Bruce about Katey’s videos. It is equally clear they never bothered to ask Katey either, as she would have assuredly set them straight. Katey wanted to help her father. She did that the only way she knew how, by using the tools and technology of her generation to promote awareness of her father’s case. “There is no legal justification for disobeying the law,” Wright said in his written report. He suggested that Montague and others failed to try alternatives to breaking the law to oppose the Firearms Act. Justice Wright appears to be unaware of the history of the Canadian Unregistered Firearms Owners Association and their varied and repeated efforts to get their concerns addressed. Multiple requests were delivered to both provincial and federal governments asking them to refer Criminal Code Chapter 39, the Firearms Act, to the Supreme Court as a civil rights abuse case. The few Attorney Generals to respond suggested that since civil rights are individual rights, provincial governments would not interfere between the state and the individual. Former Saskatchewan Minister of Justice Frank Quennell wrote to Joe Gingrich, a CUFOA member, “[t]he rights guaranteed by the Charter are individual in nature, and their application will depend heavily on the facts of a particular case. The Government’s position is that Charter-based challenges are best brought by individuals, who can assert their own rights, rather than by the Government.” With that notion in mind, the Montague family, Bruce’s case management team and lawyer Douglas Christie will continue the appeals process. It is a long legal road ahead, and it will be costly. To all those who have helped financially so far, the Montague family is eternally grateful. If you would like to help Donna and Katey Montague, the Dryden IGA store will accept credit card purchases of gift certificates for the Montague family. Please call 807-221-2400 if you would like to help the family in this way. The store will call the family to let them know your gift certificate is waiting for them. If you would like to make a donation to help the Montague’s continue the legal battle for all our rights to the Supreme Court, you can donate through the website at http://brucemontague.ca , or by mailing donations directly to “Bruce Montague Scrap C-68 Fund” c/o Roger Nordlund, Trustee, RR#2, Site 211, Box 7, Dryden, Ontario, P8N 2Y5.
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Summary, Indictable and Hybrid Offences Summary conviction offences cover the most minor offences in the Criminal Code. Unless specified otherwise, a summary conviction offence carries a maximum fine of $2,000, six months in jail or both. An indictable offence is more serious than a summary conviction offence, and usually carries greater penalties. Many indictable offences, including those in the Firearms Act, have minimum mandatory sentences. If prosecuted by indictment you are generally entitled to trial by jury. Hybrid offences Many violations of the Firearms Act are “hybrid offences”. They can be prosecuted either by summary conviction or indictment. The Crown “elects” the mode of prosecution. Hybrid offences are considered indictable until the Crown makes its election. In the Montague case, the Crown chose to proceed by indictment for all charges. Concurrent sentencing means all sentences are served at the same time. If he had been given consecutive sentences, then each sentence would have to be served individually, one after another.
Sentencing In Brief As written in the unofficial Sentencing Report available at www.BruceMontague.ca, Bruce Montague was sentenced as follows: For six counts of “storing the two non-restricted firearms in a not unloaded condition” - one year probation For possession of firearms without a license and his “Deliberate defiance of the law in this respect” - six months imprisonment For one count of possession of a silenced .22 caliber pistol – 12 months; For one count of “possession of a prohibited device” – 90 day sentence to be served in the community; For three counts of “possession of oversize magazines” – 90 day sentence to be served in the community; For nine counts of “possession of loaded prohibited or restricted firearms or prohibited firearms with ammunition readily accessible” – 12 months; For three counts of “altering a firearm to fire automatically” - 18 months. For four counts of “the deliberate defacing or removal of a serial number” – 12 months; All sentences are to run concurrent, and all probation or suspended sentences commence at the completion of incarceration. Bruce Montague also has a lifetime firearms prohibition against him.
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by Pierre Lemieux
Peace, Order and Good Tyranny The sentencing hearing of Bruce and Donna Montague, which was held on Monday and Tuesday in Kenora, Ontario, followed their criminal trial of late last year. The steam-roller of the state was in full gear. Bruce Montague, the firearm-control resister, was condemned to 18 months in jail (among other penalties). His wife, Donna Montague, got six-months probation. Although his lawyer will appeal the verdict, Mr. Montague was taken to jail immediately after the verdict. His wife Donna and their 16-year-old daughter, Katey, cried and hugged him. About 40 local people attended the hearing to support the two convicted paper criminals. Such was the sympathy for Bruce Montague, describe by the judge as “a decent, hard-working, otherwise law-abiding citizen … willing to help others”, that the policeman who took him away chose not to handcuff him. Mr. Montague is not perfectly representative of the civil disobedience movement against the 1995 gun-control law – including of the 150,000 Canadians who, according to federal government figures, have become paper criminals
Licensing Battle Pierre’s battle with the state goes back to 1996, when Pierre applied for the new FAC, and then 2001, when he applied for a firearms license under the new Firearms Act. In these two applications, he refused to answer questions he deemed none of the state’s business, such as questions about his love life. In both cases, the 30
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simply by not renewing their gun licences. For among his illegal guns, Mr. Montague owned a few fullyautomatic weapons, prohibited a few decades ago. But licencing – the new obligation to hold a personal licence to own any firearm – remains the main issue in the Montagues’ refusal to comply. Indeed, just for being in possession of firearms without a licence, and because of his “[d]efiance of the law”, Bruce Montague got six months in jail.
mobs”, said the judge, oblivious to the fact that the actual gun controls have been imposed by a legal mob. However, he did admit that the new gun controls are “convoluted and dangerous for honest citizens”.
The issue of civil disobedience was central to the case. A high point in the sentencing hearing occurred when Ed Hudson, the leader of the Canadian Unregistered Firearms Association (soon to be rechristened “Canadian Unlicenced Firearm Owners Association”) unexpectedly stood up in the courtroom, asking if he could make a statement. The little Crown prosecutor – a youngish man with a premature tonsure-like baldness, who walks looking at the floor through his small glasses, his upper body bent forward – objected, but the judged allowed the statement.
I spent a weekend before the sentencing at the Montagues’ large log house, on their 160-acre land, which the Ontario government now wants to seize under the Remedies for Organized Crime and Other Unlawful Activities Act of 2001. I verified that they are a traditional but close and well-functioning family. Although favourable to the Montagues, the pre-sentencing report smacked of the Therapeutic State – the state that considers eccentrics and dissidents in need of medical care. A psychologist suggested that “persons with seemingly extreme view do not necessarily reflect psychopathology”.
Dr. Hudson said he wished to take responsibility for Bruce Montague’s civil disobedience since he had persuaded him to engage in it. He presented a short plea for Bruce and for civil disobedience, to which the judge replied that we live under a regime of “peace, order and good government”, and that the law should always be obeyed. “We distrust the application was granted. His 2001 firearms license has now expired, despite Pierre’s attempt to renew it. On the renewal form, he again refused to answer intrusive questions, but this time the state disallowed his application, instead sending him a notice of refusal and revoking all his firearm registration certificates. Pierre’s battle continues and he is now appealing the refusal
In the classical rule of law, diktats from Parliament that abolish our liberties are not laws. And, in the great scheme of things, history renders its own verdicts: Louis Riel had a stamp made in his honour less a century after being hanged.
Ed Hudson said about the Montagues, “we are going to honour their sacrifice, we are not going to submit to this law”. I fear that under our actual regime of peace, order and good tyranny, Bruce Montague is not the last one to go to jail. Pierre Lemieux is the Editor-in-Chief of LibertyInCanada.com and challenging the constitutionality of the “law”. For more information on Pierre’s battle, please visit his information page on this issue at http://pierrelemieux.org/policecanada/ cafc-cfc.html, and also his website http://www.libertyincanada.com, with ongoing news, columns, videos and discussions of liberty.
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Megan Tandy Update European Cup #7 Megan was again the top Canadian, finishing 5th in the 10km pursuit. She skied well but did not shoot as well as she can. Megan hit 8/10 prone and 7/10 standing for an overall shooting percentage of 75% which she won’t be terribly happy about. Megan was hoping for a top 10 finish but she actually got two top 5 finishes and I am sure she will be pleased with this! Megan is also featured in the first two articles on the Biathlon Canada web page (http://www.biathloncanada.ca/main.php) where she is quoted several times. European Cup #8 in Cesana San Sicario, Italy. This was a two race event with one race on each day. Day one’s race was a Sprint, a short race to determine starting order for Day 2’s Pursuit event. In the Sprint Megan shot terribly hitting only 5/10. She missed 2 targets from the prone position and 3 from the standing position. Megan has had some inconsistencies with her standing shooting but has been solid in her prone. Despite those challenges Megan finished 12th overall, and was the second best Canadian finish. In the Pursuit race Megan had a very strong race. She shot clean in 3 of her 4 shooting bouts and missed 3 targets in her second prone shooting. Megan hit a total of 17/20 which is a great comeback from her day one result. Megan finished 6th in the race which means she passed 6 athletes who started ahead of her and she regained her place as the top Canadian. This ends two months of racing, training, traveling and living out of suitcases! Megan arrived home in Prince George on March 17th for some well-deserved rest before traveling to Whistler on March 24th to compete in the Canadian Nationals. More Neat News.... Megan has been recognized by the Prince George Sports Hall of Fame and will receive the Youth Excellence Award in a ceremony on April 5th. All of us at the National Firearms Association wish Megan well at the Nationals!
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Harold Greer Scott of Sherbrooke, Nova Scotia, died peacefully at his home on Friday, January 11, 2008. Harold was many things to many people. He was originally from Sherbrooke, and after a long and illustrious career in the RCMP during which he served at multiple postings in Saskatchewan, Ontario, and Nova Scotia, he retired to his hometown in 1961. In addition, Harold was an active Legionnaire, and Mason. His family, friends and acquaintances numbered in the thousands. Harold was a founding member of the St. Mary’s Shooters Association and had a Life Membership conferred on him by a grateful club in 2004. He loved match rifle shooting and even more he loved to show the young ‘uns how it was done. The summer before his death, Harold was still making quarter inch groups with his Swing rifle. He was always eager to help any one out with advice and tips. Harold loved competition and in his day he was at numerous provincial, national, and international matches, including Bisley. Harold was a cop of the old school. He felt cops and shooters deserved each others’ respect. He believed that lawful gun owners were getting the shaft from a series of governments that knew little and cared less about our lifestyle. He was always perplexed at the counter-productive stance toward us that the various police groups have adopted as of late. Harold will be sorely missed by all who had the honor, privilege, and pleasure of ever meeting him. Harold was buried in the Riverside Cemetery in Sherbrooke on January 15th. M.J. Ackermann, MD (Mike) Rural Family Physician, Sherbrooke, NS 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”.
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Volume XVIII Number 2
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by Blair Hagen and Christopher di Armani
“No man’s life, liberty, or property are safe while the legislature is in session.” —Mark Twain
United Nations: Force for International Peace, or Threat to Liberty
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anadian firearms owners will have reason to be concerned when the United Nations meets this summer. Plans are already in place for introducing additional steps to control “small arms and light weapons” (SALW). When the United Nations was was created in the 1940s, many hoped that it would usher in a better world in the aftermath of World War II. Today however, that hope has dimmed considerably. The United Nations now is widely seen for the Frankenstein monster it has become. The UN disappoints even its ardent supporters with its failure to cure itself of its endemic corruption. The United Nations was founded by the most powerful democracies in the world, but the UN General Assembly is now dominated by non-democratic and/or tyrannical countries. The United Nations promotes a wide variety of initiatives that undermine national sovereignty and civilian firearm ownership. The UN’s Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) actively promotes the confiscation and destruction of privately owned firearms, even while it studiously averts its gaze from failed totalitarian states like Zimbabwe or the history lessons of Rwanda.
The UN and SALW Canada and Japan have consistently led the anti-gun movement at the United Nations. Past Canadian governments have been willing, even eager, to promote energetic anti-gun measures. Ostensibly, gun bans are claimed to be an effort to improve the security of people living in war-torn regions of the world. However, 32
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successive Canadian governments have zealously inflicted the same draconian laws on its own citizens as well as wartorn countries in the Third World. One of the justifications former Liberal governments used for imposing firearms registration back in the 1990s was that registration conformed to a UN initiative. Other UN promoted initiatives are marking and tracing initiatives for civilian owned firearms, banning “high capacity magazines”, and the banning of semi-automatic firearms. The Conservative government has delayed implementation of the UN Marking plan, but has not killed it. The term “semi-automatic”, as used by the UN-inspired gun banners includes semi-auto and pump action firearms. These bans are not limited to semi-automatic military “look-a-likes”, but is extended to all semi-automatic firearms, as was the case in Australia. Despite opposition from Stephen Harper’s Conservatives, Ottawa’s Liberal-appointed civil servants are still promoting these programs. The next UN Biennial Meeting of States on Small Arms will be held in New York, July 14-18, 2008. This meeting will be held despite opposition from the United States government, the only country to oppose them in 2006. Biennial meetings have been held every few years since the UN adopted “the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) in All Its Aspects” back in 2001. The UN Programme of Action has already brought over 50 countries to toughen their laws against civilian firearm ownership and 60 countries to destroy large
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number of firearms. The United Nations movement threatening civilian firearms ownership would have been even more successful had it not been for the vigorous opposition by the United States.
Bootleggers and Baptists Politics in the United Nations has as many levels as an onion has layers. In order to understand UN gun politics, it helps to hear about the Baptists and bootleggers. In the southern United States there is what is called the “local option”. Each county can decide, independent of the state government, whether or not to allow liquor sales in their county. This is an easy decision for Southern Baptists because of their firm moral beliefs. Southern Baptist Pastors regularly exhort their congregations that alcohol is sinful and is forbidden. While sin in today’s society has little to fear from preaching, such a strong moral stance can encourage hypocrisy. Anyone wishing to hold the moral high ground must publicly support the prohibition of alcohol. Where do bootleggers come in? Not surprisingly they too support prohibition, but not because they oppose drinking. Bootleggers support prohibition for
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Canadian Firearms Journal
Volume XVIII Number 2
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by Blair Hagen and Christopher di Armani
legally acquire and own firearms. Of course, these resolutions ignore the firearms of governments and state agencies, because the dictators cynically recognize that they will be able to better control (or eliminate) rival political movements or opposing civil populations in their own countries once they disarm them. In this way, governments can avoid moral censure by the community of nations while they simultaneously rid themselves of any inconvenient political opposition.
What’s happening at the UN Two issues are currently being discussed at the UN: the arms trade treaty, and further restrictions upon ammunition. Ammunition was the focus of the anti-gun radicals two years ago at the last SALW meeting at the UN. While their proposals might sound insane to anyone knowledgeable about firearms, a few governments have already taken steps towards implementation. Here are some of the proposals that are wending their way through the back rooms and UN committees: Ostensibly, due to fears of lead pollution, more and more jurisdictions - municipalities, and even some states, are promoting the ban of all lead bullets;
one simple reason: it’s good for business. Bootleggers realize that prohibition doesn’t eliminate drinking; it merely raises the cost of it (and the bootlegger’s profit). Prohibition works by increasing the difficulty of buying liquor. Drinkers must either pay higher prices to purchase alcohol locally or drive further away - possibly hundreds of miles — to find a legal liquor outlet or bar. Counties are, after all, only so big; alcohol is legally available just across the county line. The UN works in the same way. The clamor for unilateral disarmament and the campaign against civilian gun ownership in the UN can be better understood once you realize that the ‘moralists’ and the ‘cynics’ in the UN cooperate the same way as the Baptists and the bootleggers of the historic US south. Disarmament is driven by the alliance of international anti-gun ideologs and the world’s dictators who cynically wish to disarm their own civilians in order to maintain power. The idealists in the International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA), a non-governmental organization recognized by the UN, attract the support of naïve and idealistic people around the world by claiming that the world can be made safer by merely reducing the number of firearms owned by civilians. These well meaning if misguided souls unwittingly work hand-in-glove with the dictators in Asia and Africa to pass high-sounding UN resolutions that increase the difficulty for civilians to 34
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In order to trace illegal weapon use, California has recently taken steps to require the marking of ammunition, ie, either micro-stamping bullets or cases. The threat to responsible civilian firearm ownership does not end with last-years’ proposals. The United Nations has scheduled several upcoming conferences where these proposals, and others, will be discussed. UN protocol - Transnational Organized Crime, October 2008 Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence Ministers’ Meeting, September 2008 UN Biennial Meeting on SALW, July 2008
What we can do First, the firearms community must keep informed about what is happening in the UN, in Ottawa, and in our provincial governments. That way, when we write or get involved, we know how best to influence politicians. Second, get involved with your local MP. If we want the Conservatives to know about the issues that matter to us, we must continue to inform and educate them. We must never quit writing to our MPs, to the Prime Minister, or the newspapers. Conservatives are politicians, and thus they need to know what the people want. Whenever you write, be sure to be polite and to keep to one topic. The goal is to persuade politicians, not antagonize or irritate them.
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In order to accomplish this it is clear the National Firearms Association must create an organization similar to the National Rifle Association in America. The NRA is powerful in Washington, DC not only because of its large membership, but also because the NRA is seen as a credible source of solid advice on pressing issues.
Third, the National Firearms Association must continue to expand it’s work at the international level. Dave Tomlinson was very knowledgeable about firearms and firearm laws, and their international
implications. We need to build upon his legacy. Our goal should be to make it possible for the United Nations and the Canadian civil service to look to National Firearms Association for solutions, not just criticism.
It’s important to recognize that an organization’s credibility is sometimes more powerful than its membership numbers. The NFA must continue to provide credible analyses for public officials. It must also continue to grow its membership and find new and effective ways of engaging that membership in the battle for our inherent human rights.
As a volunteer Field Officer for the National Firearms Association, you will connect the NFA to your recreational firearms club or association. We are also looking for individuals to represent the NFA at gun shows in 2008. Please contact our office staff in Alberta at (780) 439-1394 or by email at info@nfa.ca, or your Branch Executives (see Provincial Contacts, page 9) for other provinces / territories.
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Volume XVIII Number 2
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by Norm Bazinet
Quebec’s New Gun Control Law Bill 9: “A law intending to protect persons regarding activities involving firearms”. This legislation creates gun-free zones at educational facilities of all levels, on public transit and school buses (taxis are exempt) and requires certain professions to report questionable behavior of individuals owning guns. Now that all schools have been declared gun free zones, every nutball with a gun knows for sure that free rein of terror is guaranteed on any campus.
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n September 13, 2006 18-year-old Anastasia De Sousa was murdered by another Montreal lunatic with a gun. In true knee-jerk fashion, on December 13, 2007 the Quebec government passed Bill 9 (known as “Anastasia’s Law”) in response to the Dawson College shooting that resulted in Anastasia’s tragic death. In the aftermath of the l’Ecole Polytechnique shooting in 1989, police procedures and training were drastically changed. No longer would police officers sit outside listening as a deranged gunman roams freely, killing at will. Officers are now required to enter and take on armed suspects. In this case, their actions likely saved many lives, but they were unable to save young Anastasia. It is the law abiding gun owners who are being blamed for the problem, and they are the ones now subject to even more regulatory harassment. The criminals are not affected. They never are. The new rules are split into two components: Bill 9 which is concerned with educational facilities and professional reporting requirements new regulations under the Law Controlling Safety in Sports to regulate gun clubs. 36
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More specifically, Bill 9 stipulates several changes to educational facilities and health professionals. Anastasia’s Law requires anyone running a private day care who owns firearms that they must advise every parent in writing that there are firearms on the premises. Why not just require them to advertise in the newspaper that they’ve got guns? Professionals including doctors, nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and marriage counselors must report any questionable behavior from a gun owner to the Sureté du Québec (SQ). They come and take the guns away, no questions asked. If a person being treated at a hospital is found to have gun related wounds, this must be reported to the SQ by the hospital administration or a designated member of a group medical practice. Gun clubs must keep meticulous attendance records, and these records are subject to inspection and copying at any time. Any gun club member or club official who sees questionable behavior by another member is bound to report that person to the club executive. The club executive must report the person and their “questionable behaviour” to the SQ. They come and take the guns away, no questions asked. Anyone who “in good faith” reports someone they deem dangerous to the SQ is protected from legal recourse. You cannot even find out who reported you. Under Bill 9, Premier Charest and the Quebec government has the option of expanding the professional list at anytime. They could soon include the clergy, lawyers, company executives, etc. There is no restriction on who may be compelled to report “suspicious” behaviour.
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Under Bill 9, you cannot transport a firearm on a public transit vehicle or school bus (except taxis). If something looks suspicious on a bus or transit terminal, then a transit employee or bus driver must report it to the SQ and everything comes to a screeching halt. Imagine the chaos this could create.
usage includes personal protection (rarely issued), hunting, target shooting, professional activity (like a policeman), and collecting. If the gun owner doesn’t respond within 30 days, they come and take the guns away, no questions asked.
The Attorney General of Quebec is required to notify the chief firearms officer of anyone deemed mentally unstable through the court system who owns a firearm. They come and take the guns away, no questions asked. Any breach of this legislation can result in a fine ranging from $500.00 to $5000.00.
The majority of firearm owners will indicate target shooting in their response to these letters. They will probably NOT want to put down “collecting” as their reason for owning firearms, as that merely adds more hoops to jump through. The SQ letter states that “examination of your knowledge as a collector is required by the Chief Firearms Officer.”
If firearms owners had something to fear from the Firearms Act, Quebec’s Bill 9 ratchets the potential for statesponsored terror to a whole new level. Don’t let anybody know you’ve got guns if you live in Quebec. With the passage of Bill 9, if someone doesn’t like you they can make a lot of trouble for you.
A gun owner has one year to get trained and qualified at a registered gun club, pay the fees and make sure he/she visits the club at least once a year. If not, the club executive must report them to the SQ. They come and take the guns away, no questions asked.
Gun owners outside of Quebec beware! If a law like this doesn’t exist in your province right now, it may be just around the corner.
This law is a frightening example of what can happen at the provincial level when a majority government with an anti-gun agenda gets into power.
Additional Regulations under the Law Controlling Safety in Sports
Quebec. I am sure anti-gun bureaucrats in other provinces (Ontario gun owners, are you listening?) are watching what is going on here and planning similar legislation. These new regulations will have several effects on gun ownership in Quebec. If Quebec does not allow gun ownership for collecting purposes, then a massive confiscation of restricted firearms will result without financial compensation. Hopefully, gun owners whose lawful property is confiscated will organize a class action lawsuit against the Quebec government. Gun owners would be wise to get heavily involved in the political process at both the provincial and federal levels. We cannot afford to sit idly by and watch what’s happening here in Quebec and feel smug. The anti-gunners are coming for you next. You can count on it.
Premier Charest is determined to get rid of handguns and semi-autos in
These new regulations give police un-warranted search and seizure powers to search the persons “environment”. These search powers are in direct conflict with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It will, however, take a court case to strike this law from the books. Until then, the government of Quebec is free to do as it pleases. Although Bill 9 does not take effect until September 1, 2008, the Sureté du Québec has already started its dirty work. In January 2008 letters went out to 22,000 owners of restricted firearms. Gun owners are required to list the purposes they use firearms for. Such
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by Yvon Dionne
Welcome to “La Belle Province”
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hings are not going that well in “la Belle Province”. The only sector that have constant and rising revenues are the public sector and services in general. In recent years, a greater part of these revenues came from federal transfer payments. Almost 22% of total budgetary income (taxes are an income for the government) in the current year, the total including income from government enterprises such as HydroQuebec, Loto-Quebec, etc. Public debt has doubled in ten years. Road infrastructures, hospitals, schools, municipal sewers and water treatment facilities need major repairs and new equipment.
catalogue. We did not depend on the State to solve all problems.
In short, government planning has been a failure. Of course, all government levels are creeping for more money to solve the problems they have made up. No wonder why the Charest government is trying some political gimmicks, such as Bill Anastasia from the name of an innocent victim of the Sept 13, 2006 shooting at Montreal’s Dawson College.
The latest is Bill Anastasia (approved as amended by all political parties in Quebec). Owners of restricted and/prohibited firearms must fill an additional form to tell the police what is their purpose of owning such a firearm. It is obvious that people who have such un-registered firearms will not have to fill up this new bureaucratic procedure. If you do not respond, all your firearms will be confiscated without compensation. Four purposes are listed: target shooting, collection, professional activity, and protection of life.
Given the above, it is tempting to dream of the past. Back in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s, I used to spend many summers with the family of an uncle who was a farmer, was a free thinking man and was even brewing his own beer, many barrels of them. One day, when I was at the age of six, he asked me to shoot through the screen door with his old black powder rifle loaded with a rag. I fell on my back but it did make a big hole into the screen. In those days, the suicide and homicide rates were much lower than today although there were few government controls. You could buy a rifle or shotgun by ordering them from an Eaton or Simpsons (now Sears) 38
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Up to 2003 for registration, most people in Quebec and other provinces had a firearm without it being registered and without a license and it did not pose much problem. Contrary to what I was told recently by an Action démocratique MP, no licensing does not mean anarchy because people tend to adjust their behavior positively, whether or not there is a written law. But came 1989 when a deranged person with a license killed 14 female students and politicians felt they had to do something, whatever it is. They did in 1995.
In my case, target shooting is the only valid reason accepted by the firearms controller in Quebec who is in charge, at the Sûreté du Québec headquarters, of the Directorate for State Security (in French: Direction de la protection de l’État, a sort of political police in the making). But I also mentioned “protection of life” as a reason for owning a handgun, explaining that police can only be late in an emergency and mentioning the death of Anastasia De Sousa which was not
prevented despite the fact that two policemen were already at the site. Moreover, according to witnesses and as reported by media, the police could have shot the killer before he killed Anastasia De Sousa. As in the Polytechnical Institute shootings in 1989, politicians did not want to look at the facts. They all fell into hoplophobia and hoploparanoia. I was told by the SQ that “protection of life” was a purpose no longer valid since 1998. I did not check if it was true. I explained also that, in my rural area, the closest shooting club is closed in winter and is a three hour back and forth drive in the evening. In other words, I was asking a reasonable accommodation, a concept that the Charest government is fond of. But no way. Charest made it clear that he seeks a ban on handguns and semi-auto firearms, something the Action démocratique (now the official opposition party) is in favor. They are even planning to control knives. Charest is pressuring the Federal government to keep the long-firearm registry and if they abolish it, is asking its transfer to Quebec (with the funding of course). He stresses he has the support of the Ontario Liberals and, while not mentioning it, the Liberal Party of Canada. This is what’s brewing up and we must be on the offensive. Time is counting. Yvon Dionne 596, Pinguet St-Damase-de-L’Islet (Que.) G0R 2X0 novy@globetrotter.net http://www.yvondionne.org
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by Yvon Dionne
Bienvenue dans «La Belle Province»
T
out ne va pas pour le mieux dans «la Belle Province». Les seuls secteurs qui montrent une croissance soutenue sont le secteur public et celui des industries de services. Au cours des dernières années, le gouvernement du Québec a retiré une part plus importante des transferts fédéraux : près de 22% des revenus budgétaires (le gouvernement nous dit que les taxes sont ses revenus…) dans l’année courante. Le total comprend les revenus des entreprises du gouvernement, en particulier de l’Hydro-Québec, de Loto-Québec et ses casinos, etc. La dette publique a doublée en dix ans. Les infrastructures routières, les hôpitaux, l’enseignement, les infrastructures municipales (traitement de l’eau et des égouts), toutes nécessitent des réparations majeures et sont dans un état lamentable. En bref, la planification gouvernementale est une faillite totale. Il va de soi que tous les niveaux de gouvernement quémandent de plus en plus d’argent pour résoudre les problèmes qu’ils ont contribué à créer. Par conséquent, il ne faut pas se surprendre que le gouvernement Charest soit à la recherche d’échappatoires pour distraire la population, telle la loi Anastasia du nom d’une malheureuse victime du 9-13-06 et du monopole de la sécurité d’État. Ceci dit, il est tentant de rêver du passé. Notre devise «Je me souviens» devrait nous être d’une certaine utilité… Dans le «bon vieux temps», il y a environ 60 ans, je passais souvent mes vacances d’été chez un oncle qui était cultivateur, d’un esprit vivace et débrouillard. L’été, toute la maison sentait les odeurs de la fermentation de sa bière. Un jour, je devais avoir 6 ans, il me présente son vieux fusil à poudre noire, chargement par la bouche, armé d’un morceau de guenille. Il me demande de tirer à travers la moustiquaire de la porte. J’ai tombé sur le dos mais il y avait un grand trou dans la moustiquaire. Mais plus important, en ces temps mémorables, les taux de suicide et d’homicide étaient inférieurs à ce qu’ils sont aujourd’hui bien qu’il n’y avait presqu’aucun contrôle gouvernemental. Nous pouvions commander un fusil de chasse ou une
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carabine directement des catalogues Eaton et Simpsons (maintenant Sears). Nous ne dépendions pas de l’État pour régler tous les problèmes. Jusqu’en 2003 (pour l’enregistrement), la majorité des propriétaires d’armes à feu au Québec et dans les autres provinces n’avaient pas leurs armes enregistrées ni de permis et ceci ne posait aucun problème sérieux. Contrairement à ce qui m’a été dit récemment par un député de l’Action démocratique, le fait de ne pas avoir de permis ne cause pas l’anarchie parce les individus ajustent leurs comportements, généralement, de façon positive, qu’il y ait ou non une loi écrite pour ce faire. Mais en 1989 un psychophathe ayant son permis assassine 14 étudiantes et les politiciens se sont mis d’accord qu’ils devaient faire quelque chose, quoi que ce soit. Ils ont donc voté la loi sur les armes à feu en 1995. Même réaction des politiciens devant les événements de Dawson en septembre 2006. Avec la loi Anastasia (approuvée en décembre dernier par tous les partis à l’Assemblée nationale), les propriétaires d’armes à autorisation restreinte et/ou prohibées vont être sous une étroite surveillance et doivent remplir une nouvelle formule pour préciser la raison de leur possession d’une telle arme. Évidemment, les gens qui n’ont pas leurs armes enregistrées ne sont pas visés par cette procédure bureaucratique. Si vous ne répondez pas en-dedans de trente jours, la police fera les démarches pour que vos armes soient confisquées sans compensation. Quatre raisons de posséder une telle arme sont mentionnées : le tir à la cible, collectionneur, professionnel de la sécurité, et la protection de la vie. Pour moi, un citoyen très ordinaire, le tir à la cible est la seule raison qui peut être agréée par le Contrôleur des armes à feu du Québec qui est en charge de la Direction de la protection de l’État (une police politique en puissance). Dans ma réponse à la SQ j’ai aussi noté la protection de la vie comme raison importante puisque, leur ai-je écrit, la police ne peut qu’arriver en retard sur le lieu d’un crime; j’ai ajouté que le meurtre d’Anastasia De Sousa n’a pu être évité
malgré le fait que deux policiers étaient déjà sur place. Qui plus est, selon des témoins dont les propos ont été rapportés par des journaux, la police aurait pu tirer sur l’assassin avant que celui-ci tue Anastasia. Comme dans l’affaire de Polytechnique en 1989, les politiciens se sont attardés à camoufler les vraies solutions et sont devenus hoplophobes et paranoïdes. La réponse de la SQ a été que la protection de la vie n’est plus une raison valide depuis 1998. Je n’ai pas vérifié cette assertion. J’ai aussi expliqué à la SQ que, dans ma région rurale, le club de tir le plus près (il y en a de moins en moins) doit être fermé en hiver et qu’il se situe à trois heures aller-retour, et ouvert le soir seulement. En d’autres mots, je demandais un accommodement raisonnable, un concept que le gouvernement de Jean Charest chérit tout particulièrement… Mais ceci m’a été refusé. Ne nous faisons pas d’illusions, Charest a dit clairement qu’il veut bannir les armes de poing et les armes semi-automatiques en général. Un député de l’Action démocratique m’a dit être en faveur ! Même pour un contrôle des couteaux. Charest fait pression sur le gouvernement fédéral pour maintenir le registre des armes longues; si le gouvernement fédéral abolit ce registre, il demande son transfert au Québec (et les pouvoirs et l’argent avec…). Il a l’appui du gouvernement libéral de l’Ontario et, sans le dire, du Parti libéral du Canada. C’est ce qui se brasse en matière d’armes à feu et nous devons prendre l’offensive avant qu’il soit trop tard. Le temps n’arrête pas. Yvon Dionne 596, Pinguet St-Damase-de-L’Islet (Que.) G0R 2X0 novy@globetrotter.net http://www.yvondionne.org
Canadian Firearms Journal
Volume XVIII Number 2
39
by Bill Wimpney
“Stone walls do not a prison make, nor iron bars a cage” Richard Lovelace 1618-1657
Stone Walls do not a Prison Make
I
do not know a single person with a physical disability who hasn’t found himself, at some point, in a situation where he has been physically intimidated.
are much more at risk for home invasions. Criminals know these individuals are far less likely to be able to protect themselves, and target them accordingly.
You will never see a disabled person wandering down a dark alley or going to an ATM after hours. Generally, a disabled person won’t go very far without a friend or to help keep them safe. Without some way to feel protected some of our disabled citizens will not even leave their homes. Being forced to home in order to stay safe is a violation of their Charter rights.
If you listen to police spokespeople or government agents they tell you to get an alarm system or hire a home security firm, or perhaps move to a gated community. And of course they tout “Community Policing” as the answer.
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms Section 7 Everyone has the right to life, liberty and the security of person and the right not to be deprived thereof except in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice. Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms Section 9 Everyone has the right not to be arbitrarily detained or imprisoned. Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms Section 12 Everyone has the right not to be subjected to any cruel and unusual treatment or punishment. More and more frequently we hear about home invasions where the victims were injured or killed. Most often it is elderly or disabled people who are the victims of these crimes. The elderly and those with disabilities 40
Volume XVIII Number 2
The only problem with these “solutions” is they leave the elderly or disabled person a prisoner in their own homes. The Criminal Code provides a penalty of life in prison just for invading an occupied home. This is before any consideration is given to the other crimes comitted during the home invasion.
jammed. His sentence was raised to five and a half years on appeal. He was given credit for his “good behaviour” and time served. Brent Levandoski, who has a long criminal record including 7 charges for assault, after 2 for 1 credit for 50 days served in jail prior to trial, was sentenced to 13 months in jail and a year of probation. George Pierre Duseigne was sentenced to nine years for a home invasion in Alberta. He committed the crime while on probation for an earlier armed robbery conviction. On August 20, 2002, twenty-one-yearold Jason Edward Van Niewenhuizen and three others invaded the home of
Our Justice system is reluctant to actually punish home invaders with such penalties, however. Kendrick Michael Cardinal was sentenced to 8 years for a home invasion and appealed that sentence in 2005. The appeals court dropped it to two and a half years. Kelvin Glenn Pakoo was sentenced to three years for a home invasion in 2002 where he assaulted his former common-law wife and her children. He tried to shoot her and her new boyfriend but his gun
Canadian Firearms Journal
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or she is mobile enough. But what if the victim is in a wheelchair or on canes? Can they scream for help? Possibly, but Good Samaritans apparently are almost extinct as a species. There are lots of physical deterrents available, such as martial arts training, bats and batons, pepper spray (illegal for self-defense), but these all depend on some degree of physical mobility. Last but not least, there are firearms. Think about it.
a woman to steal alcohol. After choking and threatening her, they took the booze and left. He was sentenced to 4 years in jail. Frightening, isn’t it? It gets worse. The average response time to a 9-1-1 call in Canada is thirteen minutes. Even if the police arrive in five minutes, that leaves your assailant plenty of time to inflict injury or worse. The reality is that the Police cannot help you, nor do they have any legal obligation to protect you. The courts have repeatedly ruled that the Police have no responsibility to protect individuals in society, only society itself.
You don’t have to allow your attacker to get close enough to reach. It doesn’t require a high degree of physical fitness or strength. Best of all the firearm doesn’t even have to be used for it to be effective. Remember, it is not your goal to injure him. It’s his goal to injure you! Disabled people are chosen for the very reason they have a physical disability. They make an easy victim, and the risk for the criminal goes way down! If it becomes apparent to the criminal intent upon doing you harm that you have the ability to turn the tables, he will likely play it smart and leave. But, should it go any further, you can have confidence in your ability to meet the threat on better terms than you could otherwise.
There are, in reality, only two people who can stop an assault: the victim and the perpetrator.
It is very difficult to obtain a carry permit for personal protection in Canada. Free miners (prospectors) and timber cruisers can get one specifically designated for “wilderness carry” for protection from predators. People who carry large amounts of valuables can obtain one, but not the disabled person wanting the ability to protect herself.
Can the victim retreat? Perhaps, if he
I think disabled people routinely
The clear implication is that you must be responsible for your own safety. If section 7 of the Charter still means something, no one should be able to interfere with that responsibility.
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transport their most valuable assets every time they use their crutches, canes or wheelchair. Why shouldn’t they be able to meet the predators of the world on equal terms. Being in a wheelchair does not prevent anyone from learning proper firearms proficency, knowledge of the law and the responsibilities of firearms ownership and use. Choosing to take the responsibility for your own self-protection is a big decision. We’ve been bombarded with the thought that we are incapable of that responsibility for decades, but that doesn’t make it true. The reality is we are all responsible for ourselves and our personal safety. The confidence of skill at arms will give you the satisfaction and the knowledge that you are prepared for the worst. For your information I have included some example sections from the Criminal Code of Canada. Defence of Person SELF DEFENSE AGAINST UNPROVOKED ASSAULT/ Extent of justification. CCC.Section 34. States (1) Every one who is unlawfully assaulted without having provoked the assault is justified in repelling force by force if the force he uses is not intended to cause death or grievous bodily harm and is no more than is necessary to enable him to defend himself. (2) Everyone who Is unlawfully assaulted and who causes death or grievous bodily harm in repelling the assault is justified if
Canadian Firearms Journal
he causes it under reasonable apprehension of death or grievous bodily harm from the violence with which the assault was originally made or with which the assailant pursues his purposes: and
Volume XVIII Number 2
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by Bill Wimpney
he believes, on reasonable grounds, that he cannot otherwise preserve himself from death or bodily harm. Definitions:
PROVOCATION
CCC.Section 36. Provocation includes, for the purposes of sections 34 and 35, provocation by blows,words or gestures. CCC.Section 38. (2) Where a person who is in peaceable possession of personal property lays hands on it,a treaspasser who persists in attempting to keep it or take it from him or from any one lawfully assisting him shall be deemed to commit an assault without justification or provocation. CCC.Section 41. (2) A trespasser who resists an attempt by a person who is in peaceable possession of a dwelling house or real property, or a person lawfully assisting him or acting under his authority to prevent his entry or to remove him, shall be deemed to commit an assault without justification or provocation.
“GRIEVOUS BODILY HARM” was defined for the purposes of section 23(3) as serious hurt or pain in the court case R. v. Bottrell (1981), and can be found in Martin’s Criminal Code. Criminal Code of Canada Section 348 (1) Every one who (a) breaks and enters a place with intent to commit an indictable offence therein, (b) breaks and enters a place and commits an indictable offence therein, or (c) breaks out of a place after committing an indictable offence therein, or entering the place with intent to commit an indictable offence therein is guilty
ASSAULT CCC.Section 265 (1) A person commits an assault when without the consent of another person, he applies force intentionally to that other person, directly or indirectly; he attempts or threatens by act or gesture, to apply force to another person, if he has, or causes that other person to believe upon reasonable grounds that he has, present ability to effect his purpose; or
if the offence is committed in relation to a dwelling house, of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for life, and if the offence is committed in relation to a place other than a dwelling house, of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding ten years or of an offence punishable on summary conviction.
while openly wearing or carrying a weapon or an imitation thereof, he accosts or impedes another person or begs.
Case citations for the sentences noted above:
GRIEVOUS BODILY HARM is not defined within the Criminal Code, but BODILY HARM is defined in the
http://www.canlii.org/en/ab/abca/doc/2007/2007abca41/200 7abca41.html
DO YOU HAVE AN INTERESTING PEOPLE AND FIREARMS STORY THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE? Are YOU a Capable Writer or Photographer? The The NFA NFA is is looking looking for for contributors contributors to to the the Canadian Canadian Firearms Firearms Journal Journal and, and, if if we we publish publish your your work, work, we we will will pay pay $100 $100 for for original, original, unpublished unpublished articles articles of of around around 1,200 1,200 words words with with photos. photos. For For more more information information contact contact the the editor editor at at CFJEditor@nfa.ca. CFJEditor@nfa.ca.
42
Criminal Code of Canada Section 2: “bodily harm means any hurt or injury to a person that interferes with the health or comfort of the person and that is more than merely transient or trifling in nature.
Volume XVIII Number 2
R. v. Cardinal, 2007 ABCA 41
R. v. Pakoo, 2004 MBCA 157 http://www.canlii.org/en/mb/mbca/doc/2004/2004mbca157/ 2004mbca157.html R. v. Levandoski, 2007 SKPC 68 http://www.canlii.org/en/sk/skpc/doc/2007/2007skpc68/200 7skpc68.html R. v. Duseigne, 2003 ABCA 166 http://www.canlii.org/en/ab/abca/doc/2003/2003abca166/20 03abca166.html R v. Van Niewenhuizen, 2003 CanLII 42475 http://www.canlii.org/en/mb/mbpc/doc/2003/2003canlii424 75/2003canlii42475.html
Canadian Firearms Journal
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by Wm. Rantz, NFA Ontario President
Flayderman’s
The Firearms Act, the Charter
and the Oakes Test Continued from page 27
Guide to Antique American Firearms … and their values
takes only about five percent of the population actually acquire public concealed carry permits. Everyone else gets “free” protection because that 5% is armed. That’s a lot like having an additional million or so undercover cops walking the streets, and a few million more protecting their business and homes. These people don’t need a government paycheck to do this. They buy their own equipment and supplies and provide for their own training and certification. And the kicker? They are statistically less likely to use their firearms inappropriately than actual police officers. A nationwide study by Don B. Kates Jr., a renowned constitutional lawyer and criminologist, found that only 2 percent of civilian shootings involved an innocent person mistakenly identified as a criminal. The “error rate” for the police, however, was 11 percent, over five times as high. Available data do not allow estimation of how many police killings routinely classified as “justifiable” should have instead been classified as unlawful. But the one comparative study finds that while innocent persons had been misidentified as criminals in 2% of cases where civilians used guns defensively, 11% of a sample of police gun uses involved such misidentification. Though mistaken identification is not necessarily criminal — none of the officers or the civilians were charged — if negligent they can be manslaughter. -v. 18 of the American Journal of Criminal Law (1991) Firearms are nothing if not empowering. Empowered people are not easily buffaloed. They feel safe in their homes and about their person. Give a woman a restraining order and 911 on speed dial and she will depend upon someone with a gun to come and save her. Give her a gun and she will be saved. The corrupt and the whiners will not be happy; but then again, they never are.
Norm Flayderman – Author Ninth Edition – Krause Publications 2008 Laminated Soft Cover, 800 pages Black and White Photographs
O
riginally published in 1977, Flayderman’s Guide to Antique American Firearms has been revised and updated eight times over the past thirty years and sales have exceeded 500,000 copies. These numbers reflect the value of this reference book to gun enthusiasts throughout North America. Published only in paperback in order to keep the selling price affordable to all, this book has retained both high quality print and clear accurate photographs. The effective use of subtitles in a variety of fonts and type sizes make it very easy for the reader to scan the text for specific information. Almost two thousand photographs enhance the pages allowing the reader to closely examine many of the firearms discussed in the text. The first 35 pages of this book contain valuable insight into the collecting of firearms, values and condition as well as restoration and fakes. The purchaser of Flayderman’s should read and understand this material if they wish to gain the greatest possible value from the book. Flayderman’s Guide to Antique American Firearms focuses on firearms manufactured in the United States between 1750 and 1914. Thirteen chapters are devoted to the accurate description of virtually every type of firearm imaginable that was produced during this time period. Chapters are numbered in Roman Numerals and each chapter is then divided into sections identified by letter. This makes the title page very easy to use when locating types of firearms or specific manufacturers. In addition two separate indexes are located at the back of the book. They allow the reader to quickly locate the page number of an item based on the make/model or by alphabetical listing. Once you have located the specific page you will find an incredible amount of information on that firearm. The text includes dates of manufacture, number produced, general history of the firearm, variations as well as the estimated value of each gun in several levels of condition. Flayderman usually includes personal insight which he could only have gained over many decades of collecting and dealing in antique firearms. Gun books make for great reading, valuable research and represent a great gift for that special young shooter, and this book is a must have reference for anyone who truly loves firearms and appreciates the history of their development. Expect to pay about $40 for this book at your local gun dealer. It may be found at some American book dealers on the internet for slightly less, but be warned…. the publisher notes that shipping and handling fees alone to Non-US addresses are $20.95 for the first book. Please encourage your local gun dealer to stock high quality firearm reference material by purchasing books from them on a regular basis.
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Canadian Firearms Journal
Volume XVIII Number 2
43
by Sheldon Clare & Christopher di Armani
A
s this issue is prepared, a national election looms on the horizon. Whether the Harper government falls and the opposition forces an election by the time you read this is anyone’s guess. To vote effectively in the upcoming election NFA Members must know the actual policies of each of Canada’s political parties, not what the media spouts or even what the party leaders say. “The world is run by those who show up.” We cannot stress enough how important it is that NFA members get involved in the political process. Election day is not where the work is done. It is done in the days and months preceding it. Encourage everyone you know to get out and vote. Let everyone know you will be voting and lead by example.
Volume XVIII Number 2
There is no party that is pro-firearms in the American sense. There are, however, important shades of gray to consider. The upcoming election is all about strategy and ensuring our interests are on the political radar screen for the election after this one. Why do we say that? For one simple reason: The election after this one is where the battle for our rights will be fought. But first we must win this election. An Overview
The only way we can lose this upcoming election is by sitting at home. The political parties most vehemently opposed to our rights, our culture and our heritage have effective systems that motivate their people on 44
election day. We don’t, and it’s long past time we learned from our enemies.
The Coalition for Gun Control is very critical of the Conservative Party and its policies. This is no surprise. The CGC is very supportive of the Liberal Party, the Green Party and the New Democratic Party positions on gun control. These parties get that endorsement because they ALL want to ban firearms and take away your rights. They are our enemies. The Conservative Party has not done nearly as much as we would have
liked. Bill C-21 and it’s replacement, Bill C-24, do not substantively address the problems caused by the Liberal Firearms Act. They are merely band aid solutions for a minority Parliament. They delayed the UN firearm marking scheme, but did not end it. They refunded licensing fees and introduced an amnesty for those with expired licences and/or unregistered long guns. Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day, however, has publicly and repeatedly opposed banning handguns. This is important. He refuses to allow political expediency to dictate policy on this issue, and for that we should all be grateful. Conservative MP Garry Breitkreuz continues to work tirelessly for firearms owners on a wide range of issues. He created the Parliamentary “Outdoor Caucus” to promote unity on firearm issues across the political spectrum. Politics is an incremental process. The political reality, no matter how much we wish it could be otherwise, is that dramatic change is not possible in a minority government.
Canadian Firearms Journal
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As you will see, a vote for the Liberals, Greens, or NDP is a vote against gun ownership in Canada. These parties all promise to extinguish our rights and ban firearms. A vote for the Christian Heritage Party or the Libertarian Party is a vote for firearm owners, individual rights and self-defence, but these two parties have no chance of forming the next government. A vote for the Conservatives is, currently, the best option for firearms owners. As you will see in the breakdown of the Conservative position following, they have made positive steps for us, albeit not nearly as much as we would like. NFA Members will need to vote strategically. The upcoming election is ours to lose, and we can only lose if we sit home on election day. Come Election Day you need to vote strategically and enthusiastically. You need to get your friends out to vote. Your inherent rights and ours depend on it. If the Liberal Party of Canada forms the next government, you know what they will do. The National Firearms Association will continue to do everything we can, but our power and influence can only make a difference if you spread our message of freedom as far and as wide as you can.
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The Official Party Positions
The Green Party
New Democratic Party
http://www.greenparty.ca/en/policy/visiongreen/p artfour#_Toc180047647
http://www.ndp.ca/page/6114
c)
Gun control and ownership rights
Police associations across Canada assert that the gun registry helps them keep law and order. Many rural Canadians and First Nations people find the restrictions onerous and discriminatory. We need to better balance these interests without allowing guns to be prevalent in society. Our Vision The Green Party will keep the gun registry, but reduce the paperwork and bureaucratic burden for rural use and for hunters and marksmen, with no criminal history. In the wake of the Dawson College shootings, we learned two important things. The guns were registered and they were powerful semiautomatic weapons only desirable if one wants to kill lots of people. The fact the guns were registered does not prove the gun registry is a failure, as some would have us believe. It does demonstrate that some guns need to be made entirely illegal. Semi-automatic guns and handguns are in this category. They should be banned. (NFA Emphasis added) Green Party MPs will: Eliminate use of handguns, automatic and semi-automatic weapons for personal use by means of careful review and consultation, enhancement of gun registry and development of other programs to control gun use and ownership. Consult especially with holders of collections to ensure guns are rendered non-functional to eliminate usefulness to thieves. Streamline the gun registry in consultation with hunter organizations, First Nations and sportsmen. Ensure the registration system is fair for all users. Support the elimination of registration fees for firearms designed specifically for hunting. Strengthen measures to combat gun smuggling and the possession of banned weapons. Ban handguns and combat weapons including semi-automatic rifles and assault rifles.
Building on the NDP’s work in Parliament to curb gun violence which includes mandatory minimum sentences for crimes committed with a handgun, the NDP’s 5 Point Plan includes: Support for an ‘absolute ban’ on handguns in Toronto by tightening existing restrictions on handgun possession in the city. “Clearly, the measures taken to date by the federal government have been inadequate to protect our streets and our families. For too long, Toronto has been taken for granted and its challenges ignored. It’s time for action. It’s time to get these handguns off our streets – once and for all.” - NDP Leader Jack Layton
The Liberal Party http://www.liberal.ca/story_12904_e.aspx The Liberal party website contains links to Coalition for Gun Control publications critical of the Conservative appointed firearms advisory council. Former Liberal Prime Minister Paul Martin made a complete handgun ban a central plank of his failed election campaign. The Liberal Party will keep the registry and are in favour of increasing prohibitions and restrictions on firearms and firearms owners. June 19, 2007 “OTTAWA - Despite demands by the governments of Quebec and Ontario for stronger and more effective gun control measures, the Conservative government is preparing to debate a bill that would effectively scrap Canada’s gun registry, a tool used by front-line police over 5,000 times daily, said Liberal Justice Critic Marlene Jennings.”
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Volume XVIII Number 2
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by Sheldon Clare & Christopher di Armani
The Libertartian Party http://www.libertarian.ca/english/lpc-platform-may2007.html#guns The Conservative Party
11. Guns and Self-Defence Rights
Stand Up for Canada Federal Election Platform 2006 http://www.conservative.ca/media/20060113-Platform.pdf “Invest in effective gun control, not phoney measures When the Liberals first introduced Bill C-68, the federal long gun registry, they said it would cost around $2 million. Today, at a cost of almost $2 billion – 1,000 times more than promised – the registry is incomplete, riddled with errors, and according to the former Toronto Chief of Police, “ineffective in helping catch criminals.” Canadians demand more than simple cosmetic reforms to failed programs. The wasteful long gun registry must end and the money must be redirected to genuine law enforcement priorities. Canadians want to see effective gun control that stops crime in our streets, not phoney reforms.
The government’s role should be to assist ordinary people in defending themselves, not to leave them defenceless to criminals and crazed gunmen. We support the rights of ordinary citizens to carry firearms for self-defence and recreational purposes. Police who carry guns should not have more rights than the public they serve. Neither should criminals be the only members of the public who carry guns. We would repeal gun registration laws, which are blatant attempts to supervise and control members of the public to whom the government is only a servant. Those who use guns in violent crimes should be punished severely, but those who use guns to defend their lives and to deter aggressive criminals should never be punished for a proportional response.
The plan: A Conservative government will: Repeal the wasteful long-gun registry legislation (Bill C68). Reinvest savings from scrapping C-68 into hiring front-line law enforcement officers and assisting victims of crime.
Christian Heritage Party
Maintain the existing handgun registry and bans on all currently prohibited weapons.
6.7.7 SELF-DEFENSE AND FIREARMS
Work with the provinces on effective gun control programs designed to keep guns out of the hands of criminals while respecting the rights of law-abiding Canadians to own and use firearms r0esponsibly. Measures will include: Mandatory minimum prison sentences with restricted parole eligibility for the criminal use of firearms, trafficking or possession of stolen firearms, or illegal possession contrary to a bail, parole, or firearms prohibition order. Strict monitoring, including tracking place of residence, of high-risk individuals prohibited from owning firearms. Tighter restrictions on individuals on bail or parole for firearms offences, including the use of electronic monitoring.
http://www.chp.ca/en/policy/chapter6.html
We affirm that self-defense is a basic human right which must not be abridged. Citizens should be permitted to possess and use firearms within the limits of reasonable law (i.e. providing for registration of concealable weapons), and for purposes of hunting and sportsmanship, and/or defense of family and innocents, and from aggressors intruding onto the defender’s property. We assert that the federal government must not restrict the right of law-abiding citizens to own firearms, whether for sporting use or for self-defence. (See also 7.1.6) 6. PROTECTION OF PRIVATE PROPERTY We believe the ‘Charter of Rights’ should be amended to include the right to private ownership and enjoyment of property.
Cracking down on gun smuggling. Safe storage laws. Firearms safety training. A certification system requiring a background check and safety training for all those wishing to acquire and use firearms legally. Eliminating exceptions to firearms prohibition orders following criminal conviction.” 46
Volume XVIII Number 2
The Coalition for Gun Control http://www.guncontrol.ca/English/Home/Home.htm http://www.guncontrol.ca/English/Home/Releases/Release12Ma y06.pdf
Canadian Firearms Journal
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“The opposition is well organized and well funded: the NRA was here during the election The opponents are not likely to ever vote Liberal. Courting them makes no political sense. There is a well-orchestrated campaign underway - the NRA was here in December, gun groups spent $100,000 in one week alone during the election. It is important that MPs new to the issue know that groups such as the National Firearms Association, Professor Gary Mauser, CILA and LUFA go far beyond rational opposition to the law and actually promote arming for self protection. (See Backgrounder: The Gun Lobby at Work)�
The Canadian Political Situation - 2008 Party
Registration
Gun bans
Willing to listen*
Ability to Form Government
Supports removal of anti-gun law(s)
Endorsed by Gun Grabbers
Conservative
Proposed deregistration of long guns
Opposed to more bans
Meets with NFA and responds
High
Some
No
Proposed ban on handguns, wrote C68
Hostile
High
No
Yes
Supports bans on handguns and semi-auto firearms
Hostile
Cannot form government. Runs candidates in Quebec only.
No
Yes
Supports bans on handguns and semi-auto firearms
Hostile
Unlikely
No
Yes
Registry
Supports bans on handguns and semi-auto firearms
Hostile
Unlikely
No
Yes
CHP
Against Registration
Opposed to gun bans
Friendly firearms policy
Unlikely
Yes
No
Libertarian
Against Registration
Opposed to gun bans
Friendly firearms policy
Unlikely
Yes
No
Liberals
Bloq
NDP
Green
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Canadian Firearms Journal
Volume XVIII Number 2
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by Sean G. Penney
Leadheads & Felix Lube… I’m a “leadhead”. Proud to be one in fact! What’s a “leadhead” you ask?
W
ell, it’s an affectionate appellation for those of us who find themselves incurably addicted to the casting of lead bullets and the accruing of bullet moulds, lead pots, ladles and assorted esoterica associated with our most favourite of hobbies. We’re the guys you see scrounging around the local tire shop for unwanted wheel weights and neighbourhood scrap metal dealer looking for cheap lead in whatever form we can find. No matter the source, eventually it will find its way into our smelting pot and be turned into bright, shiny ingots that glitter, at least in our eyes, as brightly as gold - and is just as dear. In those ingots dwells a promise, the promise of hours of plinking, punching paper and hunting pleasure, all from those little pills of quicksilver. No matter the final target, deciding to cast your own bullets permits the shooter the penultimate opportunity to take direct, personal action and enjoyment from the shooting process. There are many excellent reasons for deciding to cast your own bullets. Economy is a probably the most important for some. Lead is relatively easy and inexpensive to source and after recouping your initial investment in tools, cast bullets cost pennies on the dollar compared to buying commercial cast lead or jacketed bullets. Accuracy is another excellent reason and it is the rare individual that cannot easily start turning out perfectly sized bullets that are tailored specifically to their gun’s specific barrel dimensions. All things being equal, cast bullets can meet or exceed the best accuracy offered by commercial jacketed bullets in handguns and even many rifles. Finally, for individuals with firearms chambered in old, obsolete 48
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or oddball calibers, casting their own bullets is often the only practical way to get that old bangstick shooting again. Some of you may be somewhat hesitant to even consider attempting to cast your own bullets, but the process is extremely simple and you probably already own most of the basic equipment to get you started. An old cast iron pot or Dutch oven, a camp stove to melt the lead, an old soup ladle to skim the melt and pour the molten lead, an old muffin pan makes for great lead ingots, all that’s missing is good bullet mold and a means of lubing the bullets.* Once the bullet has been cast, it needs to have its lube grooves filled with bullet lube before its ready to shoot. This process is typically accomplished by running the bullet through a specialized tool that will size the bullet to the proper dimensions (if desired) and lubricate the bullet in one step. Why lube the bullets? To oversimplify things, the lube serves to prevent or minimize the hot gasses created by the firing process from melting the lead bullet. Bullets with too little lube or the wrong kind will often be partially melted by these gases and may leave bright streaks of lead in your firearm’s barrel. This is a process called leading and quickly reduces accuracy, and is a major pain to remove. Many cast bullet makers simply purchase sticks of commercial cast bullet lubricant for use in their luber-sizer tools. Companies like Lyman, RCBS, and SAECO have been building such tools for decades and they work exceedingly well. For any cast bullet shooter, preserving accuracy and preventing leading is of primary importance. As such,
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Felix Lube Formula 2 Tablespoons mineral oil 1 Tablespoon castor oil 1 Tablespoon Ivory, or homemade soap (grated) 1 Tablespoon Anhydrous Lanolin 7-8 oz of Beeswax - Piece approximately 3 1/2” X 3 1/2” X1“ Add the mineral oil to a shallow sauce pan and begin to heat it until it starts to smoke. Add castor oil, and stir continuously for 1/2 hour. choosing a good quality lube, with the best temperature rating for the velocity you’re aiming for, is often a key ingredient to accuracy and performance while shooting cast bullets. Before the advent of smokeless powder, every shooter was well aware of this “universal truth” and attempted to pick the right lube for the job. However, unlike today, commercial lubes weren’t often available or were prohibitively expensive, especially on the frontier. As a consequence, many shooters, frontiersmen and mountain men simply made their own. At times that could be as simple as scraping a glob of congealed bacon grease from the frying pan left by the fire, to more complex concoctions involving bees wax, alox and just about any other ingredient that was slippery, free and easily applied to a bullet. Over the years, a number of companies started producing commercial bullet lubricant and even developed special hard and soft lubes for use in rifles, handguns, etc… The need for shooters to continue to produce their own lube was thus ended…at least for some. It is this latter category in which I found myself some years ago after mixing up my first batch of homemade lube. If you haven’t figured it out by now, leadheads, by their nature are tinkerers and experimenters. We’re the “wildcatters” of the cast bullet world and there’s nothing more satisfying in this world than shooting that sub ¼ minute of angle group or taking that book class Caribou using your own cast bullets. Bullets that were sized by your own hand, lubricated with your own homemade lube and reloaded on your own press. The sense of satisfaction and accomplishment, from personal experience, is immense. It is for this reason I’ve always argued that making and using your own bullet lube is the final and ultimate opportunity to fully immerse yourself into the whole ammunition fabrication process. This brings us to a concoction that is now known, the world over, as Felix World Famous Lube or FWFL for short. Named after its inventor, a fine Southern gentleman by the name of Mr. Felix M. Robbins, Felix Lube offers leadheads a myriad of opportunities to experiment and tailor the recipe to their particular shooting requirements. The basic formula is very simple:
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Sliver the soap, and stir into the mixture a little at a time, until melted. An old cheese grater works quite well for this task and will help permit the soap to dissolve more quickly. Next, add the beeswax followed by the anhydrous lanolin. Once the wax is melted, reduce or remove the heat and carefully add the lanolin. Care must be taken; otherwise you run the risk of burning or scorching the lanolin. Burned or scorched lube rarely, if ever, shoots well. Keep stirring until the lube has a uniform consistency and colour and all ingredients are completely dissolved. As an option, you may also decide to add 1 teaspoon of carnauba wax. This will leave you with a bright, shiny bore and is sure to impress all your shooting buddies! Just be sure its pure carnauba wax, without any extra chemical additives. Ever frugal, I know bullet casters who have used the wax from specialty cheese rinds, mustache wax, the seal on Makers Mark whisky & even surfboard wax. Fine grain paraffin is another optional ingredient and may be added to the recipe as needed or desired in order to raise the melting point of the lube. You’ll need to experiment to find the correct amount to add for your ambient temperature, but a good rule of thumb is less is more when talking about the addition of paraffin. You need to bear in mind that it is the ultimate hardener and should only be used as a last resort. Finally, once finished, you may allow the lube to cool and harden in the pan, pour it off into another storage container or jar, pour it directly into your lubrisizer or into your own homemade stick mould. Whatever the form, the lube can be quite easily re-melted in a microwave or via a double boiler. After making and using Felix Lube for years I remained curious and decided to contact Mr. Robbins directly and find out how exactly Felix World Famous Lube came to be. Mr. Robbins was gracious enough to grant me an in-depth interview recently and one that I was almost reluctant to end. After exchanging pleasantries, Mr. Robbins quickly displayed that famed Southern charm and put this interviewer completely at ease. Chatting together like we would do with any of our local
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by Sean G. Penney
range or hunting buddies, we soon got down to business. According to Mr. Robbins, or Felix as he insisted I call him, it took approximately two years of experimentation before finally settling on this particular formula. “My principal goal in developing the lube was to keep shooting longer, while maintaining accuracy,” he said. “The trick,” he found, “…was keeping the lube viscosity to the absolute bare minimum.” One of the great strengths of the FWFL formula is that is can so easily be adapted to your particular shooting needs. As Mr. Robbins pointed out, “…your [my] shooting needs, living up North in Canada are going to be a little different than mine down here in Arkansas. Temperature is going to have to factor into the equation.” From personal experience, I know he is correct. Given the relatively cold, wet climate of my home province of Newfoundland, having bullet lube that is too soft or too easily melted by the sun is very rarely a problem, even in mid-July or August! The same can’t be said for many parts of mainland Canada of the US, which enjoy a somewhat warmer climate. To break things down into their most
simple terms, Mr. Robbins explained, “…the beeswax is the lube base, the castor oil is the real lube, the lanolin makes the lube sticky and the Ivory Soap, or more correctly, the sodium stearate in the soap, glues the whole mess together.” “Without the sodium stearate, the lube will separate into its component parts upon cooling and you’ll find them layered, one on top of the other.” He continued, “…the carnauba wax, I found, added the shine, but is totally optional.” For those requiring a harder lube, Felix warned, “…paraffin can be added, but only as a last resort.” Experimenting with the formula myself, I discovered Felix was correct when he advised that I would find that FWFL worked better with the addition of extra castor oil and lanolin when shooting cast bullets through my center fire .22s, especially under our cold Newfoundland winter conditions. Again, remember that experimentation is needed to tailor the lube to your particular firearm and climate, but generally, the extra castor oil and lanolin yielded a slicker lube that worked extremely well in small bores and as an all-around winter lube. For summer shooting, I may have to reduce the amount of both ingredients, but not necessarily. For shooters hitting the range in that blistering hot
30-40 degree weather southern Ontario is famous for in July, the original recipe will work much better, and depending on temperature, may even necessitate the addition of some paraffin for extra hardness. Given how cold it’s been in my neck of the woods the past couple of summers, I’m thinking I’m gonna’ be okay. According to Felix, it’s almost impossible to really “spoil” a batch. If you make a mistake, there isn’t too much that the addition of a little more castor oil or lanolin or sodium stearate won’t be able to fix, at least with a little more elbow grease in the form of constant pot stirring! For ultimate
accuracy, Felix stated that he fills every lube groove on the bullet. To test his latest batch, he told me that he will often set some lubed bullets out in the direct sun. Once the sun hits the lube directly, it should start to turn almost clear. It’s that lube, he ultimately aims for, as it has consistently yielded the greatest level of accuracy with his cast bullets. Concluding the interview, I asked Felix if he still bothers to tinker with his lube. “All the time,” he replied, “all the time.”
*Note: Melting lead and casting bullets requires the use of proper safety equipment and techniques. This article is not intended to be a how-to-primer on casting bullets. You should consult a good cast bullet manual such as the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook for detailed explanations of how to cast bullets properly and safely. As always, when working with external heat sources and melted components, proper care and control should be observed to prevent personal injury. The above article is intended for entertainment purposes only, and neither the author, nor Canadian Firearms Journal assumes any liability for injury or damage resulting from the use of the information contained herein. 50
Volume XVIII Number 2
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Canadian Firearms Journal
Volume XVIII Number 2
51
by Gary K. Kangas, SASS #223, Life Member, Regulator & Sybil Kangas
Canadian Firearms Heritage Preserving Canada’s Firearms Heritage The Toronto Police Department and Ontario’s Chief Firearms Officer have declared getting old a crime. The Chief Firearms Officer of Ontario has ordered that for seniors 75 years or older, their properties will be inspected (read searched) without warrant to make sure they are “in compliance with firearms storage regulations”.
Gary & Sybil Kangas Gary & Sybil Kangas have produced Wild West shows, videos and stage productions. Their writing has been published in: Trails End Magazine, Guns & Ammo and the Cowboy Chronicle plus various newspapers and journals. They are international competitors in Cowboy Action Shooting, life members of the Single Action Shooting Society (SASS) and long time members of the National Firearms Association.
This is a blatant attack on everyone’s civil liberties and against our human rights. Once bureaucrats can decide that in their eyes even growing old is suspect, we are doomed. This is age discrimination at its worst. They want to coerce seniors to give up their firearms to cut off the flow to the next generation. This is not about public safety, it is about civil liberty. Some of the best competitors in our local area are 75 plus years. They shoot well and are sportsman of the finest kind. If this is tolerated and a Liberal Government is elected federally, the bureaucrats can then decide that after any age they set, seniors cannot own firearms. Where does this end? They can then inspect your home if you have passed a certain age, decide you are infirm, seize your property and put you in an institution. You think this is far fetched. Then read the Firearms Act. Study the Montague case. To preserve our firearms heritage all firearms owners must make their votes heard in Legislatures, Municipal Assemblies, City Councils and the ballot box! The firearms owning community has a large component of seniors who are a vibrant, thoughtful energetic group of collectors, competitors and participants in all aspects of firearms ownership and the shooting sports. They deserve respect and recognition for their wisdom and experience! They must not be designated criminals, have their homes invaded and searched because some bureaucrat has declared it “policy”. The seniors featured in these photographs are between the ages of 66 and 84 years old. If we do not defend them, we are not defending our firearms heritage.
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Silver Screen Legend XI A Tribute to Roy Rogers and the 101 Ranch Wild West Show!
T
he Happy Trails Children’s Foundation is proud to present for 2008, Silver Screen Legend XI. This is the eleventh year the foundation through the generosity of the famous Colt’s Manufacturing Co. LLC of Hartford, CT has used very special guns and holsters to raise money for abused children. The guns and holsters this year are a tribute to Roy Rogers and the Miller Brothers 101 Ranch Wild West Show. What do Roy Rogers and the 101 Ranch Wild West Show have in common? Legendary singing cowboy Roy Rogers was star of films, radio, records, television and personal appearances. Through the years, he appeared and performed at countless stage shows, fairs, rodeos and Wild West shows. For several years, he was headliner of the Roy Rogers Championship Rodeo, produced by Col. Jim Eskew, of the JE Ranch Rodeo. Col. Eskew presented Roy with a pair of six-guns from the collection of the World renowned 101 Ranch. These 7 ½” barreled .45 Colt Single Action Army revolvers with the 101 Ranch brand crudely stamped on the side frame were gold plated and heavily used in exhibition shooting by Roy in his live performances. To go along with the gold plated guns, Roy had a special double holster rig made in 1949 to commemorate the centennial of the 1849 gold rush. The outfit in the Roy Rogers style featured gold spots and buckle sets. The original guns and holsters are now on display in the Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Museum in Branson, MO. This year’s Silver Screen Legend pistols, donated by the generous folks at Colt’s Manufacturing LLC, commemorate the originals. Beautifully engraved and gold plated, with 7 ½” barrels, these .45’s feature finely hand crafted, genuine stag grips and the special 101 Ranch brand engraved, not stamped as on the originals. The holster rig is an exacting replica of the original, fully carved using the identical carving pattern as on the original with hand crafted and engraved gold plated spots and buckle sets. Roy reserved the use of this very fancy outfit for public appearances and for use in photo shoots for his comic book covers and movie publicity. The original concept, overall theme, coordination, and design of the Silver Screen Legend XI were provided by Jim Lockwood of Legends in Leather. He also personally hand crafted all the leather in his Prescott, AZ shop. The handmade sterling silver gold plated buckle sets, spots, and the exquisite hand engraving on the pistols were provided by Conrad Anderson, Rocktree Enterprises, Kingston, ID. The exceptional carved ivory grips were hand crafted by Bob Leskovec, Precision Pro Grips, Gibsonia, PA. Ben Hansen of Beauty from Scratch, Prescott Valley, AZ made the presentation case for the guns. Ron Love of Prescott, AZ donated the prop cartridges. Tickets for this one-of-a-kind museum quality cowboy collectible are $10 each or 11 tickets for $100. The drawing will be held December 14, 2008 in Victorville, CA. YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE PRESENT TO WIN! You may order tickets by phone (760) 240-3330 or online at www.happytrails.org. Or you may send your check to: Happy Trails Children’s Foundation, Silver Screen Legend XI 10755 Apple Valley Road, Apple Valley, CA 92308.
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Canadian Firearms Journal
Volume XVIII Number 2
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...The Last Word
by Christopher di Armani
Equality before the Law
As F.R. Scott wrote so eloquently, “It is always a triumph for the law to show that it is applied equally to all without fear or favor. This is what we mean when we say that all are equal before the law.” Canada is a nation that does not abide by that simple and rational statement. Al Muir of Stellarton, Nova Scotia, is in clear violation of the Firearms Act. He has been since the law came into force, yet today he remains a free man. He has never been charged or even arrested for his clear, public, and repeated flagrant violations of the Firearms Act. Similarly Dr. Ed Hudson and Jack Wilson, both of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, publicly and repeatedly violate the Firearms Act. Yet they both remain free as well, continuing to own and use their firearms without a license to do so or registration certificate for their legal possession. Bruce and Donna Montague of Dryden, Ontario, however, are a different case. Charged with possessing firearms without a license or registration certificate, their only “crime” is one of noncompliance, of refusal to obtain the
government-mandated “permission slips” to own their legally acquired private property. The Montague’s were convicted of failure to have licenses or registration certificates for their firearms, and will be sentenced on March 17, 2008. Interestingly, Inuk natives of the Nunavut Territory are exempt from the Firearms Act. They have been exempt from that legislation since the Nunavut Land Claim Treaty came into force. You see, the former Liberal government apparently did not read the fine print of the Land Claim Treaty agreement that created the Nunavut Territory. Section 5.7.26 of that agreement states: “Subject to the terms of this Article, an Inuk with proper identification may harvest up to his or her adjusted basic needs level without any form of license or permit and without imposition of any form of tax or fee.” A court injunction has been in place since the December 10, 2002 that exempts all Inuk natives residing in the Territory from the licensing and registration scheme. NonInuk residents of Nunavut, however, must comply with the law. “It is always a triumph for the law to show that it is applied equally to all without fear or favor”, F.R. Scott wrote. Supposedly a nation that prides itself on fairness and equality, Canada disgraces itself when some citizens are “more equal” than others.
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Do you have something to say? Would you like to see it in print? The Canadian Firearms Journal is expanding! If you have an idea for an original article, please query the editor by e-mail (CFJEditor@nfa.ca) with a paragraph outlining what you want to write about. Regular contributors or people aspiring to write a regular column are also encouraged to contact the editor with an outline of their proposed recurring column. Articles should be between 500 to 1,500 words in length, and should have supporting photographs. All photographs must be highresolution jpeg’s, and should support the content of the article. Sidebars should be between 120300 words long and likewise support the thesis of the article. All articles must be in either Microsoft Word 2003 or OpenOffice 2 format.
We want writers who are familiar with firearms use in Canada, but who are able to see the global picture of firearms control issues and relate that situation to our mainly Canadian audience. Writers and topics need not be exclusively Canadian, but ideally articles should be about firearms and people with a distinctly Canadian perspective. The Canadian Firearms Journal will accept submissions by e-mail or snail mail: National Firearms Association P.O. Box 52183 Edmonton AB T6G 2T5 email: CFJEditor@nfa.ca Send an email to the editor with the subject “Writer’s Guidelines” to receive a complete copy of our writer’s guidelines.
Suggested Topics: Youth and the Shooting Sports. The National Firearms Association is working with its Member Clubs and you to encourage young people to participate in our proud culture and heritage of shooting sports. We want articles from a youth’s perspective, or articles describing what you are doing for youth involvement.
Spring Bear Hunt and Spring Turkey Hunt. Know any funny stories? Remember, you can change the names of people in the article if you want. We also want to hear about the gear you find most helpful in the field, and maybe a warning about the gear you’ve had the most problems with.
Fast Draw. We want to hear about the participants in this sport, both in Canada and the United States. Do you know something interesting about the equipment required? Have you been to a Fast Draw competition? Have you been a Fast Draw competitor?
Law Enforcement. Enough said. Write an article involving law enforcement and firearms.
Museums. Many Canadians are collectors of everything to do with firearms, and some have collections of museum quality. We’d love to hear about any that may be in your neck of the woods. Historical Re-enactments. We want to hear what you’re re-enacting, where you’re doing it, and how. Let us know who your group is and why you’re so excited about your specific point in history. Cowboy Action Shooting. We want to hear from the people involved. Let us know about the Cowboy matches you’ve been to, or a shooting school near you where you can learn to be a better shooting competitor. IPSC and IDPA. Are you involved in this exciting sport? We want to hear from you or any Canadian Shooter who has excelled in this area.
Are You Ready for the Hunting Season? We want to hear about the latest gear, the latest news, and the tactics needed to ensure that the 2005 season is the most successful season possible! Caring for Firearms. We will be featuring the best methods to clean and care for firearms. If you’ve found a neat trick that has worked well for you over the years, let us know. Ammunition reloading is another topic that will be wrapped in with this one. Women and the Shooting Sports. The National Firearms Association is looking for women who are prominent in the shooting sports. Tell us your story. Additionally, we want to see articles on how shooting clubs are encouraging women to be involved. Shotgun Sports. Are you involved in Sporting Clays, Trap or Skeet, 5 Stand, Upland Game Bird Hunting, or Migratory Game Bird Hunting? Let us know what’s important to you, and some of the interesting aspects of this sport.