Canada, United States, Mexico
US Guns Fuel Both Mexican Drug Wars and Canadian Gang Violence
Canadian Press
4 July 2008
VANCOUVER -- Illicit guns that make their way across the U.S. border into Canada are a serious problem but a relative nuisance compared with the desperate battle being fought on the U.S.-Mexico border, say officials. More than 4,000 people -- including hundreds of police officers -- have died in the last 18 months as the Mexican government battles the country's powerful drug cartels. Border cities such as Tijuana and Ciudad Juarez... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Alberta Police Try to Seize Guns, Take Licence from Ex-Crown Prosecutor
Red Deer Advocate (Alberta)
3 July 2008
Police are trying to stop a longtime Red Deer Crown prosecutor from possessing guns. Red Deer RCMP have applied for a prohibition order to be placed on Morrey Ferries, the chief Crown prosecutor said on Wednesday. "If police feel that there's a basis to believe that someone shouldn't have firearms, they can make an application to the court," Anders Quist said. Police have also applied through the courts to dispose... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada, United States
Rumour Has it that 97% of US-Canada Gun Smuggling Goes Undetected
Canadian Press
3 July 2008
VANCOUVER -- It was almost 5 a.m. when a suburban Vancouver police officer nearing the end of his shift watched a car's uncertain journey down a street a few kilometres north of the Canada-U.S. border. "He wasn't certain that perhaps we've got an impaired driver, somebody who is lost...," Const. Sharlene Brooks, spokeswoman for police in Delta, says of the routine traffic stop last Sept. 27. Instead, a search of the vehicle,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada, United States
Figures Show Canadians, Americans Far Safer in Homes Without Guns
Sudbury Star (Ontario), Editorial
2 July 2008
The numbers are so compelling, but do we pay attention? They involve guns, murders and suicides and they show us that we are far safer not to be within reach of a firearm, though almost one third of us live in a household with one. Are we stubborn, because it is our right to own a gun? Or do we just not pay attention to the dormant death their presence represents? Research released in the U. S. last week showed that suicides... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Overturning Washington's Handgun Ban May Make US Cities Safer
Toronto Sun (Ontario)
2 July 2008
When the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Washington's ban on handguns, our beloved mayor warned this would add to gun violence in Toronto. The mayor is out to lunch -- fear mongering. Again. Under Mayor David Miller's prodding, city council recently voted 31-9 to ban gun clubs in Toronto, hopefully en route to making Toronto a gun-free city. Superficially, it's convenient for those who blame guns for the violence that has been blossoming... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Toronto, Ontario Poll Shows 50% Want Total Ban on Handguns
Toronto Sun (Ontario)
1 July 2008
It may soon be time for gun owners to bid their weapons adieu if the federal government takes heed of mounting public opinion that favours a firearms ban. According to a poll conducted last month by Angus Reid Strategies, half of Ontarians surveyed think gun bans are justified, and 9-in-10 think mandatory jail terms will reduce gun-related crimes. Though handguns are already banned -- except for police and security officers,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Canadian Firearm Task Force Seizes 75 Guns in Drug Bust: 8 Arrested
London Free Press (Ontario)
27 June 2008
Another big bust has been made in the local police battle against guns, drugs and gangs in a targetted crackdown. Eight men and teens have been charged with drug possession and trafficking, police said, adding drugs with a street value of about $36,000 have been seized along with $7,000 in cash as a result of the latest investigation of Project Disarm. Officers assigned to the project, supported by emergency response and... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Toronto Bans Gun Clubs on City Property, Offers Help with Relocation
Toronto Star (Ontario)
24 June 2008
It was attacked as a waste of time and "hullabaloo" but in the end Mayor David Miller's "city-based" measures to address gun violence in Toronto won council approval yesterday. The most controversial aspect of the 16-point plan is the cancellation of a lease and permit for two recreational gun clubs that operate separately in city-run facilities -- one in a community centre in Scarborough, the other in Union Station. The... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Toronto Pulls Trigger on Gun Clubs, Evicts Shooting Ranges from City
Globe & Mail (Toronto)
24 June 2008
Two gun clubs on city property - including one in the rafters of Union Station -- will get the boot under Mayor David Miller's new rules aimed at curbing the number of handguns in the city, approved yesterday by city council. After a near daylong debate, council voted 31-9 for a policy that prevents new gun clubs and manufacturers from setting up in the city. The two affected gun clubs -- the Scarborough Rifle Club at the... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada, United States
38 Arrested, Linked to Large-scale Gun Smuggling from US to Canada
City News (Toronto)
20 June 2008
Near the end of what's been one of the most violent months Toronto has seen for some time, police say they've crippled the operations of various organized crime groups that banded together to smuggle guns into Ontario from the United States in exchange for drugs. On Friday the Ontario Provincial Police released more details about the two-year investigation dubbed Project Blackhawk that authorities say dealt a serious blow to the... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, Canada
Chicago Shop Owner Charged With Smuggling 220 Guns to Canada - Feds
Franklin Park Herald-Journal (Illinois)
20 June 2008
A former Franklin Park gun shop owner was charged Thursday with violating the federal Arms Export Control Act, allegedly for exporting 220 firearms to Canada. Agents from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms took Ugur Yildiz into custody without incident near his home in Park Ridge, said federal law enforcement agents in a press release. He is in federal custody pending... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Licensed Canadian Gun Collector Walks on 50 Trafficking Charges
Winnipeg Free Press (Manitoba)
20 June 2008
A man accused of letting two dozen high-powered guns fall into the wrong hands has walked free on a legal technicality, the Free Press has learned. Terry Gale was arrested in 2002 following a raid on his Fort Rouge home. It was the largest weapons investigation in Manitoba history. Gale's case finally made it to court this month -- but the case abruptly collapsed earlier this week when a judge ruled Winnipeg police breached... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada, United States
Licensed Chicago Gun Dealer Smuggled 220 Guns to Canada, Say Police
Windsor Star (Ontario)
20 June 2008
A former Chicago-area gun dealer looking to divest himself of his firearms stock crossed the Ambassador Bridge in a minivan in 2006 carrying 220 guns that he loaded in a Windsor storage locker before they found their way to the hands of criminals elsewhere in the province. Ugur "Mike" Yildiz was arrested by agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) near his... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Nearly Half of Toronto's Traceable Crime Guns Came from Canadians
Toronto Star (Ontario)
20 June 2008
Of 2,603 firearms recovered by Toronto police last year, 817 were classed as "crime guns" -- meaning they had been used (or were suspected to have been used) in a crime, were illegally owned or had the serial number obliterated. About 45 per cent, or 366, of the 817 crime guns were pistols or revolvers, weapons that Mayor David Miller wants to ban, along with evicting gun clubs from city property and restricting the manufacture... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, Canada
US Feds Arrest Former Gun Shop Owner, Allege Large-scale Trafficking
Chicago Sun-Times (Illinois)
20 June 2008
The former owner of a controversial suburban gun store is charged with illegally exporting hundreds of firearms -- two of which were used in attempted murders in Canada, according to a criminal complaint unsealed Thursday in federal court in Chicago. Ugur Yildiz, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Turkey, ran Chicagoland Bells gun shop in Franklin Park until 2005, when the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives revoked... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Passenger Tried to Board with Handgun, Ammunition at Canadian Airport
Calgary Sun (Alberta)
18 June 2008
Vigilant airport staff were able to prevent a man from boarding a Saskatchewan-bound flight allegedly with a pistol in his luggage yesterday afternoon. It's not clear what the man, who was promptly arrested by Calgary Police Service members stationed at the airport, intended to do. Security staff at Calgary International Airport noticed a pistol and rounds for the weapon allegedly stowed in the man's carry-on luggage, as... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Licensed Gun Dealer Lost 29 Handguns in British Colombia Theft
Prince George Citizen (British Columbia)
17 June 2008
A man has been charged with more than 200 criminal offences after RCMP pulled over a vehicle containing 29 guns. RCMP said the man was heading through the Prince George area Friday after a major gun theft from a store in Fort St. John and was on his way to organized crime contacts in the Lower Mainland. Mounties caught up with him in Williams Lake. "If those guns had made it to the street, who knows how they might... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
More Handgun Shootings in Toronto: Government Rejects Handgun Ban
Toronto Sun (Ontario)
17 June 2008
A handgun ban isn't the answer to Toronto's gun violence, Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day insists. "Studies in a variety of jurisdictions around the world show that if you want to see gun crime reduced you've got to go after the criminals," Day said during a press conference at Polson Pier yesterday. He said a Canada-wide handgun ban would divert limited police resources to "going after innocent firearm owners." ... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Two Young Men Shot in Possible Toronto Carjacking 'Unknown to Police'
Globe & Mail (Toronto)
14 June 2008
TORONTO -- It was just after midnight yesterday when Alan Dudeck's cellphone rang, bearing the worst tidings a parent could hear: His son, Oliver Martin, and his son's lifelong friend Dylan Ellis had just been shot. The two young men had been heading home from a friend's apartment after watching a basketball game, and the frantic call came from a close friend of Mr. Martin. "He said, 'Get down to St. Mike's [hospital] right... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada, United States
27 Handguns, Machine Pistols Seized from US-Canada Gun Runners
Windsor Star (Ontario)
11 June 2008
Police have severed the pipeline of an international criminal organization that was allegedly smuggling high-powered, illegal firearms into Windsor to trade them to Toronto gangs for ecstasy. The eight-month undercover investigation, which centred on Windsor and involved authorities on both sides of the border, has resulted in the arrest of five people in Detroit and a brother, 18, and sister, 21, in South Windsor. Investigators... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada, United States
Canada Cracks Smuggling Ring, Seizes US Handguns, Machine Pistols
Windsor Star (Ontario)
10 June 2008
Police have cut the supply line of an organized gun smuggling ring and arrested two Windsorites, following an eight-month joint investigation into the flow of high-powered, illegal firearms through Windsor. Investigators said the guns came from the U.S. and were funnelled through Windsor -- where police focused their investigation -- and destined for Toronto. Canadian investigators seized 27 firearms, ammunition magazines... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Canadian Back Country Gun Shop Loses Handguns in Ram Raid
CKFU Radio (British Columbia)
9 June 2008
FORT ST. JOHN -- Backcountry Sports was the target of a brash robbery early Sunday morning. At just before 4 am, suspects drove right through the front doors of the store, and continued to about half-way through the building. They then pried open some of the showcases and made off with an undisclosed amount of hand guns. The suspects then backed the vehicle out of the store causing more damage on the way out. Now,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada, United States
Canadian Dealers Import Guns as Movie Props, Sell to Gangs [Francais]
Presse canadienne
8 June 2008
[Translated summary: A Royal Canadian Mounted Police police report says gun dealers exploited a legal loophole to import handguns, assault weapons and machine guns from the United States as movie-props, then sell them to drug gangs]. OTTAWA -- Des armes à feu destinées à servir d'accessoires pour des acteurs de cinéma aboutissent entre les mains de véritables criminels à cause d'une "échappatoire" dans les lois canadiennes.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada, United States
Canadian Gun Dealers Exploit Movie-prop 'Loophole' to Arm Drug Gangs
Canadian Press
8 June 2008
OTTAWA -- Guns intended for make-believe action on the silver screen are winding up in the hands of real-life criminals due to a "loophole" in Canadian laws, says an RCMP intelligence report. Some firearms dealers in British Columbia have taken advantage of movie production companies filming in various Canadian locations, says the newly declassified report on trends in gun trafficking and smuggling. Special permits allow... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Toronto Military Museum Loses Disabled Machine Guns to Burglars
Toronto Sun (Ontario)
8 June 2008
A Queen's Own Rifles display at Casa Loma was ransacked by burglars. Stolen in the break-in at the Kiwanis Club-operated castle were a Bren gun and a Sten gun (World War II-era British sub-machineguns), a .303-calibre Lee-Enfield rifle and a rare Queen's Own Rifle helmet. Toronto Police Staff-Sgt. Dan Sabadics said the best clue they have is the trail of blood left by one of the burglars after apparently cutting himself... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Canadian Sport Minister Slams Toronto Mayor's Attempt to Ban Gun Clubs
Toronto Star (Ontario), Letter
4 June 2008
Re: Miller's new gun gambit misses mark; Column, June 3 I am writing to clarify the impact that Mayor David Miller's proposal to shut down sport shooting ranges would have on the Canadian sport system. This is an Olympic year and Canadians from coast to coast to coast will soon be cheering on Canadian athletes in their quest for excellence in Beijing. I believe it is incumbent on leaders at all levels of government to join in such... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Toronto Councillors Back Down on City-wide Ban of All Gun Clubs
Toronto Star (Ontario)
4 June 2008
Mayor David Miller's powerful executive committee has reversed course on part of a proposed anti-firearms policy after getting an earful from the gun lobby. A city report on measures to address gun violence in Toronto called for several steps, the most controversial being to terminate leases with two gun clubs that run shooting ranges on city property at Union Station and a Scarborough community centre. The committee instead... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Toronto Mayor Triggers Gun Club Anger in Push to Ban City Sport Shooting
Globe & Mail (Toronto)
4 June 2008
Gun enthusiasts, including an Olympic sport shooter, confronted Toronto Mayor David Miller yesterday over his plan to shut down two shooting ranges on city property and ban all new gun clubs, persuading his executive committee to offer a kind of reprieve. After nearly six hours of hearings and debate, the mayor and his executive committee voted to recommend that city council allow the two gun clubs -- one in the rafters of Union... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Mayor's Proposal to Close All Toronto's Gun Clubs Misses the Mark
Toronto Star (Ontario), Column
3 June 2008
Not content with the call for a ban on handguns, Mayor David Miller wants to close down shooting ranges and gun clubs on city-owned facilities. And he wants changes that would prohibit the manufacture, warehousing, distribution and discharging of handguns anywhere. Earlier this year, Miller called for a nationwide ban on handguns. The majority of citizens responded with, "Me, too." Today, the mayor has moved a reasonable,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Toronto Politicians Hear Impassioned Pleas to Ban, Not Ban City Gun Clubs
CTV News (Toronto)
3 June 2008
Gun enthusiasts voiced their displeasure on Tuesday over Toronto Mayor David Miller's plan to shut down the two gun clubs on city-owned facilities, while opponents and the police board threw their support behind the proposal. In his latest bid to tackle the problem of illegal guns, Miller has proposed closing the clubs, including the 40-year-old Scarborough Rifle Club. Some gun owners fired off at an executive meeting at... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Gun Dealers Broke Law, Sold Thousands of Weapons to Canadian Criminals
Vancouver Province (British Columbia)
1 June 2008
In B.C., the RCMP's chief firearms officer can supply decommissioned guns to certified gun-safety course instructors, a federal RCMP firearms centre official told The Province. To be decommissioned, the weapons have their firing pins ground off or removed, or parts removed from the trigger mechanism. Those guns can come from border seizures, they can be handed over by the courts, or turned in by individuals, but are generally not... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Mounties Raid Gun Dealer, Ex-Cop, Firearm Lobbyist Over Gun Trafficking
Vancouver Province (British Columbia)
1 June 2008
A long-serving Vancouver police veteran and a Delta firearms-training company are at the centre of an RCMP investigation into the trafficking of guns, some of which are believed to be ending up in the hands of B.C. gangs. The secretive criminal probe involves the sale of decommissioned guns -- easily reassembled and gunsmithed back into working order -- to Lower Mainland gangsters, a police source told The Province. Gordon... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Campaign for Canadian Handgun Ban Grows as Collector Loses 125 Guns
Toronto Star (Ontario)
30 May 2008
QUEBEC CITY -- Two big-city mayors have gotten behind Mayor David Miller's push for a national handgun ban. Montreal Mayor Gerald Tremblay has sent Miller a letter of support for the ban, and Mayor Peter Kelly of Halifax -- who attended the Big City Mayors caucus meeting here yesterday along with Miller and several other Canadian mayors -- is also onside. Miller has launched an online anti-handgun petition on the City of... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
60 Guns Seized in Saskatchewan Included 'Weapons No-one Can Have'
Southwest Booster (Saskatchewan)
29 May 2008
SWIFT CURRENT, Saskatchewan -- Two Mankota district men are facing numerous gun related charges after Ponteix RCMP and other agencies executed a search warrant at their farm property on May 6. The Ponteix RCMP held a press conference this past Friday to display the 60 firearms seized, along with a sample of the related ammunition located with the weapons. On display were 11 handguns, a wooden bat with nails driven through it, 22... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Licensed Toronto Gun Collector Loses 80 'Improperly Stored' Firearms
CITY News (Toronto)
29 May 2008
As Mayor David Miller fights to rid the city of both legal and illegal guns police raided an east end home and seized dozens of firearms and some ammunition. Authorities entered the home in the Queen Street and Victoria Park area early Thursday morning where they removed over 80 guns and several rounds of ammunition apparently belonging to a collector. Police allege the firearms were being stored improperly. Miller... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Canada's 'Shameless Pandering to Gun Lobby' Puts Public at Risk
Windsor Star (Ontario), Opinion
28 May 2008
As Monday's Windsor Star editorial noted (Long guns: An amnesty of convenience), the Harper government recently extended its amnesty for long gun owners who haven't obtained or renewed licences and haven't registered their guns. So those who thumb their noses at the law have been given a free pass for another year. It's hard to know which is more offensive: the government's shameless pandering to the gun lobby at the expense of public safety,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Canadian Criminals Easily Steal Shotguns from Legal Owners - Police
Winnipeg Free Press (Manitoba)
28 May 2008
The shotgun seems to be the firearm of choice for Winnipeg criminals, judging by the sheer number of them police pull off the street. According to Det. Rob Duttchen, a Winnipeg police officer who's a member of the National Weapons Enforcement Support Team (NWEST), the shotgun's status as a non-restricted weapon means they are easy to get, and therefore widely used in crime. "That's the easiest firearm to obtain lawfully.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Canadian Gun Lobby Aims to 'Hurt Toronto,' Punish Mayor for Gun Control
Toronto Sun (Ontario)
28 May 2008
The duel is on. A group representing legal gun owners has vowed to hit Toronto where it hurts the most -- in the economy -- because Mayor David Miller has targeted them in his ongoing battle against gun crime. "Our goal is to hurt the City of Toronto," said Tony Bernardo, of the Canadian Institute for Legislative Action, which speaks for the Canadian Shooting Sports Association. "You can only take being defecated upon for... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Canadian Police Inspector Shot Her Lover, Self in 'Unpreventable' Murder
Canadian Press
28 May 2008
LONDON, Ontario -- There was no way to predict or prevent a tragic murder-suicide last June involving a London, Ont., police officer and her retired colleague, says a report released Wednesday by an arm's-length committee established by the London Police Service. Acting Insp. Kelly Johnson and retired police superintendent David Lucio had just ended an affair when on June 7, 2007, a "desperate" Johnson shot her former lover and... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Gun Enthusiasts Angry at Proposed Bylaw to Ban Firearms in Toronto
Reuters
27 May 2008
TORONTO -- Firearm enthusiasts slammed Toronto's proposed anti-gun measures on Tuesday, which would see shooting ranges, gun clubs and firearm manufacturers banned from Canada's largest city. Toronto Mayor David Miller announced on Monday he will support staff recommendations contained in a new report that recommends restrictions on land use for the manufacture, distribution, assembly, warehousing and discharge of guns as part of... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Gun Owners Threaten Tourist Boycott of Toronto Over Mayor's 'Vile Slander'
National Post (Toronto)
27 May 2008
A group representing gun owners and sport shooters is calling for a tourism boycott of Toronto over a ban on gun clubs, ranges and firearm-related businesses proposed by Mayor David Miller. Tony Bernardo, the director of the Canadian Institute for Legislative Action, said his group and the Canadian Shooting Sports Association will urge Canadian gun owners and their far more numerous American cousins to avoid visiting Toronto this... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada, United States
Ontario Urges Federal Anti-gun Smuggling Measures for US-Canada Border
Niagara Falls Review (Ontario)
27 May 2008
Every gun that is manufactured or imported into Canada should be marked with specific information because it would allow police to quickly trace guns used in crime and break up gun smuggling rings, says Ontario's Attorney General Chris Bentley. "It should have the date, the country where it is manufactured and it should have the location of its manufacturer or the importer," he said Tuesday during a press conference held at Oakes... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Toronto's 'Demagogue' Mayor Redirects Public Anger to Lawful Gun Owners
National Post (Toronto), Editorial
27 May 2008
Let's see if we have this right. Toronto has a problem with young gang members using smuggled handguns to kill one another in rave clubs and warehouses -- and in order to fight this trend, mayor David Miller wants to ... take away target pistols from Olympic shooters and close down law-abiding gun clubs. Mr. Miller's logic is so bizarre, it's hard to know where to begin to dismantle it. He either completely misunderstands the causes... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Toronto's Mayor Wants All Gun Clubs, Sport Shooting Ranges Shut Down
Toronto Star (Ontario)
27 May 2008
Mayor David Miller wants to close recreational shooting ranges in Toronto, along with giving the city power to block gun manufacturers and wholesalers from opening new plants or warehouses. "Nobody can deny that hobby directly results in people being shot and killed on the streets of our city," Miller said of sport shooting yesterday, amid debate on a possible gun bylaw. Canadian Olympic pistol shooter and downtown resident... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
61 Guns, Illegal Pistols, Ammunition Reloader Seized from Canadian Farm
Regina Leader-Post (Saskatchewan)
26 May 2008
REGINA -- Recalling images of the wild west, a cache of five dozen firearms and a baseball bat with spikes hammered into it discovered on a farm in southwest Saskatchewan were put on display for the media Friday. "It certainly is on the higher end of a (weapons) seizure," RCMP Sgt. Carole Raymond said in an interview. Two men are facing 21 charges after Ponteix RCMP, executing a search warrant on a farm in the Mankota area... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Toronto's Gun Clubs Under Fire: City Could Shut Down Sport Shooting
Global TV (Ontario)
26 May 2008
A new report on solutions to gun violence says Toronto should shut down all firing ranges, and change zoning laws to ban businessess from making or distributing the weapons. The report was ordered after the shooting deaths of several innocent bystanders in the city. It outlines what are considered the city's most concrete measures for addressing the problem. Mayor's release: "Toronto Mayor David Miller today announced his... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Toronto Mayor Plans Bylaw to Ban All Private Guns, Anywhere in the City
Toronto Star (Ontario)
25 May 2008
Mayor David Miller wants guns out of Toronto -- and he's backing a tough new bylaw that would ban the manufacture and warehousing of guns in the city. And while Miller says handguns are the particular target of the proposed bylaw, a staff report doesn't distinguish between handguns and rifles and shotguns used in hunting. The bylaw, proposed in a staff report, would give the city zoning powers to restrict or ban the manufacture... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Nearly 50 Rifles Seized During Rural Canadian Drug Bust
Saint John Telegraph-Journal (New Brunswick)
24 May 2008
HAMPTON -- Police were surprised to find nearly 50 weapons during a raid on a rural Kings County home this week. "The large quantity of firearms were particularly surprising to us,"Acting Sgt. Phil Oliver of the Sussex RCMP told reporters at Hampton RCMP headquarters Thursday. "(With) these types of quantities, there is frequently an association with organized crime. Finding firearms of any quantity is a concern, but when... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada, United States
Drug Gangs Smuggle Guns from US as Armed Crime Grows in Vancouver
Vancouver Sun (British Columbia)
23 May 2008
VANCOUVER -- Last Dec. 9, an alert Vancouver patrol officer stopped a GMC SUV as it cruised through East Vancouver. As the vehicle was pulled over, a passerby noticed a loaded handgun being thrown from the passenger side. Two well-known gangsters were inside. But it was the modifications made to the 4x4 that surprised VPD Insp. Dean Robinson, head of the Uniformed Gang Task Force: The vehicle was fully armoured to deflect gunfire.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Assault Weapons, Gun Trafficking Spread Among Canadian Drug Gangs
Edmonton Journal (Alberta)
22 May 2008
An assault rifle, a money counter and weigh scales are just tools for the trade for a new gang cutting into Edmonton's drug market, say police who displayed a drug seizure Wednesday. The items were seized from two homes in Edmonton raided last week. Police also seized 800 grams of cocaine and $8,000 in cash. The rifle sat next to T-shirts and ball caps with the gang's name, Independent Soldier. "We're not sure how many... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Mounties Seize 60 Illegal Weapons, Ammunition from Saskatchewan Farm
Regina Leader-Post (Saskatchewan)
22 May 2008
REGINA -- Twenty-one charges have been laid against several individuals after the seizure of more than 60 weapons and ammunition on a farm in the Mankota district. In a media release issued Thursday, the Ponteix RCMP said it had conducted a search May 6 on the farm in conjunction with the RCMP Integrated Border Enforcement Team (IBET), the RCMP National Weapons Enforcement Support Team (NWEST), the Canada Border Services Agency... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada, United States
662 Guns Seized at US-Canada Border 'Tip of Iceberg' - Maybe 5% of Traffic
Ottawa Sun (Ontario)
18 May 2008
The cache of firearms seized by Canadian border guards swelled by 30% in 2007, but the vast majority of gun runners were unwitting American tourists, not gangsters or criminal smugglers. Internal reports from Canada Border Services Agency's Strategic Intelligence Analysis division record 662 seizures of machine guns, rifles, antique weapons, revolvers and pistols last year -- up from 509 in 2006. About 75% of the illicit catch is... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada, United States
Machine Guns, Assault Rifles, Uzis Bought in US, Found in Nova Scotia
Halifax Chronicle-Herald (Nova Scotia)
16 May 2008
Police and customs officers seized machine-guns and assault rifles from at least two Halifax addresses Wednesday. The weapons, including Uzi and MAC-10 submachine-guns and AR-15 assault rifles, were allegedly smuggled into Canada from the United States since March 2006, court records show. A 21-year-old man was arrested Wednesday and arraigned in Halifax provincial court Thursday on four charges under the Customs Act and... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
US-Canada Border Residents Outraged as 33 Alleged Gun Runners Freed
Saint John Telegraph Journal (New Brunswick)
16 May 2008
ST. STEPHEN -- A cry of frustration swept the room Thursday when police told the border community that the 33 alleged members of a gun-smuggling crime ring they arrested this week were set free. "We don't feel protected," yelled a member of the audience. "They are back on the street corners and you don't know what to expect. You are on pins and needles waiting. Put them in jail where they belong." Members of police organizations... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada, United States
Canadian Smuggled In 21 Assault Rifles Purchased Legally from US - RCMP
News Durham Region (Ontario)
15 May 2008
BOWMANVILLE -- A Bowmanville man faces dozens of charges after a months-long investigation into the illegal importation of weapons -- including assault rifles and a grenade launcher -- from the United States into Canada. Officers with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) raided a Bowmanville home Wednesday with the assistance of Durham police, arresting a resident and capping a 16-month investigation. RCMP Corporal... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Licensed Canadian Gun Collector Fired Shots in House, Lost 500 Firearms
Canadian Press
15 May 2008
SUDBURY, Ontario -- A 76-year-old Sudbury, Ont., man has agreed to give up his cache of weapons and pay a $1,000 fine on three firearms-related charges. When police entered Georgio Bassetti's apartment on Feb. 29, in they found rooms full of hundreds of weapons, ammunition and six gunshot holes in the ceiling. It took police days to remove all of the weapons found inside the apartment. Assistant Crown attorney... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Canadian Tories Extend Gun Amnesty, Waste Millions More on Gun Registry
National Post (Toronto) / Canwest News
14 May 2008
OTTAWA -- The Harper government has extended the two-year-old amnesty that protects firearms owners from prosecution if they fail to register their rifles and shotguns. Cabinet approved a directive last Thursday that extends the amnesty to May, 2009, virtually guaranteeing the Conservatives will not have to risk defeat of a bill scrapping the controversial registry before the next federal election. The move prompted angry... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada, United States
'Organised Crime Group' Running Guns from USA to Canada, 30 Arrested
Canadian Press
14 May 2008
FREDERICTON -- More than 30 people have been arrested in New Brunswick following raids on what investigators call an organized crime group that was smuggling guns into the province from the United States. RCMP Sgt. Derek Strong says the operation -- dubbed "Jerrican" -- began seven months ago, and involved police agencies in New Brunswick and Maine. "We've had some great success," he said. Strong wouldn't say how many or... ( gunpolicy.org )
World, United States, France, Canada, Germany, Angola, Thailand, Australia, Colombia, South Africa, Turkey, Pakistan, Russia, Brazil, United Kingdom, India, China
Guns Around the World: Civilian Firearms per 100 People in 16 Nations
Economist
30 April 2008
An estimated 875m small arms are in circulation worldwide: one for every seven people on the planet. Nearly three-quarters of these are owned by civilians. And about 80% of those guns in civilian hands are found in just 30 countries, according to the Small Arms Survey, a research group. Although America accounts for 40% of firearms in civilian ownership, people put them to more deadly use elsewhere. The gun murder rate in Colombia... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Toronto Handgun Ban Vote Near Unanimous: 'Political Junk Food' Says Critic
Toronto Sun (Ontario)
28 April 2008
City council endorsed David Miller's handgun ban yesterday, but left the mayor three votes shy of winning unanimous support. It's tough to get unanimous support at Toronto council, Miller noted. But he said the city made a "strong and powerful step" towards eliminating guns from the streets. "Will it put an end to all guns in our country that are used illegally? We know there is more work to do and the answer is sadly no,"... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada, United States
Chicago Banned Handguns in 1981: City Saw 40 Shootings in Past Week
Toronto Star (Ontario)
27 April 2008
CHICAGO -- Deputy Police Chief Eugene Williams had a tough week. Wednesday morning, a two-storey house in his jurisdiction on the South Side. Five people, shot dead. The following afternoon, two more shootings. Another that night, non-fatal, shot in the leg and back. And all of this following a hail of gunfire that had peppered the city's toughest neighbourhoods just a few days before: In less than a week, more than 40 shootings, at least... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
No Criminal Record for Canadian Politician Caught with Illegal Handgun
Mississauga News (Ontario)
25 April 2008
Despite admitting to owning a restricted and unlicensed handgun, John Snobelen will not have a criminal record. Noting that the former Mississauga MPP and Ontario cabinet minister made a "foolish mistake" by continuing to possess the weapon and not disposing of it, Justice Steve Brown granted Snobelen, 53, an absolute discharge today in Oakville court. Last summer, Snobelen, who served as both Education Minister and Natural... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe, Zambia, United Kingdom, Canada, China, World
Chinese Gun Shipment to Zimbabwe Shines Spotlight on Global Gun Trade
Toronto Star (Ontario)
24 April 2008
When the Chinese freighter An Yue Jiang pulled into the South African port of Durban last week loaded with weapons bound for crisis-ridden Zimbabwe, it seemed to be just one more day in the lucrative arms trade that has engulfed the continent with deadly results. Instead the ship ran into a storm of protest -- with dock workers joining union leaders, church officials and the High Court to block the shipment -- until the vessel left... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
End of Canadian Long-gun Amnesty Could Mean Fines, Jail for Violators
Times & Transcript (New Brunswick)
24 April 2008
OTTAWA -- RCMP say if the government allows an amnesty on rifle and shotgun ownership to expire, police will have no choice but to fine or jail unregistered long-gun owners. The temporary reprieve ends May 16. "We follow the rule of law," said Sgt. Derek Strong. "If there's an amnesty, we follow that. With the lack of an amnesty, it's business as usual." A summary conviction for a first-time offender who fails... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada, Europe
Canada Lifts Restrictions, Will Sell Assault Rifles to East European Nations
Globe & Mail (Toronto)
23 April 2008
OTTAWA -- The Harper government is lifting restrictions on exports of automatic firearms to 11 countries, most of which are relative newcomers to NATO, a move that should be a boon for Canadian arms makers and signals greater trust in Ottawa's smaller European allies. This move expands by 50 per cent the number of countries to which defence firms can sell automatic firearms. Currently, the Automatic Firearms Country Control List... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Negative Publicity Pushes Canadian Gun Clubs Into Realm of Secret Society
CITY-TV News (Toronto)
21 April 2008
TORONTO, Ontario -- The first rule of gun club is, you don't talk about gun club. Ranges that cater to sport shooters are increasingly secretive and an outsider's attempts to gain access to a gun club, such as the one hidden in the rafters at Union Station, are difficult, if not impossible without an invitation from a long-standing member. Media attempts are even more vehemently thwarted, and Tony Bernardo, Executive Director of... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Canadian Tories Give Gun Owners More Cash Than the Gun Registry Costs
Canadian Press
20 April 2008
OTTAWA -- The federal Conservatives, who once denounced Liberal cost overruns at the national gun registry, have been passing up more potential revenue from gun owners than they've spent to run the registry since they took power. Statistics provided to The Canadian Press by the RCMP list actual and projected operating costs for gun registration programs at $35.9 million over three fiscal years starting in 2006. During the... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Free After Gun Killing, Canadian Gangster Quickly Caught with New Arsenal
Vancouver Sun (British Columbia)
17 April 2008
VANCOUVER -- Months after finishing a two-year sentence for manslaughter, a Vancouver gangster is facing five weapons charges after allegedly being found in an apartment full of guns, including one with a silencer. Barry Gene Espadilla, 23, pleaded guilty in 2005 to a role in the slaying of Don Hill Tong Wong, 23, whose bullet-riddled body was found in the trunk of his own Lexus in Vancouver's West End in May 2003. Espadilla,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Toronto Mayor Joins 11yr-old Gun Victim's Family in Handgun Ban Petition
Grand Falls-Windsor Advertiser (Newfoundland)
17 April 2008
Verdon Brown, the uncle of 11-year-old Ephraim Brown, has found a new ally in his struggle to have handguns banned in Canada. The Peterview resident, like his brother Gerald and wife Lorna, the parents of Ephraim, was devastated when the little boy was shot to death at a neighbourhood birthday party for a relative, having the misfortune of being caught in the crossfire of a gang shoot out. Ephraim had been looking forward... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Canadian Gun Lobby Martyr Out on Bail, Vows to Continue Years of Protest
Kenora Daily Miner and News (Ontario)
15 April 2008
After 25 days behind bars, Bruce Montague was granted bail and released from the Kenora District Jail Friday night. After the Crown required further affidavit material at his first bail hearing in Toronto in late March, the hearing was adjourned to April 11, leaving Montague in custody for an additional 15 days before his release last week. "Jail is not a nice place to be," Montague said. "The effect it had on me, I thought... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada, United States
London, Ontario Police Say Most Crime Guns Come from Canada, Not USA
London Free Press (Ontario)
15 April 2008
One of the world's largest arms merchants is funding a new program to get illegal guns off London's streets. Meanwhile, Londoners are again urged to take advantage of a federal amnesty for handing over unregistered guns. General Dynamics Land Systems, maker of military vehicles, helped launch a new "cash for guns" Crime Stoppers program with city police. "London is our home -- it's where we live, work and raise... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Uncontrolled Handmade Rifle, Handgun Ammunition Worries Ontario Police
CBC News (Canada)
15 April 2008
Buying ammunition in Canada requires a firearms licence, but some people make their own ammunition, and gun and gang experts say that has led to a black market in the sale of bullets. "It would be nice if people had to have a licence to buy the components; currently they don't," said Deputy Chief Tony Cooper of the Ontario Firearms Office. If you're over 18, it's legal to buy all the components needed to make bullets --... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Drive-by Gang Shooting Injures 23mth-old Girl in Canadian Tribal Settlement
CBC News (Canada)
14 April 2008
Local gangs are to blame for a drive-by shooting Sunday that left a 23-month-old girl in critical condition, the chief of the Samson First Nation said Monday. Marvin Yellowbird said gang violence has reached a crisis level in the Hobbema area, about 100 kilometres south of Edmonton, which is home to a number of First Nation groups. Yellowbird has called a special meeting of the tribal administration to discuss how to deal... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Another Licensed Canadian Gun Collector's Pistol Turns Up in Drug Crime
London Free Press (Ontario)
13 April 2008
From a German soldier's hands on a Second World War battlefield, to the hands of a Strathroy collector, to a criminal's grip and, finally, into a London police storage vault. The odyssey of one Polish-made Radom pistol, scooped up in a police raid in London, has spanned borders, decades -- and both sides of the law. It's one of dozens of guns London police have seized in a crackdown on illegal firearms, and its story is... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Handgun Ban an Imperfect Solution for Canada, But a Necessary One
Toronto Star (Ontario), Column
12 April 2008
Gun lovers were conspicuously absent when Mayor David Miller launched his campaign at city hall this week to ban the handgun. Since then, they've been sniping from all corners of the country. The consistent, if not orchestrated, message is this: gun lovers are largely responsible, law-abiding citizens who should not be subjected to such a rights-crushing edict that will do little or nothing to stem criminal violence committed with... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
'Strict Gun Laws, Fewer People Shot,' Says Toronto Mayor. Is It That Clear?
Globe & Mail (Toronto)
12 April 2008
The way Judith Ross describes her favourite hobby, you'd swear she was talking about hatha yoga or a Buddhist pursuit. "It's almost like a meditation," she says, "an experience of focus and concentration. You have to be relaxed and calm." Dr. Ross, a 69-year-old retired psychologist who worked for 30 years at the University of Toronto, is a sport shooter, regularly heading off to her gun club to pursue her passion. When she started... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Suicidal RCMP Gun Expert Gets 9mths For Illegal Submachine Gun, 'AK-47'
Ottawa Sun (Ontario)
12 April 2008
An RCMP civilian firearms expert who dumped a semi-automatic rifle and a submachine-gun off Hwy. 417 was sentenced to nine months of house arrest this week after the judge concluded the troubled man is no threat to the public. Stacey D. Cherwonak, 41, pleaded guilty to a string of gun-related charges, including having prohibited weapons and knowingly having guns obtained by an offence. His crimes could have had terrible... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Canada's Tories Extend Amnesty for Gun Owners, Undermine Registry
Telegraph Journal (New Brunswick) / Canadaeast News
11 April 2008
OTTAWA -- The federal Conservatives have served notice that they intend to continue providing amnesty to long-gun owners whose rifles and shotguns are not registered. The reprieve hinges on a review of the current amnesty program, which expires May 16. Canadian firearm officers -- the administrators responsible for licences and authorizations in the provinces -- and RCMP are currently conducting the review. They... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Judge Tells Violent Sexual Offender 'No Legal Right to Bear Arms' in Canada
Fredericton Daily Gleaner (New Brunswick)
11 April 2008
A judge has upheld a chief firearms officer's decision to revoke a gun licence from a Woodstock-area sex offender with a history of violence. Richard Herbert Foster, 62, fought the licence revocation in Woodstock provincial court, but Judge Andrew LeMesurier agreed with the province's chief firearms officer. In a written decision April 3, the judge noted that Foster had a history of violence and that he lied about his criminal... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Ontario Police Seize 28 Weapons from 61yr-old Man Caught Carrying Gun
Owen Sound Sun-Times (Ontario)
10 April 2008
A 61-year-old Tiverton man is facing weapons and drug charges after Ontario Provincial Police officers seized firearms from a home in the village. Const. Shaun Bougie of the South Bruce OPP detachment said local officers, members of the OPP provincial weapon enforcement unit and a firearm-detecting canine unit, armed with a search warrant, entered the home at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday. Bougie said seven handguns -- including semi-automatics... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
'Amazing' Response to Toronto Mayor's Petition to Ban Handguns in Canada
Toronto Sun (Ontario)
9 April 2008
The response has been nothing short of "amazing." Less than 24 hours after its online debut, Mayor David Miller's petition calling for a federal handgun ban already bore 7,000 signatures. "We could hit 10,000 within a day or two," said Stuart Green, spokesman for the mayor. "It's an amazing response ...this is obviously an issue that struck a lot of people," he said yesterday. Miller launched the petition... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Canadian Collector Had 70 Illegal Firearms, Handguns, Submachine Gun
Regina Leader-Post (Saskatchewan)
9 April 2008
REGINA -- There wasn't any sinister intention behind a fearsome arsenal of guns and ammunition found inside a south Regina home two years ago, a Regina court heard on Wednesday. Instead, the defence told court that Murray Dalrymple Hogg's impressive and varied collection of firearms was a kind of savings plan, an investment for a man of modest means. "This is his Registered Retirement Savings Plan, so to speak," lawyer... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Municipal Leaders Across Canada Should Sign Up for Handgun Ban
Toronto Star (Ontario), Editorial
9 April 2008
Violent gun crime isn't just a Toronto problem; it's of concern in cities across this country. That's why Mayor David Miller's campaign to ban handguns nationwide should resonate from Vancouver to St. John's and every major urban area in between. Unlike a hunting rifle or shotgun, a pistol has no practical use except to kill a human being. That's why handguns are the preferred weapon of drug dealers and criminal gangs. There were... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada, United Nations, World
Nations View Global Burden of Gun Violence Through a Development Lens
Ottawa Citizen (Ontario), Opinion
9 April 2008
Poor countries are less safe than rich ones. Most of the world's 30-odd armed conflicts are raging in the global South. As a country's human development ranking declines, its risk of succumbing to violent conflict grows. More than one-third of all countries mired in poverty experienced war since the late 1990s. Fewer than two per cent of rich countries experienced conflict over the same period. The international aid community has... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Canadian Tories Refunded $21m in Firearm Licensing Fees to Gun Owners
CBC News (Canada)
8 April 2008
Ottawa refunded nearly $21 million to long-gun owners for their licensing fees in 2006 following the Conservative government's decision to waive registration for the weapons, according to a report released Tuesday. Back in May 2006, Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day announced several major changes to the controversial gun registry brought in by the previous Liberals that effectively gutted the program. Among the changes... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Families of Gun Violence Victims Rally in Toronto for Canadian Handgun Ban
CITY-TV News (Toronto)
7 April 2008
The families of gun violence victims came together Monday in mourning and action at City Hall to share their stories, hoping an organized effort at the municipal level will compel the federal government to adopt a ban on handguns. The friends of relatives of John O'Keefe, an innocent bystander who was shot to death on Yonge Street on Jan. 12 after leaving a pub, planned to deliver deputations to City Council Monday and councillors... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Toronto Police Board Joins Campaign to Ban Handguns in Canada
Toronto Star (Ontario)
7 April 2008
The Toronto Police Services Board, which oversees the police, made a presentation to the city's executive committee today in support of a motion to seek a ban on handguns across the country. Altough Chair Alok Mukherjee said shooting occurrences show a downward trend since 2006, the number of deaths "remains unacceptably high." He says the board is prepared to be a partner in the effort to campaign for a ban. He said the... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada, United States
Border Guards Seize 4 Firearms a Week from US/Ontario Gun Smugglers
Toronto Sun (Ontario)
5 April 2008
Canada Customs officials say they're seizing four illegal firearms weekly from U.S. motorists at southern Ontario border crossings despite calls by city leaders for a crackdown on gun smugglers. After most major gunplay, Mayor David Miller has repeatedly demanded stiffer checks at crossings to stop guns from being smuggled into Canada from the U.S. Weapons Seized Officials of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Canadian Judge Rules Accused Killer Must Have Anti-gun control Lawyer
Nunatsiaq News (Nunavut)
4 April 2008
In a judgement that harshly criticizes the practices of the Nunavut Legal Service Board, Justice Beverly Browne ruled this week that accused killer Chris Bishop must be represented by Calvin Martin, an anti-gun-control lawyer from Toronto who advocates the right to use firearms for self-defence. Bishop, a former Cambridge Bay resident, faces three counts of first degree murder and two counts of attempted murder in connection with... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Canada's 'Wild West' Calgary Plagued by 30% Spike in Shooting Injuries
Calgary Sun (Alberta)
31 March 2008
Harmful and often deadly gunplay that has plagued Calgary streets jumped nearly 30% in 2007, city police stats show. Year-end police statistics reveal the number of shootings causing injuries last year were up 27.8% over 2006 -- from 36 to 46 -- despite that the use of guns in Calgary crept up just 4%. Insp. Guy Slater said the numbers are concerning and pose a public safety threat for law-abiding citizens as well as police... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Canada's Former Education Minister to be Sentenced for Illegal Handgun
Toronto Star (Ontario)
26 March 2008
Former education minister John Snobelen shouldn't have to pay for the increase in gun crimes across Greater Toronto, his lawyer said today. But prosecutor Tony MacKinnon said the daily "rolling headlines" involving gun violence is exactly why the former Cabinet minister must to be convicted of a criminal offence. Snobelen, 51, pleaded guilty last year to careless storage of a firearm and possession of a restricted weapon.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Lifetime Gun Ban for Canadian Lobbyist 'Cursed with Sense of Armageddon'
Kenora Daily Miner and News (Ontario)
19 March 2008
Eton Rugby resident and former gunsmith Bruce Montague will serve up to 18 months in jail following sentencing at Ontario Superior Court on Tuesday. Montague was found guilty on 26 firearms offences by an 11-member jury in December. The convictions carry sentences ranging from six to 18 months to be served concurrently followed by one year probation. Forfeiture of approximately 200 firearms seized from the Montagues' rural residence... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Canadian Gun Lobby Martyr Faces Sentence on 26 Firearm Related Crimes
Kenora Daily Miner and News (Ontario)
18 March 2008
Bruce Montague returned to a Kenora courtroom Monday for a sentencing hearing following 26 firearms related convictions in December. The charges against Montague, and his wife Donna, date back to 2004, following his arrest at a Dryden gun show. After police twice searched his Eton-Rugby home, Montague was charged with more than 50 firearms offences. His wife faced three charges. On Monday, the defence and the Crown argued... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
'Stubborn, Foolish' Canadian Gun Lobbyist Loses Case, Gets 18 Mths Jail
CKDR Radio (Ontario)
18 March 2008
Former Dryden-area Gunsmith Bruce Montague has been sentenced to a total of 18-months in prison after being found guilty on a variety of firearms related offences. Justice John Wright had some harsh words for Montague this morning as he delivered his sentence. The judge described Montague as stubborn and tenacious to a fault who acted foolishly by making automatic weapons. The toughest sentence was for converting... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Canadian Park Wardens Lost 21 Rifles, Shotguns in a Single Gun Theft
Canadian Press
16 March 2008
OTTAWA -- Thieves nabbed 12 gauge shotguns and scores of rifles in a massive heist at one of Canada's national parks, says a newly released document. Parks Canada's inventory of items stolen from Manitoba's Riding Mountain National Park lists 21 guns -- and the agency says the Mounties have recovered just two of them. An official from Parks Canada says the weapons, stolen in November 2006, were not kept in special gun lockers... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada, United States
Canadian, US Criminals' Preferred Choice of Illegal, Smuggled Handguns
Toronto Sun (Ontario)
16 March 2008
Handguns are the most popular U.S. source weapons that turn up in Ontario through official tracing. The top four weapons that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms trace are: Smith and Wesson .38 revolver, Glock 9-mm, Ruger 9-mm and a Hi-Point. Street prices, which police estimate range from $3,000 for a Glock 9-mm to $1,000 for a low-end firearm, are also tough to state equivocally. "It really comes down... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada, United States
Guns, Drugs, Tobacco Enrich Smuggling Gangs at US-Canadian Border
Toronto Sun (Ontario)
16 March 2008
The scourge of gun violence plaguing Toronto streets is being fuelled by a cross-border guns for marijuana trade, law enforcement officials tell the Sunday Sun. A $2,000 half-kilo of Canadian marijuana trafficked into the U.S. jumps in value to around $4,000, double that if it's sold in southern states. Meanwhile, a handgun picked up for $250 in an American gun shop can fetch $2,000 on Toronto's streets. It's a... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada, United States
US Handguns Smuggled to Canada, Used in Crime as Soon as 2 Days Later
Toronto Sun (Ontario)
16 March 2008
American handguns are ending up in the hands of Toronto street thugs within days of being purchased legally in the U.S. Just this week, Toronto Police seized four guns in two separate incidents including a fully-loaded .45-calibre handgun with its serial number scratched off. Police believe that gun was likely smuggled across the border. It's a familiar story repeated over and over as hundreds of handguns and other firearms... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada, United States
Canadian Border Agents Seize 330 Guns, Gun Parts Arriving in Mail
Vancouver Province / Canwest News Service
13 March 2008
Canada Border Services Agency has seized 330 guns and gun parts from mail at Canada Post's international mail centre in Vancouver since April. Mike Hrysiuk, the agency's chief of operations at the centre, said the items included machine guns, prohibited handguns, replicas and silencers -- but some of them may be legit. He said people such as movie prop masters and gun-store owners can obtain permits to import guns through... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada, United Nations
Global Gun Trade Treaty Eludes Student Consensus in Canada's Model UN
South Asian Focus (Ontario)
13 March 2008
Leave it to our kids to make the rules, and the world could well become a better place. Resolutions they recently undertook as simulated United Nations members included far more rigorous regulation of the arms trade -- and in some instances an effective ban on arms transfer to potential global hot spots. The Sri Lankan delegation suggested a non-partisan body composed of 15 neutral third-party diplomats have to power to... ( gunpolicy.org )
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