Red Deer Advocate Re: Red Deer Advocate By Advocate news services Published: December 20, 2008 5:00 AM Pardon me, but I want a gun http://www.albertalocalnews.com/reddeeradvocate/opinion/Pardon_me_but_I_want_a_gun.html To the Editor: So I guess Bonnie Erbe is a Vegan, eh? How else to explain her hateful diatribe against the procurement of meat for human consumption? Of course even if she is a Vegan, the vegetables she eats are living creatures that is until she cuts them up for dinner. The farms they were grown on were once richly diverse wildlife habitats that are now controlled monoculturs arrived at by killing off all animal and plant life not to the liking of Ms. Erbe's paid plant assassins. At least hunters have the moral fortitude to admit to themselves what the Erbes of the world never will: All living creatures must kill to survive. Steak, venison, or yams, it doesn't matter. Life for Life is an inflexible and non-negotiable Law of Nature. Perfect value for ultimate price. Get the plank out of your eye, Ms. Erbe, before you disparage me for the mote in mine. - -- M.J. Ackermann, MD (Mike) Rural Family Physician, Box 13, 120 Cameron Rd. Sherbrooke, NS Canada B0J 3C0 902-522-2172 mikeack@ns.sympatico.ca "Hope for the best, but be prepared for the worst". ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2008 13:23:50 -0800 From: "Clive Edwards" <45clive@telus.net> Subject: FW: Support in 2008 May Not Extend to 2009 To: From: Clive Edwards [mailto:45clive@telus.net]=20 Sent: Sunday, December 21, 2008 1:20 PM To: 'Irving R. Gerstein' Subject: Support in 2008 May Not Extend to 2009 Dear Mr. Gerstein I have supported the Conservative Party “for some time”, as you put it, because I am a legacy supporter of the Reform Party of Canada. One of my most regrettable political moments was when I supported Brian Mulroney’s government. Indeed, the difference between the Old Conservatives and the Old Liberals was negligible. The reason I supported the Reform Party was simple – they were the party of individual liberty and responsibility. Not since John A. Macdonald had the individual been the basis of society, rather than the easily manipulated “collective” we have seen since. Indeed most of our social problems emerged not with immigration, which is desirable, but with not having a free and moral society immigrants could aspire to assimilating into. Seeing a corrupt society brimming with hypocrisy why wouldn’t “New Canadians” form gangs to best take advantage of a culture of entitlement rather than take pride in contributing to a culture of self-reliance? I support individual rights, sir. We do not have individual rights under our “Peace, Order and Good Government” policy (the creed of all dictatorships). Our Charter is, in all practical applications, a farce. What use is the Right of Thought, Belief, Opinion or Expression when Kafkaesque Courts, not substantially different from Inquisitions, threaten all who claim those Rights? The most basic Human Right, sir, is the Right to Self Defense and the ready access to the appropriate tools to exercise that Right. It is this Right that guarantees access to all our other Rights and is the only Right that can maintain the Charter of Rights & Freedoms as a Prime Document of Freedom rather than the sullied fabrication is has been since its inception. I had rather hoped Mr. Harper would have succeeded in removing all political parties from the taxpayers’ tit. Funding (or choosing not to fund) a political party is the first meaningful step in selecting our representatives. Taxpayer funding inevitably leads parties to think of themselves as rulers, since they no longer see citizens as critically important to the process. I will contribute financially to the Conservative Party (and renew my soon to expire membership) when the Conservative Party honors its commitment to revoke the Firearms Act. Until then, I will be looking to Mr. Ignatieff to rectify Mr. Rock’s folly. Whoever gets there first gets my vote and my support. Yours Truly, Clive Edwards 48610 Auchenway Road Chilliwack, BC V4Z 1B8 604-858-1893 (res) 604-858-1853 (fax) 604-250-7910 (cell) 45clive@telus.net Firearms Chair, Chilliwack Fish & Game Protective Association Director, NFA – BC Director, Bruce Montague Court Challenge for Liberty NRA certified Pistol & Self Defense Instructor IDPA Range officer Instructor Instructor, CFSC Motion Picture Firearms Level II From: Irving R. Gerstein, Chair, Conservative Fund Canada [mailto:donate@conservativefund.ca] Sent: Saturday, December 20, 2008 12:10 AM To: Clive Edwards Subject: [!! SPAM] Thank you for your support in 2008 Thank you for your support in 2008 En Français | In English December 19, 2008 Dear Mr. Edwards, As the year draws to a close, I thought I'd write a short note to thank you for your continued support in 2008. Not only did Stephen Harper and the Conservative Party of Canada win an election, but we did it together, and succeeded in strengthening our mandate. As a party, it's not enough to look back on 2008, we also need to look forward to 2009, and find ways to ensure that the responsibilities entrusted to us by Canadians are met. The new year will bring with it some serious challenges, which is another reason I'm sending you this email: Stephen Harper and the Conservative Party of Canada need to enter 2009 on firm financial footing and prepared to fight the Liberal/NDP/Bloc coalition which is still a very real threat to the elected government. I noticed you've been a committed supporter for some time. Thank you. I really need to ask you to make an extra commitment this year to make a contribution of $200 or $100 on-line right now. As I just mentioned, the need for your support is urgent ahead of the new year, and if you act quickly, we will still be able to issue a 2008 tax receipt for your contribution. I don't need to tell you that the Liberals are out there right now building their war chest to be prepared for a possible election call over the budget in January. We need to be every bit as prepared as they are. Now, more than ever, we need the help of supporters like yourself. 2008 will be looked upon as a year of success for the party. I would like the same to be said of 2009, but I need your help to make that a reality. Please, take a moment and make a contribution of $200 or $100 right now by following this link. Sincerely, Irving Gerstein,C.M., O.Ont Chair, Conservative Fund Canada P.S. – As the end of the calendar year approaches, so too does your opportunity to receive a 2008 tax receipt for your contributions. Please don't wait until the last minute. Follow this link right now and make a contribution of $200 or $100 on-line. DONATE NOW Donate | Website | tax rules & FAA | tax calculator | unsubscribe | privacy policy ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2008 13:44:55 -0800 (PST) From: Bruce Mills Subject: Niagara this Week - Letters - Sunday Hunting http://www.niagarathisweek.com/opinions/article/223390 Sunday gun hunting? Letters Dec 03, 2008 This letter is in response to West Lincoln Council's consideration to allow Sunday gun hunting. Is keeping one day a week non-violent and gun-free in West Lincoln too much to ask? Do residents really want to be woken up on Sunday morning - before sunrise - by the sound of gun shots? The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, and their allies, the Ministry of Natural Resources, tell us that hunting on Sunday is an integral "management tool'. Their main argument is that Sunday hunting assists farmers in controlling 'nuisance' wildlife like deer and coyotes. Doesn't legislation already exist to allow farmers to kill 'nuisance' wildlife any day of the week- including Sundays- on their property? Sunday gun hunting isn't about farmers or crop damage. It's just another twist by those who want us to believe they can't control crop-damaging wildlife adequately Monday through Saturday. Although this sport-hunting lobby is well organized and aggressive, they represent a small portion of the population. The greatest proportion does not hunt or own guns! Why then are we asked to support hunting for recreation sport seven days a week? The majority of Ontarians do not engage in the sport of hunting yet hunters are given Ontario's natural resources, including our parks and conservation areas, leaving no wildlife protection. Sunday hunting violates a quality of life issue. Allowing hunters to invade private and Crown land on Sundays firing lethal weapons certainly threatens enjoyment for people who have chosen to retire, raise their families, and visit West Lincoln to experience the tranquility of one municipality where Sundays are still sacred -without fear of becoming victim to a stray bullet. I urge those who are opposed to contact members of West Lincoln Council. Jan Yates ====================================================== http://www.niagarathisweek.com/opinions/article/225690 OFAH official: Many municipalities support Sunday gun hunting Letters Dec 12, 2008 I am writing in response to a letter from Jan Yates that appeared Dec. 3, in which the writer uses several erroneous arguments in support of her position against Sunday gun hunting and against a possible review of the issue by West Lincoln Municipal Council. Since the introduction of Sunday gun hunting by the former Minister of Natural Resources in 2005, 168 of the 230 municipalities in southern Ontario have opted to allow Sunday gun hunting. Given this significant level of support, I would respectfully suggest that many municipal leaders across the province, who have made a decision to support Sunday hunting after extensive public consultation, do not share Ms. Yates concerns. Since the inception of hunter safety courses in Ontario in the early 1960's, the safety record of hunters in Ontario is enviable. In fact, according to figures from Statistics Canada, the Canada Safety Council and the National Safety Council, hunting is safer than biking, golf, ice skating, baseball, soccer, boating, swimming and tennis. Hunting is also safer than common activities of everyday living. When compared to the most common causes of accidents causing injuries, including car accidents, home accidents, falls, insect stings and lightning strikes, the accident rate among non-hunters is 0.001 per cent. Hunters are trained to know the range of their firearms, how and when it is safe to discharge a firearm, and cannot hunt in Ontario without having passed the Canadian Firearms Safety Course and Hunter Safety Course. Those who hunt for wild turkey are required to take a third separate course before hunting that species. Hunting is carefully regulated by the Ministry of Natural Resources under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, and firearms owners are subject to severe penalties under the Firearms Act, the Criminal Code and other statutes for the careless use of a firearm whether hunting or not. Despite doubts expressed by the writer, the Ministry of Natural Resources clearly states that hunting is the most effective wildlife management tool available to them, without which they may not be able to control burgeoning wildlife populations. This is important given that in many areas, wildlife populations are increasing, which is good news, except for the increased threat that this may pose to public safety. According to the Ministry of Transportation, each year over 15,000 wildlife/car collisions occur across Ontario; one every 38 minutes; 90 per cent involving white tail deer; which represents an 86 per cent increase over the last decade. With milder winters, more roads being built, and increased urbanization in traditionally rural areas, the conflict between people and wildlife, particularly on the roads, is expected to continue. The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters works with the Ministry of Transportation, the Ontario Provincial Police and municipalities like the City of Ottawa to warn the public of the threat posed by increased wildlife numbers on the roads. These accidents cause deaths, thousands of injuries and billions in insurance claims each year, to say nothing of the effect that this carnage has on the animals themselves. Without regulated hunting, the number of wildlife/car collisions would likely increase substantially. The writer also suggested that crop and livestock damage is not an issue. I would point out that according to the Ontario Soil & Crop Improvement Association, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) and the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario (CFFO), the amount of damage being done by all forms of wildlife is significant, and amounts to more that $50 million annually. In fact, in a letter to the Premier on October 11, 2007, the OFA suggested that the damage being done had reached 'crisis proportions', and lest the writer forget, this kind of damage costs all of us, farmers and taxpayers alike. I would also point out that in the Niagara region, there has been considerable recent concern expressed over burgeoning coyote populations, so much so, that local municipalities are looking for new ways to control this and other related wildlife populations. Ms. Yates suggests that Sunday hunting violates a quality of life issue. With all due respect, I must disagree. There are few activities that do not now take place on Sundays. People can gamble, buy liquor, shop, bet at the racetrack, go to casinos, target practice and engage in a wide diversity of other recreational pursuits on Sundays, so why not hunting? Furthermore, bow hunting is already allowed throughout Ontario. For those who work five days a week, or shift work, Sunday hunting offers additional recreational opportunities. Whether Ms. Yates agrees or not, for many families, hunting is a family activity, and providing a few extra days per year, during current hunting seasons, to engage in this pastime is important to them. By suggesting that hunters 'invade' private and Crown land, firing 'lethal weapons', Ms. Yates makes another mistake. Private landowners have the choice of whether or not to allow hunting on their property at any time, and this doesn't change just because Sunday gun hunting is approved. Her suggestion that non-hunters should be fearful of falling victim to a 'stray bullet' is not only factually incorrect, it is based upon an inherent misunderstanding of the statistics, a failure to recognize that a myriad of laws and regulations exist to govern the responsible use of firearms and a lack of knowledge with regard to the scientifically based regulation of hunting, all of which are designed to allow for hunting in a safe and responsible manner. Greg Farrant Manager, Government Relations & Communications Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters =================================================== http://www.niagarathisweek.com/opinions/article/226815 Hunting part of our heritage Letters Dec 19, 2008 This letter is in response to Jan Yates letter against Sunday gun hunting. Hunting is an intergral part of Canadian heritage. It's a part of our culture. Destroying that part of our heritage because of increasing legislation and the decrease in hunters would just be tragic. We Canadians lead a different lifestyle than those in the past. When there was an abundance of farmers, then keeping nuisance wildlife in control was not a problem. Now because of a change in lifestyle to the 9-5 workweek, those with hunting as part of their family tradition are limited to only one day a week to do so. And hunting does not violate anybody's quality of life. Crown land is public land that belongs to all Canadians. Instances of lethal hunting accidents are extremely rare in Canada, and with the decline in hunters, and the increase of hunter safety, it is safer than ever to take enjoyment in our vast and magnificent outdoors. I urge those who are for Sunday gun hunting to contact members of West Lincoln Council. Nick Elworthy Toronto ------------------------------ End of Cdn-Firearms Digest V12 #884 *********************************** Submissions: mailto:cdn-firearms-digest@scorpion.bogend.ca Mailing List Commands: mailto:majordomo@scorpion.bogend.ca Moderator's e-mail address: mailto:drg.jordan@sasktel.net List owner: mailto:owner-cdn-firearms@scorpion.bogend.ca FAQ list: http://www.canfirearms/Skeeter/Faq/cfd-faq1.html Web Site: http://www.canfirearms.ca CFDigest Archives: http://www.canfirearms.ca/archives To unsubscribe from _all_ the lists, put the next four lines in a message and mailto:majordomo@scorpion.bogend.ca unsubscribe cdn-firearms-digest unsubscribe cdn-firearms-chat unsubscribe cdn-firearms end (To subscribe, use "subscribe" instead of "unsubscribe".)