The Coalition News |
| THE NEWSLETTER OF THE RESPONSIBLE FIREARMS OWNERS COALITION | JUNE/JULY99 |
Law Suit - Law Suit - Law Suit
DO YOU OWN PROHIBITED HANDGUNS? (Section 12 (6) guns)
The Government of Canada is preparing to confiscate your legally acquired, legally owned and FULLY REGISTERED property on December 1st of this year…without compensation. The largest legalized theft of private property in Canadian history.The Government of Canada has paid compensation for prohibited firearms many times in the past: they have no right to steal your property. (The average pay out was $766.16 between 1995 and 1998).
Our legal team has found several areas where this action violates the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and we are preparing court documents to challenge it. Research is taking place right now to launch a challenge to the prohibition and confiscation of your property without compensation.
PROHIBITED HANDGUN SUMMARY
Handguns Prohibited - all .25 and .32 calibre handguns - all handguns with a barrel length of 4.14" (105mm) or less.
Government Rational - declared as Saturday Night Specials and deemed to be cheap and inaccurate firearms used only in crimes and for self defence.
Actual Reason - to seize as many handguns as possible and complete the first step to the eventual confiscation of all handguns.
Numbers Involved - an estimated 58% of all registered handguns (over 500,000).
Grandfathering (individuals) - those who continuously owned this class of handgun since before February 14, 1995 may keep and use their property as well as buy, sell and trade within the grandfathered class.
Grandfathering (firearms themselves) - to be considered grandfathered, the handguns in this class must have been registered to a private individual before February 14, 1995 - if they were in dealers stock, they are not considered grandfathered and will be subject to confiscation, no matter who owns them now.
Other Complicating Factors - since C-68 did not come into effect until December 1, 1998, the government had no other choice but to continue to allow the purchase and registration of over 120,000 of these handguns since February 14, 1995 - an estimated 50% of these new registrations will be subject to confiscation.
Options
A large number of handgun owners have received a disturbing letter from Supt. Buisson of the RCMP regarding the possession of prohibited or non-grandfathered handguns. We believe the intent of the letter is to intimidate unknowing firearms owners into handing in their guns for destruction. This seems to be a blanket mailing as many who received the letter are already "grandfathered".
To those who received this letter, we suggest you send a letter, fax or email back to Supt. Buisson requesting the following information:
Supt. J.A.J. Buisson, Registrar
Canadian Firearms Registry
National Police Services Building
1200 Vanier Parkway, Ottawa, On K1A 0R2
Ph: (613) 998-6366 Fax: (613) 993-5548 Email: cfr@istar.ca
WE NEED YOUR HELP
! If you are a non-grandfathered owner of a prohibited handgun, or if you are grandfathered and own a non-grandfathered handgun please fill out the form below and mail or fax it to the CILA National Office.Note that this list will be kept strictly confidential. If you know others who are affected, please have them fill out the form as well. Please note there is a nominal charge of $20.00 for administration. This does not commit you to any obligation whatsoever. When the time comes, we will be contacting you individually to inform you of the process, risks and to request your involvement.
BETWEEN 600 AND 800 BUREAUCRATS WORKING ON GUN REGISTRATION PROJECT
"These federal workers are using valuable resources that could be better spent doing real police work."Garry Breitkreuz, MP for Yorkton-Melville, fired his latest salvo and scored a direct hit against the Liberal make-work project for bureaucrats, namely, the Canadian Firearms Registration Project. "For months now the Liberal lackeys have been claiming they only have a couple of hundred civil servants working on the gun registration project," said Breitkreuz. "Now we have documents proving there are more than 600 federal positions with approvals in place to increase the number of staff to 800. And this is only for 9 provinces because all the legally owned guns in Quebec are being processed and registered in Montreal (paid for with federal tax dollars of course). What will the people in those communities suffering from increasing crime and police budget cuts say when they see this waste?"
Breitkreuz released a copy of paper prepared for him by the Library of Parliament Research Branch called, Structure of Organizations in Charge of Implementing the Firearms Legislation. "The document is quite revealing. It will help everyone who has come in contact with the Canadian Firearms Centre understand why the service is so appallingly bad and the production so terribly behind schedule," commented Breitkreuz. "The government must have used the ‘chaos’ theory of organizational management to arrive at this monstrosity." See if this makes any sense:
221 bureaucrats work for the RCMP in the Canadian Firearms Registry (CFR) in Ottawa.
96 bureaucrats work for the Dept. of Justice at the Canadian Firearms Centre (CFC) in Ottawa.
198 bureaucrats (minimum) 382 (maximum) work for the Dept. of Human Resources Development at the Central Processing Site (CPS) in Miramichi, New Brunswick (26 Dept. of Justice bureaucrats also work in Miramichi).
77 bureaucrats work for the Federal Chief Firearms Officer (CFO) Services in the provinces and territories that have opted-out of administration of firearms registration. These bureaucrats are appointed by the Minister of Justice but work for the RCMP. (12 Dept. of Justice bureaucrats work in CFOs in Newfoundland and the Yukon).
20 bureaucrats work for Revenue Canada Customs in the Firearms Initiative Group in Ottawa.
Plus all the federally-subsidized bureaucrats in Quebec processing firearms licences and registrations.
"That’s a total of more than 600 bureaucrats and they are doing less to improve public safety in a whole year than 6 front-line police officers could accomplish in a single shift", declared Breitkreuz. "Even at an average cost to the taxpayer of $40,000 a year for each bureaucrat, that works out to $24 million just in employee costs. The government admitted they spent $134 million in the last fiscal year and plan to spend $50 to $60 million every year to operate the registry. Compare this to the original estimate of $85 million over five years tabled in the House of Commons in 1995 by Justice Minister Allen Rock. Our sources in Revenue Canada, the RCMP and the Canadian Police Association say the implementation price tag is already at a billion dollars. "No wonder the Department of Justice is taking so long to answer my questions and motions that ask them for details and how much the Liberals have wasted on this politically-motivated, mandarin-made-mess".
NUMBER OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES WORKING ON THE FIREARMS REGISTRATION PROJECT The following is a summary of the number of federal employees working on the implementation of the government’s firearms legislation. The information was obtained from a paper prepared by the Research Branch of the Library of Parliament at the request of Garry Breitkreuz, MP for Yorkton-Melville. The paper is titled, "Structure of Organizations in Charge of Implementing the Firearms Legislation" and dated May 17, 1999.An APPEAL for the APPEAL To The Supreme Court of Canada The RFOC of BC is participating as an intervener in the upcoming Appeal of the Alberta Supreme Court Decision to the Supreme Court of Canada. We will be participating with two distinct groups. The first will be under the banner of The Shooting Federation of Canada, along with CILA, the Ontario Handgun Association and other associates. The second will be under the banner of "Coalition Of Responsible Firearms Owners and Sportsmen": consisting of RFOCBC, Alberta Fish and Game Association, Responsible Firearms Owners of Alberta, National Firearms Association, Alberta Civil Society Association, Alberta Arms and Cartridge Collectors Association, The Sporting Clubs of Niagara, and the Responsible Firearms Owners of Ontario WE NEED ADDITIONAL MONEY TO PAY OUR SHARE OF THESE COURT COSTS. Please consider helping to finance B.C.’s share. A special donation of $5 or $10 from each of us will ensure the financial viability of these court actions. Cut out this section and return with your cheque to RFOC of BC, P.O. Box 93052, Langley, BC, V3A 8H2 Your Membership Number_______________________ Donation Amount $_________________________ PLEASE MAKE CHEQUE PAYABLE TO RFOC, BC |
PLEASE RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP
RFOC BUSINESS ALLIANCE MEMBERS We wish to thank the following companies for their generous and loyal support |
| Bull Sales/Remax Realty | Sechelt | Caldwell Industries Co. Ltd. | North Vancouver | |
| Coldstream Truck Parts Ltd. | Vernon | Dawson Service Ltd. | New Westminster | |
| Dublin Auto Sales Ltd. | Surrey | Fur & Feathers Taxidermy | Surrey | |
| Fyfe Fire Sprinklers | Victoria | Fyfe’s Well Drilling Ltd. | Qualicum | |
| Grand Forks Glass Ltd. | Grand Forks | Hunters Sporting Goods | Surrey | |
| Martlen Enterprises Ltd. | Surrey | Redl Sports Distributors | Burnaby | |
| River Sportsman Ltd. | Campbell River | Service Office Supplies Ltd | Langley | |
| Shop Easy Foods | Port Alice | Specialty Guns Ltd. | Victoria | |
| Stone Technical Ind, Ltd. | Campbell River | Surrey Engine Finders | Surrey | |
Tireland Performance Center |
North Vancouver |
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| PLEASE RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP |
Name: ________________________________ Date: ___________ $15 One Year Membership Address: _______________________________________________ $25 One Year Silver Membership City: ___________________________ Province: _______________ $50 One Year Gold Membership Postal Code: _______________ Phone: ______________________ And/Or Donation: $___________ Age: _____ Occupation: ___________________________________ Total Enclosed: $_____________ Renwal: ___ New: ____ Address Change: _____ Credit Card#: ________________________________ Exp Date: _________________ Make Cheques Payable & Mail to: RFOC BC, PO Box 93052 Langley, BC, V3A 8H2, Phone: (604) 532 - 8048, Fax: (604) 532 - 0380 |
RFOC ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING |
Elections for new Directors will be held followed by a draw for door prizes. (generously provided by Inland Pacific Distributors Ltd.)
DOORS WILL OPEN AT 6:45 pm. PLEASE COME EARLY TO AVOID CONGESTION AT THE DOORS.
HACS Two Day Gun Show to Continue for Another Year
.Congratulations to the good work of the members and executives of local pro firearms organizations for the presentations given to the City Of Coquitlam. CILA Executive Member "Historical Arms Collectors Society" (HACS)'s Gun Show was again in danger of losing its venue, the Coquitlam Sports Center. The City of Coquitlam council defeated the following motion in a 4 -2 vote: "That City Council adopt a resolution to prohibit the rental and use of City facilities for anything related to guns or weapons". This was an attempt by councillors Diane Thorne and Louella Hollington to ban gun shows. This has been the ongoing agenda of these councillors supported by Cathy Burpee of the Together Against Violence Society, and Louise Hara and Susan McRae from the Port Coquitlam Area Women’s Centre. While Diane Thorne did not want to ban gun shows in Coquitlam she just "did not want them in public facilities". Unfortunately the public facility is the only facility large enough in Coquitlam to hold the two-day gun show. The mayor noted that the resolution was flawed and would have prohibited the City of Coquitlam to rent facilities to the RCMP because they have guns. The motion was defeated but the fight is far from over. The anti’s have been raising the objection to the gun show for the last five years. I do not think that they will stop. But in the interim we can say we won one.
Firearms Registration Cost Soars Out of Control
The following figures were taken from a number of Freedom of Information requests instituted by Member of Parliament, Garry Breitkruez (REF - Yorkton-Melville) and recently received. There are some startling numbers.
These requests appear on RCMP letterhead, file # 98ATIP-8844 and # 98ATIP-8845 and were signed by: R.G. Lesser, Supt.
Office of the Departmental Privacy and Access to Information Coordinator 1200 Vanier Parkway, Ottawa, ON. K1A 0R2
Effective April 22nd, 1999
Total number of firearms registered in the Canadian Firearms Registry System: 48,685
Total number of firearms registered in CFRS to businesses, museums and public agencies: 41,673
Total number of firearms registered in CFRS to individuals: 7,012 registered to 5,137 individuals
Although "rumoured" costs have now topped the billion-dollar mark and rumours in the several hundred million are common, the Ministry of Justice has only admitted to $133.9 million dollars. Since one of the intentions of C-68 was to register the firearms owned by individuals that would place the cost of registration at:
$133.9 million dollars / 7,012 firearms = $19,096 per firearm
$133.9 million dollars / 5,137 individuals = $26,066 per person
Total number of UNREGISTERED - RESTRICTED firearms recorded as inventory in various public agencies: 143,247 (The largest number of unregistered handguns in Canada belong to the police)
During the Bill C-17 debate the number of firearms dealers in Canada was approximated at 6,000. There are now a mere 847 businesses registered in the CFRS.
As can be seen by the above figures, the costs of the new firearms registry are out of control. As well, approximately 5,153 small businesses have been forced to close and the resulting financial losses are not included in these costs. When will the Government of Canada admit that their firearms control program is an enormous white elephant and scrap this ridiculous legislation? The recreational firearms community demands effective, efficient firearms controls and stands ready to work with government to achieve this end.
RFOCBC FINANCIAL STATEMENT Income StatementFor the Period May 1, 1998 to April 30, 1999 1998/99 1997/98 |
| REVENUE | 1998/99 | 1997/98 |
| Membership & Donations | 139,834.22 | 53,440.85 |
| Political Action Fund | 0.00 | 12,718.56 |
| Gun Club Donations | 14,075.00 | 7,844.00 |
| Business Alliance | 1,575.00 | 1,750.00 |
| Raffle | 1,493.00 | 1,245.00 |
| Sale of Reference Books | 0.00 | 10.00 |
| Sale of Coalition Merchandise | 0.00 | 75.00 |
| Interest Income | 401.77 | 265.82 |
Totals |
$157,378.99 | 77,349.23 |
| EXPENSES | 1998/99 | 1997/98 | |
| Advertising | 8,721.36 | 14,095.65 | |
| Amortization | 3,427.60 | 3,261.94 | |
| Bank Charges & Interest | 587.89 | 298.39 | |
| CILA | 9,400.00 | 5,000.00 | |
| Office Expenses | 5,640.85 | 1,403.56 | |
| Insurance | 1,146.00 | 1,796.00 | |
| Legal Defense Fees | 5,000.00 | 4,435.60 | |
| Meeting Expenses | 278.20 | 282.12 | |
| Political Donations | 0.00 | 1,000.00 | |
| Postage | 39,388.26 | 9,744.56 | |
| Printing | 26,156.25 | 9,273.21 | |
| Professional Fees | 263.90 | 0.00 | |
| Promotion | 159.60 | 0.00 | |
| Rally & Show Expenses | 2,568.75 | 3,551.91 | |
| Reference Material | 0.00 | 75.00 | |
| Rent | 3,600.00 | 8,756.60 | |
| Shirts & Hats | 0.00 | 1,361.32 | |
| Telephone | 3,376.06 | 5,013.74 | |
| Travel | 508.56 | 35.34 | |
| Wages & Benefits | 2,560.55 | 21,222.79 | |
| 112,783.83 | 90,607.73 | ||
| NET INCOME | $ 44,595.16 | $ (13,258.50) | |
BALANCE SHEET - APRIL 30, 1999 |
||
| Current Assets | 1998/99 |
1997/98 |
| Bank - CIBC Visa Account | 58,152.17 |
12,653.89 |
| Bank - Bank of Montreal | 4,017.21 |
868.64 |
| Term Deposit | 5,907.52 |
5,708.31 |
| Term Deposit - 6 month | 5,937.54 |
5,734.98 |
| Petty Cash | 0.00 |
2.99 |
| Inventory | 0.00 |
0.00 |
74,314.44 |
24,968.81 |
|
| Capital Assets | ||
| Equipment | 17,137.93 |
16,309.67 |
| Less Amortization | (12,802.32) |
(9,374.72) |
4,335.61 |
6,934.95 |
|
$ 78,650.05 |
$ 31,903.76 |
|
| Current Liabilities | ||
| Accounts Payables | 5,000 |
2,848.87 |
| Equity | 73,650.05 |
29,054.89 |
$ 78,650.05 |
$ 31,903.76 |
|
BC Societies #S-32155 NL 08/98