HINTON — Albertans love Canada, but many of them sure hate the federal ties that bind them. That was the underlying theme on the first stop of an Alberta task force plumbing the depths of provincial despair over relations with Ottawa. The Committee on Strengthening Alberta's Role in Confederation heard what it expected to hear on the first of 12 stops on a provincewide tour. Speaker after speaker complained about the "useless" and "wasteful" national firearms... (GunPolicy.org)

John Hechinger is being remembered as the father of District home rule, a strong civic leader and Washington's first City Council chairman. Another group wants him remembered for another contribution: the fight against gun violence. The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence issued a statement following Hechinger's death praising him for taking a courageous stand against guns four decades ago and for being a strong advocate for sensible gun laws ever since.... (GunPolicy.org)

JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri — Although he is defending Missouri's new concealed weapons law in court, Attorney General Jay Nixon has some personal concerns about the implications should his legal team win. In arguments Thursday before the state Supreme Court, Nixon's staff plans to defend the constitutionality of the law allowing most adults to carry concealed guns in their coats, purses, cars and other secret places. But should he win, Nixon is concerned the law might... (GunPolicy.org)

A Washington-based non-profit group called Americans for Gun Safety claims to take the middle ground on gun ownership. I question its neutrality. As a hunter, target-shooter and gun owner, I've been courted in the past by groups that claimed common-sense positions on firearms. These champions of "responsible use" recruit membership and money from both sides but typically lean hard to one side. At its Web site, AGS says it is "bringing a new voice to the debate over... (GunPolicy.org)

The United Nations Security Council today urged the world's countries to do more to halt the flow of the illicit small arms and light weapons, warning that they could end up in the hands of terrorist groups such as Al-Qaida. In a presidential statement read after an open debate on the issue, Ambassador Heraldo Muñoz of Chile, which holds the rotating presidency for January, acknowledged the right of countries to acquire arms for legitimate reasons of security and... (GunPolicy.org)

Though he owns a lot of guns, loves to hunt and spent 38 years in the military, Democratic presidential candidate Wesley Clark is generally opposed to letting citizens carry concealed handguns. "I don't feel right about concealed weapons," Clark told the Wisconsin State Journal during a brief telephone call from New Hampshire on Friday, where he was campaigning for that state's Jan. 27 primary. "It's OK if you're a detective on the police force," Clark continued. "But... (GunPolicy.org)

According to a recent report released by the Ministry of Interior, carrying arms and tampering with them during 2003 continued to be one of the most prevalent problems in Yemen, especially as many victims were reported last year because of the misuse or criminal use of weapons. Many of the victims were women and children. The competent security bodies have observed last year sad incidents due to fiddling with small arms in various parts of the country. In some... (GunPolicy.org)