For or against long gun registry?

[Alberta_Ford]

Just a good selling point to get rid of long gun registry I have yet to here or read is this situation; a family member dies and a antique rifle or collecters item rifle for example is passed on to someone. The rifle was never registered, now this person who accepts this firearm like a gift being passed onto him out of respect is now a criminal under the firearms act for possessing an unregistered firearm. I think we should have the freedom to own a firearm no questions asked, and if someone decides to use it with criminal intentions should then be considered a criminal and charged like one. I hope the conservatives go a step further and get rid of licensing aswell at the federal level because the whole of Canada is not like Toronto or Montreal being busy downtowns. If provinces, regions or municipalities would like to have users be licensed then so be it, but there are entire provinces and territories that you can target shoot in your back yard and not harm or bother anyone let alone by owning an unregistered firearm. Either way these laws are rediculous to be at the federal level being that we are the second biggest country with an astonishingly low population density. So theres no need to regulate this across the board. For example in most areas of the prairies it's a waist of money at the federal level and should only be used at a lower government level only where deemed required for public safety like big cities. Some complain about how this divides urban/rural Canada, they must have no clue about rural Canada because it's as divided as can be at every level and on top of that country folk just don't like city folk and that ain't gonna change. To me it seems pretty divided anyway. So my overall point is that the oppositions points are irrelevant to the majority of Canada by land mass or area, not necessarily by population. As well as there are situations and reasons that this law is unfit to be in place nation wide.

Thanks for reading if you made it this far

[jbg]

I hope the conservatives go a step further and get rid of licensing aswell at the federal level because the whole of Canada is not like Toronto or Montreal being busy downtowns.

I think that cities should be able to make sensible regulations concerning time, place and manner of use. I don't think there's any indication that the Mark Lapines of the world would meekly comply with a registration requirement.

[eyeball]

For or against long gun registry? Which one and why

Against. It would never have done a thing to prevent weapons from falling into the hands of the insane. Neither will cracking down on gang-bangers mind you, but the politicians still need to be seen doing something right?

Luckily us country folk never get insane so them damn city slickers can go register themselves up the wahzoo for all we care.

[prairiechickin]

I've been a hunter and gun owner since my teens, and I never had a problem with a certain level of gun control. Just like I don't like the idea of drunken crazies on the road, I don't like the idea of just anbody having any number of kind of gun they desire. Prior to the long-gun registry, we had a perfectly fine system (Firearm Acquisition Certificate) whereby handguns were strictly limited to those willing to suffer the red tape involved in owning them, automatic weapons and stuff like bazookas were off limits since nobody outside of the army has a legitimate use for those things anyway, and the hunters and target shooters had to pass a criminal background check to buy guns and ammo. This was a reasonable compromise that kept guns out of the hands of crazies and impulse shooters, while allowing for the lawful and legitimate use of firearms. Just because the long-gun registry is ending doesn't mean I want no rules at all. I have no problem being a licensed gun owner, I do have a problem with ignorant urbanites making up an endless litany or rules and regulations designed to make gun ownership so onerous that I feel like a criminal on an ongoing basis because I'm not sure of the latest insane rules regarding where and how I store my guns and ammo. And stop lumping me in with the the Marc Lapines of the world -- that guy was crazy, plain and simple, and you can't legislate crazy away.

[Wild Bill]

The Liberals enacted their Gun Registry Bill, which did not add a single day's sentence to any monkeyshine who actually USED a gun in a commission of a crime!

Yet for an honest citizen to fail to register meant a sentence more harsh than that typically given to said monkeyshine robbing a variety store with a handgun.

To me, this spoke volumes about the real aims of the gun registry and the actual character and values of those supporting it.

In all these years I have heard NOTHING from the gun registry supporters about increasing the punishment for illegal use of a firearm!

There must be something wrong with their heads! A justice system with no true deterrence cannot possibly work. A system that targets the innocent instead of the guilty will never command respect.

[Guest Peeves]

I've been a hunter and gun owner since my teens, and I never had a problem with a certain level of gun control.

Truncated for brevity.

that guy was crazy, plain and simple, and you can't legislate crazy away.

"Prior to the long-gun registry, we had a perfectly fine system (Firearm Acquisition Certificate) whereby handguns were strictly limited to those willing to suffer the red tape involved in owning them, automatic weapons and stuff like bazookas were off limits"

I doth certainly agree. The fiasco of registering long guns did nothing to stop crime. The money would have been far better spent on policing.

Were I a cop I would assume any home I was about to enter for criminal activity or violence had a gun or knife, I wouldn't be checking a list.

I say what we had (FAC) was enough.

[cybercoma]

I try not to point out grammar and spelling mistakes too often because I'm not perfect either, but I found that post nearly unreadable.

[Wild Bill]

I try not to point out grammar and spelling mistakes too often because I'm not perfect either, but I found that post nearly unreadable.

I think his main point is clear, CC. Being a poor speller may make his points hard to understand but it changes nothing as to their truth or falsehood.

He asks what did the gun registry ever do to help stop crime? It's a valid question. It did nothing to keep the guns out of the hands of criminals. In fact, in some cases criminals gained access to the information in order to steal legal guns from homes! There was a scandal here in Ontario where one of the civil serpents involved in the data management had a Hell's Angel for a boyfriend. So it could be argued that the registry hurt more than it helped.

Perhaps you have some concrete examples as to how the gun registry was effective in stopping crime you can share.

[Alberta_Ford]

[quote name='Wild Bill'

There was a scandal here in Ontario where one of the civil serpents involved in the data management had a Hell's Angel for a boyfriend.

How long ago was that?

Edited December 26, 2011 by Alberta_Ford

[Wild Bill]

There was a scandal here in Ontario where one of the civil serpents involved in the data management had a Hell's Angel for a boyfriend.

How long ago was that?

Oh, remember me for an old guy, AF!

It was about 7-8 years ago, as I recall. I'm not firm on the date as I was more impressed with the fact that it happened.

I'm just too old, fat and busy to google everything for everybody, especially when for many posters on this board (I'm sure you've already run into a few) they couldn't care if God himself was a witness and endorsed the account - they will never change their minds!

Edited December 26, 2011 by Wild Bill

[cybercoma]

I think his main point is clear, CC. Being a poor speller may make his points hard to understand but it changes nothing as to their truth or falsehood.

No. His main point is not clear because I didn't read through the post. He may have a point, but when someone's spelling and grammar is that bad, I can't be bothered sitting here and deciphering it.

[cybercoma]

It was about 7-8 years ago, as I recall. I'm not firm on the date as I was more impressed with the fact that it happened.

Are you sure you're not mixing stories? Wasn't it Maxime Bernier that left NATO documents lying around and his partner at that time had connections to the Hell's Angels?

[Topaz]

So now some want to forget the gun licence? Since there no way for anyone to stop a person with a long gun or handgun from killing someone, why not just ban ALL guns in Canada , except for police, military or security?? The farmers has said they need one for wild animals, well one would call the animal control to deal with it. Seriously, why does the general public need a gun? If you need the feel of power, go buy a paint gun. That should go over well,lol.

[prairiechickin]

The farmers has said they need one for wild animals, well one would call the animal control to deal with it. Seriously, why does the general public need a gun? If you need the feel of power, go buy a paint gun. That should go over well,lol.

Ya, that'll work, I'll just tell the coyote to stop killing my chickens and by the way stand over there and wait, animal control should be here in about an hour to control you. Why do I need a gun? Right now there are three deer in my freezer, as there usually are at this time of year because I make a point of filling my freezer every fall. Venison is excellent lean meat, free of hormones and antibiotics, and you can't buy it in stores. So if I want it (and I do), I have to go kill it myself. I do own a bow and I hunt with it, but that's very time consuming. Bowhunting is enjoyable, but the rifle fills the freezer. That's why I need a gun.

[eyeball]

Ya, that'll work, I'll just tell the coyote to stop killing my chickens and by the way stand over there and wait, animal control should be here in about an hour to control you. Why do I need a gun? Right now there are three deer in my freezer, as there usually are at this time of year because I make a point of filling my freezer every fall. Venison is excellent lean meat, free of hormones and antibiotics, and you can't buy it in stores. So if I want it (and I do), I have to go kill it myself. I do own a bow and I hunt with it, but that's very time consuming. Bowhunting is enjoyable, but the rifle fills the freezer. That's why I need a gun.

So why do you need a gun now that the freezer is full? Oh right...

As for your damn chickens and as I already told you, build a better coop. It's people like you with lackadaisical food production practices that attract coyotes and bears into conflict with humans in the first place. Now we have to put up with your bullets flying around the neighbourhood too? Thanks a lot.

[prairiechickin]

So why do you need a gun now that the freezer is full? Oh right...

As for your damn chickens and as I already told you, build a better coop. It's people like you with lackadaisical food production practices that attract coyotes and bears into conflict with humans in the first place. Now we have to put up with your bullets flying around the neighbourhood too? Thanks a lot.

Whay do I need the gun after the freezer is full? Because I fully intend to do it again next year and its not disposable. As for my "lackadaisical"(sic) food production practices, you know nothing about me, and I suspect you know nothing about farming practices either. The closest you've ever been to a chicken is a McNugget. So run along now, the adults are trying to talk here.

[eyeball]

Whay do I need the gun after the freezer is full? Because I fully intend to do it again next year and its not disposable.

So check it out when you do and put it back when your finished.

As for my "lackadaisical"(sic) food production practices, you know nothing about me, and I suspect you know nothing about farming practices either.

I've got a pretty good idea. I know you're good at baiting coyotes and we have chickens and fishermen and bears and irresponsible gun owners shooting up the neighbourhood where I live too.

Then there's the bullet holes through the stop signs along my kid's school bus route.

[prairiechickin]

So check it out when you do and put it back when your finished.

I've got a pretty good idea. I know you're good at baiting coyotes and we have chickens and fishermen and bears and irresponsible gun owners shooting up the neighbourhood where I live too.

Then there's the bullet holes through the stop signs along my kid's school bus route.

Check it out of where? Its stored safely at home and I won't see it until next fall when I take it out, sight it in, and go hunting again.

As for coyotes, you know nothing. I used to trap them for pelts when I was young, but I haven't shot at one since. Sorry about your stop sign, but I didn't do it. My bullets are hand made and very expensive. Unless I'm sighting in or trying out new loads, I don't shoot at anything unless I intend to eat it.

[NWRS]

You are as likely to be stabbed to death as shot in this country, more likely to be a victim of violence with a knife than a gun, and liscensed gun owners are statistically 3-4 times less likely to be convicted of a a violent crime than non gun owners.

Clearly we need to put gun grabbers like eye in storage until they are needed.

Liscensed gun owners are just about the safest identifiable group of people in the country.

Why do gun grabbers care more about the weapon than the victims? Is it a psychosis? The statistics prove that it is completely irrational, so it must be.

But the argument is over, we won.

[PIK]

It was a major insult to all law biding gun owners in the country. Having Allen Rock and the TO boys telling us that we are no longer to be trusted with our guns, when you have rock leading the charge ,when he is quoted as saying ,he hopes that only soldier and police will own guns in canada, make you wonder how far he would have went. It was nothing but a feel good policy for the left to think they are doing something, but it backfired like most feel good policies do, like kyoto. It divided the rural and cities more then any other policy.

Edited December 27, 2011 by PIK

[Wiggum]

So why do you need a gun now that the freezer is full? Oh right...

As for your damn chickens and as I already told you, build a better coop. It's people like you with lackadaisical food production practices that attract coyotes and bears into conflict with humans in the first place. Now we have to put up with your bullets flying around the neighbourhood too? Thanks a lot.

Through out the year most hunters spend time at the range to hone skills and for enjoyment.

If you have bullets "flying around your neighbourhood" then use some common sense and call the authorities...though I doubt you are actually having this issue.

Seems like some on here base their lives and opinions off what they see in the movies.

[Wild Bill]

Are you sure you're not mixing stories? Wasn't it Maxime Bernier that left NATO documents lying around and his partner at that time had connections to the Hell's Angels?

Yes she did but no, that's a completely different story. This was a lady involved in the data management of the registry.

And no, I'm not going to do all the googling. If you're interested, google yourself. Since I truly don't care if I convince anybody on this point I don't care to make the effort. I'm too old and fat to be a crusader for everything!

[Alberta_Ford]

Said by eyeball

As for your damn chickens and as I already told you, build a better coop. It's people like you with lackadaisical food production practices that attract coyotes and bears into conflict with humans in the first place. Now we have to put up with your bullets flying around the neighbourhood too? Thanks a lot.

How many people actually shoot deer in their neighborhood? It happens in your subdivision everyday right? Be realistic. I'll bet if he keeps chickens and has coyotes coming he lives in a rural area if not remote and theres coyotes there whether or not his chickens are.

Edited December 28, 2011 by Alberta_Ford

[eyeball]

Through out the year most hunters spend time at the range to hone skills and for enjoyment.

If you have bullets "flying around your neighbourhood" then use some common sense and call the authorities...though I doubt you are actually having this issue.

I recall the day I responded to a call for a kid that had been attacked by a pit bull on the reserve down the road. Talk about a tense and angry situation. Quite a crowd of people had gathered by the time I arrived and the police arrived about 5 minutes later, just in time to for someone to shoot the dog right there and then. The cops really looked like they'd rather be somewhere else.

As for wildlife conflicts we have black bears to contend with in my very rural (verging on the boonies) neighbourhood and there are still a few people about whose first impulse seems to be, reach for a gun. I've had the same bears wandering in and out of my yard for years and years without a single incident. As for the bullet holes through the stop sign on the school bus route I mentioned...there's just no excuse for that whatsoever. The cop I pointed them out thought so too but said there was nothing he could do. I hear that all to often when it comes to guns, 'there's nothing we can do'...

Seems like some on here base their lives and opinions off what they see in the movies.

For me the above incidents are just more ammunition so to speak for reasons to better control guns. I do not and never have advocated the prohibition of guns but I certainly do think they need to be controlled.

I reserve most of my opinions on the topic of gun control however on the impetus for the gun registry - that an insane individual took a gun and killed and wounded a pile of people. The need to address the use of firearms by insane people has never gone away, it's only increased and I think there's a lot we can do to prevent it.

It's usually about this point that people start pointing to cars for example and ask why I'm not pointing at them too. At least with cars there is and always has been an ongoing effort by industry and government and car owners to improve their safety. With guns it seems there is nothing but denial and claims of near infallibility amongst licensed gun owners. Apparently hunters and ranchers never commit gun crimes and their gun licence somehow must make them immune to mental illness too.

It's just too easy in a country where millions of guns are readily available for an insane person to do a lot of harm. 1 in 5 five people will suffer a mental illness in their life and experts are also warning of an oncoming epidemic of dementia.

I think gun owners and the entire firearm industry need to come up with better ways to make gun storage safer. Things like armouries to safely store guns, gps chips in guns to help track their whereabouts and to validate their security or home storage lockers that require two people before they can be opened are just some of the things that could do this.

The armoury idea seems to be the most disturbing idea to gun owners so I suggest we use it like Damocles Sword. Either you gun owners come up with ways to keep your guns safe at home or they'll have to be locked up at an armoury. I'd suggest target ranges and gun clubs would be a natural place to include an armoury.

I really like the idea of requiring two people to unlock a gun from its storage rack or locker. I can't think of a simpler more immediate check on the ability of a single person to pick up a gun in a sudden rage.

Edited December 28, 2011 by eyeball

[jbg]

Yes she did but no, that's a completely different story. This was a lady involved in the data management of the registry.

Sounds like productive work that benefits society.