Those silly Canadians

[Furyataurus]

The Hill Times, April 6th, 2009
LETTERS

Few Canadians understand 'silly' authorization of transport regulation
Re: "House eyes Breitkreuz's explosive gun bill," (The Hill Times, March 30, p. 1). I read with interest of fierce opposition to Conservative MP Garry Breitkreuz's private member's Bill C-301, and it appears that the gun control advocates (and The Toronto Star) feel that it will reduce the public safety in some manner. This concern seems to emanate from a very legitimate desire to strike the Authorization to Transport (ATT) regulation, but very few Canadians truly understand how silly, and expensive that regulation really is.

An ATT is currently required in addition to a restricted firearm licence, and in Ontario, for instance, a blanket ATT is issued to allow a "licensed" restricted firearm owner who is also a member in good standing of a firearms club, and allows the holder to safely transport their restricted firearm, trigger locked or disassembled in a locked container, with the ammunition separate from the firearm, from the place of permanent secure storage, for example, a safe to any firing range in Ontario by a reasonably direct route.

Should the owner wish to compete outside the country, they need an additional special ATT to transport from the place of storage to a point of exit (the border).

Should the owner change residence, and presumably wish to move their firearm along with them, an ATT is required to change the place of storage on the day of the move.

Should they need to service the firearm, an additional special ATT must be issued to transport it to a gunsmith, and often a separate one to take it home, depending upon the duration of the stay, perhaps waiting for parts.

Should they wish to sell, inspect, evaluate or trade their firearm at an authorized dealer, then again a special authorization must be requested, processed and issued, and at the point of sale/purchase, yet another special ATT must be issued.

If that seems to be quite a bit of extra paperwork, all of which is redundant to the restricted firearm licence, you'd be right. After a while, all those authorizations start to add up.

Strangely, I have never heard of a criminal requesting an authorization to head down to the local bank to commit a robbery, or to take their Saturday night special out to a night club. I wonder why the Firearms Act doesn't require criminal firearm owners to get authorizations.

Oh, that's right, the Canadian Firearms Act doesn't apply to criminals, because they don't have a license, and therefore they fall "outside its scope." Canadians can rest easy, however, sure in the knowledge that our streets are safer because our bureaucrats are pushing paper like mad.

Robert S. Sciuk

Oshawa, Ont.

http://www.hilltimes.com/html/cover_index.php?display=story&full_path=/2009/april/6/letter7/&c=1

[HeresyLives]

1. It's to prevent the development of a 'gun culture'

like the one that exists in the U.S.

[depakid]

5. Which, like a lot of things Canadians do, is a damn sensible idea

[HeresyLives]

6. Thank you. We try.

Gets almighty tedious at times I can tell you, but it does seem to keep the idea of 'gunplay' in check.

[depakid]

7. Haven't seen any Canadian banks fail, eh?

Pretty decent primary care- with nice outcome measures. As far as I can tell, no one goes bankrupt and loses their home if a family member is injured or falls ill. And of course, Canadians had the good sense to stay out of Iraq... and Vietnam. Just a short list.

[TankLV]

2. Robert S. Sciuk - another fine example of an IDIOT...

[MineralMan]

3. Canadians: They're silly, but they're tasty....

[wartrace]

4. Tennessee is working on a law to allow loaded long guns in vehicles.

It makes perfect sense to me. As the law is written now you can not have ammunition in the same area as the firearm, any ammunition (with gun) in the cab of a pickup is considered a "loaded gun". How is a guy with a pickup truck supposed to hunt or drive to the range?

The rules for criminals in Tennessee are already streamlined. They can carry anywhere they don't get caught. If caught they can plea down to three hots & a cot for a couple of years or maybe probation.

Most guns laws are ineffective because of lax enforcement & weak punishment for violators. Start locking up felons caught with a firearm for 15 years & let the non-violent offenders out on parole. I would rather have a pickpocket out on parole than a gang-banger with previous felonies running around with a gun.