Cdn-Firearms Digest Sunday, February 15 2009 Volume 13 : Number 048 In this issue: [US] South Carolina police give roses for gun Dem's Use "Stimulus" as Cover for More Gun Control NP - Editorial: No to national censorship council Toronto Sun - Letter - FOCUS ON GANGS Toronto Sun - Column - Barbara's Hall of shame Vancouver Sun - RCMP probing Surrey road-rage related shooting Prince George Citizen - New gun unit wanted: solicitor general Re: Cdn-Firearms Digest V13 #45 Re: The Illegal Movement of Firearms in British Columbia ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 14 Feb 2009 14:35:58 -0800 (PST) From: Bruce Mills Subject: [US] South Carolina police give roses for gun =?utf-8?B?cyBvbiBWYWxlbnRpbmXigJlzIERheQ==?= To: cdn-firearms@scorpion.bogend.ca MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Message-ID: <670330.76343.qm@web56904.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Sender: owner-cdn-firearms@scorpion.bogend.ca Precedence: normal Reply-To: cdn-firearms@scorpion.bogend.ca http://calsun.canoe.ca/News/World/2009/02/14/8395161.html South Carolina police give roses for guns on Valentine=E2=80=99s Day UPDATED: 2009-02-14 13:56:32 MST By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS COLUMBIA, S.C. — Police in South Carolina gave away roses on Valentine’s Day. All you had to do to get one for your sweetie was turn in a gun. Hoping to get the weapons off the streets with the “Guns for Roses” program, authorities in two central South Carolina cities set up a program where anyone who turned in a gun received a free rose and a Best Buy gift card. At a Columbia church, five cars lined up to give away guns before the exchange had even started. About an hour and a half later, police had collected 75 weapons. “We’ve got a great turnout so far,” Richland County sheriff’s spokesman Lt. Chris Cowan said. A handgun was worth a $100 gift card, while a rifle or shotgun netted a $50 gift certificate. Cowan said one man turned in six handguns, worth $600 in gift cards. But there was no amnesty for those turning in the guns. The weapons were checked to see if they were stolen, names and addresses were jotted down and ballistics tests would also be done to see if the firearm was used in a crime. The program was modelled after a California one; similar exchanges have been done in New York and San Francisco. Cowan said gun donors were young and old, men and woman. Many had a big smile and some said it was a relief to get rid of the weapons. And did the men even care about the rose? “Most of them have taken it,” Cowan said. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 14 Feb 2009 16:15:17 -0700 From: "Dennis & Hazel Young" Subject: Dem's Use "Stimulus" as Cover for More Gun Control Dem's Use "Stimulus" as Cover for More Gun Control http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/8460 By CCRKBA Friday, February 13, 2009 Dear Concerned Citizen, The liberals are at it again. In a new bill introduced the first day of the present session of Congress, and with zero coverage from the MSM, H.R. 45 (Blair Holt's Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009) targets all gun owners in the U.S.A. While the media the world and everyone else is focused on the "phony plan" to spend tax dollars legislation is sneeking through the House and Senate for more gun control. This nefarious bill seeks to strip us all of our Constitutional Rights to possess and bear firearms of any distinction. It requires, within the first two years, that all new guns be registered. The bill goes retroactive after two years. Meaning that two years after the passage of the bill, ALL FIREARMS in a citizen's possession must be registered, not just those purchased after the bill passes, and this apparently applies to antique firearms as well. Select Here to Reject Gun Bans and Fax to all 100 Senators and all 435 House Representatives Every five years the firearm owner must go through a complete renewal process for each weapon owned. Failure to comply carries stiff penalties including confiscation of the firearms and jail time (penalties as high as ten years imprisonment in some cases). The bill also authorizes government searches without warrant, the creation of a federal bureaucracy to monitor firearm possession, etc. The following is a summary of the bill as provided by the Congressional Research Service. If you read the whole bill, you'll find it will effectively preclude the ownership of any firearms by law-abiding people unless directly licensed by the Attorney General : 1/6/2009--Introduced. Blair Holt's Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009 - Amends the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act to prohibit a person from possessing a firearm unless that person has been issued a firearm license under this Act or a state system certified under this Act and such license has not been invalidated or revoked. Prescribes license application, issuance, and renewal requirements. Prohibits transferring or receiving a qualifying firearm unless the recipient presents a valid firearms license, the license is verified, and the dealer records a tracking authorization number. Prescribes firearms transfer reporting and record keeping requirements. Directs the Attorney General to establish and maintain a federal record of sale system. Prohibits: Transferring a firearm to any person other than a licensee, unless the transfer is processed through a licensed dealer in accordance with national instant criminal background check system requirements, with exceptions; Licensed manufacturer or dealer from failing to comply with reporting and record keeping requirements of this Act; Failing to report the loss or theft of the firearm to the Attorney General within 72 hours; Failing to report to the Attorney General an address change within 60 days; Keeping a loaded firearm, or an unloaded firearm and ammunition for the firearm, knowingly or recklessly disregarding the risk that a child is capable of gaining access, if a child uses the firearm and causes death or serious bodily injury. Prescribes criminal penalties for violations of firearms provisions covered by this Act. Directs the Attorney General to: Establish and maintain a firearm injury information clearinghouse; Conduct continuing studies and investigations of firearm-related deaths and injuries; and Collect and maintain current production and sales figures of each licensed manufacturer. Authorizes the Attorney General to certify state firearm licensing or record of sale systems. Like all other threats against our freedoms, we must rise and defeat this bill, slap it down hard. In order to stop Schumer and Feinstein and there fellow gun-grabbers-we need to let the Congress know with thousands of faxes telling them to leave guns alone. Americans like you who understand what our Founding Fathers envisioned for our nation...and who are willing to fight to defend our Constitution and for what it stands. So please, help the Citizens Committee and me defeat those who wish to gut and trash the United States Constitution. Help me flood the U.S. Senate and the House with the sea of FAXES big enough to drown each and every Senator and Representative willing to vote away the Second Amendment. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 14 Feb 2009 15:21:08 -0800 (PST) From: Bruce Mills Subject: NP - Editorial: No to national censorship council http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=1279674 Editorial: No to national censorship council National Post Published: Thursday, February 12, 2009 As if Barbara Hall's own crude, broadsword agency were not destructive enough of free speech rights, now the Chief Commissioner of the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) wants a national press council to further chill free expression in the media. And she is not looking just to curtail newspapers, talk radio and television news. Ms. Hall wants any new press council to have jurisdiction over Internet sites and blogs, too. Of course, using the typically topsy-turvy logic of most modern rights crusaders, Ms. Hall has convinced herself that this thinly veiled censorship board would actually be the ultimate free speech defender. She seems to think the best way to preserve free speech is to limit it. In a report to the Canadian Human Rights Commission, Ms. Hall's OHRC recommends a national media watchdog to which all publishers, webmasters and radio and television producers would be forced to belong. The OHRC insists such a body need not "cross the line into censorship," but it is hard to see how it could avoid it. As conceived by Ms. Hall and her activist cocommissioners, a national press council would have the power to accept complaints of discrimination -- "particularly from vulnerable groups" --against any member paper, station or Web site. And while the council, at least initially, would have no power to prevent media outlets from printing, posting or broadcasting what they wished, it could force them to carry the council's decisions, including counterarguments made by complainants. It's hard not to view these recommendations as a direct response to the OHRC's frustration with its own inability to persecute Maclean's magazine and columnist Mark Steyn for what the commission viewed as the pair's "Islamophobic" views. Last April, the OHRC was forced to drop its investigation of columns and news stories carried by Maclean's because the legislation governing the commission did not give it authority to investigate published work. Nonetheless, Ms. Hall left no doubt that she sided with the Canadian Islamic Congress and a group of Muslim university students who felt Maclean's discriminated against their faith. Despite having held no hearing, nor hearing any testimony from the magazine or Mr. Steyn, Ms. Hall and the OHRC nonetheless felt justified in concluding that both parties engaged in journalism that was "inconsistent with the spirit" of the Ontario Human Rights Code and which did "serious harm" to Canadian society by "promoting societal intolerance" and disseminating "destructive, xenophobic opinions." Ominously, at the time, Ms. Hall also stated that all journalists should put their writings through a "human rights filter" before publication. Because she was not able to force such a filter on Maclean's, her current proposal for a national press council is almost certainly an attempt to make such a filter mandatory, in law. "Media has a responsibility to engage in fair and unbiased journalism," Ms. Hall has said previously. But because no one has god-like powers to discern accurately what is "fair" and "unbiased," then no one -- not even the chief commissioner -- is qualified to sit in judgment of which articles and opinions meet those criteria and which do not. Most people's interpretation of fair and unbiased reporting corresponds very closely with their own opinions on the subject at issue, and Barbara Hall is no different. She has been granted no special powers not given to other mortals to divine the truth; therefore, neither she nor any other pompous purveyor of social concern has the ability to judge which speech should be free and which not. "Free societies should not be in the business of criminalizing opinion," Mr. Steyn, told members of Ontario's standing committee on government agencies this week. "When you go down that road, all you do is lead to the situation that you have in, say, Saudi Arabia. In Saudi Arabia, you can't start a newspaper and print what you think, so if you object to the House of Saud, the only thing you can do is blow stuff up." Similarly, making all writers, bloggers and broadcasters hostage to a national press council is merely the first step toward letting the Barbara Halls of the world decide what you get to hear, see and read. To that, we say: "No, thanks." And so should every newspaper reader, Web surfer and television viewer in the land. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 14 Feb 2009 15:35:36 -0800 (PST) From: Bruce Mills Subject: Toronto Sun - Letter - FOCUS ON GANGS http://www.torontosun.com/comment/letters/2009/02/14/8389956-sun.html FOCUS ON GANGS Re "Guns in my backyard" (Feb. 12): I believe Dr. Shelton Deverell should consider a change in the meaning of her club "GIMBY." Never mind "Guns," how about "Gangs" In My Backyard? After all, it is the gangs pulling the triggers, selling the dope and doing the stabbings. The gun isn't shooting people by itself. Paradise won't be so lost when politicians and enforcement focus on the people doing the crimes, instead of their tool du jour. STEVE ALEXANDER MONO, ONT. (There seems to be a gun obsession, and not by our columnist) ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 14 Feb 2009 15:41:37 -0800 (PST) From: Bruce Mills Subject: Toronto Sun - Column - Barbara's Hall of shame http://www.torontosun.com/comment/columnists/christina_blizzard/2009/02/11/8345531-sun.html Barbara's Hall of shame Ontario Human Rights Commission, and its 'commissar' have lost their way By CHRISTINA BLIZZARD, SUN MEDIA Last Updated: 11th February 2009, 4:54am There is irony that controversial author Mark Steyn made the trip from New Hampshire to Toronto to call for the dismantling of the Ontario Human Rights Commission. It's a more than just a long drive from a state whose official motto is, "Live Free or Die." You have to change gears in your mindset. In this province's oppressive nanny state, we still have the right to free speech -- so long as what you're saying is rubber-stamped by OHRC "commissar" (Steyn's word, not mine) Barbara Hall. Last year Hall commented on a Maclean's article by Steyn, "The future belongs to Islam." Responding to a complaint by the Canadian Islamic Congress, Hall stated, correctly, the OHRC has no jurisdiction to hear the case. Then she went on to condemn Steyn and Maclean's for Islamophobia. Steyn was as scathing as ever when he spoke to a committee on government agencies here on Monday. He described some recent ludicrous OHRC rulings as, "incompatible with a free society." Of course he is right. And once you allow the Halls of the world to define the limits of freedom of speech, you are heading down a slippery slope. It is vigourous debate that makes a free and civilized society, not timid censorship. Steyn pointed out the "sham" of the OHRC, when it is shamefully silent about so-called "honour killings." Young women are murdered for not conforming to oppressive cultural restrictions on women. But a journalist with an opinion? Oh, my. Can't have that. I asked Hall for her response. In a telephone interview, she made some astounding comments. First, she said, the OHRC has two roles -- a judicial one and one that comments on issues such as the articles. So she was perfectly within her mandate. "We said the complaint process doesn't apply here. HARMFUL STEREOTYPES "We find this series of articles to promote stereotypes and that's harmful and we would like the media to think more about the impact on people of what they write," she said. Well, sorry. The role of the media is to report, review, criticize, comment. If sometimes we hurt people's feelings, well, oops. This is still a semi-free society. It was her response to Steyn's criticism of OHRC's silence on honour killings that shocked me. "There are thousands of things that happen in the province of Ontario on a daily basis and we don't comment on all of them," she said. But, I spluttered, women are being murdered. "As I said, we are a small commission. "There are many problematic things that happen in our community and we have to make choices because we can't respond to everything," Hall said. So honour killings are merely "problematic"? Here's a woman who's advocated for years on behalf of women's rights. She found time to crucify Steyn and Maclean's, but she's too busy to raise the issue of women who are being murdered over some hideous interpretation of "honour"? I wouldn't go as far as Steyn in calling for an end to the OHRC. I think there is an important role for it to mediate in cases where people are refused accommodation based on the colour of their skin or where they didn't get a job based on their age or gender. The human rights system in this province cost $17.6 million this year. The government needs to find savings in its next budget. Cut it in half. Get back to basics -- and get out of the censorship business. christina.blizzard@sunmedia.ca torsun.editor@sunmedia.ca ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 14 Feb 2009 15:47:56 -0800 (PST) From: Bruce Mills Subject: Vancouver Sun - RCMP probing Surrey road-rage related shooting http://www.vancouversun.com/news/RCMP+probing+Surrey+road+rage+related+shooting/1291319/story.html RCMP probing Surrey road-rage related shooting February 14, 2009 3:01 PM Surrey RCMP have confirmed a road-rage related shooting occurred Friday night near 152 Street and 104 Avenue. Only one shot was fired and the suspect has not been located. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 14 Feb 2009 16:07:00 -0800 (PST) From: Bruce Mills Subject: Prince George Citizen - New gun unit wanted: solicitor general http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/20090214175861/local/news/new-gun-unit-wanted-solicitor-general.html New gun unit wanted: solicitor general Written by Paul Strickland Citizen staff Saturday, 14 February 2009 The province will establish a provincial weapons enforcement unit with an aggressive approach to investigating crimes and incidents involving illegal guns, B.C. Solicitor General John van Dongen said during a media conference in Prince George. Work will begin immediately to begin the transfer of responsibility for administering the Canadian firearms program from the federal to the provincial government, said van Dongen, who is also the minister of public safety. The province is concerned about the number of guns illegally distributed in B.C. in connection with special permits allowing the movie industry to bring in certain weapons as props in movie scenes filmed in B.C., he said during the media conference held Saturday in the RCMP North District office in the city. Prince George North MLA Pat Bell said the province's measures in this area are not directed at law-abiding gun owners in Prince George and district. "This is an area of hunters and gun owners and collectors," Bell said. "This is not about residents who hunt legally and collect guns. "What this will affect is the important of illegal guns." The province will enter into discussions with the current B.C. chief firearms officer (CFO) demanding that the CFO immediately review current licensing, auditing and inspection procedures to prevent the issuance of large numbers of single multi-purpose business licences, especially in relation to theatrical, prop-master licences, van Dongen said. The provincial government will examine whether to limit the number of businesses supplying firearms for movie industry use and the inventory prop-masters can have, according to information in a release distributed at the conclusion of Saturday's media conference. Police are concerned about the privileges awarded to these types of businesses and have identified several cases where these privileges have been abused and resulted in firearms trafficking, van Dongen said at the media conference. Restrictions are needed on the number of licences granted for this particular activity, which can be done under current legislation, the province said in background documents provided at the event. The province will immediately work with the federal government to ensure the CFO reflects B.C.'s priorities by providing sufficient staff to combat illegal guns, including more rigorous and timely investigations, according to the background documents. Toward the conclusion of the media conference Donna Sitter, communications officer for the public safety and solicitor general ministry, distributed to reporters a 96-page study entitled A Report on the Illegal Movement of Firearms in B.C. prepared by criminologists Tony Heemskerk and Eric Davies. The study was completed in November 2008. "The current numbers of prop master businesses and those holding firearms inventory are far beyond what is required to support the movie industry," Heemskirk and Davies say in the report. "B.C. has 36 such businesses, while Ontario has only 16. "Police are concerned about the privileges awarded to these types of businesses and have identified several cases where these privileges have been abused and resulted in the trafficking of firearms," they observe. "Restrictions need to be placed on the number of licences granted for this particular activity, a measure which can be taken under the current legislation. "Ontario will not grant a licence to anyone in this category unless there is a clear demonstrated need." ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 14 Feb 2009 16:11:00 -0800 From: jwdavies Subject: Re: Cdn-Firearms Digest V13 #45 Anybody have a URL for this report that works? >The Illegal Movement of Firearms in British Columbia - November 2008 >By Tony Heemskerk and Eric Davies >The report reviews the scope of illegal use of firearms, and makes >recommendations to improve regulation and enforcement. http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/publications/docs/illegalfirearmsreport.pdf This URL worked fine for me. It is a 92 page Adobe '.pdf' file. You might need to make sure that you have Adobe reader installed on your computer. You cab download it from here if you need to: http://get.adobe.com/reader/ BUZ ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 14 Feb 2009 19:47:09 -0600 From: Edward Hudson Subject: Re: The Illegal Movement of Firearms in British Columbia On 14-Feb-09, at 10:57 AM, Breitkreuz, Garry - Assistant 2 wrote: > > The Illegal Movement of Firearms in British Columbia - November 2008 > By Tony Heemskerk and Eric Davies > The report reviews the scope of illegal use of firearms, and makes > recommendations to improve regulation and enforcement. > http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/publications/docs/illegalfirearmsreport.pdf "Welcome to BC." NB: Prosecution and the courts: the Province implement a policy that in possession of firearms offences, all matters, absent exceptional circumstances, proceed by way of indictment. In addition, the Province establish specialized Crown counsel positions to deal with firearms matters. Sincerely, Eduardo INFORMATION BULLETIN For Immediate Release 2009PSSG0013-000184 Feb. 13, 2009 Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General ILLEGAL GUN ACTION PLAN RELEASED VANCOUVER =96 The Province today released an independent report, The Illegal Movement of Firearms in British Columbia, and committed to work toward implementing all of its recommendations. Action on four priority items will begin immediately: A new weapons unit: The Province will establish a provincial weapons enforcement unit with an aggressive approach to investigating crimes and incidents involving illegal guns. Provincial administration of Canadian firearms regulations: Work will begin immediately to begin the transfer of responsibility for administering the Canadian firearms program from the federal to the provincial government. Increased reviews: The Province will enter into discussions with the current British Columbia chief firearms officer (CFO) demanding that the CFO immediately review its current licensing, auditing and inspection procedures to prevent the issuance of large numbers of single multi-purpose business licences, especially in relation to theatrical (prop-master) licences. The Province will examine whether to limit the number of businesses supplying firearms for movie industry use, and the inventory prop-masters can have. Police are concerned about the privileges awarded to these types of businesses and have identified several cases where these privileges have been abused and resulted in firearms trafficking. Restrictions are needed on the number of licences granted for this particular activity, which can be done under current legislation. More resources: The Province will immediately work with the federal government to ensure the CFO reflects B.C.'s priorities by providing sufficient staff to combat illegal guns, including more rigorous and timely investigations. Other areas in which the B.C.-commissioned report makes recommendations are: - Firearms Focus: the Province take leadership by committing to a comprehensive strategy. - Enforcement: the police and other agencies adopt a strong commitment to tracing of firearms and an aggressive approach to investigation and enforcement. - Prosecution and the courts: the Province implement a policy that in possession of firearms offences, all matters, absent exceptional circumstances, proceed by way of indictment. In addition, the Province establish specialized Crown counsel positions to deal with firearms matters. - Training and education: agencies designate, educate and train select Crown counsel and police to focus on firearms matters and provide assistance to colleagues. - Co-ordination of effort: review current structures in the province to ensure co-ordination of efforts and sharing of information. Federal and provincial agencies work towards the development of joint strategies. - Data collection: the Province work with other levels of government to improve the collection of data. - Legislative and regulatory changes: the Province request the federal government to make changes and enact legislation and regulations to improve the control over the illegal movement of firearms. The entire illegal guns report can be viewed at www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/publications/ online. - -30- Media contact: Cindy Rose Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General 250 356-6961 ------------------------------ End of Cdn-Firearms Digest V13 #48 ********************************** Submissions: mailto:cdn-firearms-digest@scorpion.bogend.ca Mailing List Commands: mailto:majordomo@scorpion.bogend.ca Moderator's email: mailto:owner-cdn-firearms@scorpion.bogend.ca 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".)