in E News TEAM CSSA E-NEWS – Oct 18, 2013
CANADIAN SHOOTING SPORTS ASSOCIATION / CANADIAN INSTITUTE FOR LEGISLATIVE ACTION
TEAM CSSA E-NEWS – Oct 18, 2013
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COMMENTARY: CSSA COURT CASE AGAINST ONTARIO CFO MOVING FORWARD
Compared with the speed of the Ontario justice system, a glacier is a runaway train.
Canadian Shooting Sports Association / Canadian Institute for Legislative Action (CSSA/CILA) executive director Tony Bernardo appeared in Provincial Court on October 16 for the fourth time seeking justice against the Ontario Chief Firearms Office. Bernardo was accompanied by firearms lawyer Ed Burlew and it took just 20 minutes for the judge to say that the Provincial Court does not have jurisdiction to hear the case as he has ruled that the new ATT condition does not constitute a refusal or revocation of the previous ATT conditions. They were told to come back on October 28 to find out why. We must now present the case in Divisional court, a court of higher jurisdiction. We have been advised that the case will not be completely heard until next June at the earliest and that it could take three to six months for a judicial decision. And of course, all of this will cost significant funds.
CSSA/CILA is taking the CFO to court for suddenly changing the Authorization To Transport (ATT) regulations that were imposed many years ago. The original ATT allowed transporting firearms between the owners’ home and any approved shooting range in Ontario (previously Canada) under the federal Firearms Act. The CFO’s new rules overturn the Criminal Code that specifies sport shooters can transport their guns to shooting clubs where the permit holder is a member. But, the CFO’s new rule states that sport shooters may only visit shooting ranges where they have a written invitation — and they must carry it during transport. They must also surrender that written invitation to a police officer upon demand, and contravention of the CFO’s power play could result in a mandatory three years in jail!
Lawful firearms owners must fight this. The CFO didn’t hatch this specious ruling if it didn’t intend to use it against sport shooters. Will it be you? If the new rule is allowed to fly in Ontario, it will almost certainly set the standard across the country. It puts yet another deadly arrow in the CFO’s quiver to lay bogus charges that have no actual bearing on public safety. Some police have already used trumped-up charges for wrongful storage of guns and ammo, if only to empty the wallets of those who are forced to defend themselves — even when they win. The CFO’s ATT rule change is one more way that police can play the game of “bankruptcy bafflegab” and ruin the future of an otherwise law-abiding gun owner forever.
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HELP SUPPORT THE GREAT WORK THE CSSA DOES TO PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS. DONATE HERE
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SPECIAL EVENTS
AIR MATCH INVITATIONS FOR OTTAWA AND KITCHENER: In honor of a fellow shooter, coach, range official and dear friend you are cordially invited to the 7th Annual Bill Szulga Memorial Air Match. We are again running the match at two locations Kitchener and Ottawa. This is an SFC sanctioned Match. Disciplines shot will be 60 shot Air Rifle and Air Pistol. Match will adhere to ISSF rules as closely as possible. Light refreshments will be served.
The Ottawa part of the match will be held at the RA Centre Gun Club located at the 2451 Riverside Drive, Ottawa, Ontario( http://www.racentre.com/e/about/general.htm ) on Sunday, October 20. The match will be shot on targetworx target systems. Compressed air tank will be available on the range.
Kitchener part of the match will be held on Saturday, October 26 at the Pioneer Sportsman Club in Kitchener, located at 211 Pioneer Tower Road, Kitchener, Ontario. The match will be shot on single bull targets with both hand crank and electric return carriers available. Match director for this location is Sharon Bowes [email protected]. Pioneer does not have compressed air tanks, if you will require air or CO2 please contact Sharon ahead of time to make arrangements.
The Winners in Category Air Rifle and Air Pistol name plate will go on the Bill Szulga Memorial Match trophy. We will welcome any help with officiating and range setup and scoring.
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BREAKING NEWS
DON’T TEACH CHILDREN ABOUT AIR GUNS — JUST REGULATE: Some air-powered guns can legally be sold to children in Alberta, which concerns a parent in the southeast Calgary neighbourhood of Dover where a nine-year-old was wounded playing in his backyard. He was hospitalized for three days for a puncture wound in his abdomen. Police say the child heard a loud bang and authorities believe an air-powered gun was used to shoot a projectile. “Pretty much all the kids in the area have them. This one was purchased by my 14-year-old son for $40,” said neighbourhood resident Andrew Lemna. “I’ve taken them away. I had to lock them up in safes.. I want some action against the selling to minors. Plain and simple, they should be regulated.”
Air-powered guns are also known as pellet guns, BB guns, spring guns and air soft guns, according to RCMP. Lemna’s son Keenan said air-powered guns are easy to buy and are even available online. He and his friends liked to shoot cans in the backyard, but stopped after hearing about the neighbourhood boy. Keenan said he didn’t realize how powerful they could be until his father made him watch a video online about a kid who lost an eye. “The kid has no eye!” he said. “Air soft can puncture stuff. It can go in your arm, anywhere fragile, like your neck.”… (CBC — Calgary — October 8, 2013)
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U.S. SENATE REJECTS U.N. ARMS TRADE TREATY: The U.S. Senate responded decisively today to Secretary of State John Kerry’s recent signature on the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). In a bipartisan letter led by Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Joe Manchin (D-WV), half of the Senate has officially pledged to oppose the ratification of the ATT. The signatories include every Republican Senator except Mark Kirk (R-IL) and five Democratic Senators. The letter, with its 50 signatories, ends any prospect in the foreseeable future of Senate ratification of the ATT.
The signatories base their opposition to the treaty on six points, including the Administration’s decision to violate its own red line by backing the adoption of the treaty through a majority-rule vote in the U.N. General Assembly. They also note that, because ATT contains “only a weak non-binding reference to the lawful ownership and use of, and trade in firearms, and recognizes none of these activities, much less individual self-defense, as fundamental individual rights,” it could pose a threat to rights protected under the Second Amendment.
The signatories are also concerned about the vague standards at the heart of the treaty, which they fear will “steadily subject the U.S. to the influence of internationally-defined norms.” They therefore oppose all treaties that “allow foreign sources of authority to impose judgment or control upon the U.S.” With this letter, half of the Senate has therefore rejected the left’s strategy of using transnational norms to remake the United States and its constitutional order. This rejection will be important in future Senate debates and public consideration of all treaties and other international commitments…
The Administration has also implied that it can implement the ATT through its existing authorities and without new appropriations. It is therefore incumbent on the Senate and House to reject this claim (as both the Senate and the House have already done through previous actions), hold appropriate hearings on the treaty and the Administration’s proposed implementation of it, and prepare the way for this President or a future one to “unsign” the ATT and thereby end this dangerous and senseless experiment with a U.N. treaty and its vague standards. ( ByTed R. Bromund, Ph.D – October 15, 2013 – blog.heritage.org)
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GOOD QUESTION FOR THE ANTI-GUN PEOPLE YOU KNOW: Governments and the media say it is wrong to abuse all members of any race or religion for the actions of a few lunatics. But, why do governments and the media say it is appropriate to abuse lawful firearms owners for the actions of a few lunatics?
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ONTARIO SPRING BEAR HUNT GETS NEW SUPPORT: Thunder Bay-Atikokan MPP Bill Mauro put forward a Private Members’ Bill in the Ontario Legislative Assembly calling for an amendment to the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997 to provide an open season for black bears across Ontario from April 15 to June 15 of every year.
At this time, we understand that the introduction of this Bill on Tuesday constitutes the first reading and that the second reading could take place as early as December 8th, 2013. NOTO has contacted MPP Mauro’s office to learn more about his initiative and to determine what action NOTO should take if any. We will keep you informed as we learn more.
Over the years, NOTO has continued to seek champions within Government who would be willing to discuss the reinstatement of the hunt and have found very few who would take this issue forward with us. While we hope that opening these discussions again in the legislature will bring back the hunt and help to strengthen the tourism industry, we are very guarded at this point until we learn more.
We will keep you posted as we look into this matter. In the meantime, we would like to hear your thoughts on the possibility of bringing back the spring bear hunt. Email your comments to the NOTO Office at [email protected] (The Voice of Nature and Outdoor Tourism in Ontario — media release)
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HEY NEW BRUNSWICK – GOT YOUR FIREARM INSURANCE YET? Firearm Legal Defence is now available for sport shooters and hunters in New Brunswick, which has more licensed gun owners per capita than any other province.
Now sports shooters in most provinces are eligible for a maximum benefit of $100,000 per occurrence or up to $500,000 for multiple occurrences in the same policy year.
For details see www.firearmlegaldefence.com – just $95/yr and CSSA members are eligible for a $10 discount – click on “Buy Now” and enter the following exclusive club code to access your savings: CSSA001. You are not required to disclose any information about firearms in your possession.
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YIKES — SHOULD WE TELL WHAT WE’VE LEARNED? Costa Rica News – Mario Zamora, the head of the Ministry of Public Security, announced that the system is about to make it easier on gun permit holders, in an attempt to track the firearms throughout the country.
“The new online system by the Public Security Ministry will permit transparency, support police investigations and improve ease of access. When the system is completely online it will allow for better investigations of crime,” he explained.
The changes allow foreigners with work permits or residence to get firearms permits. Immigration information is already online and it’s easy for gun permit agencies to check eligibility. 90 day tourist visas do not make one eligible. Every owner is limited to 3 guns.
The online program is thanks to a $1.6 million investment. Those wishing to own a firearm would have to pay $22, pass a psychological exam in addition to a theoretical and practical test, give fingerprints, and get a digital identification. Those who prefer to go to the ministry’s office instead of filing online may still do so. Permits must be renewed every two years, but the fee is issued only once.
The online database is useful for those who hire private security. They can monitor whether the guns used to guard their homes and businesses are legally licensed. In Costa Rica, 10 firearms are owned for every 100 people. In the U.S. it is 88.8 per 100.
In Costa Rica, owning or illegally possessing a firearm can get you five years in prison. There are no automatic weapons allowed. Most semi-automatic weapons are also banned. (Costa Rica News — October 10, 2013)
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HEY PARDNER — WIN A CSSA GUN COMBO! Winchester’s 1873 rifle was the “Rifle that Won the West.” It was chambered for new, more powerful cartridges like the .44-40 and the .45 Colt.
However, a factor that really insured the success of the 1873 Winchester rifles was that Colt quickly offered its 1873 Peacemaker revolver chambered in those calibers as well. A cowboy could have both a lever-action rifle and his six shooter, and needed only one cartridge belt for both.
Most Texas Rangers and every old West cowboy worth his salt carried 1873 rifles. Chappo, the son of Apache war chief Geronimo, packed an 1873. And Buffalo Bill carried an 1873 lever-action rifle in 1876 when he worked as an Army scout.
The new Uberti Silverboy is the ultimate small-bore lever-action rifle chambered in .22 LR. This is an all-original lever-action firearm, based on the classic styling of the old west lever gun. The Silverboy embodies the best features of the proven lever-gun design that goes back as far as the mid-1800s. A cartridge-control mechanism allows controlled-round-feed so that the gun can be fired reliably while held at any angle.
You could be the proud new owner of these gorgeous new rifles. All you need to do is make a $10 donation to the Canadian Shooting Sports Association and we will give you a free chance to win these great guns. Better yet, we will give you three chances with a $20 donation, ten for $50 and a $100 donation can get you 20 chances. As a special bonus, a $100 donor will also receive a free one-year gift CSSA membership. Keep it yourself or give it to a friend or family member.
These rifles will find a new home at CSSA’s April 2014 AGM in the Niagara region. Help us continue to defend your sport, your guns and your rights. Your donation helps us to help you. Your generosity is most appreciated!
Please call 1-888-873-4339.
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CHECK OUT WHO’S SHOOTING WHAT IN THE U.S.: The National Shooting Sports Foundation’s initial Modern Sporting Rifle Report, conducted in 2010, provided the first professional survey data on ownership of these popular semiautomatic rifles. The report revealed that owners were passionate about their MSRs, that most used them often and largely for target shooting, that they owned multiple modern sporting rifles and they enjoyed accessorizing them.
The newly released update of the report—NSSF Modern Sporting Rifle Comprehensive Consumer Report 2013—shows these characteristics remain true, with much of the data falling within the range of the earlier report. Nearly 22,000 owners of AR- and AK-platform modern sporting rifles participated in the survey, which was commissioned by NSSF and conducted by Sports Marketing Surveys.
Among the findings were that most modern sporting rifles were purchased from an independent retail store, with the average cost $1,058, which is $25 less than the average from the 2010 study. The preferred calibers were not surprising—.223/5.56mm for the AR platform and the usual 7.62mm x 39mm for AK-platform rifles.
The new report shows 35 percent of MSR owners had some military or law enforcement background—a figure lower than the 44 percent in the 2010 report.
“The owner base for modern sporting rifles has expanded,” said Jim Curcuruto, NSSF’s director of industry research and analysis. “MSRs have been among the most popular selling firearms in recent years. While the rifle remains popular with those who have military or law enforcement experience, ownership has expanded to other gun owners. Given the popularity and versatility of MSRs, I don’t think that will come as a surprise to anyone.”
Additional findings in the report include:
• Of those who own only one MSR, 49 percent said they purchased their first in 2012 or 2013, with 82 percent of recent purchases AR-platform rifles.
• The amount owners spent on accessorizing their ARs rose from an average of $211 to $381.
• Those who own multiple MSRs are more active shooters, with 92 percent target shooting, almost 50 percent of them hunting and 19 percent using them in competition.
• Those who own 4 or more MSRs are more likely to own an AK-platform MSR.
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THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
The CSSA is the voice of the sport shooter and firearms enthusiast in Canada. Our national membership supports and promotes Canada’s firearms heritage, traditional target shooting competition, modern action shooting sports, hunting, and archery. We support and sponsor competitions and youth programs that promote these Canadian heritage activities.
To join or donate to the CSSA, visit: http://www.cdnshootingsports.org/membership.html
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CANADIAN SHOOTING SPORTS ASSOCIATION / CANADIAN INSTITUTE FOR LEGISLATIVE ACTION
116 Galaxy Blvd, Etobicoke ON M9W 4Y6
Phone 416-679-9959, Fax: 416-679-9910
Toll Free: 1-888-873-4339
E-Mail: [email protected]
Website www.cdnshootingsports.org