While many are very concerned about the future of the world’s polar bears, the “Animals Committee of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)” has recently said legal hunting of the bears does not threaten their survival.
Full of events, ideas,politics and rhetoric…. A weekly report on what’s going on in our community, the good and the not so good…
Defining and Clarifying the rules that surround the Classification of Firearms in Canada
Private Member’s Bill introduced by Larry Miller, MP to define and clarify the meaning of the term “variant” with respect to the Criminal Code – Thank you Sir!
http://www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx…
Heads Up Ontario – Shoot For A Cure Barrie Gun Club – 
Take Two to the Range and raise funds for the fight against Prostrate Cancer – proceeds to go to Huronia Ride For Dad’s Fight Against Prostrate Cancer. SFAC 2016 (Shootforacure.ca)
Ontario Bear Hunt
Ontario Bear Hunt to be expanded. http://www.cbc.ca/…/black-bear-hunt-ontario-expands-1.34558…
Food for Thought! Thank you ISSF!
“You don’t have to be GREAT to start. – But…you have to START to be GREAT”
Great point ISSF – International Shooting Sport Federation!
A Wild Affair
NowToronto Magazine Article – promoting an event called “A Wild Affair” which is support of Second Harvest – which supplies healthy meals to those in need. 
https://nowtoronto.com/food-and-drink/food/chef-michael-hunter-s-wild-affair-ufeast/
Teaching Tool – for Newbies
Semi-Auto cutaway Animation – https://media.giphy.com/media/czhUvWPsGOZEc/giphy.gif
Canadian Airgun Grand Prix
Heads UP – Canadian Airgun Grand Prix – Registration is open – Check out the new facilities!
Atlantic Outdoor Sports RV & Boat Show – March 11th – 13th
Check out the line up at the Atlantic Outdoor Sports RV & Boat Show – Cabela’s Pro Staff – Amanda Lynn Mayhew, Highway Thru Hell and more…
N.W.T – Wolf hunting proposed as part of latest Bathurst caribou plan…
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/bathurst-caribou-wolf-hunting-1.3461263
Canadian PAL, RPAL & Hunter’s Ed Instructors
Looking to boost your business – let us help – https://www.canadianfirearmsinstitute.ca/pal-rpal-and-hunt…/
Saskatchewan Target Shooting Association – Support for the shooter – April first deadline
Camp Perry Online Registration – ready to go –
https://competitions.nra.org/campperrysignup/
Win – Cabela’s Cash – Click on Photo to ENTER
Like What we’re doing? Lend us your Support!
]]>Full of events, ideas,politics and rhetoric…. A weekly report on what’s going on in our community, the good and the not so good…
Getting Kids Started in Shooting Sports
The focus will be on the start, and by that I mean the age where shooting is introduced and advanced. I can’t name an exact age because that might vary greatly depending on the kids, the parents, and available opportunities, but I am not talking about older kids, 15 and older, those who are fully capable of contesting conventional adult oriented shooting sports competitions……A few ideas on when and how — Read more – http://bit.ly/20lW0Gr
Volunteers Needed at BC Winter Games
Of need are volunteers at the Biathlon competition held at the Telemark Nordic Club in West Kelowna. Volunteers are required for all three days of competition (February 26-28). There are a variety of positions available including target pullers, scorers, course controllers, penalty loop counters and start and finish line assistants. Training will be provided at the venues. Volunteers are required for shifts between 8 a.m. and noon.
BC – Volunteers Needed for 2016 BC Winter Games in Penticton http://www.pentictonwesternnews.com/sports/369340141.html
Mounted shooters association approved for the region
A little snow is not enough to keep new members of the Cowboy Mounted Shooters Association of BC from getting out to practice!
Cowboy Mounted Shooters Association of BC (CMSABC) is a registered non-profit society. As of 2015, British Columbia has now joined Canadian provinces Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba in offering this exciting fast-paced event. Ontario and Nova Scotia have also recently organized their first mounted shooting associations.
Way to go! Yet another way to enjoy our sport and challenge ourselves. Continue Reading – http://www.kootenayadvertiser.com/sports/368636721.html
Amputation no limit for drumming, kayaking, skiing, shooting teen
Hats off to Jesse Ehman – you make us proud! Read this article – http://thestarphoenix.com/health/family-child/amputee
Hunting Enthusiast Continues Promoting Northern Ontario Across Canada
This is one tough outdoorswomen and a product of Northern Ontario, a small town called Manitouwadge. This young woman has proved her worth as an athlete, an inspirational speaker, and a hunter whose mission it is to preserve our hunting heritage. Continue Reading http://www.karinahunter.com/2016/02/hunting-enthusiast-continues-promoting-northern-ontario-across-canada/
Canadian Airgun Grand Prix
Heads UP – Canadian Airgun Grand Prix – Registration is open – Check out the new facilities!
Atlantic Outdoor Sports RV & Boat Show – March 11th – 13th
Check out the line up at the Atlantic Outdoor Sports RV & Boat Show – Cabela’s Pro Staff – Amanda Lynn Mayhew, Highway Thru Hell and more…
Barrhead County resident off to Alberta Winter Games
2016 Alberta Winter Games 12 year old competes – way to go. http://www.barrheadleader.com/…/Barrhead-County-resident-of…
Soo Cadets use mind tricks, advance to nationals
Nice Job Cadets – read article https://www.sootoday.com/…/soo-cadets-use-mind-tricks-advan…
Canadian PAL, RPAL & Hunter’s Ed Instructors
Looking to boost your business – let us help – https://www.canadianfirearmsinstitute.ca/pal-rpal-and-hunt…/
Saskatchewan Target Shooting Association – Support for the shooter – April first deadline
Camp Perry Online Registration – ready to go –
https://competitions.nra.org/campperrysignup/
Politics and Rhetoric
There has been a lot of talk about the Liberal Government and their intent to bring back the Registry…they have clearly stated over and over again that this is not their intent….HOWEVER….it is clear that they do intend to make changes to the current system and these changes are most likely adversely affect our ability to enjoy our sport.
Their stated purpose is to control gun crimes, however, it appears that instead of tackling the fundamental problems that need addressing like:
- targeting the criminals by supporting the efforts of our policing bodies by providing the increased funding they need to do their jobs effectively,
- addressing the housing pressures within the jails and penitentiaries,
- ensuring that existing laws are upheld and violent criminals are not allowed back on our streets
…they will be targeting the guns – the result of these efforts:
- provide the general public with a false sense of security and faith in their government’s ability to make good on its promises.
- no change or an increase in violent criminal activities
- under funded policing bodies – with increased pressure to perform
- increased overcrowding in jails
- deal cutting, reduced sentences, more violent criminals on our streets
- increased red tape for the Canadian shooting community
There is an abundance of proof that this sort of plan is doomed to failure and is the definition of insanity.
We need to Work Together to help STOP THE INSANITY. As individuals and organizations – we need to start/continue to communicate this fact to our MPs regularly. Let the government know that as a community we would support efforts that would target criminals and curtail criminal activities, but what we will not support are half measures that have no real effect crime, produce no real results, and interfere with our ability to enjoy our sport.
We also need to start introducing more people to our sport. TAKE TWO individuals who have never shot before to the RANGE – tell us about it (include pictures of the smiles if you can) – and as a small token of our appreciation – we will send you a CFI T-Shirt.
By Working Together, we can make this change happen!
]]>We would like to help you build you business by offering you a spot on our Website! (There is no cost)
Your success ensures the growth and survival of our firearms community in Canada and since that is our focus as an organization, we are offering you our support.
Here’s how it works:
Email office @ www.canadianfirearmsinstitute.ca
Provide us with all of your contact information:
- Province
- Name to be used:
- Phone Number
- Website
- Logo or picture
- Facebook, etc
As expected, many of the MPP’s have replied to our collective correspondence in a less than satisfactory manner. Instead of taking the opportunity to affect positive change – we get this band-aid response to our concerns:
Please see the response from the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services.
The Chief Firearms Office (CFO) administers the licensing requirements of the (federal) Firearms Act as it pertains to individuals and businesses residing and operating within the province. The CFO is delegated authority under the act by the provincial minister of community safety and correctional services.
In Ontario businesses were required to record the PAL License number over and above the following:
- The date and time of the purchase.
- The name, age and address of the purchaser.
- The type of identification and permit produced and their serial numbers.
- The calibre and quantity of ammunition purchased.
There were privacy concerns raised that when purchasing ammunition an individual or employee could view personal information of other customers while the store employee recorded the information required within the Ammunition Act. To minimize this risk the CFO of Ontario has advised business licensees that they are no longer required recording the address of the purchaser.
Our Position:
If this is the case, then the Ontario government has already confirmed that there are “privacy” issues surrounding the requirements of the Ammunition Act. Therefore changing the act to protect our privacy should not be an issue of contention. There is no logical rationale for not making the requested change.
Furthermore, a successful legal argument could be made – that if by taking the PAL# of the individual is sufficient to meet the retailers legal obligation – with respect to collecting the address information – the same would hold true with respect to the other two items required – “name” and “age” – as these two pieces of information can be obtained by the authorities in an identical manner.
There should be no need to make that argument.
We are asking for a simple one line amendment to a Regulation that the Government of Ontario has already publicly admitted is problematic.
The issue at hand is greater than “privacy” and speaks to the safety of all. Failure, on behalf of the government of Ontario to act on this, shows a marked lack of respect and concern for the safety of residents of this province.
If you have received a response like this – we urge you to respond to your MPP, letting him/her know that it is not enough – what we are asking for is fair and reasonable. The expense in terms of time and taxpayers dollars is minimal. The issue goes beyond personal privacy issues. This change in the regulations would eliminate any possibility of us being targeted for theft – as a result of our ammo purchases. We take our responsibilities seriously – it is not unfair to expect them to do the same.
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The CFI is urging the Provincial government to amend the current data collection process required for the purchase of ammunition in this province, and we NEED your HELP.
Currently, when we buy ammunition, we are required, by law to provide our names, age, and address. This process leaves us vulnerable as not all stores are as careful as they could be with the lists that they keep. Technology makes it easy to get the information – even from stores that are especially careful. One click of a button on someone’s phone – grabs it all.
The lists provide criminals with easy, instant access to the names and addresses of firearms owners, thereby placing our community at risk for targeted break-ins and creating an overall risk to public safety. We are asking that the process be changed to our name, PAL and expiry date to ensure that our information is accessible to only the proper authorities and our homes and our families are safer from harm.
Despite repeated requests to the Minister of Public Safety – the Hon. Yasir Naqvi – he has failed to satisfactorily address this issue. We have made our concerns known to all of Ontario MPPs and are now asking your assistance to apply pressure to ensure that this is effectively and immediately addressed.
Please take the time to write your MPP – they are currently at home until the beginning of February. (View Sample Letter)
A list of addresses can be found here – http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/members/members_current.do?locale=en
Send duplicate copies to:
Naqvi, Hon. Yasir [email protected] 109 Catherine Street, Ottawa, ON, K2P 0P4
Natyshak, Taras [email protected] 316 Talbot Street North, Essex, ON, N8M 2E1
Nicholls, Rick [email protected] , Suite 100, 111 Heritage Road, Chatham, ON, N7M 5W7
ASK others to do the same.
The Ontario CFO currently encourages stores to collect our PAL numbers and not our addresses, but this is not enough, as many retailers stick to the letter of the law. The laws need to reflect the changes in process that technology permits and ensure the safety of us all.
The cost of using a professional lobbyist to assist in this process is approximately $100,000.00 – donations to offset this cost would be greatly appreciated.
By Working Together, we can make this change happen!
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There are many landowners across the country that are lucky enough to have their own ranges just outside their back door. To support these individuals, and encourage others to do the same – we now offer affordable liability insurance mandated by law. If you are one of those lucky people – take a look at what we offer .
]]>The urgency to “do something” felt by all of us in the community should not however be diminished. Let’s get back to focusing on the sport, sharing our sport and opening lines of communication with all parties so that we can realistically and rationally address the issues as they are brought to the table by the new government.
It is important that as organizations, clubs and individuals we make a concentrated effort to advocate at all levels. The most important contribution you can make is to share the sport with someone who has never experienced it. Take two to the range – and encourage your club to hold events that support the greater community around you.
“The power to effect positive change that a grass-roots movement has, is great – because each blade of grass is as dedicated to effecting change and contributes equally to the success of the whole.” says Canadian Firearms Institute, Acting CEO Pyper Unitt “As a community, we need to work together to change the terribly skewed perception the general public has of us, our sport and our heritage. This can only be accomplished through education, understanding and the sharing of our sport with others.”
The Canadian Firearms Institute is a non-profit, member driven advocacy and resource organization for the Canadian Firearms community, dedicated to protecting our heritage and our sport. Website: www.canadianfirearmsinstitute.ca
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- Trustworthy Gun owners are a significant voting bloc. They actively participate in the election process at all levels of government on a much higher average than the overall Canadian population. In the last two federal elections only about 60% (14 million) people voted. Trustworthy Firearms owners and their families can account for 4 million votes. That translates into 35% of the vote.
- Normally the voting pattern of the Canadian Firearms community mimics that of the overall Canadian voting pattern – however when firearms ownership is threatened during an election this pattern changes.
- Over 70% of trustworthy hand gun owners have well above average income and education. They tend to be professionals or business owners.
- Purchases of restricted firearms are closely monitored by the RCMP. All trustworthy Firearms Owners have taken mandatory safety courses, and been investigated individually by the government. This process is repeated every 5 years upon renewal.
- All of our members are properly licensed and in compliance with all federal firearms regulations – not doing so leaves them open to federal prosecution.
- In short and contrary to what the media would have you believe – legally licensed firearms owners in Canada are the most stable and trustworthy group in the country.