The Sporting Clubs of Niagara

Newsletter

Volume 18, Number 2

April 2012

President’s Message DING, DONG, THE REGISTRY’S DEAD!!! Well, it has taken us over seventeen years to be able to say this but we can finally report that the Firearms Act (Bill C-68) was dealt a mighty blow when the clock struck midnight on Thursday, April 5, 2012. At that moment the hated long gun registry passed into oblivion. Moving at very rapid speed as far as Parliament and the Senate are concerned the bill took about six months to finally complete all the steps necessary to make it law. The significance of this event should not be underestimated. It is an extremely rare occasion to have a government actually repeal existing legislation. In fact, well known U.S. writer David Kopel said this. "Globally speaking, the repeal of the registry is the most important gun policy event of the last year. As the United Nations works towards a final draft of an Arms Trade Treaty this year, the Canadian public's rejection of the registry adds to the challenges of the global gun control organizations which want the Treaty to include gun registration requirements." The lone fly in the ointment was that Quebec (why are we not surprised) filed a court injunction to prevent the destruction of the long gun registry records as they want them to start up their own registry. It should be pointed out, however, that the injunction only applies to Quebec and that the federal government is going to immediately start deleting the long gun records of non-Quebec residents. We are skeptical about how Quebec‘s court action will succeed. The information was collected by a federal agency and with the privacy laws involved it is hard to see how the feds could just turn private information over to a province even if it wanted to without the express consent of the information provider, in this case gun owners. I don’t believe that too many would willingly allow their data to be passed on. However, we have to remember that the majority of the Supreme Court is still made up of Liberal appointees so all bets are off for a fair decision when it comes to guns. Time will tell. This issue is likely to drag on for several months and our sympathies go out to our Quebec brothers and sisters. Perhaps this will motivate them to get more politically active, which has not been the case to date. Meanwhile, for the rest of free Canada we suggest you celebrate by going out and buying another gun. You can never have too many. As we have stated many times before, this is far from the end of the war. Critical issues such as licencing, the entire Section 12 gun classification system, magazine limits, warrantless “inspections” by firearms officers and upcoming gun show regulations are just some of the many unjust sections of the Firearms Act that need to be revised or outright scrapped. The good news is that all indications are that the Conservatives are serious about rectifying at least some of these issues. We believe that once the furor around dropping the registry fades from the headlines (and that won’t be long) we will start to see further improvements that will make all our lives easier. It will take time and further effort on our part but more changes are coming. As our friend Tony Bernardo says, this will be a classic case of “eating the elephant one bite at a time”. At this time we must acknowledge the hard work done by firearm organizations across the country: national groups like the Canadian Shooting Sports Association and the National Firearms Association, provincial groups like the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters and British Columbia Wildlife Federation and grassroots groups like TSCON, Responsible Firearms Owners Coalition of British Columbia Responsible Firearm Owners of Alberta and the Canadian Unlicenced Firearms Owners Association. We owe all of them a huge debt of gratitude and urge you to join and support them in their ongoing endeavours. Lastly, my deepest thanks to all of you who have stuck with us when times were bleak. Take some time now to celebrate. For many of us who have been in this struggle for a long time it is a victory that is hard earned and we deserve to savour it. Gerry Gamble
	In Memoriam It’s a sad irony of life that most any celebration also has a tinge of regret for those who can’t enjoy it and this one is no different. In the seventeen years of our operation we have lost many good friends who we wish were here to share our success. The following are members of the TSCON Executive who sadly were not able to reap the fruits of their labours. Fine people all, please spare them a moment in your prayers. Bill Wagner Jim Finley Max Cook Max Goltz Tom Thorpe Carson Moore Dave Rempel Dave Miller
	Bill C-19 Bill C-19 became law literally as I was writing this issue so there may be some details which are not yet completely clear. However, here are the most important things the bill does: · Removal of the requirement to register non‑restricted firearms · Destruction of the existing non‑restricted firearms registration records · Allowing the transferor of a non‑restricted firearm to obtain confirmation of a transferee’s firearms acquisition licence prior to the transfer being finalized A person may transfer a firearm that is neither a prohibited firearm nor a restricted firearm if, at the time of the transfer, a) the transferee holds a licence authorizing the transferee to acquire and possess that kind of firearm; and b) the transferor has no reason to believe that the transferee is not authorized to acquire and possess that kind of firearm It should be noted that the new law does not change the requirement for all individuals to hold a licence (POL or PAL) in order to possess a firearm. The licensing, safety training and safe storage requirements for anyone who uses or owns a firearm continue to be in force. The legislation also does not impact registration requirements for restricted or prohibited firearms. In plain english this means the following: if you want to buy a non-restricted you show the seller your valid licence, pay him/her the money and take the gun. You do not need to call the Canadian Firearm Centre (CFC) to register the gun. If you are uncertain about a prospective buyer’s legal status you should call the CFC (1-800-731-4000) with the buyer’s name, PAL number and address and have the CFC verify that the buyer can, indeed. purchase the gun. If you are selling a gun by mail order we suggest you get a photocopy of the buyer’s PAL and call the CFC to verify their legal status. Lastly, perhaps the only benefit of the long gun registry was that if you had a gun stolen the description of the firearm was in the computer database which could be checked if it was recovered. Since that data will no longer exist we strongly recommend that you record all the possible information on every gun you own should a theft or loss (like in a fire) occur. This will enable you to provide your insurance company with a comprehensive description of the gun and also allow you to provide the police with an accurate description of the gun should it be recovered. We are sure more information will surface over the next few months so if you have questions be sure to contact TSCON at 905-685-4480.
	NRPRC Range Closure What a difference a month makes. In the last issue we detailed the attempts by Niagara Regional Council to terminate the lease of the Niagara Regional Police Revolver Club. At that time we appealed for people to attend the Council meeting on March 1^st and attend they did! We estimate that some 200 gun owners packed the Council chambers to overflowing and some late comers even had to watch the proceedings on a TV set up in the lobby. Apparently the sight of 200 concerned gun owners added to the hundreds of phone calls and e-mails that went to the Councillors caused them to reconsider their original decision. How effective was the lobby effort by local gun owners in effecting change? Perhaps the most telling comment of the night came from Councillor John Teal of Fort Erie who said “My office has been paralyzed by calls from gun owners...and I support the gun owners.” The huge crowd coupled with the professional and factual presentations from TSCON members Bruce C. and Lou P. convinced Councillors to seek an alternative to the original decision and a motion to investigate selling the property to the club instead passed by a 27-1 vote. As of this writing, things are moving forward to accomplish this. It will be a rather drawn out affair because of all the agencies involved including the Niagara Escarpment Commission, the Ministry of the Environment, the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority, the City of Thorold and the Niagara Region just to name a few. As well, the neighbours were to be consulted for their concerns. While we are cautiously optimistic of a positive outcome this is not a done deal yet so we urge you to please refer to the TSCON website: www.thesportingclubsofniagara.com for current updates as we may need to mobilize the troops again on short notice. This should be a wonderful lesson for all of us. Let’s never forget that if gun owners can put aside their differences and work for the common good we can be a tremendous influence at every level of government.
	New Ammo Regulations Out of the blue two weeks ago a new set of ammunition regulations surfaced from Natural Resources Canada and they were alarming. Among other things they included new rules regarding ammunition storage which would have made you guilty of an offense if the police found a single .22 round sitting in an ashtray in your house. Given that the government was in the final stages of scrapping the long gun registry these new regs came as a complete surprise and the reaction was swift and volatile. Word spread like wildfire across the internet and angry phone calls and e-mails poured into the offices of Conservative MPs. What is mystifying is that Natural Resources Canada has been very cooperative with CSSA in drafting up the new regulations and these changes had never been mentioned. Who made the changes we don’t know but prominent Conservatives quickly distanced themselves from them. Sun News noted that “The Conservative MP who led the fight against the long‑gun registry appears to have the backing of the prime minister in shooting down proposed changes to ammunition storage rules that have upset hunters and other firearms users. "They're not changing," Candice Hoeppner told Sun News Network. "So I think law‑abiding gun owners can rest assured the storage requirements that are currently in place will continue." The Prime Minister's Office confirmed Hoeppner is right.” More consultations will take place before any changes are made. We will keep you up to speed as we get more information.
	Ian Thompson Case TSCON members attended the Jan. 30 & 31hearings on the unsafe storage charges against Mr. Thompson but the newsletter had to go to print before the judge rendered a decision. In a monument to the convoluted mess that is the Firearms Act, after hearing all the testimony the judge was unable to render a decision immediately and instead adjourned the case until May 2 and instructed both the Crown and defense attorneys to find case law that would defend their respective positions. It boils down to this: the Crown maintains that Mr. Thompson could not have retrieved his firearm from the safe in another room, loaded it and gone outside to shoot it in the time he claims, therefore the gun must have been stored in the bedroom and not the safe. The problem with this line of thinking is that the time frame is subjective, only Mr. Thompson himself knows the truth and he should not admit to anything as he is unquestionably the victim. In summary, an experienced judge and two experienced lawyers can’t agree on what constitutes unsafe storage yet Joe Sixpack is supposed to be able to figure it out or go to jail. No wonder people have less and less respect for the law.
	Bruce Montague Update Bruce’s court case to try and secure the release of all the goods which were seized when he was originally arrested was heard in November 2011 but no verdict has yet been rendered. We have just spoken to Bruce and he has told us that a decision is expected in April but nothing has come down yet. This long battle has depleted Bruce’s legal fund and the Montagues could really use some financial assistance. Remember that Bruce fought his battle to benefit us all so let’s not forget him. You can help by donating online at: http://www.brucemontague.ca/html/0006.html#donate or make cheques payable in whatever amount you can spare to: "Bruce Montague Scrap C-68 Fund" c/o Roger Nordlund, Trustee RR#2, Site 211, Box 7, Dryden, ON P8N 2Y5
	CPC Donations In the last issue we commented on the seemingly non-stop Conservative fundraising campaign and advised that the next time they call you for money you tell them you wouldn’t donate till C-19 passed. Well, they held up their end of the deal and it’s time for us to hold up ours. It doesn’t have to be a large amount . If you can afford $10 send that. If you can afford $500 send that. In any event you’re going to get a generous tax refund of around 75% of the total donated. Don’t forget to insert a note that says the donation is because they passed Bill C-19.
	GUN SHOW VENDORS READ THIS! Unfortunately, we have seen an increasing trend of vendors not calling us in a timely manner (or not calling at all) to let us know that they will not be coming to a show, leaving us with unexpected empty tables. This makes us look bad so we are introducing the following new rules for vendors which will take effect at the Feb. 24, 2012 gun show. 1. Revised Table Fees a. Members who prepay b. price remains at $1/ft. c. Members who don't prepay price increased to $1.50/ft. d. Non members pay a $15 per table flat fee (6 or 8 ft.) 2. Times of Arrival and Departure for Vendors a. The new show hours will be 6:00 PM to 9:30 PM. NO ARRIVALS BEFORE 3:00 PM. NO VENDOR PACK UP BEFORE 9:00 PM. 3. Table Reservations and Location for Prepaid and Non prepaid Members and Non Members a. Members who prepay are guaranteed their number of tables AND desired table location b. Members who don't prepay will be guaranteed their number of tables but NOT c. THEIR LOCATION. d. Non members who call in advance will be guaranteed tables but not their location e. Member and non member walk ins will be rented tables on an ‘as available' basis f. **to be considered prepaid, vendors are required to pay in advance at the previous gun show and pay for at least one following show. A first time vendor who wants to prepay for subsequent shows will be allowed to pay the prepaid rate for the current show. 4. Vendors Who Book Tables & Don't Show Up a. If a vendor (prepaid or not) books tables and does not show up and has not given us 72 hours notice they will be assigned a $20 penalty fee which must be paid before any more tables are rented to them. 5. Non members Who Book Tables & Don't Show Up a. Any non member who books tables and does not show up will be required to prepay for tables at subsequent shows and pay a $20 penalty or they will not be given table space. 6. Other Vendor Rules a. Vendors should be aware of the following: b. all non restricted firearms must be trigger locked. Restricted and prohibited c. firearms must be in locked cases or attached to the table by a cable, chain, etc. d. no cameras allowed except for TSCON personnel There will be a vendor only draw at 9:00 PM for $25
	Red Fridays Please remember to wear red on Fridays to show your support for our troops.
	2012 Memberships If you received a 2012 membership card in this mailing or if your mailing label has no date or reads “11” or earlier YOU ARE NOT A PAID UP MEMBER OF TSCON. Non-members receive only one newsletter a year. Can you afford to be uninformed about the firearm issue? Not if you care about your guns, you can’t! Please take the time to renew right now. Maybe even throw in a few extra dollars as a donation if you can spare them.
	Gun Show Dates Dates for our next 2012 gun shows are as follows: Sept. 7 Dec. 14
	Vendors Wanted Typically all the tables at our gun shows are sold out. However, some of our older vendors are calling it a day and have stopped renting tables. We want to continue offering gun show attendees good value for their admission so we are seeking new vendors to fill those spaces. If you or anyone you know would like to be a vendor please call 905-685-4480 for more information.
	Sell Your Stuff Speaking of gun show vendors, we would like to remind our readers that anyone who has items to sell can rent tables at our show. You don’t need to be a regular vendor or in the shooting/hunting business. The long gun registry is gone and selling a gun now takes about 30 seconds with no phone call or paperwork. Now’s your chance to turn those unwanted guns into money If you have surplus guns, parts, extra reloading components or any other items around the house that you are not using why not rent a table at the gun show and convert them to cash. Tables rentals are currently $1-$1.50/foot for members and $15 per table for non-members. The only conditions are that the majority of goods on the table must be shooting/hunting/firearm related and are legal.
	Gun Show Location Merritton Community Centre, 7 Park Ave., St. Catharines If you want tables for the May 4, 2012 show contact Gerry Gamble right away(905-685-4480). Shows usually sell out and often we do not have tables for all our vendors. If you want tables, call early!
	Notice to Gun Show Vendors Late arrivals - If you think you are going to be late to the gun show you should call Gerry Gamble ASAP at the Merritton Community Centre (905-682-0098) so he can hold your tables. Otherwise, they will be rented to walk-in vendors after the 6:00 p.m. cutoff.
	Free Classified Ads for Members Classified ads for shooting related items are free for members. Please call 905-685-4480 and submit ads by the dates listed for inclusion in the next newsletter: >Vol. 18 #3 Aug. 15, 2012 >Vol. 18 #4 Nov. 25, 2012 Remember that you have to call each time you want the ad to run. It WILL NOT be repeated without your confirmation. Classified Ads For Sale: Meade spotting scope, 20x-60x power, brand new with case, $60 Call Stan 905-734-3393 For Sale: H&R Topper shotgun, 12 ga., single shot, 28" barrel, VG, $50 Bolt action shotgun, 16 ga., 3 shot capacity, 28" barrel, $150 or best offer Jensen & Sons SxS shotgun, 12 ga., 30" barrels, VG, $200 or best offer Call Chester 905-637-7531
	TSCON Web Site http://www.thesportingclubsofniagara.com Comments or suggestions?? Call John at 905-562-7686
	TSCON Inquiries? General 905-685-4480 905-937-2301 Membership 905-685-4480 Gun Show 905-685-4480 Mail TSCON Box 21047 St. Catharines, ON L2M 7X2
	Weekly Meetings Where? St. Catharines Game and Fish Building next to the boat ramp on Lighthouse Road in St. Catharines in Port Dalhousie When? Wednesdays, 7:00 pm. Who? Members and non members alike are welcome to attend.
	Moved, Address Changes, Etc. To notify us of address changes, duplicate mailings, to be removed from the mailing list or to request a copy of the newsletter call 905‑685‑4480.