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Canadian Govt Accused of Hiding Police Reports on Long-gun Registry
1 February 2012
Montreal Gazette (Québec)
The NDP accused the government of suppressing RCMP reports on Canada's long-gun registry Tuesday, saying the government delayed releasing two reports because they clashed with Tory messaging on gun control.
NDP justice critic Jack Harris raised the issue in question period Tuesday.
"It is the second year in a row it has tried to hide a report that shows the public safety value of the long-gun registry," he said.
"Why is the government consistently hiding information... (GunPolicy.org)
Trial Sparks Debate Over Canada Confusing Gun Control Law
31 January 2012
National Post (Toronto)
WELLAND, Ont. — Canada's laws on the storage and handling of guns and ammunition are so complicated that a veteran judge needed to adjourn court to allow two experienced lawyers more time for legal arguments and a search of case law to help parse and dissect them.
It was a dud of an ending after two scheduled days of trial in the case of Ian Thomson, a 54-year-old Port Colborne man who fired three shots from a legally owned gun to scare off three masked men who were... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Rely Even More on Canadian Gun Registry Slated for Deletion
25 January 2012
Toronto Star (Ontario)
OTTAWA - A new report shows that Canadian police services are using the firearms registry more than ever, relying on it more than 14,000 times a day rather than viewing it as an obsolete and unreliable database as the Conservative government claims.
The RCMP quietly posted on Monday annual report on the controversial firearms program which shows in 2010, law enforcement agencies across the country logged in and queried the Canadian Firearms Registry Online an average... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadians Own Millions More Guns, Many Unregistered as Laws Relax
24 January 2012
Edmonton Journal (Alberta)
Canadians own more than half a million more firearms than they did in 2006, according to the 2010 annual report from the RCMP's Canadian Firearms Program.
But while federal firearms data show that the number of registered gun owners in Canada is dropping, the arsenal of each is getting bigger and bigger.
But many gun owners - and a Tory MP - say the government's estimates are off the mark and that there may be twice as many firearms, and firearms owners, in Canada as... (GunPolicy.org)
Canada Police Ban, Seize 'Scarylooking Guns,' Registry at Death's Door
7 January 2012
Montreal Gazette (Québec)
With the firearms registry on death's door, the RCMP are using what little time remains to reclassify and seize certain scarylooking guns from Canadian firearms owners.
Among the guns being seized is a small-calibre varmint rifle called the Armi Jager AP80. Like many non-restricted rifles, it is semiautomatic and fires the .22-calibre bullet, the smallest used in any long gun.
The AP80 has been singled out because it looks too much like the infamous AK-47 assault... (GunPolicy.org)
Canada Federal Government Bans AK-47 Look-Alike
5 January 2012
Toronto Sun (Ontario)
OTTAWA -- The federal government is cracking down on a small game rifle, saying it was inappropriately classified as a non-restricted weapon.
But one firearms activist argues it's an end run by federal bureaucrats related to a long-running court battle.
Owners of the Armi Jager AP80 .22-calibre rifle received a letter from the RCMP in December saying the registration certificates for the firearm would be revoked and they had a month to dispose of their weapons - with... (GunPolicy.org)
Quebec Sues Ottawa to Save Long Gun Registry Records from Trash
13 December 2011
Montreal Gazette (Québec)
QUEBEC – Quebec wants to create its own long-gun registry, using data already collected for the federal registry, and is prepared to go to court to stop Ottawa destroying gun ownership records.
Public Security Minister Robert Dutil announced Tuesday that Quebec would take legal action to recover the data once Ottawa's Bill C-19, abolishing the federal long-gun registry, becomes law.
Dutil said C-19 was "a step backwards" and called the destruction "unjust and... (GunPolicy.org)
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Armed Societies, Another Tragedy for Women: Mexico, Pakistan, Venezuela
9 December 2011
Inter Press Service News Agency
CARACAS - Kairobis Arcia, 25, died from a bullet to her head shot by her husband, Oswaldo Mendoza, 32, who said he was blinded by jealousy in an argument fuelled by alcohol and drugs.
Her murder was just one of the more than 468,000 homicides a year that occur worldwide, 42 percent of which are committed with firearms. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the global murder rate is 6.9 per 100,000 people – 11.9 per 100,000 among men and... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian MPs Mark Country's Worst Gun Massacre, But Tories Not Welcome
6 December 2011
Globe & Mail (Toronto)
As women across Canada mark the 22nd anniversary of the massacre at Montreal's École Polytechnique on Tuesday, Conservative women on Parliament Hill continue to work to scrap the long-gun registry that was created in response to those shootings.
That has people on the Hill so upset that government MPs have been purposely shut out from officially speaking at and attending an event on Parliament Hill to honour the 14 young women who were shot dead in 1989.
The two... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Gun Laws, Scrapping of Long Gun Registry Explained, Debated
6 December 2011
CBC News (Canada)
The contentious long-gun registry is on the cusp of being abolished, meaning rifles and shotguns like those sold at Stephen Milton's King City, Ont., shop will disappear from government records.
But while police say that would make it harder for them to do their jobs, Milton says it would be a good move.
"We don't have a gun problem. We have a criminal problem, we have a gang problem, we have problems with people who have no regard for the law whatsoever," he said.... (GunPolicy.org)
Toronto Council to Debate City Ban on Shooting Ranges
1 December 2011
National Post (Toronto)
City council will fight a challenge to its gun bylaw at the Ontario Municipal Board, despite an assertion by the deputy mayor that the decision goes against expert advice.
In 2008, the city enacted a bylaw that restricts the manufacture of guns in the city, and bans any firing range and gun club that is not operated by the government. The Canadian Shooting Sports Association appealed the decision to the Ontario Municipal Board and had floated a "compromise" that would... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Government Rejects Long-gun Registry Amendments [Francais]
30 November 2011
Le Devoir (Quebec)
[Translated Summary: "A poisoned Christmas gift." Opposition attempts have failed and Bill C-19 will be sent back to the House of Commons: the long gun register will be abolished, as will its data, and no one will be able to revive it. This was the decision made by the Commons Public Safety Committee, made up of a conservative majority.]
OTTAWA — Malgré les critiques de plusieurs témoins, et notamment du gouvernement du Québec, la proposition des conservateurs... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Tories Reject Amendments to Repeal of Long Gun Registry
29 November 2011
Toronto Sun (Ontario)
OTTAWA - The Conservatives refused to bite on amendments put forward by the NDP Tuesday on the bill to repeal the long gun registry.
The Commons public safety committee has wrapped up its study of Bill C-19, which will be heading back to the House without changes despite the NDP's last ditch attempt to remedy what they see as serious problems with the proposed legislation.
Two amendments were shot down by the Conservatives - one forcing the feds to table the costs of... (GunPolicy.org)
Opposition's Honest Mistake Confirms Canada's Dysfunctional Gun Laws
29 November 2011
National Post (Toronto), Blog
The federal New Democrats have been left scrambling after nearly making an embarrassing mistake in an ad campaign criticizing the federal Tories for scrapping the long-gun registry. The NDP planned to run ads showing the Mini-14 rifle, which would no longer be subject to registration after the end of the long-gun registry. But the graphic showed the wrong variant of the Mini-14 — one that is considered a restricted firearm, and therefore won't be affected by the... (GunPolicy.org)
Destroying Canada's Gun Records Could Break Laws, say Federal Officers
22 November 2011
Hill Times (Ottawa)
PARLIAMENT HILL — Two of the most powerful officers of Parliament raised new questions Tuesday about aspects of a controversial bill the majority Conservative government is steamrolling through the Commons to dismantle the federal long-gun registry and destroy its entire database of records.
Information Commissioner Suzanne Legault warned MPs on the Public Safety Committee the legislation, Bill C-19, ignores "the spirit and the letter" of access to information law... (GunPolicy.org)
Federal Watchdog Criticises Plan to Destroy Canadian Gun Registry Data
22 November 2011
CTV News (Winnipeg) / Canadian Press
OTTAWA — The federal information watchdog says a government move to destroy gun-registry records sets a bad precedent.
Suzanne Legault told a Commons committee Tuesday that a federal bill to scrap the long-gun registry -- and delete millions of records -- violates the letter and spirit of the Library and Archives of Canada Act.
"It does raise major concerns in terms of transparency and accountability in general," Legault said.
"As information commissioner, I have... (GunPolicy.org)
Dumping Canada's Gun Registry Risks More Gun Running - Federal Memo
15 November 2011
CTV News (Toronto) / Canadian Press
OTTAWA — Scrapping the requirement to register rifles and shotguns could fuel illegal firearms trafficking across the Canadian border, warns an internal federal memo.
It says the move would weaken import controls by eliminating a requirement for border officials to verify firearms coming into the country.
"Such a loophole could facilitate unregistered prohibited and restricted firearm trafficking into and through Canada," says the declassified memo, originally... (GunPolicy.org)
Rifles, Shotguns Set to Become Invisible if Canada Scraps Gun Registry
8 November 2011
McGill Tribune (Montreal)
On Oct. 25 Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his Conservative government introduced Bill C-19 to the House of Commons. This bill, known as the Ending the Long-gun Registry Act, seeks to abolish the current long-gun registry. If passed, gun owners will no longer be required by law to register rifles and shotguns. Furthermore, Bill C-19 would ensure the destruction of all existing records of these weapons in the Canadian Firearms Registry.
The Conservative government's... (GunPolicy.org)
New Canadian Law Would Allow Even Gun Dealer Sales to Escape Registration
5 November 2011
Montreal Gazette (Québec)
As tensions mount between Quebec and Ottawa over the federal government's proposed law to abolish the longgun registry, a wide-ranging group of activists and politicians gathered at Dawson College on Friday to urge the province to take legal action to save the registry and its vast database.
Heidi Rathjen of Poly sesouvient.ca, a group that has tracked gun laws since the massacre at the École Polytechnique that killed 14 women on Dec. 6, 1989, said Quebec should do... (GunPolicy.org)
Canada Privacy Czar Shoots Down Govt Excuse for Scrapping Gun List
1 November 2011
Globe & Mail (Toronto) / Canadian Press
Canada's privacy watchdog shot a big hole Tuesday in one of the Harper government's main arguments for destroying the records compiled by the long-gun registry.
Jennifer Stoddart said there's nothing in the Privacy Act that prevents the federal government from sharing the data with provincial governments.
Indeed, the Privacy Commissioner said the act actually permits disclosure of personal information, provided it's done through a federal-provincial agreement for the... (GunPolicy.org)
Bill to Kill Canada Long-Gun Registry Delists Sniper Rifles, Semi-Automatics
1 November 2011
Toronto Star (Ontario)
OTTAWA — The powerful Ruger Mini-14 semi-automatic rifle used in the 1989 Montreal massacre and this summer's Norway bloodbath.
Sniper rifles that can pierce light armour from a distance of up to 1.5 kilometres.
Or one that can drop a target two kilometres away.
They are all weapons that will soon be declassified under the Conservatives' bill to kill the long-gun registry and freed from binding controls that now see them listed with the RCMP-run database.
They... (GunPolicy.org)
Deleting Canada Gun Registry Files a Massive, Costly Job, Expert Says
28 October 2011
Ottawa Citizen (Ontario)
OTTAWA — The RCMP is refusing to say how much it will cost to destroy all copies of the federal long-gun registry as required by the Conservative government's proposed law shutting down the contentious database.
The bill to end the requirement to register long guns introduced this week requires that the Commissioner of Firearms "shall ensure the destruction as soon as feasible of all records" in the registry of non-restricted firearms.
The law specifically says that... (GunPolicy.org)
Quebec to Fight to Recover the Long-Gun Registry Data [Francais]
27 October 2011
Le Devoir (Québec)
[Translated summary: Quebec, with support of law enforcement, will fight to recover data from the long-gun registry. "These are tools to which we financially contributed through our taxes and others", says the Minister of Canadian Intergovernmental Relations - Ottawa indifferent.]
QUEBEC — Québec mènera un «combat» pour récupérer les données du registre des armes à feu, que le gouvernement Harper entend détruire. Le ministre de la Sécurité publique, Robert... (GunPolicy.org)
Demand Growing in Canada for High-Tech Guns Popularised in Games, Movies
26 October 2011
Vancouver Sun (British Columbia)
Whether it's computers, cars, motorbikes or guns, 28-year-old Greg MacDonald — a self-confessed "tech nerd" — is always looking for the latest and greatest technology.
A Newfoundlander and lover of fine machinery, MacDonald says the rigorous research and development that goes into modern military-grade firearms — known as "black rifles" within shooter circles — is a sort of poetry in motion.
"When I see a firearm, I see engineering, mathematics and physics,"... (GunPolicy.org)
Scrapping Canada Long-Gun Registry: Some Relevant Numbers
26 October 2011
CBC News (Canada)
Since the introduction of stricter gun laws in 1991, there has been a 65 per cent reduction in homicides by long guns, Statistics Canada data shows. The reduction in homicides involving any type of firearm was 37 per cent.
Statistics Canada released a report on Oct. 26, 2011, on homicides in Canada in 2010. That year, there were 170 shooting homicides, about 32 per cent of all homicides. The total homicide rate fell to its lowest level since 1966 (1.62 per 100,000... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Government Presses Ahead with Plan to Ease Gun Laws
25 October 2011
Reuters
OTTAWA - The government pressed ahead on Tuesday with plans to scrap a registry of shotguns and rifles, brushing off police complaints the move will make their life tougher.
The Conservatives - who enjoy considerable support in rural areas - have long argued that the long-gun registry is wasteful, does nothing to cut crime and unfairly targets law-abiding farmers and hunters.
"Our government will continue to uphold our commitment to effective gun control measures that... (GunPolicy.org)
Harper Government Pledged to Alter Canada's Laws Governing Self Defence
25 October 2011
Montreal Gazette (Québec)
The Harper government has pledged to alter Canada's laws governing self defence, with an eye to giving citizens increased latitude to protect themselves and their property.
In recent years, Canadians who have used violence - and especially firearms - have often faced criminal charges for their actions.
When Ian Thomson awoke one night in August 2010 to find three men throwing firebombs at his rural home in southwest Ontario, he got out his revolver and fired a few... (GunPolicy.org)
Canada's Conservative Government to Ease Gun Laws
25 October 2011
Associated Press
TORONTO — Canada's Conservative government introduced legislation Tuesday to scrap a controversial law that requires the registration of rifles and shotguns.
Canada has long required registration of hand guns, but the long-run registry law passed in 1995 faced bitter opposition from rural Canada, the Conservative party's base, which considered it an overreaction to the problem of urban crime.
Public Safety Minister Vic Toews said they don't want laws targeting... (GunPolicy.org)
Bill to End Canada Long-Gun Registry Will Destroy Data Already Collected
25 October 2011
Toronto Star (Ontario)
OTTAWA—Prime Minister Stephen Harper has acted to kill any attempt by a provincial or future federal government to recreate the doomed long-gun registry.
In a surprise move aimed at putting a bullet in the registry for good, the Conservative government bill tabled Wednesday orders the commissioner of firearms to destroy "as soon as feasible" records related to 7.1 million long-barreled guns collected over the past 15 years.
If passed, Bill C-19 would, as promised,... (GunPolicy.org)
One Gun for Every Four People, Owned by 6 Per Cent of Canadians
24 October 2011
Montreal Gazette (Québec)
The Canadian public loves its guns, and has a sizable arsenal to prove it.
According to the Canadian Firearms Centre, there are more than 7.6 million registered firearms in Canada, about one gun for every four Canadians.
More than 1.8 million Canadians - about six per cent of the population - have valid gun licences, with the largest concentrations in Atlantic Canada and the North.
The Yukon stacks up as the most gun-loving area of the country, with more than 84 guns... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Shooters, Tax Group Urge Tories to Gut Gun Licensing As Well
24 October 2011
CBC News (Canada)
As the federal government prepares to scrap the long gun registry, a number of groups are urging the government not to stop there.
Public Safety Minister Vic Toews and Conservative MP Candice Hoeppner, whose private member's bill to kill the registry nearly passed in the last session of Parliament, are expected to announce the new legislation at an event near Ottawa Tuesday.
The Conservatives tried and failed to get rid of the controversial registry several times over... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Groups Want Some Guns Banned Before Registry Is Scrapped
23 October 2011
Vancouver Sun (British Columbia)
After finishing a rotation through Afghanistan with the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, 22-year-old Dan Styles is back in Canada, safe and sound with his young family.
When he's not caring for his one-year-old baby daughter, Styles now spends a lot of his personal time at the shooting range near his home at CFB Petawawa, in eastern Ontario. There, he hones the skills he relied on in the field.
"It's practice, practice, practice," he says. "The better you get at it,... (GunPolicy.org)
Quebec Woman Charged with Trying to Export Assault Rifle Parts to Lebanon
21 October 2011
National Post (Toronto)
MONTREAL — Young and striking in her black hijab, Mouna Diab was once active in a Quebec youth group that fought discrimination against Muslims by challenging the stereotypes that too often associate them with violence and terror.
But the outspoken 26-year-old activist had little to say this week after appearing in a Montreal courtroom to face a charge alleging she had violated a United Nations Security Council arms embargo that prohibits the export of weapons to... (GunPolicy.org)
Airguns Allowed into Canada Easily Converted into Real AK-47, Police Say
20 October 2011
CBC News (Canada)
The RCMP are racing to track down and seize hundreds of replica AK-47 BB guns imported from China that investigators fear can be easily reconfigured into deadly prohibited weapons.
The Mounties launched raids and seizures last week on a number of gun stores in B.C., Ontario, and Quebec. Investigators believe the toys — assembled with authentic parts from the Chinese Type-56 version of the AK-47 semi-automatic assault rifle — can be transformed into weapons with a... (GunPolicy.org)
London, Ontario Gun Violence Fear: Toronto's Guns Land Here
19 October 2011
London Free Press (Ontario)
Many come from the U.S. - ripped off, smuggled across the border and often secreted here with the illegal drug trade.
But London also pays for crime in the Big Smoke - Toronto, with many of the illegal guns seized here by police originating in the mega-city as well. As recently as four years ago, four of every 10 guns seized by a special London squad could be traced back to the Toronto area.
But the truth is, illegal weapons scooped off London streets - 441 so far... (GunPolicy.org)
Licensed Canadian Firearm Dealer, Offsider Jailed for Gun Trafficking
18 October 2011
Province (British Columbia)
The son of a cop who was arrested after police found 127 firearms in his vehicle was sentenced Monday to 61/2 years in prison.
Marc Gougeon, a native of Montreal who was living in Vancouver's West End at the time, was convicted in May of trafficking in firearms.
Gougeon, 33, the son of a Montreal police officer, was arrested in September 2006 in Burnaby while driving a rented vehicle with the handguns, all of them semi-automatic weapons with the serial numbers... (GunPolicy.org)
Canada Gun Registry a Suicide Prevention Issue, Say Physicians
8 October 2011
Vancouver Sun (British Columbia), Opinion
Re: Gun killings unaffected by firearm control, Oct. 6
The Conservative's principal argument has been that the provisions of the Gun Control Bill have not been effective as a crime control measure and that the bill victimizes rural, long gun owners.
They conveniently forget that 75 per cent of firearms deaths in Canada are due to suicide. Rural Canadians are overrepresented in this sad statistic and the great majority of these are caused by long guns.
For Canada's... (GunPolicy.org)
Canada Gun Control Not Linked to Homicide Rates - Study
5 October 2011
National Post (Toronto)
Criminal record checks, 28-day waiting periods, the long-gun registry: none has done anything to stem Canadian firearm homicide rates, according to a new study by an emergency-medicine academic.
"No significant beneficial associations between firearms legislation and homicide or spousal homicide rates were found," reads the abstract on the study, written by Caillin Langmann, a resident in the division of emergency medicine at McMaster University, and himself a vocal... (GunPolicy.org)
Canada Gun Safety Double Standard - Lorne Gunter on Lost Police Guns
5 October 2011
National Post (Toronto), Opinion
Since Bill C-68 became the law of the land more than 15 years ago, one of the most common charges police have laid against gun owners has been for unsafe storage. The reason for this is that the federal firearms law is very unclear about what constitutes safe and unsafe storage.
Is it enough to have one's firearms locked away in a gun safe or must they also have trigger locks installed? How secure must the safe's lock be: strong enough to keep a thief out for two... (GunPolicy.org)
Stepfather Charged After 10-yr Old Shoots, Kills Teen in Canada
4 October 2011
Vancouver Sun (British Columbia)
Charges have been approved in connection with the shooting death of 17-year-old Fernie resident Michael Voth.
Voth was fatally shot by a 10-year-old boy during a gathering at a home in Jaffray, B.C. on June 16.
Police determined that the child found a shotgun in the home, and accidentally fired it at Voth while he held it in his hands.
Voth was killed instantly.
The owner of the gun, 51-year-old George Lewis Phillips, who is the boy's stepfather, has been charged... (GunPolicy.org)
428 Police Guns Lost or Stolen in Canada, Says Pro-gun Group
30 September 2011
Vancouver Sun (British Columbia)
A group opposing Canada's firearms registry says it has discovered that 428 guns have gone missing from police forces or other public agencies.
And Canada's National Firearms Association, which obtained the figure through an access-to-information request, said it suggests police are part of the problem of guns falling into the hands of gangsters and other criminals.
"It seems to me there is a little bit of a double standard here," NFA president Sheldon Clare of Prince... (GunPolicy.org)
85% of Gun Suicides Committed with Hunting Rifle in Quebec [Francais]
28 September 2011
La Seigneurie (Canada)
[Translated summary: With automn's arrival, many Quebecers take out their hunting equipment. The Director of Public Health would like to take this opportunity to remind hunters to be vigilant when handling their firearms to ensure their safety and that of their loved ones. Indeed, no less than 85% of suicides and 17% of homicides with firearms in Quebec are committed with a hunting carbine or shotgun.]
Avec l'arrivée de l'automne, de nombreux Montérégiens sortent... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Long-gun Registry on the Block
18 September 2011
Toronto Sun (Ontario)
OTTAWA - The government has long set its sights on scrapping the long-gun registry - a political hot potato that has pitted cities concerned about gun violence against rural areas dependent on hunting and farming.
Attempts to kill the registry have failed because of successive minority governments, but now that the Conservatives have a majority the life expectancy of the registry will be short.
The government wants to exempt hunting rifles and shotguns from the... (GunPolicy.org)
Man Kills his Parents and Himself with Legally Owned Gun in Quebec
16 September 2011
Ottawa Citizen (Ontario)
A Gatineau man shot and killed his parents and then shot himself with a handgun that he legally owned, police said Thursday.
Police confirmed Patrick Mongeon-Johnson, 32, used his licensed and registered nine-millimetre handgun to kill his mother and stepfather before turning it on himself at 115 De Saguenay Street on Sept. 7.
An autopsy confirmed Lucie Johnson, 51, and Denis Lagacé, 59, died of gunshot wounds.
A handgun is considered a restricted firearm under... (GunPolicy.org)
College Shooting Revives Debate Over Canadian Gun Registry [Francais]
14 September 2011
CapAcadie.com (Canada), Editorial
[Translated summary: The fifth anniversary of the Dawson College tragedy brings back the debate over the abolition of the firearm registry. The number of homicides in Canada involving a carbine or shotgun has dropped between 1975 and 2006, from 183 to 36. Pure coincidence?]
Il y avait exactement cinq ans hier, un étudiant du Collège Dawson à Montréal ramenait au souvenir des Montréalais et de tous les Canadiens le drame de la Polytechnique: armé d'une arme... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns Make Chicago 7 Times More Violent, Deadly Than Next-door Toronto
21 August 2011
Sunday Gazette-Mail (West Virginia), Editorial
Chicago and Toronto are roughly equal in size. Yet Chicago averages 450 gun murders per year, while Toronto has fewer than 60. Why are Chicagoans seven times more violent and deadly than Toronto residents? Maybe it's because Canada has sensible gun control laws.
Chicago's public radio station is airing a series titled "Under the Gun." The first episode featured the contrast with Toronto. Ontario Attorney General Michael Bryant said he nearly was impeached by irate... (GunPolicy.org)
Canada Chooses Flabby Furball, US States Go for Guns as State Symbols
19 August 2011
Canada.com, Opinion
Know what I like best about Canada's national symbol, the beaver?
It's not imperial. Not for us the American eagle with its razor talons, the British bulldog with its gobful of teeth or the ballsy Gallic rooster that struts symbolically for France.
Canadians chose a docile rodent with buck teeth, a pot belly and a tail that looks like it was run over by a Zamboni. We could have opted for a ferocious wolf, a majestic moose, a mighty bison or a fearsome polar bear.
We... (GunPolicy.org)
All Canadian Women Should Own Guns for Self-protection? - Opinion
17 August 2011
British Columbia Local News (Canada), Opinion
Recently someone suggested for self-protection all Canadian women should own guns, a notion as sane as a daycare handing every 3-year-old a pair of sharp scissors before inviting them to join in a game of tag.
The suggestion stems from the shocking statistic of how many women even in this country are murdered, maimed, beaten, or abused every day often by someone they know.
Current gun laws decree ensuring firearms are unloaded at all times when stored, secured by a ... (GunPolicy.org)
Lack of Guns Makes Riots Safer in London Than in Los Angeles
15 August 2011
Economist, Blog
To an American visiting London, one of the more striking aspects of last week's riots was how few people died. Not including the police shooting death that touched off the original disturbance, five deaths have been attributed to the riots and looting. By contrast, 53 people died in the rioting that followed the acquittal of police officers in the beating of Rodney King in Los Angeles in 1992.
At least part, if not most, of the difference is down to the fact that... (GunPolicy.org)
Truck Driver Charged with Smuggling 16 Guns at US-Canada Border
15 August 2011
CJOC News (Alberta)
A 48 year old Canadian man is facing several charges after a large weapons seizure at the Canada/U.S. Border crossing south of Cardston. Kevin Lorne Swanson was arrested when Canada Border Guards found 16 firearms, 10 prohibited magazine clips, and one silencer concealed in crates on a flat-deck trailer at Carway on August 9th. C.B.S.A. Director Kevin Hewson says something just wasn't right about Swanson, as the suspect was nervous, was away from Canada for a long... (GunPolicy.org)
Licensed Canadian Gun Owner, 76, Charged Over Illegal Guns, Drug Trafficking
13 August 2011
St Albert Gazette (Alberta)
A St. Albert senior is facing drug trafficking charges after a search warrant on his home found marijuana, cocaine, prescription drugs, 11 rifles and one handgun.
Police raided the home of a 76-year old man at 80 Salisbury Ave. on Friday, Aug. 5, and discovered the extensive cache of drugs and weapons that were put on display Thursday afternoon.
In total, they discovered 133 grams of marijuana, eight grams of crack cocaine and a single gram of powdered cocaine. They... (GunPolicy.org)
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US Gun Lobby, Arms Makers Raise Alarm Over UN Global Gun Trade Process
5 August 2011
Fox News (USA)
A controversial U.N. proposed treaty aimed at regulating guns worldwide has been shrouded by confusion and misinformation.
Known informally as the 'Small Arms Treaty,' its detractors have charged the proposed agreement with secretly trying to take guns out of the hands of Americans and circumventing the 2nd Amendment.
While that is unlikely, a working draft proposal obtained by FoxNews.com contains language that some gun advocates say could have a real impact on... (GunPolicy.org)
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Canada Gun Lobby Influence on Foreign Policy: Arms Trade Treaty
3 August 2011
Embassy Magazine (Canada), Opinion
Canada has never been a strong supporter of international efforts to negotiate an effective Arms Trade Treaty. But in mid-July, it reversed its previous low-key but constructive role at the United Nations ATT preparatory meetings to become a potential treaty spoiler. All indications point to this change of heart arising from the domestic gun lobby's influence on Canadian foreign policy.
After years of preparation, member states of the United Nations will devote a month... (GunPolicy.org)
Iran,Canada,United States,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
UN Global Arms Trade Treaty Could Dangerously Weaken US Gun Rights
1 August 2011
Albany Democrat-Herald (Oregon), Editorial
For five years the United Nations has been working on a comprehensive treaty to control the international arms trade. The last preparatory meetings were held in New York on July 11-15, and the organization is preparing the final version to be adopted and released for ratification by the member nations in 2012. The process represents a constitutional threat to Americans with, unfortunately, the support of President Obama.
The treaty seeks to control and restrict arms... (GunPolicy.org)
Tracking Guns in Canada - With or Without the Federal Registry
30 July 2011
Montreal Gazette (Québec)
There are ways to track firearms with or without the federal long-gun registry, which is expected to be scrapped this fall:
TRACKING GUNS
Toronto Police Chief William Blair, the current president of Canadian Association of Police Chiefs, wrote federal Public Safety Minister Vic Toews on May 19 with a few ideas:
--That the long-gun regis-try's existing data (firearms descriptions, serial numbers, owners' names and addresses) be transferred within the RCMP to the... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Control in Canada: Crime and the Long-gun Registry
30 July 2011
Montreal Gazette (Québec)
MONTREAL - There are two basic crime scenes when it comes to gun violence in Canada. One involves weapons that are traceable - sometimes using the $1 billion long-gun registry that is likely to be scrapped by the Conservative government this fall, as promised. The other - far more common - involves guns that are not traceable because they are not registered, the registration number was erased or the guns used to kill are never found.
The looming question as MPs get set... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun-toting Americans Busted at Canadian Border, 6 Firearms Seized
21 July 2011
Vancouver Sun (British Columbia)
Two American tourists spent five days in jail, put up $50,000 each in bail and are facing three years behind bars after border guards seized a small arsenal of firearms at the U.S.-Canada border crossing last week.
Danny Cross, brother-in-law Hugh Barr and their wives were on their way to Alaska to celebrate Cross's wedding anniversary when they were stopped at the Aldergrove-Huntington border on July 11.
Cross is 64 and from Texas; Barr is 70 and from... (GunPolicy.org)
11 Guns Seized Last Week, 75 This Year at Canada's US-BC Border Posts
20 July 2011
Vancouver Sun (British Columbia)
VANCOUVER - Canadian border officers in B.C. seized 75 firearms so far this year, included 10 loaded handguns.
The seized weapons were mainly from U.S. travelers who failed to declare them, according to the Canada Border Services Agency.
It is illegal to bring undeclared firearms into Canada.
A total of 461 firearms were seized last year at border crossings across Canada, with 141 of those seized at B.C. crossings.
The CBSA provided a list today of the most recent... (GunPolicy.org)
3 Teens and 2 Men Arrested in Toronto on Firearm and Drug Charges
19 July 2011
Toronto Sun (Ontario)
TORONTO - Three teens and two adult men were rounded up as Toronto Police used tips from the public to track down four illegal handguns and ammunition at two homes.
Among the accused are a 17-year-old boy who was banned for 10 years by a court from possessing weapons, and a teen who has two separate court-imposed firearm bans, including a life-time ban, police said Monday.
Det. Rick Proctor of 31 Division said a team of detectives and the Gun and Gang Task Force... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Govt Tries to Exempt 'Hunting Guns' from UN Arms Trade Treaty
15 July 2011
Toronto Sun (Ontario)
OTTAWA - The Canadian government is trying to spare hunting rifles and sporting arms from a United Nations one-size-fits-all international standard to regulate the flow of weapons around the world.
Gun advocates in Canada praised the feds Friday, but gun control advocates and the opposition blasted the move as an irresponsible ploy to hamper the UN's efforts to save lives.
On Thursday, Canadian diplomats at the treaty's preliminary negotiations in New York tried to... (GunPolicy.org)
Europe,Oceania,Asia,Americas,Africa,Canada
Canada Tosses Gun Lobby Wrench Into UN Arms Trade Treaty Negotiations
15 July 2011
Edmonton Journal (Alberta)
Canada has thrown a wrench into negotiations toward a UN arms-trade treaty by proposing hunting rifles be exempted from the draft accord, gun-control groups say.
But firearms advocates are praising the move, calling it evidence the Harper government is on their side when it comes to gun control.
Preliminary talks on a future Arms Trade Treaty are being held this week at the United Nations in New York. The treaty would establish common international standards for the... (GunPolicy.org)
Consider the Quebec Long-gun Registry Realistically, Not Emotionally
14 July 2011
Montreal Gazette (Québec)
MONTREAL - With a Conservative majority government now ensconced in both houses of Parliament, it is no longer a question of whether a vote to abolish the national long-gun registry will pass.
The question now is when it will happen, and that seems most likely to be this fall.
In light of this impending abolition, the Quebec government is now considering the idea of setting up its own long-gun registry for the province. Public Security Minister Robert Dutil said he... (GunPolicy.org)
Ottawa Firearms Registry and the Pretext of Confidentiality [Francais]
14 July 2011
Cyberpresse (Canada), Opinion
[Translated summary: The Harper Government demonstrates once again of its right-wing ideology along with of its stubbornness when it warns Quebec that it will not share the accumulated data in addition to denying any financial support in the event that it abolishes the firearms register (the hunting long-guns especially) and that Quebec decides to take over creating its own.]
Le gouvernement Harper témoigne encore une fois de son idéologie de droite en même temps... (GunPolicy.org)
Ontario Judges Firing Out Tougher Sentences for Illegal Gun Possession
14 July 2011
Toronto Sun (Ontario)
TORONTO - The era of soft time for gun crimes is officially over.
The time for tougher sentences for thugs packing prohibited and restricted firearms has arrived in Ontario courtrooms.
Lyvon Lambert received the latest and perhaps longest sentence for gun possession in Ontario courts with a nine-year term.
It's only one year below the maximum 10 years imposed by Ottawa in 2008 when Parliament tripled the mandatory minimum sentence for possession of prohibited... (GunPolicy.org)
Provincial Shotgun Registries, 'Foolish' Says Canadian Conservative MP
12 July 2011
Toronto Sun (Ontario)
OTTAWA -- Provinces would be foolish to set up their own gun registry when the national database is scrapped this fall, said the Manitoba Conservative MP who led the charge against the federal long-gun registry last year.
"(The registry) has been proven to be a complete waste of money and a complete waste of effort," Candice Hoeppner said.
"It doesn't combat crime, it certainly doesn't combat violent crime. The registry does nothing to stop individuals from acquiring... (GunPolicy.org)
Ottawa to Provinces: Feel Free to Create Your Own Shotgun Registries
11 July 2011
The Star (Canada) / Canadian Press
MONTREAL—The federal government says it would welcome proposals from any province wishing to set up its own long-gun registry if the Canadian program is eventually abolished.
Ottawa reacted Monday to a report that the Quebec government has a so-called "Plan B" to set up its own registry if the federal program is scrapped.
"Quebec or any of the provinces are free to move forward with any proposals within their jurisdictions," said Michael Patton, a spokesman for... (GunPolicy.org)
Long Gun Registry: Quebec Will Have to Do Without Ottawa [Francais]
11 July 2011
Radio Canada / CP
[Translated summary: If Quebec wants to build a Provincial Long Gun Registry, it will have to do without Ottawa, said the Canadian Ministry for Public Safety. The Federal Ministry added that it will not provide financial support and will not share data from its Registry.]
Québec ne pourra pas compter sur l'aide du gouvernement fédéral s'il veut mettre sur pied son propre registre d'armes d'épaule lorsqu'Ottawa abolira le sien, comme il s'est engagé à le... (GunPolicy.org)
If Tories Scrap Canada's Gun Registry, Quebec Ponders Having Its Own
10 July 2011
CBC News (Canada) / CP
Quebec is considering the idea of having its own long-gun registry if the federal government scraps the current version.
Public Security Minister Robert Dutil told The Canadian Press that civil servants are considering a so-called "plan B" — a provincial registry — if the Conservatives deliver on their promise to ditch the federal one.
"Certainly the people in the department have been told to look at all possibilities and to see how we could react to any number of... (GunPolicy.org)
Canada Loosens Restrictions on Carrying Guns in Polar Bear Territories
7 July 2011
Vancouver Sun (British Columbia)
OTTAWA — Canada may not have the second amendment, but the government will soon allow some people to bear arms in national parks with polar bears.
Parks Canada announced it will be loosening restrictions in nine of its parks to allow specially licensed individuals to carry firearms for protection from polar bears. At the moment, there are significant restrictions on who may carry firearms in national parks.
"There's lots of places where people should never be in... (GunPolicy.org)
European Union,Bulgaria,Russia,West Africa,Pakistan,France,Australia,United Kingdom,Canada,Germany,Italy,United States,Haiti,Côte d'Ivoire,Madagascar
Study Finds Small Arms Have Serious Impact on Fragile States
6 July 2011
Voice of America
A new study finds the global authorized trade in small arms, light weapons, and their ammunition is worth nearly $7.1 billion a year. In its annual report, the independent think tank, the Geneva Forum, also examines the serious impact small arms proliferation is having upon three so-called fragile states-Madagascar, Ivory Coast and Haiti.
Arms exporters
The survey finds in 2008, the United States, Italy and Germany topped the list of 14 top exporters of small arms... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian 12yr-old Boy Facing Charges for Illegal Handgun Possession
4 July 2011
Globe & Mail (Toronto)
A 12-year-old boy is facing six charges after a loaded illegal handgun was allegedly found in his bedroom in Toronto.
The owner of the house where the child lives called police after finding a loaded P-11 Luger 9 mm gun. When discovered, the gun was wrapped up in the boy's pajama bottoms, police said.
The boy lives with his parents near Lansdowne Avenue and Queen Street West.
"We are concerned that a 12-year-old boy was in possession of a firearm and we take this... (GunPolicy.org)
Debates over Gun Control Laws are Ongoing in Canada and US
2 July 2011
Winnipeg Free Press (Manitoba), Opinion
The debates over gun laws that are ongoing in Canada and the United States take place in quite different contexts. In Canada, owners of long guns wonder why they are being persecuted by a law passed by a Liberal government that had been intimidated years ago by feminists after one lunatic killed several women in the so-called Montreal massacre. Two minority Conservative governments tried to repeal that law, but were stymied by an opposition centred in Ontario and... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun-running Program Flaw Relies on Great Number of Mexican Deaths
22 June 2011
National Post (Toronto), Opinion
These are not halcyon days for the unique American combination of extreme drug prohibition and extreme firearms permissiveness. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is enduring its biggest scandal since Waco over an anti-drug operation very inappropriately titled "Fast and Furious." In a nutshell, ATF agents watched carefully as people in Arizona bought massive quantities of legal weapons (notably AK-47 assault rifles), knowing they'd be smuggled across the... (GunPolicy.org)
Drunk, Licensed Canadian Pistol Owner Jailed for Shooting His Best Friend
20 June 2011
Toronto Sun (Ontario)
BARRIE - Beer, vodka, and a loaded gun led to a catastrophe when a 20-year-old shot his best friend in the stomach, a court heard Monday.
Cody Rose, 20, of Alliston, pleaded guilty to the Dec, 18, 2010 incident that left his best friend, Chris Redmayne, 20, laying on his floor in a pool of blood.
Rose was sentenced to six months in jail with one year probation and a ten-year weapons prohibition.
Court heard the two friends spent a night of drinking and playing video... (GunPolicy.org)
Canada: Facebook Leads to Man's Arrest for Illegal Gun Possession [Francais]
15 June 2011
Canoe (Canada)
[Translated summary: A 19 year old man was arrested for unlawful possession of a prohibited firearm after police has found pictures of him holding the firearm on the social network 'Facebook'. The firearm, a .12 calibre shotgun, is a prohibited firearm according to the Canadian Firearms Act.]
SHERBROOKE – Ce n'est pas nouveau, mais l'histoire de ce jeune homme de 19 ans est là pour le rappeler: il faut faire attention aux photos que l'on publie sur Facebook.
Un... (GunPolicy.org)
Canada Murder/Suicide: 4 Bodies Found, History of Domestic Violence
9 June 2011
Huffington Post (Canada)
Vivian Sula Enuaraq's family says the Iqaluit woman had finally had enough.
The 29-year-old had thought about leaving her husband several times during their troubled 11-year relationship, her sister Jolene Arreak recalled from Ottawa.
She had few friends in the northern community, however, and couldn't afford airfare out. So each time she decided to stay in the marriage for the sake of the couple's two young daughters, Arreak said.
But the last time Arreak talked... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Gun Trafficker Sentenced to 6 Years in US Prison
1 June 2011
Vancouver Sun (British Columbia)
A Vancouver gun trafficker caught south of the border with 21 firearms was sentenced to six years in a U.S. prison Tuesday.
Oliver King, who also goes by the name Hamid Malekpour, was convicted on five charges in Seattle in January after a five-day trial.
King, 35, was arrested May 19, 2010, after he travelled from B.C. to McMinnville, Ore., and brought the guns back to the border region.
King was found guilty of unlawful dealing in firearms, being a nonimmigrant... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Unlawful Gun Dealer Faces a Sentence in US Federal Prison
30 May 2011
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
When Oliver King was arrested outside a storage locker packed with high-end, military-style weapons, he had, if cast in a particular light, all it would take to be a villain in a half-cooked terror thriller.
Instead, as the investigation rolled on, federal authorities found King to be an entirely different sort. Rather than some sort of jet-set gunrunner, they had collared an odd man with a failed business, a tendency toward exaggeration – records show he once... (GunPolicy.org)
Woman Suing Police in Canada After Home Seized in Gun Search
18 May 2011
Record (Ontario)
KITCHENER — A woman who was barred from her home during a fruitless search for a missing gun is suing Waterloo Regional Police for $10,000.
The lawsuit in small claims court stems from a high profile 2007 incident in which an undercover officer's handgun was stolen near Kitchener-Waterloo Collegiate Institute.
The loaded gun was left unattended in a backpack — along with ammunition, pepper spray and other gear — when the officer crossed the street to investigate... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Female Officer Cleared to Carry Gun as Protection from Former Boss
17 May 2011
Toronto Star (Ontario)
Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair gave special authorization for a female officer to carry her service gun at all times of the day and night to protect herself against her former boss, a police tribunal has heard.
The officer, who alleges she was sexually harassed by former Staff Inspector Steve Izzett, also had an alarm installed at her home.
As well, the local police force where she lives was notified to immediately contact Toronto police if a 911 call came from her... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Police Tracing Guns Used in Crimes: Home-sourced or Smuggled?
16 May 2011
Metro Halifax (Canada)
Guns used in crimes — like the 26 shootings in HRM so far this year — are overwhelmingly homegrown, police say.
Halifax Regional Police and Halifax RCMP say they seized 129 crime guns in 2010, and were able to track roughly half of them. They discovered 53 were from Canada and seven were smuggled across the border.
In many other areas of Canada it's the other way around.
Const. Brian Palmeter with HRP said several of those guns were stolen from legitimate gun... (GunPolicy.org)
Mothers of Gun Violence Victims Campaign to Save Canada's Gun Registry
6 May 2011
Canadian Press
OTTAWA — La coalition pour le contrôle des armes à feu n'a pas perdu de temps. Quatre jours après l'élection d'un gouvernement majoritaire conservateur, elle redémarre sa campagne pour le maintien du registre des armes à feu.
Dans une lettre ouverte, les mères de six victimes demandent aux citoyens de contacter leur député nouvellement élu et de réclamer que le registre soit maintenu tel quel.
Durant la campagne électorale, le premier ministre Stephen... (GunPolicy.org)
Mothers of Gun Violence Victims Want Canada's Long Gun Registry Saved
6 May 2011
Toronto Star (Ontario)
OTTAWA — A group of mothers who have lost sons and daughters to gun violence has penned an open letter to Canadians to save the gun registry.
The letter calls on Canadians to write their new MPs to pressure the Conservative majority government to save the registry and its valuable data, already collected.
Erasing the registration information on nearly 7 million rifles and shotguns would be a waste of money and a loss of a valuable tool for police, they say.
The... (GunPolicy.org)
Is Your Ex Fit to Own a Gun? British Police Plan to Ask Former Partners
1 May 2011
Daily Mail (UK)
Police will question the former partners of gun licence applicants about their mental stability under a proposed tightening of the law.
Former wives, girlfriends, husbands and boyfriends will be asked if the applicant has ever displayed violent traits or personality flaws.
If they say yes, officers will use their answers as grounds to reject the licence bid.
The move comes in response to last year's horrific killing spree in Cumbria by taxi driver Derrick Bird, 52,... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Adviser to Canadian Conservatives Likens Ontario Police to Nazi SS
27 April 2011
Canadian Press
OTTAWA — A man who advises the Conservative government on firearms policies has compared the Ontario Provincial Police to a fascist paramilitary group and the Nazi SS.
Dr. Mike Ackermann, a physician in Nova Scotia, was appointed in 2006 to a firearms advisory committee, reporting to then-public safety minister Stockwell Day. He is still a member of the group.
Ackermann wrote a note in a Canadian Firearms Digest mailing list earlier this month discussing a police... (GunPolicy.org)
Canada,Trinidad & Tobago,Bermuda
Gun Deaths Put Bermuda's Reputation Overseas at Risk, Warns Governor
20 April 2011
Royal Gazette (Bermuda)
Bermuda's latest gun victim David Clarke was the third foreigner killed in two years; something that's "bound to risk the Island's reputation", according to Governor Sir Richard Gozney.
Mr Clarke, 26, was born in Barbados but lived in Bermuda since his family moved here when he was four. He was shot dead on North Shore Road, Devonshire, around 10.30pm on Sunday.
His murder follows that of Jamaican James Lawes, gunned down in Pembroke on March 22, 2010, and... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Tories Trade Public Safety of Gun Registry for Political Gain
6 April 2011
Montreal Gazette (Québec), Opinion
Stephen Harper's promise in Wainfleet, Ont., on Monday to abolish the long-gun registry was entirely predictable. Harper's efforts to create a divide between rural and urban Canada, between "hunters, farmers" and "urban elites," is totally expected. The Conservatives have been waging a war against the gun registry for years, and Harper is now using it in an attempt to win his long-sought-after majority. The amount the Conservatives have spent on these election campaigns... (GunPolicy.org)
Politics Before Public Safety as Canada's PM Romances the Gun Lobby
5 April 2011
Toronto Star (Ontario), Editorial
Back on the merry-go-round, voters. The assault on Canada's gun laws has begun again.
That Prime Minister Stephen Harper would pledge to get rid of the federal long-gun registry was inevitable. It works for him on two fronts: it plays to core Conservative supporters and creates divisions in the Liberal and NDP camps by pitting rural Canadians against urban "elites." Nothing could be better for a politician who has ratcheted up divisive politics to troubling... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian PM Again Targets Gun Registry, Touts Hunting, Wildlife Panel
4 April 2011
Globe & Mail (Toronto)
Stephen Harper is targeting the long-run registry again, promising during a visit to the Niagara region Monday morning that he would scrap it if re-elected.
He's also pledging to create a hunting and wildlife advisory panel made up of hunters, fishers and conservation groups to offer Ottawa advice on endangered species and wetland protection.
Mr. Harper's first campaign stop Monday was carefully chosen. He's making the pledge in the partly-rural Ontario riding of... (GunPolicy.org)
Alberta Duo Charged with Buying at US Gun Shows, Smuggling to Canada
28 March 2011
Billings Gazette (Montana)
Two Canadians suspected of buying guns in Billings for resale in Canada in a smuggling operation face federal charges.
When the two were arrested in Billings on Sunday after attending a weekend gun show at the Holiday Inn's Montana Convention Center, federal agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations found 12 guns in the pair's vehicle.
The firearms included 9mm, .45- and .380-caliber handguns.
Harley Clifford Combres, 28, and... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Tories Exempt Gun Owners from Registration for 5th, 6th Years
25 March 2011
Toronto Sun (Ontario)
OTTAWA - On the eve on an election campaign the Conservative government has quietly extended an amnesty for long-gun owners who have not complied with the gun registry.
The move was expected to come in May but was moved up due to the election.
"This government is committed to improving public safety through effective gun control and tackling the criminal use of firearms, while reducing administrative requirements on lawful firearms owners," Public Safety Minister Vic... (GunPolicy.org)
Lawyer, Hunter 1 of 3 Specialising in Defending Canadian Gun Owners
9 March 2011
Canadian Lawyer
For most Canadians, our awareness of Canada's firearms legislation is limited to the controversy concerning the long-gun registry — the legislation passed by the federal government as part of a more comprehensive Firearms Act in 1995 — that requires all rifle owners to register their guns. It would seem that most police officers, Crown attorneys, and judges are also a little hazy on the technicalities of the act. "I see a large part of what I do as educating the... (GunPolicy.org)
Record Firearm Seizures as Ottawa Criminals Increasingly Turn to Guns
7 March 2011
Ottawa Sun (Ontario)
More Ottawa criminals are turning to guns as their weapon of choice.
And if the numbers stay on pace, cops could pull a record number of guns off Ottawa streets this year.
"In the last few years, from my perspective … there has been an increase in people being caught with guns in this city. There's been an increase in the amount of shootings that we've been having," Det. Chris O'Brien of the Ottawa police guns and gangs unit told the Sun.
So far, guns and gangs... (GunPolicy.org)
Most Ottawa Crime Guns Smuggled from US, or Stolen from Local Owners
7 March 2011
Ottawa Sun (Ontario)
The numbers behind gun crimes in Ottawa:
2009
* 20 shootings
* 14 gang related
* 1 gun-related homicide
* 56 guns seized by guns and gangs unit
2010
* 22 shootings
* 12 gang related
* 2 gun-related homicides
* 23 guns seized by guns and gangs unit
2011 (First two months)
* 3 shootings
* 1 gang related
* 22 guns seized by guns and gangs unit
THE SOURCE
Roughly 50% of the guns police pull off Ottawa's streets are illegal... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Tories Exempt Gun Owners from Firearm Registry for 5th Year
4 March 2011
Toronto Sun (Ontario)
OTTAWA - The federal government is expected to extend the amnesty for long gun owners who don't register their weapons for another year.
It would be the fifth time the Conservatives protected licensed owners of unregistered long guns from criminal charges.
The extension could be announced in the next few weeks, and would likely come into effect May 17, when the current amnesty expires.
A government official confirmed Friday the amnesty will be extended, saying the... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Runner Gets 15yrs for Selling 35 Firearms in US-Canada Drug Sting
23 February 2011
Detroit Free Press
A Detroit man is going to prison for 15 years for masterminding a scheme to smuggle guns into Canada, U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade announced today.
Terrance Coles, 25, was sentenced today after a federal jury in Ann Arbor found him guilty last July on all 18 counts of an indictment charging him with several crimes, including conspiracy to deal in firearms without a license, being a felon in possession of a firearm, attempted possession with intent to distribute... (GunPolicy.org)
Licensed Alberta Gun Collector Loses 12 Handguns in 'Targeted Robbery'
23 February 2011
Calgary Herald (Alberta)
A dozen guns are believed stolen from a collector after a home invasion in Ogden on Tuesday morning.
Police say at 11 a.m. two men rang a doorbell in the 8000 block of 20A Street S.E. and pulled a gun on the home's occupant.
They demanded the man's firearms. After being shown where the guns were kept, the man was tied up.
Police say the suspects left in a charcoal grey newer model Chevrolet pickup with chrome rims that was driven by a third suspect.
The victim, who... (GunPolicy.org)
Canada,Australia,United States
Reasons Why Many Countries Have Lower Gun Homicide Rates Than US
23 February 2011
Daily Star (Arizona), Opinion
The politicians of Arizona decided that Jared Lee Loughner was a decent law-abiding citizen. As such, they determined that he deserved to be able to legally purchase virtually any type of firearm he desired and to legally carry that firearm in a wide variety of public and private spaces.
So Loughner legally bought a gun designed to kill many people extremely rapidly and he carried the gun legally. He was carrying his gun early Jan. 8 when he was stopped by police.
It... (GunPolicy.org)
US Should Follow Canadian Example of Tougher Gun Registration
21 February 2011
News-Press (Florida), Opinion
Taking on the gun lobby is an exercise in futility. No politician - Democrat or Republican - will risk having the powerful National Rifle Association (NRA) campaign against them at election time. It would have been a losing battle especially in the face of the 2008 Supreme Court 5-4 majority opinion in District of Columbia v. Heller which held that the second amendment was not limited to a "well regulated Militia" but secures an individual's right to own firearms.
In... (GunPolicy.org)
Mentally Ill Canadian Gun Owner Shot, Killed His Wife, Cleared of Murder
15 February 2011
Abbotsford Times (British Columbia)
An Abbotsford man who shot his wife three times and then burned her body was declared not criminally responsible in Chilliwack Supreme Court on Friday.
The man, who cannot be named due to a publication ban to protect the couple's two children, killed his 41-year-old wife on Remembrance Day 2009.
Justice Brian Joyce determined the man was not criminally responsible on account of a mental disorder, and was incapable of determining that his actions were morally... (GunPolicy.org)
