Registry didn’t work before, doesn’t work now(Canada)

niagarathisweek.com ^ | 27 April, 2012 | Erno Rossi

[marktwain]

I hold in my hand a very important piece of paper dated at Welland, July 15, 1942 signed by a corporal in the local police force. This piece of paper gave Don Augustine permission to lend two shotguns to Frank Templain for the purpose of hunting. As the heading on the top of the form explained: INDIVIDUAL PERMIT TO SELL, LEND, BARTER, TRANSFER-POSSESSION OR PURCHASE A RIFLE OR SHOTGUN. This form is an example from the original long gun registry that I showed to Liberal organizers when they were promoting the second long gun registry for all Canadians. My point was that such a registry had been tried before and was found cumbersome, very expensive and of very little benefit. The prime Liberal promoter of this second long gun registry was Allen Rock who promised that the costs would be 3 million dollars. Two billion dollars later with costs still rising we shuddered in disbelief that some politicians wanted to preserve this major disaster.

On a personal note my experience with the original long gun registry shook me to my core. My father took his single shot shotgun to the local police to be registered. But soon after, the police arrived at our door and demanded his single shot shotgun. During the great depression my dad put meat on the table as a hunter of grouse and rabbits. Wild game and corn meal were our staple foods when meat was very expensive as were other normal staples beyond our means for a family of six. My dad was a Canadian citizen who had never been in trouble with the law or with anyone. He provided for his family under stressful circumstances. And the police never explained why they had confiscated his single shot shotgun when his two oldest sons were serving in the war effort with one son in the merchant marine and the other in the Canadian Tank Corp. My dad’s only comment about this seizure was, “Never trust the politicians.”

Fortunately returning veterans from the Second World War laughed at the stupid law that ordered them to get a piece of paper before they could legally own or borrow a long gun. “Go tell that to Hitler,” was their motto. The law was ignored and it faded away. There were no mourners at the funeral. And it came to pass that there appeared a man named Allan Rock who had a wonderful idea that would only cost $3 million. Billions of dollars later the second long gun registry was abolished. But legal Canadian gun owners must have a firearm licence that is up to date and granted after an exam is passed for the type of firearm that they own. A criminal background check has to be passed as well. This firearm licence information is immediately available to police by way of computer. All the hype that the sky would fall if the long gun registry was abolished was pure politics by people who wanted their political party in power and not the ruling party.

Abolished I say but not in Quebec. Quebec still fights this abolition of the second long gun registry for the same pure politics. The NDP reign in Quebec and the Conservatives in Ottawa. The NDP argue that they want information from the second long gun registry to establish their own registry gleaned from a system that has been hacked many times and is loaded with errors. It’s not enough to have the legal gun owners registered in Quebec. It wants the millions of long guns registered as well in a system that changes daily with additions and subtractions of guns and errors. Let’s hope that common sense prevails in the court decision on this matter. One other thing bothers me about Quebec.

A citizen of France, Mr. Mulcair from Quebec leads the NDP and is the leader of the main opposition party in the House of Commons in Ottawa. He is a Canadian citizen as well. What bothers me is that he has refused to give up his citizenship from France while he is in this influential position with political power in Canada. Our professors taught us at university that dual citizenship in elected or appointed political life in Canada was OK by precedent until that person rose to a position in which he/she could influence parliament in making laws in Canada. When this occurs the dual citizen must then give up his/her foreign citizenship for the duration of his/her stay in Canadian politics. This is reasonable and I agree. Mr. Mulcair must renounce his citizenship from France.

And now for a topic much closer to home. The Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans has declared many lighthouses as surplus including the lighthouse in Port Colborne, ON. It is doomed if it is not declared a Heritage Site. Please join our petition to save this lighthouse for its historical significance at the head of the Welland Canal, a waterway that helped open western Canada to mass immigration and the cheap shipping of goods by water. To sign the petition go to Change.org and find Federal Department of Fisheries & Oceans (DFO) Save The Port Colborne Lighthouse.

Erno Rossi is a bestselling JUNO nominated author. He is the author of White Death-The Blizzard of ‘77 book/DVD and Crystal Beach-The Good Old Days, book/DVD. Visit him at www.whitedeath.com or on You Tube, type in ernoinferno77 and there ride the front seat of the Comet and the old Giant roller coaster at Crystal Beach Amusement Park. His books are available or can be ordered through Coles, Barnes & Noble, Amazon and buffalobooks.com. He now accepts talks for his future speaking schedule. Call him at 905-835-8051, or email him at erossi@cogeco.ca

[marktwain]

A science fiction work by Canadian Author Alan E. Van Vogt was written in 1950. It celebrated the counterbalance of power that arms gave to citizens.

I have always suspected this first Canadian registry and the successful resistance to it was the inspriration for the book: The Weapon Shops of Isher.