Cdn-Firearms Digest Friday, November 27 2009 Volume 13 : Number 584 In this issue: Barrie Examiner - Media has gun control in its sights Sentencing reserved in gun-stash case It's time for openness and accountability, Stephen *NFR* Now not the right time for cuts to army reserves *NFR* Greatest policy reversal in Canada's history *NFR* RE: Firearms marking Marking System Delayed Blair Witch Hunt Spreads RE: Firearms marking Re: Greatest policy reversal in Canada's history *NFR* Re: Marking System Delayed Re: Blair Witch Hunt Spreads "CSSA Announcement: Firearms Marking Regulations Deferred plus..." ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 27 Nov 2009 10:37:21 -0800 (PST) From: Bruce Mills Subject: Barrie Examiner - Media has gun control in its sights http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2195169 Media has gun control in its sights Posted By Posted 6 hours ago This letter is to challenge the media to be careful in the hateful, and emotion-based reporting that has run rampant on the issue of gun control. This is far too common from the anti-gun supporters. They wish to enact laws based on emotions, and not fact or the will of the constituents of our country. Groups like the Coalition For Gun Control have been proven to lie time and time again, yet they continue to be printed as fact. The statistics are biased and skewed to reflect badly upon legal gun owners. Recently Bill C391 passed second reading in the House of Commons, and this reflects the will of the people. If this is not true, then our political system that we have used for the past 100-plus years is in question. Is this not a bigger and more important issue than gun control? Then again, these activists have repeatedly asked the Liberal and New Democratic parties to invoke party discipline when voting on a private member's bill. If they had any shred of knowledge, or hope for a true democracy for our country, they should realize that party discipline is one of the most undemocratic things that exists in our political system today. To ask MPs to ignore the wishes of their constituents is nothing short of stupidity. These anti-gun groups and supporters need to really think about where they are focusing their energy and resources. There are far more deaths caused by drunk driving, speeding, cigarettes and many other things in our society, and yet guns are their target. Why? Because the media continuously focuses on publishing, and sensationalizing these instances. They capitalize on the emotional issues, wasting valuable resources on biased reports that make people react with emotion, instead of reporting both sides and encouraging people to think about the issues. If reason is applied in the slightest form, it is easy to make light of the fallacies being uttered daily by such people. I continue to hope for the day that the people of this country reclaim their common sense and reason, and stop believing all the lies they see on TV. Maybe then we can call ourselves a democracy. Until then, the emotionally driven senseless sheep continue to follow their shepherd to their own doom. Mark Lehtovaara St. Catharines ------------------------------ Date: Fri, November 27, 2009 12:48 pm From: "Dennis & Hazel Young" Subject: Sentencing reserved in gun-stash case THE HALIFAX CHRONICLE HERALD - NOVEMBER 27, 2009 Sentencing reserved in gun-stash case Court hears of young man's troubled past, his positive changes since arrest By PATRICIA BROOKS ARENBURG Staff Reporter http://thechronicleherald.ca/Metro/1154851.html A judge is mulling over the punishment for a Halifax man caught with a startling collection of submachine-guns and assault rifles 18 months ago. Alexander Stuart Lindsay, 22, appeared in Nova Scotia Supreme Court in Halifax on Thursday for sentencing on seven charges to which he pleaded guilty in June. Justice Kevin Coady reserved his decision until Dec. 18. In May 2008, police and officers from the Canada Border Services Agency searched Mr. Lindsay's Willett Street apartment and a Clifton Street storage unit. The agency had been tracking suspicious packages coming into Canada since 2006, leading to the raids that turned up a stash of submachine-guns, assault rifles, handguns, gun parts, empty ammunition magazines, bulletproof vests, crossbows and arrows, and cans of pepper spray. Federal Crown attorney Suhanya Edwards recommended that Mr. Lindsay be sentenced to a jail term of six to 10 months. "He amassed quite a large collection of weapons and he put society at risk," she argued. But both provincial Crown attorney Rick Miller and defence lawyer Joel Pink asked Justice Coady to consider an 18-month sentence to be served in the community, with strict conditions, followed by a period of probation. "I recognize that this is a serious offence, but in regards to Mr. Lindsay, there's no evidence that he planned to use them (weapons) for any purpose," Mr. Miller said. Neither Crown attorney called any evidence at the hearing. Mr. Lindsay has been under house arrest since late May 2008 on a $10,000 surety put up by his father, John Lindsay Jr. The father testified Thursday that his son began having trouble in school in about Grade 5 after he and his wife divorced. The boy, who had lived with him since the separation, was eventually sent to King's-Edgehill School in Windsor for grades 9 and 10 but disliked the school's rules and discipline. He moved in with his mother full time and went to Dartmouth High for Grade 11. The father began getting reports from the school that his son was "associating with the wrong people." At one point, the teenager was assaulted and his head was split open. He was later expelled after a "significant altercation" with another student, his father told the court. Alex Lindsay enrolled in Grade 12 at Armbrae Academy, a private school in Halifax. He got off to a good start but began skipping school, became frustrated with his courses and quit, his father said. The teenager went to work for his grandfather's construction company, J.W. Lindsay Enterprises, but his family saw him only sporadically, the court heard. His father told the court that he had heard Alex express his views about the national gun registry but he passed it off as right-wing conservatism. Some of his son's friends with similar views had joined the Conservative party, he said. He said it wasn't until Alex was arrested that he understood the extent of his son's obsession with guns. The arrest has led to positive changes, court was told. His father said Alex was insulting and dismissive of him at the time and was "shocked" when he laid down the law. Alex went for counselling and has continued to abide by the conditions of his release, which include Halifax Regional Police making random visits to the family home on Bloomingdale Terrace. Alex has completed Grade 12 and is now taking engineering at Dalhousie University. "It has been a tremendous thing for myself because it has provided the opportunity for me to completely reconnect with my son," John Lindsay Jr. said. Forensic psychiatrist Dr. Stephen Hucker first interviewed Alex Lindsay and his family in June 2008 and was initially pessimistic about the young man's chances, the court heard. Alex was socially isolated, living on his own in an apartment and obsessed with guns. He had a history of substance abuse and suffered from deep-seated fear and anxiety. The Ontario psychiatrist concluded that Alex had anti-social personality disorder and was oversensitive. He admitted that some might have called Alex paranoid. He said Alex was preoccupied with the potential breakdown of society and his need to protect himself. Alex "knew at the time that what he'd been doing was illegal . . . but he rationalized it," Dr. Hucker said. Alex told the psychiatrist he had no intention of using or selling the weapons and had no ammunition for them. "It was about putting them together and about being cleverer than the authorities," Dr. Hucker told the court. But he said Alex has made dramatic changes - going back to school, continuing with counselling and regularly attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings - and has a better overall view of the world. When Mr. Pink asked if his client is a danger to the community, Dr. Hucker replied: "Not at all." Alex Lindsay is to remain under house arrest until his sentencing next month, although he is allowed to attend classes at Dal. With Christina Copp pbrooks@herald.ca '(Alex Lindsay) knew at the time that what he'd been doing was illegal . . . but he rationalized it.' DR. STEPHEN HUCKERforensic psychiatrist ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 27 Nov 2009 14:02:42 -0500 From: Lee Jasper Subject: It's time for openness and accountability, Stephen *NFR* [I figure at some point broken promises will outweigh Harper's 'greater presidentiality']. Diplomat's e-mails hold key to truth By MICHAEL DEN TANDT http://www.lfpress.com/comment/columnists/michael_dentandt/2009/11/27/11947436-sun.html Let's see the e-mails. All of them, unredacted. Post them on a website. Then we'll know who's lying and who isn't. Until Canadians see Richard Colvin's reports to Ottawa in 2006 and 2007, which he says contained explicit warnings that detainees turned over to Afghan forces by Canadian soldiers were routinely tortured, we won't know the truth. Explosive Last week, diplomat Colvin threw the cat among the pigeons with his explosive allegation that he warned his bosses in Ottawa repeatedly that transferred detainees were being tortured in Afghan prisons. Colvin put everyone on the hot seat -- the cabinet, the prime minister's office, and senior military brass including the now retired chief of defence staff, Rick Hillier. The diplomat's testimony carried a lot of weight. Why would he lie? The trouble now: Hillier is easily as credible as Colvin. Hillier is as straight-talking a fellow as one could ever expect to find in the halls of power. Indeed the fact he made it to the halls of power at all, given his penchant for blunt speech, is a miracle. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 27 Nov 2009 14:06:33 -0500 From: Lee Jasper Subject: Now not the right time for cuts to army reserves *NFR* [Mark can analyze this]. Now not the right time for cuts to army reserves By JOE BELANGER http://www.lfpress.com/comment/editorial/2009/11/27/11947441-sun.html It's disturbing news that the army is cutting staff, training and recruitment in reserve units across the country. We learned this week that Southwestern Ontario's 31 Canadian Brigade Group has slashed its budget by 16%, or $2.5 million of its $18.2-million budget, reducing training exercises, overseas exchanges and travel budgets with recruitment levels dropped to 260 from 400 a few years ago. Nationally, the army is cutting 300 full-time reserve jobs from the current 4,750 members and transferring the savings to other areas, such as equipment purchases and to uphold several simultaneous commitments including the Olympics and the G8 and G20 economic summits next year. Basically, it's a shift of priorities, creating a shortfall in one area to make up a shortfall in another area. About $80 million in the annual budget of $1.6 billion is being shifted. [About the cost of a 'big ticket' item]? In terms of timing, it couldn't come at a worse time considering this country's commitments domestically and to trouble spots around the world. Our military has only recently begun to recover from the dark years between 1970 and 2000, when it seemed as though Canada was perfectly content to cut its military budget and let the United States and other nations pick up the slack. A shift of resources is unsettling because it sounds like a precursor of a return to the bad old days. As a sovereign nation, we need a standing army to protect us from enemies and to fulfil our domestic needs, such as assisting in natural disasters and helping our friends abroad. This shift of priorities means there will be even heavier workloads put on our reservists, who are already contributing to existing deployments and backing up the regular forces. One would have thought that extra funding would have been provided to ensure we could fulfil all of our commitments without putting additional pressure on our fighting men and women. If the problem is a need for extra funding, the government owes it to our military to provide it. If it's not just about funding, then the government had better think twice before making such commitments. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 27 Nov 2009 14:48:52 -0500 From: Lee Jasper Subject: Greatest policy reversal in Canada's history *NFR* [And the scary thing, is that not all this debt was caused by the WW financial tsunami]. Ottawa on track for largest-ever deficit Federal deficit balloons to $28.6B for first six months of year Julian Beltrame THE CANADIAN PRESS Published On Fri Nov 27 2009 > http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/731743--ottawa-on-track-for-largest-ever-deficit?bn=1 OTTAWA – Ottawa is past the halfway mark to the biggest deficit in the country's history, the Finance Department reported Friday. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:27:32 -0500 From: Lee Jasper Subject: RE: Firearms marking Todd and Patti reported: > Yes the regulations are coming into affect December 1st 2009. The complete antithesis of right-wing, Red Tape Reduction Conservatives. Harper has lost his compass, on one hand he pisses off the gun banners with his 'repeal' of the long gun registry - on the other hand he insults the RFC by quietly signing this silly UN marking scheme into law. [Note: There is clear documentation which details how the International gun manufacturers can and do use their own technology and existing marking scheme to conduct the traces advocated by the UN initiative - and Van Loan and Harper know it; so what's the game]? To think these people will all earn gold plated pensions for being village idiots!! ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 27 Nov 2009 17:02:13 -0500 From: "cdnshootingsports.org" Subject: Marking System Delayed FIREARMS MARKING REGULATIONS DEFERRED Canadian Shooting Sports Association and the Canadian Institute for Legislative Action are pleased to announce a one year deferral in the implementation of the Firearms Marking Regulations. These regulations are loosely inspired from the United Nations Firearms Protocol and would require all firearms imported into Canada to be marked with the Country and Year of Import. Currently, the marking scheme contained in the regulations would bankrupt many of Canada's firearms importers and drive the cost of purchasing a new firearm up by as much as $200.00 This would result in the loss of many jobs and businesses, something Canada does not need in these recessionary times. CSSA/CILA and our industry partner, the Canadian Sporting Arms and Ammunition Association have been very involved on this file for the last six years. Last year, we conducted an exhaustive industry study to prove beyond doubt that the current system would have crippling effects on Canada's gun industry. We were able to demonstrate our concerns to the satisfaction of the government and the result is this deferral. We look forward to working with the government of Canada to bring this issue to a satisfactory conclusion. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 27 Nov 2009 17:02:34 -0500 From: "cdnshootingsports.org" Subject: Blair Witch Hunt Spreads SPECIAL ALERT TO ALL HAMILTON FIREARMS OWNERS The Blair Witch-Hunt Project - Coming to a City Near You As reported in our last update, Toronto Police Chief Blair had initiated a witch-hunt targeting firearms owners, seizing their private property without compensation and describing them as 'criminals' due to an expired license. Well, as we have feared, the persecutions are spreading. We have received information that the Hamilton Wentworth Police have now embarked on a similar campaign. They are seizing (they call it "storing") firearms for a 60 day period to allow the owner to update their license. If a license is not presented before that deadline, the guns are to be destroyed. Assuming that the owner can find the mandatory safety course (or exam) quickly and the CFC processes the application within their mandated 28 days (not likely) and there is no flag on the name due to the firearms seizure, maybe, just maybe, the victim can obtain their license within the 60 days. Otherwise, they lose their property. So much for property rights and due process. There are several interesting facts involved in this situation. First, if the license is expired, the registrations are automatically revoked, yet none have received a Notice of Revocation from the CFC. Second, the amnesty prevents the police from laying charges but does not prevent the seizure of private property. Third, in most of the court cases we have been involved with, the judge has allowed the owner to sell the firearms. This has not been offered as an option by the police. Our advice - check your license expiry date and spread the word to any firearms owning relatives and friends. If they are caught in the 'catch 22' situation, we recommend the following steps: a.. Transfer the affected firearms to another license holder immediately - - the license holder will have to re-register the firearms b.. Apply for a new license - once the new license has been received, the firearms can be transferred back to the rightful owner (no fee) This whole situation begs the question - is this really the appropriate use of scarce police resources? These firearms owners are not and have never been a threat to public safety and neither are the firearms they possess. The public are being misled by claims that these seizures of private property would make Canadians safer. This is nothing more than a transparent attempt to deflect attention from their appalling failure to control the criminal element in their city. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:55:21 -0700 From: 10x@telus.net Subject: RE: Firearms marking At 03:27 PM 11/27/2009 -0500, you wrote: > > >Todd and Patti reported: > >> Yes the regulations are coming into affect December 1st 2009. > >The complete antithesis of right-wing, Red Tape Reduction Conservatives. > >Harper has lost his compass, on one hand he pisses off the gun banners >with his 'repeal' of the long gun registry - on the other hand he >insults the RFC by quietly signing this silly UN marking scheme into law. > >[Note: There is clear documentation which details how the International >gun manufacturers can and do use their own technology and existing >marking scheme to conduct the traces advocated by the UN initiative - >and Van Loan and Harper know it; so what's the game]? > >To think these people will all earn gold plated pensions for being >village idiots!! It is not over until it is over. Apparenty there was an announcement that the marking regulations were delayed until 2010. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 27 Nov 2009 18:00:04 -0500 From: "mred" Subject: Re: Greatest policy reversal in Canada's history *NFR* DEFICITS MEAN NOTHING TO POLITICIANS .THEY ALWAYS HAVE A TAX BASE THEY CAN EXPLOIT, AD INFINITUM, JUST CHECK OUT the mayor of Toronto,and his tax increases. Spending money wisely isn't in their vocabulary, it doesn't have to be when they have unlimited resources to draw on. Incidentally I have no pity for the residents of Toronto, they voted him in a second time .............. That tells you something about Torontonians LOL ed/on - ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lee Jasper" To: "Canadian Firearms Digest" Sent: Friday, November 27, 2009 2:48 PM Subject: Greatest policy reversal in Canada's history *NFR* > [And the scary thing, is that not all this debt was caused by the WW > financial tsunami]. > > Ottawa on track for largest-ever deficit > Federal deficit balloons to $28.6B for first six months of year > > Julian Beltrame THE CANADIAN PRESS > Published On Fri Nov 27 2009 > >> http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/731743--ottawa-on-track-for-largest-ever-deficit?bn=1 > > OTTAWA - Ottawa is past the halfway mark to the biggest deficit in the > country's history, the Finance Department reported Friday. > ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 27 Nov 2009 18:12:50 -0500 From: "mred" Subject: Re: Marking System Delayed - ----- Original Message ----- From: "cdnshootingsports.org" To: Sent: Friday, November 27, 2009 5:02 PM Subject: Marking System Delayed > FIREARMS MARKING REGULATIONS DEFERRED > > > Currently, the marking scheme contained in the regulations would bankrupt > many of Canada's firearms importers and drive the cost of purchasing a new > firearm up by as much as $200.00 This would result in the loss of many > jobs and businesses, something Canada does not need in these recessionary > times. > Back door gun control...what else is there to say ? ed/on ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 27 Nov 2009 18:25:26 -0500 From: "mred" Subject: Re: Blair Witch Hunt Spreads - ----- Original Message ----- From: "cdnshootingsports.org" To: Sent: Friday, November 27, 2009 5:02 PM Subject: Blair Witch Hunt Spreads > SPECIAL ALERT TO ALL HAMILTON FIREARMS OWNERS > > The Blair Witch-Hunt Project - Coming to a City Near You > > > Our advice - check your license expiry date and spread the word to any > firearms owning relatives and friends. If they are caught in the 'catch > 22' situation, we recommend the following steps: > > a.. Transfer the affected firearms to another license holder immediately > - the license holder will have to re-register the firearms You could also LEND the firearms to a legitimate holder without bothering with a transfer,this is legal. > b.. Apply for a new license - once the new license has been received, > the firearms can be transferred back to the rightful owner (no fee) > > > This whole situation begs the question - is this really the appropriate > use of scarce police resources? These firearms owners are not and have > never been a threat to public safety and neither are the firearms they > possess. > > The public are being misled by claims that these seizures of private > property would make Canadians safer. This is nothing more than a > transparent attempt to deflect attention from their appalling failure to > control the criminal element in their city. > > ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 27 Nov 2009 19:33:03 -0500 From: straitshooter Subject: "CSSA Announcement: Firearms Marking Regulations Deferred plus..." Subject: "CSSA Announcement: Firearms Marking Regulations Deferred plus: Special Alert To All Hamilton Firearms Owners" Got this by email today. Good to see the CSSA/CILA's hard work paying off. Hat's off. For Immediate Release Media Release: Nov. 27, 2009 Firearms Marking Regulations Deferred http://www.cdnshootingsports.org/2009/11/firearms_marking_media_release_20091127.html Canadian Shooting Sports Association and the Canadian Institute for Legislative Action are pleased to announce a one year deferral in the implementation of the Firearms Marking Regulations. These regulations are loosely inspired from the United Nations Firearms Protocol and would require all firearms imported into Canada to be marked with the Country and Year of Import. Currently, the marking scheme contained in the regulations would bankrupt many of Canada's firearms importers and drive the cost of purchasing a new firearm up by as much as $200.00 This would result in the loss of many jobs and businesses, something Canada does not need in these recessionary times. CSSA/CILA and our industry partner, the Canadian Sporting Arms and Ammunition Association have been very involved on this file for the last six years. Last year, we conducted an exhaustive industry study to prove beyond doubt that the current system would have crippling effects on Canada's gun industry. We were able to demonstrate our concerns to the satisfaction of the government and the result is this deferral. We look forward to working with the government of Canada to bring this issue to a satisfactory conclusion. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Special Alert To All Hamilton ON Firearms Owners The Blair Witch-Hunt Project -- Coming to a City Near You As reported in our last update, Toronto Police Chief Blair had initiated a witch-hunt targeting firearms owners, seizing their private property without compensation and describing them as "criminals" due to an expired license. Well, as we have feared, the persecutions are spreading. We have received information that the Hamilton Wentworth Police have now embarked on a similar campaign. They are seizing (they call it "storing") firearms for a 60 day period to allow the owner to update their license. If a license is not presented before that deadline, the guns are to be destroyed. Assuming that the owner can find the mandatory safety course (or exam) quickly and the CFC processes the application within their mandated 28 days (not likely) and there is no flag on the name due to the firearms seizure, maybe, just maybe, the victim can obtain their license within the 60 days. Otherwise, they lose their property. So much for property rights and due process. There are several interesting facts involved in this situation. First, if the license is expired, the registrations are automatically revoked, yet none have received a Notice of Revocation from the CFC. Second, the amnesty prevents the police from laying charges but does not prevent the seizure of private property. Third, in most of the court cases we have been involved with, the judge has allowed the owner to sell the firearms. This has not been offered as an option by the police. Our advice -- check your license expiry date and spread the word to any firearms owning relatives and friends. If they are caught in the "catch 22" situation, we recommend the following steps: Transfer the affected firearms to another license holder immediately - -- the license holder will have to re-register the firearms Apply for a new license -- once the new license has been received, the firearms can be transferred back to the rightful owner (no fee) This whole situation begs the question -- is this really the appropriate use of scarce police resources? These firearms owners are not and have never been a threat to public safety and neither are the firearms they possess. The public are being misled by claims that these seizures of private property would make Canadians safer. This is nothing more than a transparent attempt to deflect attention from their appalling failure to control the criminal element in their city. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ For more information, contact: Tony Bernardo Executive Director Canadian Institute for Legislative Action Ph: 1-888-873-4339 Direct Line: 905-571-2150 Email: abernardo343@rogers.com Larry Whitmore Executive Director Canadian Shooting Sports Association Ph: 1-888-873-4339 Direct line: 519-254-7744 Email: l.whitmore@cdnshootingsports.org ------------------------------ End of Cdn-Firearms Digest V13 #584 *********************************** 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".)