tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-102934772012-01-31T23:22:47.492-05:00Because every now and then you need to get back on the bullC4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.comBlogger3161100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-20240015737648163092012-01-31T23:18:00.002-05:002012-01-31T23:22:47.500-05:00

Yesterday, the Harper Tory government was finally forced to announce the membership of its radical anti-gun control committee (Question 364). It's only five or six years after the committee was established that a written Parliamentary question shone some light on the rocks under which the committee lives. Review of the new list shows some real geographic disparity in the committee's current

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-33255055149922335642012-01-29T12:46:00.001-05:002012-01-29T12:48:20.613-05:00

Why are the Harper Tories hell bent on destroying data from the life saving long gun registry? A high profile Toronto lawyer thinks he knows why: It's like throwing a bomb into a crime lab because they didn't want any evidence left there.We couldn't have said it any better.

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-58908794645685639532012-01-28T08:01:00.000-05:002012-01-28T08:01:42.147-05:00

Gun lobby vs. shooting victims

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-88772622415691949152012-01-27T08:36:00.000-05:002012-01-27T08:36:03.407-05:00

Ten days ago, Prime Minister Stephen Harper was eagerly criticizing NDP leadership Thomas Mulcair over his French citizenship.  The Prime Minister emphasized his Canada-first and always patriotism. In my case, as I say, I'm very clear. I'm a Canadian and only a Canadian.If the Prime Minister thinks that being Canadian is important, he has a funny way of showing it. Yesterday, he launched the

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-51008645894830608852012-01-26T19:39:00.002-05:002012-01-27T18:26:32.887-05:00

Earlier today, federal, provincial and territorial justice and public safety ministers finished their annual meeting in Charlottetown. Among the items under discussion, was Quebec's request that the Harper Tory government transfer data from the life saving long gun registry to provinces wishing to establish their own. According to the agreed press release, some jurisdictions supported the

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-80360156805511075162012-01-25T22:28:00.000-05:002012-01-25T22:28:10.599-05:00

In 2009, the Harper Tories had a clear plan to replace the long gun registry with something that could work: We want to return to the better system of having retailers record their sales of non-restricted weapons instead of having to register them with the long-gun registry. - Guy Lauzon, MP (Stormont-Dundas-Glengarry)We want to return to the better system of having retailers record their

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-41326226283072943552012-01-23T21:15:00.000-05:002012-01-23T21:15:32.750-05:00

Anybody who follows hockey knows that good goaltenders sometimes live in their own world. Boston Bruins star goaltender Tim Thomas reinforced that image with his refusal to join his teammates in the celebration of the Bruins Stanley Cup victory at the White House. Frankly, we don't care if Thomas would rather go to Burger King than the White House. But the thought of the Bell Centre (or any

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-87960281758070276052012-01-23T20:24:00.001-05:002012-01-23T20:26:34.365-05:00

Five days after the Minister of Public Safety tabled the overdue 2010 report of the Commissioner of Firearms, the government finally got around to providing it to the rest of the country. Sensible Canadians should be concerned that the report took so long to be made available. Judging from it's contents, preparation was only partly responsible for the delay. We only need to turn to the first

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-64841247496735276662012-01-22T12:17:00.000-05:002012-01-22T12:17:16.800-05:00

We suspect that some of our readers will be upset that the UFC has banned gun ads. Others, we suspect, just won't care.

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-12137120074029146042012-01-19T20:00:00.004-05:002012-01-19T20:37:45.754-05:00

Two months ago, we wrote about the Harper Tory government's penchant for suppressing RCMP reports on the life saving long gun registry. At the time, the House of Commons Public Safety committee was studying the most recent long gun registry repeal bill and another favourable report would have again undermined the credibility on the government's anti-registry talking points. Earlier today, our

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-26144555668990646692012-01-18T22:50:00.000-05:002012-01-18T22:50:59.998-05:00

Last week while we were busy doing other things, Alberta Premier Alison Redford visited Quebec. Over the course of the visit, the Premier was asked about her views on the life saving long gun registry. Redford told reporters that she respects Quebec's decision to establish its own long gun registry and does not oppose transfer of registry data from the federal government to those provinces that

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-10236259424348537252012-01-17T21:01:00.000-05:002012-01-17T21:01:43.955-05:00

In October 2006, the NDP had a clear position on dual citizenship: "Narrow-minded members of the government should open their eyes and get a grip on the essence of Canada’s advantage in the world," MP Peter Julian concludes. "We should celebrate our international bonds, not discourage them. Canada is well respected around the world, and dual citizens are among our most passionate ambassadors when

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-4546774349279485092012-01-16T23:24:00.002-05:002012-01-16T23:25:16.390-05:00

Thomas Mulcair is French by choice. It's not terribly difficult to predict the sort of response that a political attack machine could run with this untimely revelation. We've seen it all before.  A little over five years ago, New Democrats were quick to join the base nativist attacks on Stéphane Dion's French citizenship. That should put a cork or two in the howls of righteous indignation that

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-24161297760995347502012-01-16T20:21:00.001-05:002012-01-16T20:22:33.766-05:00

First answer: This is not our way of doing things so I would be extremely surprised if it came from us - Guy Caron, NDP MP and Quebec caucus chairSecond answer: I'm just calling to confirm that those were done by the party - NDP spokeswoman Sally HousserAislin certainly wouldn't find the evidence he's looking for in this tawdry affair.

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-12210529310504360662012-01-09T18:57:00.000-05:002012-01-09T18:57:32.643-05:00

According to Western Canada's gun lobby. Maybe that's why the NFA didn't get invited to the House of Commons Committee review of the radical bill to repeal the life saving long gun registry. Let's hope the Tory majority lets the NFA appear when the Senate considers the Bill.

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-37285880322270365802012-01-08T17:37:00.000-05:002012-01-08T17:37:33.290-05:00

Every now and then, we see things which will likely interest our regular readers and, as a bonus, engage and/or enrage our trolls. Here are three that speak of the community to which the Harper government is pandering in its incremental war on Canada's gun laws. Reflecting on the Right-Wing Response to Violence Against Women - Anti-Racist Canada Is political gun violence on Canada's agenda too,

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-62088911835566449682012-01-07T13:48:00.000-05:002012-01-07T13:48:26.961-05:00

...of nothing at all.

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-3601525339072784022012-01-06T18:52:00.000-05:002012-01-06T18:52:03.526-05:00

OTTAWA January 6, 2011 Dear fellow Reformers, It's been a long slog but we've arrived. The opposition is crippled and the media is cowed. Heck, we've turned the appointment of the second place candidate in an election that took place more than six years ago into a victory for "democracy". And no one is questioning the appointment. As the English (you know, the people who pay for our beloved

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-21830770147991793712012-01-05T12:42:00.001-05:002012-01-05T12:42:20.677-05:00

A couple of days before the new year a letter appeared in the Calgary Herald outlining the writer's concern about the deaths caused by another formerly law abiding gun owner. The writer likely wondered how a young man who treated his guns like "babies"could legally acquire and keep the weapon he used to kill three innocent people and himself on a December night on the side of an Alberta highway.

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-51245986952780574142011-12-20T20:32:00.001-05:002011-12-20T20:43:10.922-05:00

Look out! Santa has a gun! Reports say that neighbourhood Santas were not amused.

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-59372683032287051372011-12-19T21:10:00.000-05:002011-12-19T21:10:45.235-05:00

It must be hard to be Don Cherry these days. It's not just that Cherry became the foil to the Conservative mob's campaign to find out how much Peter Mansbridge makes. Or that Cherry felt obliged to decline an honourary degree from Royal Military College following one open letter from one RMC professor. Or that 800,000 Canadians leave the room when Cherry comes on the screen. Now, Cherry is

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-41179542829040973662011-12-18T21:10:00.001-05:002011-12-18T21:15:04.593-05:00

Today we learned that the stable Harper majority government has launched yet another round of ads trumpeting the Conservative Party's unfulfilled commitment to repeal the life saving long gun registry. But why now, right before Christmas? They have a majority in the House of Commons.  They could have passed their radical Bill before leaving on a six-week vacation if they had actually wanted to.

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-78865059602392074492011-12-15T22:48:00.006-05:002011-12-15T22:51:33.513-05:00

See Peter. See Peter become a liability. Run Peter. You can run, Peter. You can not hide.We see that the right wing friends of the Prime Minister have launched their war on Peter MacKay. It must be a pleasant distraction from their rearguard action against the so-called War on Christmas. We'd like to say that we feel sorry for Peter MacKay. But we don't.  In our books, it couldn't happen to

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-29904751772934127822011-12-14T12:08:00.005-05:002011-12-14T14:10:01.812-05:00

In April 2011, a handpicked member of the Harper government's radical anti-gun control advisory committee compared Canadian cops to Hitler's notorious SS. In the midst of an election campaign, such comments had the potential to be explosive and Public Safety Minister Vic Toews' former Director of Parliamentary Affairs lept bravely into the fray: "Due to the nature of the comments attributed to

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-22602863827817251182011-12-07T22:22:00.000-05:002011-12-07T22:22:49.871-05:00

A couple weeks ago, many on the non-Conservative side of of the #cdnpoli blogosphere were making fun of veteran Tory MP Rob Anders falling asleep in Parliament. At the time, we were content to let sleeping dogs lie. We firmly believe that a sleeping Rob Anders is far less embarrassing than a speaking one. And we would have just left Anders alone had a couple of is colleagues not made a play

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-81691986671508411152011-11-28T23:17:00.001-05:002011-11-28T23:18:12.849-05:00

Long time crime victims' advocate Steve Sullivan writes about the long gun registry. I believe the DNA Databank has saved lives and prevented abuses. I believe the long gun registry has done the same. If I am wrong about the later, duck hunters and farmer will have to fill out some forms (which I admit is a incovenient). If the Tories are wrong, some families will be filling out death

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-61800962883127485932011-11-28T18:57:00.000-05:002011-11-28T18:57:41.941-05:00

The "just another duck gun" myth is exploded.

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-84832539777634458802011-11-27T20:40:00.000-05:002011-11-27T20:40:20.404-05:00

When bloggers write about the wrong headed Harper Tory plan to repeal the life saving long gun, self annointed gun language cops leap on any perceived diversion from their world view. For whatever reason, they seem especially put out by the use of the term sniper rifle. There must be a simple way to solve this obvious disconnect. How would a gun dealer define a sniper rifle? The Shooting Edge

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-62731294965357220032011-11-26T20:31:00.000-05:002011-11-26T20:31:18.521-05:00

There are many things that we could say about Brian Mulroney. Many of them are bad.  But he did have the gift of blarney. At his best, Mulroney could charm a snake charmer out of his cobras and then go on to convince his opponents that cobras were a thoughtful gift. But that gift came with a burden. Canadians became convinced that Mulroney's blarney was BS.  They knew that Mulroney would say

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-69154234862689470392011-11-26T14:54:00.004-05:002011-11-26T15:00:06.583-05:00

James Morton has blogged about his discussion with a Saskatchewan Liberal. His interlocutor seems to think that the solution to Western alienation is to retain the Liberal Party's provincial and territorial associations. Respectfully, we disagree. Outside of British Columbia, the record of the provincial associations In Western Canada, on a hit or miss scale, is mostly miss. Provincial

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-66334384613938107592011-11-25T19:00:00.002-05:002011-11-25T19:00:21.186-05:00

Posted without further comment.

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-88337398939757975952011-11-24T19:58:00.000-05:002011-11-24T19:58:50.283-05:00

In June 2006, Stockwell Day tabled the Harper government's first bill to repeal the long gun registry. As this blog pointed out a couple of days ago, Day's bill required gun sellers to actually check whether the buyer was licensed before selling a long gun. At the time, the Canadian Shooting Sports Association, Canada's unregistered long gun lobby, highlighted this important public safety

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-52964584249389922062011-11-22T20:54:00.002-05:002011-11-22T22:08:55.901-05:00

Regular readers of this blog will know that NDP MP and leadership candidate Thomas Mulcair is the Member of Parliament for the riding that includes École polytechnique. Mulcair, through his silence, has already demonstrated that he's an able practitioner of the game of playing both sides of an issue but standing for nothing.  It's the kind of duplicity that makes all politicians look bad.  It's

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-39940760455505881062011-11-21T22:34:00.001-05:002011-11-21T22:37:39.437-05:00

In June 2006, Stockwell Day introduced the Harper Tory government's first bill to repeal the long gun registry. At the time, the government emphasized how the bill would help keep guns out of the hands of "individuals who should not have them, such as convicted criminals," and how making businesses keep transaction records would assist police investigators: The amendments introduced in today's

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-69051318759185424272011-11-20T10:59:00.002-05:002011-11-20T17:19:52.844-05:00

UPDATE: Our favourite reader has written to remind us that this would not be the first time that the government has held back the Commissioners Report during Parliamentary debate. The 2008 report was not released until two days after second reading of the AstroTurfed anti-gun registry private members bill, Bill C-391. The Toronto Star is reporting that the Harper government has reinforced its

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-5118089862417336262011-11-17T23:55:00.005-05:002011-11-18T18:59:25.403-05:00

On Thursday, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security heard from Canadian Shooting Sports Association spokesman Tony Bernardo. Just before 36 minutes into the committee meeting, Bernardo starts to list all of the things he believes governs the import of firearms by licensed Canadian firearms business in response to a question from Tory MP Candice Hoeppner (

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-90402935444736216562011-11-17T18:48:00.000-05:002011-11-17T18:48:27.511-05:00

Watching gun registry opponents on twitter over the past few days has been nothing short of amusing. One guy thinks we work for George Soros. Another posted a photo of his small daughter hugging a sniper rifle. And another decided that homophobia would strengthen his argument. * We can't take credit for this formulation, but it sure applies here.

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-7185771223294517932011-11-16T20:25:00.001-05:002011-11-18T00:15:47.773-05:00

Big news from south of the border. Alleged White House shooter Oscar Ortega Hernandez was arrested today in Pennsylvania. DC media reports that Ortega Hernandez used a cheap but powerful Chinese-made assault rifle in the shooting. What makes this shooting interesting, other than the fact that it hit a White House residential window, is that the shooter's Chinese-made SKS has been prohibited

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-84685758176841222682011-11-16T07:53:00.000-05:002011-11-16T07:53:15.975-05:00

If I was the Minister of Public Safety, I would want to make sure that my answers to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security were well rooted in fact. Others, it seems may not share that passion. Responding to a question from Liberal MP Francis Scarpaleggia about how police would able to trace guns should the long gun registry be repealed, Toews indicated

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-6697771473099146372011-11-15T23:03:00.001-05:002011-11-15T23:06:20.543-05:00

This morning, Canadian Press reported that repeal of the gun registry would increase the risk of illegal gun smuggling and trafficking. At the Parliamentary Committee this morning, Public Safety Minister Vic Toews downplayed the risk.  He maintained the bill will not result in any changes to the way border officials track guns. Of course, he's wrong. For large volumes of imported firearms the

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-73016364526923010972011-11-15T19:13:00.000-05:002011-11-15T19:13:40.293-05:00

On November 2, the UK House of Commons European Security Committee considered EU Regulations that would implement the United Nations Firearms Protocol, a treaty designed to fight illicit firearms trafficking. Following its review of additional information provided by Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron's government, the Committee cleared the document. That means that the United Kingdom

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-83432822415146001692011-11-15T06:48:00.001-05:002011-11-15T06:49:27.989-05:00

Canadian Press reports today that the government knows that repeal of the long gun registry means that "Canada would no longer meet its international commitments relating to firearms tracing and record keeping." If only the opposition had an opportunity to ask the Minister of Public Safety why he is undercutting Canada's international commitments to fight gun trafficking. Oh right.  They do. 

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-21793621403952925752011-11-14T21:50:00.000-05:002011-11-14T21:50:20.103-05:00

In 2004, the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters wrote a letter to then Prime Minister Paul Martin on behalf of the National Coalition of Provincial and Territorial Wildlife Federations setting out their views of what a post gun registry world should look like. Of particular interest, is OFAH's demand that the government protect firearms sellers by allowing them to confirm firearms

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-74559110045432070392011-11-14T19:09:00.000-05:002011-11-14T19:09:50.872-05:00

St. Catharines Standard November 14, 2011 Letters to the Editor 'GOPHER GUN' DESIGNED TO SHOOT PEOPLE Tony Bernardo of the Canadian Shooting Sports Association (who commented in a QMI Agency story in The Standard, Nov. 2) is incorrect in calling the Mini-14 rifle a "gopher gun ... designed to shoot varmints on a farm." The Mini-14 is designed to shoot people, being a version of the M-14, a

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-28596956099070364432011-11-11T18:34:00.002-05:002011-11-11T18:36:49.148-05:00

As anybody who follows Canadian politics should know, NDP MP Thomas Mulcair is MP for École Polytechnique. As an NDP leadership candidate, Mulcair has just been presented his first big dilemma. And that dilemma links his leadership aspirations right to back to the riding he represents. Thunder Bay-Rainy River NDP John Rafferty is one of the few non-Quebec MPs to have endorsed Mulcair.

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-79577373640102413362011-11-09T22:19:00.001-05:002011-11-09T22:38:32.489-05:00

Once again, their assertions of long gun registry opponents have little connection to actual facts. 79.7% of firearms seized by Canadian law enforcement agencies are non-restricted long guns - the very same rifles and shotguns that will be deregistered if Bill C-19 passes. Canada's unregistered gun lobby is fighting hard to prevent police from knowing where those seized guns came from.  They

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-30645613742486760122011-11-08T19:09:00.000-05:002011-11-08T19:09:35.953-05:00

There's also many cases Sean, that happen daily and right across this country, where the police will go to an incidence of domestic violence where there is concern that if there are firearms in the house that they might be used to commit violence and even murders. And we've had far too many such tragedies in this country. The police officers are able to determine by checking the registry, not

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-33494045644661757782011-11-07T18:29:00.000-05:002011-11-07T18:29:39.789-05:00

The gun lobby will tell you that police don't use gun registry information to make tactical decisions. They couldn't be more wrong. After discovering their suspect had several guns registered to him, Camrose police decided to call in the RCMP Emergency Response Team, Foreman said.

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-43597256494995192822011-11-07T08:13:00.000-05:002011-11-07T08:13:58.826-05:00

89% of domestic shooting homicide victims are female. The bill before Parliament will make it easier for domestic abusers to arm up. John Rafferty and Bruce Hyer are upset that they were disciplined for supporting that bill.

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-2060762214534744442011-11-06T17:26:00.000-05:002011-11-06T17:26:14.694-05:00

The gun lobby will tell you their fight against the gun registry is about heritage. They'll tell you about the first time they went hunting. They'll tell you about their first duck/deer/moose. They'll tell you about their coming of age moment, their first 22 calibre rifle. They'll tell you that those guns dont pose any threat to anybody. They won't tell you that someone could use that 22 to

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-48807376974024579662011-11-03T18:54:00.002-04:002011-11-03T18:57:23.053-04:00

It's becoming harder to consider NDP leadership candidate Nathan Cullen as a serious contender. Cullen's failure to take a stand on the Tory bill to repeal the long gun registry is just another demonstration that he either doesn't understand that New Democrats want "to make sure that Canadians know which way that we vote" or was putting his leadership aspirations ahead of whatever principles he

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-31502688640096855982011-11-02T22:01:00.001-04:002011-11-02T22:02:40.597-04:00

It's nice to see the NDP taking a principled stand on the life saving long gun registry. Well, most of them anyway. Who does Nathan Cullen think he's playing to by slinking away from the vote hoping nobody would notice? That's not leadership.

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-45925791619140156692011-11-02T07:50:00.000-04:002011-11-02T07:50:09.449-04:00

Canada's unregistered gun lobby says that repealing the long gun registry will "lighten the legislative burden sports shooters and hunters face every day". They fail to note that the last terrorist murder in Canada was committed with a shotgun. To be fair to them, however, noting that the new bill will lighten the legislative burden on terrorists is probably off message.

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-5709824984054968032011-11-01T19:44:00.003-04:002011-11-01T21:44:44.011-04:00

This morning, the Toronto Star published an interesting article on the impacts of the Tory war on vulnerable Canadians long gun registry repeal bill. I won't repeat the core of the story.  Suffice to say it is discussed here, here, here, and here. But the Star story misses a key point. The seller of those firearms, or any other long gun powerful enough to pierce police body armour, only needs

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-10698298244725152402011-10-26T03:32:00.000-04:002011-10-26T03:32:15.661-04:00

In their celebratory press release, Canada's premier gun lobby group reveals the fatal flaw in the Harper government's new gun registry bill. They note that "the bill removes the requirement to call and confirm transfers". That means that a gun shop doesn't have to check if a buyer's licence is valid before he or she sells a weapon powerful enough to penetrate soft body armour. As a

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-35827938180630978952011-10-21T13:55:00.000-04:002011-10-21T13:55:33.779-04:00

Some say that a shotgun isn't a threat to public safety. We respectfully disagree.

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-83206705032560112852011-10-19T18:55:00.002-04:002011-10-19T18:56:40.566-04:00

American photo? NRA values.

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-85862385940749491812011-10-18T19:09:00.002-04:002011-10-18T19:14:40.304-04:00

Canada's Conservative Party has launched an online petition in support of its long held commitment to repeal the long gun registry. The Conservative Party says that funding is desperately needed to crack down on Internet fraud. House of Commons Standing Orders are clear.  Petitions must include original signatures and addresses of the petitioners. Obviously, an electronic form doesn't qualify

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-30938280732165121552011-10-17T21:20:00.001-04:002011-10-17T21:20:42.036-04:00

The gun lobby was fighting to make it easier to arm criminals, terrorists and child soldiers. Thanks Nathan.

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-47970610659333452092011-10-14T18:58:00.002-04:002011-10-14T19:02:23.834-04:00

Walmart

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-27815996496246009572011-10-13T20:58:00.001-04:002011-10-13T20:59:40.856-04:00

Earlier today, members of the European Parliament voted 624-17 to complete the implementation of the United Nations Firearms Protocol, the international standard for firearms regulation. The results of the vote are telling.  Sensible gun laws draw broad support from every political grouping, from right to left, in Parliament.  Every mainstream (and some less than mainstream) political party in

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-79368638488879189352011-10-09T15:39:00.001-04:002011-10-10T09:45:20.810-04:00

Reading today's Postmedia story about labour union spending during the 2011 federal election campaign led this blog to wonder about other third party spending. Reviewing the listing of third parties on the Elections Canada website, two groups familiar to this blog for their long time opposition to sensible gun laws drew our attention. So how did they do? The BCWF Political Action Alliance was

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-91252743000382669872011-10-02T14:58:00.000-04:002011-10-02T14:58:27.080-04:00

Gun lobby endorsed NDP leadership candidate Nathan Cullen declares “I am a gun-control candidate.”

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-22982411399786051172011-09-30T20:48:00.000-04:002011-09-30T20:48:14.466-04:00

Gun violence against me: scary and bad Gun violence against vulnerable women and children: not so much

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-15066254892656152772011-07-24T10:45:00.002-04:002011-07-24T10:47:04.346-04:00

Preparing to massacre his fellow Norwegians, Anders Berhing Breivik found it impossible to illegally acquire a machine gun. Having failed in that effort, he purchased a Ruger Mini-14 which he described as "the most "army like" rifle allowed in Norway, although it is considered a "poor man's" AR-15." It was a deadly choice. Meanwhile, Canada is preparing to deregulate the Ruger Mini-14.

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-86012482391746420912011-07-15T19:00:00.000-04:002011-07-15T19:00:51.222-04:00

When guns are killing people in foreign places, the NDP has a clear position, Canada should do whatever we can to stop it. When they're killing vulnerable women and children in Canada, not so much.

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-14363238041171125062011-07-10T19:19:00.000-04:002011-07-10T19:19:05.261-04:00

During his most recent infrequent visit to Calgary, Stephen Harper told Conservative supporters that his government would finally get around to repealing the life saving long gun registry. Three questions Now that the NDP is the Official Opposition, will the NDP caucus take a clear position on the life saving long gun registry? Will they bother to whip that position? And what will the NDP

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-70474712650145170572011-06-09T19:57:00.001-04:002011-06-09T19:59:26.705-04:00

When the Auditor General first reported about the gun registry, she told Canadians that "What's really inexcusable is that Parliament was in the dark" about the cost of building the long gun registry. Then opposition Canadian Alliance MP Garry Breitkreuz fed upon that anger.  He thought that heads should roll: Obviously accountability means nothing to the government because all three are still

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-2315013640271416732011-05-20T17:21:00.000-04:002011-05-20T17:21:21.016-04:00

Please do not write your newly elected Member of Parliament. You're just not smart enough to know what you actually want.  You may not even realize the depth of your ignorance. With all due respect, Canada's gun lobby

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-85239910344054625992011-05-05T21:20:00.004-04:002011-05-05T21:42:49.763-04:00

A couple of days ago, former Liberal organizer David Herle was asked by the CBC to set down his views on the desirability of a merger between the Liberal Party and the NDP.  He doesn't much like it.  That column can be found here. As a Liberal Party member for almost 30 years, some of Herle's arguments simply annoy me and I feel obliged to respond. It's not that I necessarily support

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-9854682677205844122011-05-05T17:58:00.002-04:002011-05-05T17:58:57.467-04:00

Does the word coop have one or two syllables?

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-20801124477212820922011-05-04T21:52:00.000-04:002011-05-04T21:52:12.693-04:00

There is a real irony that the obvious need for this NDP call for more democratic riding distribution in Saskatchewan is a consequence of this NDP call for more democratic riding distribution in Saskatchewan.

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-23580044471065726662011-05-01T08:22:00.000-04:002011-05-01T08:22:24.692-04:00

Over the course of this campaign, New Democrats have taken a number different and sometimes incompatible positions on the life saving long gun registry. Which do you prefer? 1) Municipal option 2) Support the gun registry 3) Take no stand but promise an independent vote. 4) Scrap the registration of long guns. Keep the registration of handguns. 5) National referendum on the long gun

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-19133119200881695082011-04-28T13:17:00.000-04:002011-04-28T13:17:25.016-04:00

Interlake Spectator (Manitoba) April 27, 2011 Palsson (NDP) – "I would introduce a private members bill to let the municipalities decide whether or not they want it—Let the cities have it if they want," he said.

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-39284190802900434132011-04-26T18:45:00.000-04:002011-04-26T18:45:16.868-04:00

Today we learn that a handpicked Harper Tory gun control advisor and the man responsible for the largest single terrorist attack on US soil prior to 9/11 found inspiration from the same book. Think about that for a moment.

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-45439596236768546402011-04-24T16:28:00.000-04:002011-04-24T16:28:24.475-04:00

Sudbury Star April 23, 2011 Rejecting criticism from Nickel Belt Conservative candidate Lynne Reynolds that he had "lied" about the registry, Gravelle said he simply changed his mind. "I've gotten emails from gun owners who've registered their guns and can't see what the problem is," Gravelle said. "I got an email from a police officer forwarded to me which read; 'A lot of police officers have

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-90822076103573055532011-04-23T22:17:00.001-04:002011-04-23T22:18:06.050-04:00

There's nothing to suggest that November 25, 2010  - the International Day to End Violence against Women - was an unusual day in Alberta. On that day, 816 women and 771 children sought assistance from Alberta's 42 family violence shelters. Of those seeking assistance, 4.5% of the women had been threatened with a gun. That's why the Alberta Council of Women's Shelters publicly supports the long

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-91052940039750362172011-04-23T20:16:00.001-04:002011-04-23T20:18:40.552-04:00

April 23, 2011 Dear Jack, Recent media reports suggest that you see yourself running to be my next Prime Minister. As you know, the Harper Tories now hold a majority in the Senate.  as you also know, that Harper Tory Senate caucus is more than prepared to use its majority to block the will of the democratically elected House of Commons. I know that the NDP platform calls for the abolition of

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-91776889777006208672011-04-23T10:38:00.001-04:002011-04-23T10:42:55.463-04:00

Until this election, every Jack Layton-led NDP campaign platform has included proposals to deal with illegal guns and gun violence. These include: 2008: Halt the illegal importation of handguns from the United States and target the sale of illegal weapons via the Internet. 2006: Hand guns have no place in our cities. 2004: Banning the sale of all assault rifles and automatic weapons and

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-51275840078513241042011-04-22T18:42:00.001-04:002011-04-22T18:47:04.799-04:00

It one thing to have been endorsed by the organized gun lobby for opposing the life saving long gun registry as a number of NDP MPs and candidates have been. That's disturbing enough. It's a whole different degree of disturbing to see an NDP candidate leaping in the gun lobby's arms like a long lost lover. Ick.

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-3201753165232833432011-04-22T10:31:00.000-04:002011-04-22T10:31:24.503-04:00

Kelowna Capital News April 22, 2011 Finnis said he personally supports the registry and said he was disappointed some NDP MPs did not. He said Canadians have to register their cars and boats, so they should also have to register their guns.

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-62111945296190510002011-04-22T07:31:00.000-04:002011-04-22T07:31:30.318-04:00

In the United States, when radical gun owner groups compare themselves to the victims of Nazi Holocaust, politicians speak out. In Canada, when a handpicked advisor to the Harper Tory government compares hard working Canadian cops to Hitler's SS in the middle of an election campaign, there's nothing but crickets. It's really kind of sad.

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-53570510674968807342011-04-21T19:12:00.001-04:002011-04-21T19:13:04.837-04:00

This time, it's Vancouver Island North Ronna-Rae Leonard NDP candidate who is trying to be all things to all people: Leonard did not take a stand on the registry itself but said the private members bill to abolish the registry was an opportunity for MPs to vote independently.Which turns out to be nothing to nobody.

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-24730832673070747572011-04-21T07:44:00.000-04:002011-04-21T07:44:59.973-04:00

Lacombe Globe April 20, 2011 What should be done about the long gun registry? Scrap the unrestricted (long gun) registry, but the restricted (handgun) registry should stay.

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-67758690505019037902011-04-20T19:27:00.000-04:002011-04-20T19:27:12.746-04:00

74% of Canadians support Canada's integrated gun gun control program. So why is Jack Layton still pandering to the 22% who oppose Canada's life saving long gun registry?

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-57355099823831180652011-04-19T22:56:00.000-04:002011-04-19T22:56:39.643-04:00

Yet another way for the NDP not to defend the life saving long gun registry. The NDP candidate said one of the major issues on the Conservatives' agenda is the abolition of the national long-gun registry. While he's personally ambivalent about the registry, Alli said, he'd like to see a national referendum held about it to get the people's vote on it.

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-68801595221351158542011-04-19T22:42:00.000-04:002011-04-19T22:42:24.156-04:00

Extremism in the pursuit of a goal is still extremism  A couple of days ago, we wrote about a hand picked Harper gun policy advisor who compared Canadian police officers to Hitler's genocidal SS. It reminded us of George H.W. Bush's resignation from the National Rifle Association when its leadership refered to American law enforcement officers as jack booted thugs. But then nothing happened.

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-68260010592266882322011-04-18T21:34:00.000-04:002011-04-18T21:34:39.948-04:00

"The successor to the throne is a man," Harper said. "The next successor to the throne is a man. I don't think Canadians want to open a debate on the monarchy or constitutional matters at this time.

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-39062777376335353632011-04-18T21:16:00.001-04:002011-04-18T21:30:24.702-04:00

...and a-b-o-u-t  t-w-e-n-t-y people showed up? (Yes, we used hyphens to make the crowd look bigger.)

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-12904418144235655662011-04-18T20:10:00.000-04:002011-04-18T20:10:14.171-04:00

Much as been written recently about the NDP's recent breakthrough in polls in Quebec. Like Brian Mulroney, the NDP seems to be drawing well among the so called "soft nationalist" vote. New Democrats tell Quebecois voters that their party: 1. Recognizes that Quebec is a nation within Canada; 2. Promotes a cooperative and asymmetrical federalism that recognizes the right of Quebec to opt out

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-63189601063549904072011-04-18T07:58:00.001-04:002011-04-18T07:58:52.470-04:00

Kootenay-Columbia NDP candidate Mark Shmigelsky has a gun registry plan. It's not a very good plan but it is his plan:If the gun registry issues comes again I will sit down with Rod & Gun clubs to find how we all feel, whether we are for it or against it, and that's how we are going to vote. That's direct democracy, we need more of that.And then he's going to talk to Pentacostal churches to

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-70019462085956684162011-04-17T09:26:00.000-04:002011-04-17T09:26:35.531-04:00

Fighting the gun registry. Fighting democratic engagement. Just another day in Stephen Harper's Canada.

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-46817757251610382932011-04-15T23:58:00.000-04:002011-04-15T23:58:26.894-04:00

If an experienced NDP candidate in rural Central Alberta can stand up for the long gun registry, why won't Jack Layton?

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-18616565157723507812011-04-13T21:51:00.001-04:002011-04-13T22:43:26.487-04:00

What is about the individuals appointed to the Harper Tory Government's radical anti-gun control advisory panel that makes Canadian families nervous? Is it that a bunch of them are also on the board of directors of the Canadian Shooting Sports Association (CSSA), Canada's NRA endorsed gun lobby? Not really, but that certainly suggests the lack of imagination that went into the creation of the

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-385957094733918712011-04-13T19:31:00.000-04:002011-04-13T19:31:46.059-04:00

Marxist-Leninist endorses Stephen Harper's gun registry repeal plan.

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-31575624631194343772011-04-13T08:03:00.003-04:002011-09-30T20:47:10.711-04:00

Canada's oldest gun lobby group recently released its Federal Election Candidate Grades and Guide for Voters. It's little surprise to learn that the Conservative Party has the most candidates with a passing grade.  They remain committed to continuing to talk about repealing the life saving long gun registry. With the NDP's refusal to take a clear yes or no stand on the future of the life saving

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-29394461252695641112011-04-12T07:53:00.001-04:002011-04-12T07:53:55.149-04:00

In 2006, Jack Layton's NDP had a clear program on gun violence. For example, on handguns, the NDP platform read: In many urban areas, disputes are increasingly being settled by gunfire, as guns are often seen as a status symbol. This normalization of gun culture needs to be changed, and illegal guns – many of them imported from the U.S. or stolen from homes – must be taken off the street. Hand

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-46746610312948468212011-04-11T18:48:00.000-04:002011-04-11T18:48:27.828-04:00

...it seems.

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-72342398392940958082011-04-11T16:05:00.001-04:002011-04-11T16:08:51.080-04:00

Even before the NDP released its platform, we were resigned to the fact that Jack Layton and the NDP will refuse to stand up for vulnerable Canadians and commit his party to protect the life saving long gun registry.  So what is the NDP plan to deal with gun crime and firearms violence? It turns out that there isn't one.  Neither the word "gun" nor the word "firearm" appears in the NDP

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10293477.post-87921792896678988252011-04-11T15:23:00.000-04:002011-04-11T15:23:39.080-04:00

Once upon a time, the Harper Tories didn't seem terribly concerned about the appropriateness of commenting on the contents of a leaked Auditor General report. It appears, however, that John Baird thinks that leaked AG reports need to be much more closely parsed when they involve a $50 million slush fund operated by Harper Tory insiders and friends. Bully for John Baird.

C4SRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12311119899148565198noreply@blogger.com0