Guns aren't welcome in Toronto (BARF ALERT - gun grabbing councillor speaks)

Toronto Star ^ | 05/30/08 | (Councillor) Adam Vaughan

[Heartofsong83]

Guns aren't welcome in Toronto

May 30, 2008 04:30 AM

Re:Targeting the good guys

Letters, May 29

It is interesting to note that letters criticizing Toronto City Council for closing down city-run shooting ranges were sent from Mississauga, Halifax, Wellesley, Ont., Pickering and Peterborough.

I supported shutting down the shooting ranges because I believe it is hypocritical for city council to call for a total ban on handguns, while supporting and in fact subsidizing gun culture at city-run facilities – especially when recreation programs to keep kids away from the draw of a street culture that too often includes weapons are underfunded in Toronto.

Letters from outside the city and indeed from across North America have been trickling in since council made its decision. My favourite letters are the ones being sent from the U.S. Gun owners there are now urging a boycott of Toronto. Considering that most of the problems with guns on our streets emanate from south of the border, I couldn't be happier.

If all it took was closing a couple of shooting ranges to stop gun-toting Yanks from coming to our city, maybe we should have shut the doors on these clubs years ago.

As for people outside Toronto, you are free to shoot off your mouths in this city or any other town. Just don't shoot off a gun in Toronto.

Adam Vaughan, City Councillor, Toronto

[Heartofsong83]

Those are some of the most insane comments I have ever seen. Shows anyone who cares about gun rights is NOT welcome in Toronto the Bad.

Site created by a gun rights group: www.torontothebad.com

[domenad]

This is Canada. There is no 1st amendment in Canada, and there’s no 2nd amendment in Canada. That’s why Canadians come down here and we don’t really bother going up there. What for?

[ZULU]

“I believe it is hypocritical for city council to call for a total ban on handguns, while supporting and in fact subsidizing gun culture at city-run facilities>”

Its also hypocritical to believe that you support a democracy when you want to prevent the public from access to the tools that insure a demcratic government.

[ConservaTexan]

If all it took was closing a couple of shooting ranges to stop gun-toting Yanks from coming to our city, maybe we should have shut the doors on these clubs years ago.

What the hell has Canada ever done worthwhile? As far as I can tell their only contribution to modern society is the Canadarm, the robotic arm on the space shuttle (like we couldn't have built that). After they built it, they had to put an oversized Canadian flag on it, just to remind the world that they still exist.

[Heartofsong83]

He doesn’t want a democratic government though.

These slimes at Toronto City Council are pushing to turn hunters into felons.

[paul51]

If some of these arrogant AH were half as intelligent as they think they are, they would be able to distinguish between firearms in the hands of responsible law abiding people and firearms in the hands of thugs. As far as they are concerned, it has nothing at all to do with crime or violence. The target is firearms, period. If the people in Toronto want to live with that, as well as an arrogant pea brain running their city, that's their business. If not, that's their business too.

[Joe Brower]

I know a fellow who is involved with this; yeah, it's out of control. He is also one of the founders and an admin of http://canadacarry.org. Here are his comments to me:

***

We've got a situation happening with Toronto's mayor. He's an extremist anti-gun, anti-rights, anti-self-defense wack job. Has no qualms with uttering bald-faced lies to the public and press, and has been calling for a nation-wide handgun ban for over a year.

He's now proposing to change Toronto zoning and bylaws to close all ranges and shut down all firearms businesses. He's on a real "get tough" crusade against ... law-abiding citizens. He's too terrified actually to do anything about the rampant gang crime and violence; it's so much easier to attack the good guys for political points.

Along with decent Canadians, he also (of course) blames Americans for Toronto's "gun crime" problem. Anything but his lack of leadership.

A few of us in the CSSA (Canada's "NRA" http://www.cdnshootingsports.org/), and CILA (the Canadian Institute for Legislative Action) have put up a website with which we hope to apply pressure to Toronto city hall, right where it hurts: in the pocketbook.

The press is on this, the iron is hot, and we need to move quickly.

I'm hoping you can get the website URL (http://TorontoTheBad.com/) out to as many folks as possible, and ask them to go to the site, and send an email. Freep, your own lists, whatever.

Tell them this:

For the last three years, the Mayor of Toronto, David Miller, has been blaming trustworthy, legal firearms owners for the gun related drug crime taking place in his city. At first it was thought that the Mayor was simply uninformed about the real facts pertaining to lawful firearms ownership in Canada. But despite the huge efforts of groups such as the Canadian Shooting Sports Association and the Canadian Institute for Legislative Action, the mayor continues to spew his anti-gun rhetoric.

Mayor Miller has targeted the two million legal owners of firearms in Canada and his statements cast aspersion upon the 80 million lawful firearms owners of our closest friend and ally, the United States of America. He has completely misrepresented the truth about firearms ownership, stating that half of the firearms used in crime are stolen from Canadian owners and the other half are smuggled in from the U.S. because of lax gun laws and careless owners. The Mayor has drawn his battle lines. He can work against lawful gun owners if he chooses but the millions of safe, legal, responsible people who happen to own firearms have a choice too.... But we can vote with our wallets.

Mayor Miller says "there are no economic consequences" to his hate campaign against firearms owners.

Let Mayor Miller know: We clearly understand that lawful firearms owners are not welcome in his city. Let him know that we, our loved ones, our friends and anyone else we care to influence will stand by us and will choose another place to spend our money.

Please go to http://TorontoTheBad.com/ and click on the link "Send an email to the Toronto City Council... click here!"

***

Go get 'em, folks.

[Heartofsong83]

Here is a big fat LIE from the Mayor of Toronto. He claims he has support from the Atlantic mayors for a total ban on guns. NOT SO: http://www.torontothebad.com/Atlantic_Mayor.pdf

They do not even support a handgun ban, let alone a total gun ban like Toronto the Bad does.

[garyhope]

To paraphrase John Lott: Less guns, more crime.

The Canadians and the UK have it backwards.

[KarinG1]

I’m all for banning guns in Canada. Also gay marriage, higher taxes, abortion on demand and anything else that might attract liberals up there. I wasn’t planning to leave Texas anyway.

[paul51]

The email campaign would work a lot better if the link on the email page to send a message was working. Just tried. No luck. Will try later. Hope it gets functioning

[Catholic Canadian]

This is my letter to the mayor and several councillors: Dear Mayor Miller, I am one of the millions of people that responsibly own firearms. I clearly understand that firearms owners are not welcome in the City of Toronto and I will respect your wishes. Unfortunately, I live in Toronto. I keep and store my shotgun, which I use for Skeet shooting outside of Toronto, Safely. I legally own this gun as per Federal Law. I don't appreciate being called a criminal. You are equating me with gang members who produce and distribute narcotics such as cocaine, crack and crystal meth. If you did something to clean up these problems, then I think it would go a lot farther towards solving Toronto's gun crime issue than taking away my hobby. Unfortunately, being a left wing nutter, your agenda is not actually to fix our gun crime problem, it's likely something far different. However, I'm sure you will throw another temper tantrum and hissy fit if you do not get your way, much like you did last year when your land tax grab didn't go through immediately. You are 100% marxist and seem to be following a marxist agenda rather than tackle important issues - this is because you are for all intents and purposes impotent. Sincerely, XXXX XXXXXXX

[piytar]

“I’m all for banning guns in Canada. Also gay marriage, higher taxes, abortion on demand and anything else that might attract liberals up there. I wasn’t planning to leave Texas anyway.”

Well said! I’m with you 100%! (Except I don’t live in Texas — yet.)

[TC Rider]

Wow, so anti-gun. I guess they’ll be shutting down Para-Ordnance and moving the factory south of the border.

waiting

waiting

crickets

[Catholic Canadian]

What the hell has Canada ever done worthwhile?

Dieppe Vimy Ridge Battle of Passchendaele/Ypres Battle of Britain Dieppe Juno Beach Korean War Desert Storm Afghanistan

[max americana]

You kidding me? I actually own a PO 1911, one of the best I’ve owned and very aware that it’s made in Canada.

With the low cost of the US dollar, it would make good business sense to move down here.

[ConservaTexan]

Dieppe Vimy Ridge Battle of Passchendaele/Ypres Battle of Britain Dieppe Juno Beach Korean War Desert Storm Afghanistan

The first six on your list are WWII, so I'll count them as one. The next three are different and unrelated conflicts so I will count them individually, bringing the total to 4 instances where Canada has followed the United States into battle against powers of oppression.

If Canadians don't want "gun toting yanks" coming to their cities, fine - there is nothing there that we cannot produce, replace or do without. Canada is starting to sound a lot like pre-Sarkozy France.

[ZULU]

“In your opinion is there a place for gun ownership?

No.”

Says it all. The guy is a smug, self-satisfied liberal elitist. It is written on his arrogant face.

[ZULU]

“In your opinion is there a place for gun ownership?

No.”

Says it all. The guy is a smug, self-satisfied liberal elitist. It is written on his arrogant face.

[Joe Brower]

I just tried the email link and got this page.