CSSA COMMENTARY: RCMP USE NEW GUN BANS TO EMBARRASS THE GOVERNMENT

[Mad Hatter]

http://www.cdnshootingsports.org/201..._20140301.html

CANADIAN SHOOTING SPORTS ASSOCIATION / CANADIAN INSTITUTE FOR LEGISLATIVE ACTION

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COMMENTARY: RCMP USE NEW GUN BANS TO EMBARRASS THE GOVERNMENT

The Mounties have reinforced the need for a firearms expert technical committee

Remember when the Royal Canadian Mounted Police made everyone feel proud?

That ship has sailed. As morale (and morals) within the RCMP have been ebbing steadily for years, the firearms confiscation machine is the straw that broke the horse's back. Gun owners across the country – whether or not they own Swiss Arms rifles – are incensed over the RCMP reclassification of the Swiss Arms series of rifles from unrestricted to prohibited.

Just when you thought it couldn't get worse, the Mounties used the old one-two punch tactic by prohibiting the CZ-858 rifle, which is much more popular than the Swiss Arms rifles and widely owned by sport shooters. We hope gun owners will take a breath – hysterical news reports and blogs should be taken in context. Responsible firearms owners are the players in an elaborate game of chess.

Think the RCMP doesn't enjoy politics? The sudden reclassifications have been configured to convince gun owners that the Harper government lacks the authority or guts to stand up to arbitrary gun bans. As Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney girds for battle, however, the top cops at the RCMP may well wish they hadn't poked the Lion from Lévis-Bellechasse.

Blaney is a man who doesn’t like bullies. He knows that the Swiss Arms rifles in question are the sports cars of the shooting world and priced in the $3,000-$4,000 range. Blaney knows the Swiss Arms and the CZ-858 are popular hunting and range rifles that hold little interest for criminals. He also knows that the RCMP is taking a special delight in kicking sand in Stephen Harper's face on gun issues. With the next federal election looming and opposition polls solidifying, the RCMP want to chip away at the resolve of firearms owners by showcasing a government that can't or won't thwart gun bans.

Don't believe it. There have been a few allegations that the CSSA has gone dark during this controversy. Don't believe that, either. While the firearms community is running scared and typing tales of woe on Facebook, the CSSA is helping Minister Blaney and his advisers find the tools to oppose the Mounties' agenda.

When is the last time you heard a public safety minister publicly admonish our national police force for exceeding its mandate? This is without precedent, and gun owners need to appreciate that this is the stuff of nation-building.

Blaney made the following statement to media even before the CZ-858 ban – imagine his tone now: “I am upset by this unacceptable decision regarding Swiss Arms rifles,” he said Friday. “This decision was made by bureaucrats, not elected officials. I have therefore ordered an urgent review of this unfortunate situation. All options are on the table to ensure that no firearms owner who acted in good faith suffers any consequence as a result of this situation.”

Those are fighting words for gun owners' rights – and rest assured they come from from the top. As the reckless RCMP brass tries once again to wag the dog, Minister Blaney's people are working overtime to minimize the prohibition damage. Gun owners who do not support that effort unequivocally do themselves and their community as disservice. There is a good chance we will all eventually be grateful to the RCMP for playing dirty, because they have finally forced the federal government to become frustrated and actively involved in the gun classification game.

We know for a fact that the minister's staff is examining possible regulatory initiatives, compensation and many other avenues. Bill C-68 was created to facilitate exactly this kind of bureaucratic power play, so all the more reason to overhaul it entirely. In fairness, the CSSA is aware that many police officers – including some who serve with the RCMP – disagreed with the recent prohib classifications and suffer quiet embarrassment.

There is a canny and convenient solution. The CSSA has long advocated striking a firearms expert technical committee to determine classification. We recommend (again) a six-person committee of people with deep technical knowledge of firearms specs and history appointed by the public safety minister.

Some sport shooters fear the committee could be co-opted by a future anti-gun government and used against them. That is no reason to oppose the committee. Nothing will stop a future left-wing administration from banning whatever they want, with or without a committee of experts in place. Canadian sport shooters need the right people in charge of classifications who will look forward AND backward at the lists of restricted and prohibited guns. Gun owners need those lists examined in the full light of day.

All gun owners should advocate for this committee before a Liberal/NDP coalition tries to hang up all the guns that don't belong to the military and the police. Don't forget to mention it when you correspond with elected officials. It's our right.

[Prairie Dog]

[Haywire1]

actually just sent this off to the govt today:

As a loyal Canadian, I must say that the recent actions of the R.C.M.P. have saddened and disturbed me greatly. As a firearms owner, I watched as bill c68 with all its nonsensical feel good and useless provisions was passed, overnight turning law abiding citizens into criminals. I and millions of firearms owners followed with excitement as the Government struck down the long gun registry, and hoped that it was a sign that no longer would citizens who agree to follow difficult laws and regulations, agree to suffer intrusive background checks, references interviews etc be treated like criminals for simply wishing to purchase, own and use a simple tool.


It is obvious to anyone that the RCMP and the CFC is aggressively pursuing law abiding citizens in an effort to ban and remove as many firearms from Canadians as possible. It is their job to enforce the laws, and not to create them, or to refuse to follow the law and stonewalling and frustrating firearms owners to the point they simply give up. There are over 1.9 million firearms owners in this country, all of which have bent over backwards to comply with feel good laws passed by the clueless. Things such as magazine limits, length limits, telling us what we can and cannot own, and where we can own them are all unnecessary burdens on Canadian citizens. Let me say it bluntly, CRIMINALS DO NOT FOLLOW THE LAWS. passing restrictive laws only penalizes the law abiding, it doesn't affect criminals one bit.

In closing, I formally request that the Canadian Government, who exists to represent me, and be my voice pass legislation repealing bill c68, bill c17, all sections of the criminal code regarding firearms ownership, replacing it with common sense laws created by industry experts, with input from people with actual knowledge, rather than internet/movie experts. I call for the abolition of the entire list of OIC firearms, as not one of them is prohibited for any reason other than looks. I call for the creation of an independent office without any connection to the RCMP, or any other police force to oversee licensing and administration. I call on severe public censure of the RCMP for their actions, as well as the firing of Bob Paulson.

I apologize for the length of this letter, but it is important that you, my elected representative understand the deep anger which I feel over being made into a criminal overnight, by the actions of an out of control police force. I am also deeply concerned, as are the other 1.9 million firearms owners over the seizure of my personal property. I do not want compensation, I do not want a special license. I want Prime Minister Harper to live up to the promise he made to us when we gave him his first govt. Scrap the entirety of the current firearms act and replace it with a Conservative, common sense replacement. The fact that we gave him a majority Govt when he promised to scrap the long gun registry should be proof enough of our will.

[Strewth]

Good article; I appreciate the CSSA mentioning that we may come to thank the RCMP for bringing the FA into the light of day(where it can hopefully shrivel and die), and that not all RCMP officers are behind this mess either.
The idea of a committee that actually knows a Mauser from an Enfield would go a long way towards appeasing my anger.

[stevesummit]

Why do I get the feeling the CSSA is trying play catch up here with the NFA bringing this forward and motivating the community ! I really find the CSSA lags in forwarding information. I've been a member for a year now and haven't seen much come from them that seems to work

[Foxer]

Why do I get the feeling the CSSA is trying play catch up here with the NFA bringing this forward and motivating the community ! I really find the CSSA lags in forwarding information. I've been a member for a year now and haven't seen much come from them that seems to work

Doesn't matter right now - we need all the orgs and all the owners pulling in the same direction. Late to the party or not, we have to apply as much pressure as possible. I'm sure if we get a win they'll try to claim credit IT's what they do. But - at the end of the day all that matters right now is that they're in the fight. As long as they don't screw it up by trying to look the hero I'm glad they're there.

[Carguy2550]

Doesn't matter right now - we need all the orgs and all the owners pulling in the same direction. Late to the party or not, we have to apply as much pressure as possible. I'm sure if we get a win they'll try to claim credit IT's what they do. But - at the end of the day all that matters right now is that they're in the fight. As long as they don't screw it up by trying to look the hero I'm glad they're there.

Thank-you. We all need to be united on this, regardless of whether you're a handgun person, trap shooter, or farmer. Division is a common tactic among antis. In the words of one of my casual e-mail corespondants, who happens to have a podcast that has more listeners than CNN has viewers, "Unity and activisim is the key. Stand strong, and I will not comply."

[Ben]

Why do I get the feeling the CSSA is trying play catch up here with the NFA bringing this forward and motivating the community ! I really find the CSSA lags in forwarding information. I've been a member for a year now and haven't seen much come from them that seems to work

The NFA and CSSA have different approaches, that's all. One is trying to work the front line while the other is trying to flank, but with both org looking at the same goal.

[Foxer]

The NFA and CSSA have different approaches, that's all. One is trying to work the front line while the other is trying to flank, but with both org looking at the same goal.

That isn't always the case with those two but i do believe it is here, and where it HAS been the case in the past they have enjoyed remarkable success. As long as they're both on the same page with regards to what the acceptable resloution to this is (and i believe they are) the whole 'one - two punch' thing seems to be quite effective.

[Ben]

That isn't always the case with those two but i do believe it is here, and where it HAS been the case in the past they have enjoyed remarkable success. As long as they're both on the same page with regards to what the acceptable resloution to this is (and i believe they are) the whole 'one - two punch' thing seems to be quite effective.

Yup - not always the case, but this is one of these things that "divide and concur" MUST be marching orders in both camps.