Cdn-Firearms Digest Wednesday, February 18 2009 Volume 13 : Number 054 In this issue: Toronto Sun - Column - CBC AWOL in Afghanistan CPIC and safe communities BC's new firearm crackdown is not directed at law-abiding ... Re: Letter: Gun-registry Titanic to finally sink? Re: BC's new firearm crackdown ... Column: The New Look At Gun Violence In BC Needs To Tread Softly MP Merv Tweed Thinks Gun Registry Could End BC Wildlife Federation Congratulates M.P. Garry Breitkreuz Re: Additional info on CPIC ALBERTA FISH & GAME ASSOCIATION ENCOURAGED BY PRIVATE ... No Moderator for 36-48 hours Back from my Hiatus. CFD will start flowing again Re: Additional info on CPIC Re: ALBERTA FISH & GAME ASSOCIATION ENCOURAGED BY PRIVATE ... Halifax C-H - Woman killed in Metro Vancouver shooting ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2009 10:04:25 -0800 (PST) From: Bruce Mills Subject: Toronto Sun - Column - CBC AWOL in Afghanistan http://www.torontosun.com/comment/2009/02/16/8405601-sun.html CBC AWOL in Afghanistan By PETER WORTHINGTON Last Updated: 16th February 2009, 2:56am Earlier this month, CBC-TV ran a documentary by American filmmaker Scott Kesterson about the Princess Pats in Afghanistan fighting the Taliban, back in 2006. There was nothing wrong with the documentary, which in some ways was as much about Kesterson as it was about the Pats. In fairness, Kesterson has quite a record as a war photographer -- though some respondents on the CBC blog weren't impressed, and wondered why an American was chronicling our part of the war. In fact, according to the documentary, many Canadians are still confused about why we are in Afghanistan, and mistakenly think we are there in a peacekeeping role. Kesterson who apparently was embedded with the Pats, leaves no doubt that it is "war" our guys are fighting, and admires the professionalism and efficiency they bring to soldiering. The Pats gave the Taliban a trouncing. (It was 2006, remember). WHY AN AMERICAN? But the question still begs why the CBC has an American rather than a Canadian documenting what our troops are doing. Garth Pritchard, a Calgary filmmaker and Canada's most experienced and respected documentary-maker of our military overseas, is one who is critical of the CBC. He sent a letter to the CBC about the Kesterson at War documentary, which he hoped would appear of the CBC's blog, but somehow didn't make the cut. So I'll run parts of it here, and let Pritchard tell his own story. He's been to Afghanistan six times and "produced, directed and shot hundreds of hours of footage about our Canadian troops and their role." "There is one absolute," says Pritchard. "Every time my footage or documentaries were offered to the CBC -- both to the National and the CBC's Documentary Unit (and specifically to Mark Starowicz), they were refused." Pritchard is "appalled" that the National found that Canadians aren't fully aware of what our military has been doing in Afghanistan -- at war under NATO, not peacekeeping under the UN. He asks: "Where has the CBC been since 2001? If it is not the CBC's job to keep Canadians informed, then whose job is it? Obviously, the CBC has failed miserably, and now turns to an American documentary filmmaker to inform us -- with footage from 2006." Pritchard recalls talking to Combat Engineer Sgt. Shawn Eades seven months ago in Kandahar. Eades wasn't surprised that the CBC rejected anything filmed by Pritchard, especially footage of Eades' men dismantling a Taliban bomb factory. Despite all the awards Pritchard's documentaries have earned, Eades wasn't surprised. "What do you expect, Garth," said Eades. "They have no intention of telling our story. Didn't they refuse your documentary on friendly fire?" Pritchard was the only one to film the "friendly fire" air attack on the Pats in 2002 that killed four and wounded eight. The CBC rejected Pritchard's I-was-there documentary, and later hired a Toronto filmmaker who'd never been to Afghanistan to do a one-hour documentary titled . . . wait for it . . . Friendly Fire. KILLED A few days after Pritchard returned from Afghanistan, Sgt. Eades and his squad were killed in an explosion. Pritchard says he offered CBC free footage of Eades and the Combat Engineers, "and the incredible work they were doing." Once again, the CBC refused his footage. "This time they took it to a new level," says Pritchard. "'How do we know you are telling the truth?'" The CBC has done a poor job for Canada in its coverage of the Canadian military. As for Afghanistan, Pritchard asks: "Where has the CBC been?" Certainly not with our soldiers in the field. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2009 13:15:31 -0500 From: "Jules Sobrian" Subject: CPIC and safe communities I have yet to understand how keeping track of law-abiding citizens with guns will stop the gang-bangers, gun smugglers and illegal drug merchants from running amok in citizenland. To what extent will it prevent people from holding up banks and convenience stores? How will it stop jealous police persons from murdering their mates and then killing themselves? Is there some way it can identify people whose lives have taken a turn for the worst and have resolved to destroy themselves rather than continue with the misery? Guns are not the only method of committing suicide, although they certainly provide a quick and decisive finish. Will it in some way stop officers from using Tasers needlessly to assassinate people, whose only offence might be to not speak English and be mistakenly isolated in an airport without food, drink or attention for almost 24 hrs? All of this police effort and computer know-how would be better used to keep track of persons with a history of criminal activity, like parolees, who seem to have a habit of reoffending with impunity. The only way law enforcement officers will succeed in providing Canadians with safe homes and communities, is to get out of their cruisers and start patrolling the community on foot. Stop hiding behind bullet-proof glass in the police stations and mingle with the citizens where they could gain the public trust once more and get all the tips which would clue them in to what is really going on in the community. When I was young, that is how policemen operated, and I for one was a great fan of policemen and their presence. Today, nobody trusts cops. Too bad. Jules ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2009 13:35:00 -0500 From: "Breitkreuz, Garry - Assistant 2" Subject: BC's new firearm crackdown is not directed at law-abiding ... ... gun owners, MLA Pat Bell PUBLICATION: Prince George Citizen DATE: 2009.02.16 EDITION: Final SECTION: News PAGE: 1 / FRONT SOURCE: The Citizen WORD COUNT: 204 - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------= Not about hunters - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------= The province's new firearm crackdown is not directed at law-abiding gun owners in northern B.C., said Prince George North MLA Pat Bell. "This is an area of hunters and gun owners and collectors," Bell said. "This is not about residents who hunt legally and collect guns. The province announced a provincial weapons enforcement unit to investigate crimes and incidents involving illegal guns during a media conference in Prince George Friday. Work is also underway to the transfer of responsibility for administering the Canadian firearms program from the federal to the provincial government, B.C. Solicitor General John van Dongen said at the event. The province is particularly 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. According to a study distributed at the conference, B.C. has 36 such businesses, while Ontario has only 16. "The current numbers of prop-master businesses and those holding firearms inventory are far beyond what is required to support the movie industry," says the report. - -- Strickland, Citizen "Ontario will not grant a licence to anyone in this category unless there is a clear demonstrated need." - --------------------------------------------------- British Columbia Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General ILLEGAL GUN ACTION PLAN RELEASED - Feb. 13, 2009 http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2005-2009/2009PSSG0013-000184.htm ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2009 14:23:45 -0500 From: "ed machel" Subject: Re: Letter: Gun-registry Titanic to finally sink? - ----- Original Message ----- From: "Breitkreuz, Garry - Assistant 2" To: "Breitkreuz, Garry - Assistant 1" Sent: Monday, February 16, 2009 11:19 AM Subject: Letter: Gun-registry Titanic to finally sink? > > PUBLICATION: The Chronicle-Herald > DATE: 2009.02.16 > SECTION: Letters > PAGE: A7 > > Thank goodness our politicians have finally come to their senses on > the $3-billion boondoggle long-gun registry. MP Garry Breitkreuz has > introduced Bill C-301 as a private member's bill and, with luck, it > will quickly pass through both houses, allowing the gun-registry > Titanic to finally sink. > > It is long overdue that we admitted the futility and folly of legally > attacking the most scrutinized and law-abiding cultural minority in > Canada, the shooting sports enthusiasts, as an attempt to curb > gangland violence committed by antisocial thugs who do not care for > our laws. If we truly want to end the gang violence, we must stop > making strawman criminals out of sportsmen and women, and instead go > after the roots of the problem. > > M.J. Ackermann, Sherbrooke Do you really think ? that all the information garnered will be deleted /scrubbed ?Now we will have a de facto gun registry without the actual gun registry. Anybody who thinks this information will be deleted is living in wonder land. ed/on ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2009 13:58:25 -0600 From: 10x <10x@telus.net> Subject: Re: BC's new firearm crackdown ... At 01:35 PM 2/16/2009 -0500, you wrote: > > >... is not directed at law-abiding gun owners, MLA Pat Bell > >PUBLICATION: Prince George Citizen >DATE: 2009.02.16 >EDITION: Final >SECTION: News >PAGE: 1 / FRONT >SOURCE: The Citizen >WORD COUNT: 204 > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------= > >Not about hunters > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------= > >The province's new firearm crackdown is not directed at law-abiding gun >owners in northern B.C., said Prince George North MLA Pat Bell. Mr. Bell is absolutely correct. When your firearms license expires and you are in possession of guns, you are breaking the law and NOT a law abiding gun owner. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2009 13:59:07 -0700 From: "Dennis & Hazel Young" Subject: Column: The New Look At Gun Violence In BC Needs To Tread Softly The New Look At Gun Violence In BC Needs To Tread Softly By Ben Meisner - Monday, February 16, 2009 03:45 AM http://www.opinion250.com/blog/view/12085/7/the+new+look+at+gun+violence+in+ bc+needs+to+tread+softly The crackdown of gang violence using guns is a good one, however if the provincial government hopes to get the entire population on side, they had better make certain that legitimate gun owners feel confident they are not being targeted in any new sweep. There are 212,316 licensed firearms owners in BC, who have licensed 874,496 registered firearms. By contrast in the first half of 2008 the Tactical Analysis unit recorded a total of 2,537 firearms seizures in Canada. Of that number 1,393 (55%) were crime guns, meaning they had the serial number filed off, were used in the commission of a crime, came into the country illegally or had been altered from replica's to work. Those statistics clearly point out that the average long gun owner and for that matter the recreational shooters that were forced to register their guns during the gun registry have not now or ever been the problem with guns in Canada. Ontario has suggested that they would like to see a total ban on hand guns, which is no more than political gamesmanship. The hand guns that are being used in the commission of an offence have in recent times been either brought into Canada generally from Washington State illegally, purchased by movie set operators and then filtered into the crooks hands, or replicas that have been altered to become fully functional. While the number of guns registered in BC is 874 thousand, a further 30% have never been registered by their owners who feared what government had in mind when they introduced the legislation. To this point they have been right in their analysis, that they are not the root cause of the problem of gun violence. The duck and deer hunter are not responsible for the problem of gun violence and it is nice to see that the report by Tony Heemskerk and Eric Davies points that out. In England a total band was placed on hand guns, the result has been that illegal firearms, in one case machine guns, returned to normal from replicas are the order of the day. The crooks may have guns, the public does not. The report commissioned by the provincial government suggest that a total ban on hand guns in Ontario, as they would like to see, would be difficult to administer and have little or not affect. If the provincial government, in its effort to set up a special task force to deal with the increasing use of guns by gangs, does not indicate to the regular owners of guns that they are not the target of the new crackdown, they run the risk of alienating the very people, the legitimate gun owners for coming on side. Coupled with that 212,000 voters voting en mass is a force that no party should overlook. One should keep in mind that the actual number of gun deaths in BC has deceased since 2001; although projections are that the gun deaths will reach 51 in 2008, they will not exceed the 2005 figures of 63 deaths. Care and caution should be the words of the day. I'm Meisner and that's one man's opinion. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2009 14:04:08 -0700 From: "Dennis & Hazel Young" Subject: MP Merv Tweed Thinks Gun Registry Could End MP Thinks Gun Registry Could End http://www.portageonline.com/index.php?option=com_ezine&task=read&page=9&cat egory=21&article=11321&Itemid=86 Brandon-Souris MP Merv Tweed is supporting a private member's bill to eliminate the Long Gun Registry. Bill C-301 was introduced February 9th by a Saskatchewan MP. Tweed says this topic has always been a challenge to get through in the House, noting when an earlier attempt to end the registry was brought forward, NDP MP's were told to vote against it. However, he says there have been discussions with the NDP, and he thinks this time the bill could go through. Tweed believes the registry hasn't impacted criminal activity, but has been very costly. Tweed adds from here the bill will go through a series of readings and debates before a vote is held, a process that takes a little over a month. If the bill passes, long gun owners will never again have to re-register their firearms. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2009 14:04:08 -0700 From: "Dennis & Hazel Young" Subject: BC Wildlife Federation Congratulates M.P. Garry Breitkreuz Tumbler Ridge News - Wednesday February 18, 2009 BC Wildlife Federation Congratulates Yorkton-Melville M.P. Garry Breitkreuz Introducing New Firearms Bill C-301. http://www.tumblerridgenews.com/story.php?id=203532 The BC Wildlife Federation would like to congratulate Yorkton-Melville M.P. Garry Breitkreuz for the introduction of a new firearms bill, Bill C-301. This proposed legislation will eliminate the wasteful long gun registry and remove many of the onerous regulations associated with the act that have no effect on public safety. Bill C-301 would introduce a number of changes to the Firearms Act, including: 1) Elimination of the costly, flawed and ineffective long gun registry; 2) Streamlining the licensing system; and 3) calling for a cost/benefit audit of the Firearms Program every five years to ensure that Canadian taxpayers are receiving maximum benefit for money spent. "We support the legislation introduced earlier today by Garry Breitkreuz. He has worked tirelessly to help create a rational and cost effective firearms program that focuses on the prevention of crime, not the excessive regulation of law abiding firearms owners", said B.C.W.F. Executive Director Patti MacAhonic. "The Harper government should be applauded for their ongoing attempts to focus the firearms debate on the real problem, the illegal use of firearms by criminals, not the responsible use of firearms by hunters, farmers and recreational sport shooters. Mr. Breitkreuz's is following that theme". Bill C-68, which created the long gun registry introduced by a former Liberal government, was predicted to cost only $2 million, however it has cost Canadian taxpayers almost $2 billion. Bill C-68 was supposed to enhance public safety but because it focused on regulating the law abiding citizen rather than controlling criminals, it has not been able to achieve this goal. The Breitkreuz bill is the latest in a number of firearms bills that have been introduced to Parliament whose aim has been to eliminate the long gun registry. "The Canadian public has become disillusioned with this expensive waste of taxpayer's funds and it has become increasingly obvious that those who in the early 1990's predicted long gun registration would become a sink-hole for funds, with no benefit to public safety, were right." Ms. MacAhonic said, "No amount of money spent regulating the law abiding public will control criminals, you just can't legislate against the mindset of criminal gangs." ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2009 15:55:38 -0600 From: Joe Gingrich Subject: Re: Additional info on CPIC <"I have full confidence that CPIC is fully able to provide the function as I have indicated; you go to court over a beef and have a restraining order or firearm prohibition applied and it is entered into CPIC forthwith. Our open and accountable gov't assures us that CPIC is purged of 'garbage' religiously. I recall reading that over 32,000 files are typically dumped each year."> There must be considerable data contamination in CPIC if over 32,000 files are typically dumped each year." Such a system is useless for accurate police work. How can you have confidence in CPIC? <"If such a thing was created, where would it be housed? In CPIC. So 'CPIC' is unusable but a sub-set of CPIC (prohibition registry) would not have the same affliction?"> The FPR must have absolutely no links to any contaminated or "innuendo files" including CPIC. <"I have suggested that like the various sex offender registries (info also in CPIC) having a 'prohibition' registry would be purely 'political.' A chance for another grand political announcement that the gov't is 'doing something' when it knows full well that it really isn't doing anything extra, because the data already exists and is on-file."> An accurate FPR could actually be "a chance for another grand political announcement that the gov't is 'doing something". The govt. has decided to have their cops actully chase crooks. What a novelty. Another grand political announcement could be that the govt. has ceased and desisited from stalking, licensing and registering responsible firearms owners and instead will only monitor "qualified" criminals and those confirmed mentally infirm. Yours in Tyranny, Joe Gingrich White Fox ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2009 15:04:27 -0700 From: "Dennis & Hazel Young" Subject: ALBERTA FISH & GAME ASSOCIATION ENCOURAGED BY PRIVATE ... ... MEMBER'S BILL TO ELIMINATE LONG GUN REGISTRY ALBERTA FISH & GAME ASSOCIATION ENCOURAGED BY PRIVATE MEMBER'S BILL TO ELIMINATE LONG GUN REGISTRY Posted: 2009-02-16 11:48:57 http://www.afga.org/index.html?func=news&articleID=34 ALBERTA FISH & GAME ASSOCIATION ENCOURAGED BY PRIVATE MEMBER'S BILL TO ELIMINATE LONG GUN REGISTRY (Edmonton, February 16, 2009). The Alberta Fish & Game Association(AFGA) is encouraged by the possibility of finally seeing the end to at least part of the firearms legislation. Yorkton-Melville M.P. Garry Breitkreuz's, Private Members Bill, would remove the discriminatory and costly Long Gun Registry from Canadian law. Originally touted as only a $2,000,000 project the cost of this unwieldy monster as escalated into billions of taxpayers' money. Money that could be used more effectively in helping the country get out of its current economic doldrums. The Alberta Fish & Game Association is the only hunting, fishing, conservation organization to have been granted intervenor status in the legal battle that followed the passing in to law this faulty legislation. To this day AFGA has continued to be vocal in both its call to rescind the long gun registry and its support of those with the political will to make it happen. M.P. Garry Breitkreuz has been courageous in his efforts; the AFGA encourages all Members of Parliament to recognize the failures of the Long Gun Registry, including its exorbitant costs to tax payers and infringement of personal rights of law abiding Canadians. The opportunity is now to make things right. The Alberta Fish and Game Association is a not-for-profit volunteer organization that has been active in habitat conservation since 1908 and has a province-wide membership of over 19,000 individuals keen on maintaining Alberta's natural heritage. - -30- CONTACT: Maurice Nadeau (780)808-9669 Martin Sharren (780) 437-2342 ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2009 16:18:07 -0600 (CST) From: BUZ@bogend.ca Subject: No Moderator for 36-48 hours Greetings! I am away from a computer for the next 36-48 hours, and will be unable to do the moderating duties during that time. Since there are no other volunteers for the moderator position that can work during that time, the CFD will not be sending any messages out, but will be storing any incoming messages until I return. BUZ ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2009 11:23:39 -0600 (CST) From: BUZ@bogend.ca Subject: Back from my Hiatus. CFD will start flowing again I'm back. Should see the 44 collected messages out during the next hour. BUZ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2009 17:37:33 -0500 From: "ed machel" Subject: Re: Additional info on CPIC - ----- Original Message ----- From: "Joe Gingrich" To: "Canadian Firearms Digest" Sent: Monday, February 16, 2009 4:55 PM Subject: Re: Additional info on CPIC > Another grand political announcement could be that the govt. has ceased > and > desisited from stalking, licensing and registering responsible firearms > owners and instead will only monitor "qualified" criminals and those > confirmed mentally infirm. > > Yours in Tyranny, > Joe Gingrich > White Fox Last year I was stopped for going through a stop sign.My heavy shirt was lying on the back seat of the car with my drivers licence in it. I told the cop my licence was in my pocket in my shirt on the back seat.As I went to reach for it ?,He told me to sit where I was and said he`d get it. I believe at the time he thought I was hiding a gun under the shirt as I have never had that experience before. This was after he ran my plate through the computer and before he had the licence in his possession. I think that the fact I am a gun-owner was in the information he garnered on his computer. ed/on ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2009 17:39:51 -0500 From: "ed machel" Subject: Re: ALBERTA FISH & GAME ASSOCIATION ENCOURAGED BY PRIVATE ... - ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dennis & Hazel Young" To: "Firearms Digest (E-mail)" Sent: Monday, February 16, 2009 5:04 PM Subject: ALBERTA FISH & GAME ASSOCIATION ENCOURAGED BY PRIVATE ... > ... MEMBER'S BILL TO ELIMINATE LONG GUN REGISTRY > > ALBERTA FISH & GAME ASSOCIATION ENCOURAGED BY PRIVATE MEMBER'S BILL TO > ELIMINATE LONG GUN REGISTRY > Posted: 2009-02-16 11:48:57 > http://www.afga.org/index.html?func=news&articleID=34 > All this is well and good BUT? why haven't we heard from Windy and her cohorts talking up a storm of protest ? Are they waiting for a more opportune moment?< and if so for what reason >? ed/on ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2009 16:46:33 -0800 (PST) From: Bruce Mills Subject: Halifax C-H - Woman killed in Metro Vancouver shooting http://thechronicleherald.ca/Canada/9010810.html Woman killed in Metro Vancouver shooting By THE CANADIAN PRESS Mon. Feb 16 - 6:45 PM SURREY, B.C. - A woman shot to death while driving down a suburban road with a young child in the car is the latest to die in a string of shootings in Metro Vancouver but police say it's too early to link the incident to recent gang-related attacks. The unidentified woman's Cadillac sedan veered off the road and into a driveway, where police found her slumped behind the wheel while a four-year-old child in the back seat was unhurt. Monday's shooting happened less than 12 hours after the driver of a Range Rover SUV was wounded near a Surrey, B.C., strip club. RCMP say the vehicle was hit with at least four bullets. The driver was taken to hospital and later released. Police say the intended target was sitting in the back seat and escaped unharmed. RCMP Cpl. Dale Carr of the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team said that so far, police don't know anything about the woman killed Monday morning. "We're going to be obviously canvassing neighbours and trying to establish what we can learn in the coming hours," he said. Carr said the child had been taken into the care of the RCMP for now. The woman is the sixth person to die in various shootings in Metro Vancouver in last two weeks. Two young men were gunned down while sitting in their cars outside suburban shopping malls. The latest shooting had similarities to other gang-style hits but Carr said investigators don't want to come to any conclusions so early in the investigation. "There's nothing based in factual evidence to suggest that it's linked to gangs, linked to any of our other homicides or even linked to a domestic," he said. "We're looking at all of those open-mindedly and ensuring that we don't go into tunnel vision." ------------------------------ End of Cdn-Firearms Digest V13 #54 ********************************** 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".)