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Store guns in central depot (Toronto proposal)
The National Post ^ | August 16, 2005 | James Cowan

Posted on 08/16/2005 11:36:56 AM PDT by neverdem

mayor: No reason to have a firearm at home, Miller says

Gun owners in Toronto may soon be prohibited from keeping their firearms at home even if they are properly licensed and registered, Mayor David Miller said yesterday.

"There's no reason to own a gun in Toronto -- collector or not. If you are a collector and you have a permit, the guns need to be stored in a way that they can't be stolen. And perhaps a centralized facility of some kind could accomplish that goal," Mr. Miller told the National Post. "The law requires gun owners to have proper storage, but obviously not everyone adheres to that."

Following a spate of shootings in Toronto, the Mayor has asked city lawyers and the police to determine whether the municipality has the "legal ability" to require individuals to store their weapons at a secure facility such as a gun club.

"It's a very serious issue and I don't have all the answers to it, but I've spoken to the [Police] Chief as well as our own legal department to see what we can do," Mr. Miller said.

The Mayor has repeatedly blamed lax gun laws in the United States for some of Toronto's violence, saying half of the firearms in the city originated in the United States.

While pressing the federal government to stem the smuggling of guns across the border, Mr. Miller said steps must also be taken steps to address domestic gun problems.

"I understand there was one theft from a collector two years ago, where some of the guns were recovered after being used in murders in Toronto," he said.

Police have also speculated a theft in June of 46 handguns, along with three rifles and ammunition, from a collector in Port Hope, 100 kilometres east of the city, has contributed to the recent increase in shootings.

Mr. Miller noted several U.S. cities such as Chicago have passed ordinances restricting handgun ownership. But legal gun owners argue the new rules would only make life simpler for criminals.

"It would just put all the firearms in one place so they could all be stolen at one time," said Eric Greer of the Ontario Arms Collectors Association. "That would be a wonderful thing."

Mr. Greer added the Mayor's proposal would not prevent criminals from acquiring weapons, noting Canada enacted its first handgun registry in 1934.

"It hasn't made one iota of difference. And the reason is the people that registered their handguns don't commit the crimes. The people who commit crimes don't register their guns. It's as simple as that," he said.

Other gun owners said they are tired of being conflated with murderers and thieves.

"There are legal gun owners all over Ontario who don't go around brandishing their guns, who go through the whole rigamarole to get licensed properly," said Bill, a member of the Maple Leaf Revolver Club, who asked his last name not be used citing safety concerns. "The Mayor's not thinking properly."

He added most gun owners would support tough sentences for individuals caught using firearms to commit a crime.

"At most of the clubs, you will hear people say, 'Arrest the guy, look at the law and if the law says to throw him away for five years or 10 years, do it,' " the gun owner said.

Mr. Miller agreed the courts must be more stringent, noting individuals caught with weapons currently are routinely released on bail.

"If somebody has a gun, that's illegal, whether or not they've shot it should be irrelevant. They should be treated like they've shot it and tried to kill somebody," he said. "So when they come to court, they shouldn't get out. They should be kept in court until they're tried."


TOPICS: Canada; Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: 2nd; bang; banglist; bloat; fmcdh; rkba
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Do you have a link for this?


21 posted on 08/16/2005 11:52:08 AM PDT by Alexander Rubin (Octavius - You make my heart glad building thus, as if Rome is to be eternal.)
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To: neverdem

Police have also speculated a theft in June of 46 handguns, along with three rifles and ammunition, from a collector in Port Hope, 100 kilometres east of the city, has contributed to the recent increase in shootings.
________________________________

And I speculate that if more citizens carried guns there would be less crime. Man what a sad, socialist state a once great country has become. Western Provinces need to become our 51st, 52nd and 53rd States.


22 posted on 08/16/2005 11:58:07 AM PDT by lp boonie (Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.)
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To: Puppage
Come on kids, everyone in the car.....we're going to go visit our guns....oh, darn! It looks like they're close...again. Hon, that sign does say they're open from 10-2 Tuesdays and Thursdays, right?"
23 posted on 08/16/2005 11:58:24 AM PDT by yankeedame ("Oh, I can take it but I'd much rather dish it out.")
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To: Alexander Rubin

24 posted on 08/16/2005 11:59:53 AM PDT by vrwc0915
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To: neverdem
And perhaps a centralized facility of some kind could accomplish that goal,

Hmmm, I need to steal thousands of guns to equip my gang/terrorists. Do I go through the effort of getting caught hundreds of times by ripping off homes, or do I just hit one really sweet target that has everything I need?

25 posted on 08/16/2005 12:00:46 PM PDT by antiRepublicrat
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To: neverdem
Guns are bad, m'kay. Because they're dangerous, and .... they're bad. And people shouldn't have them. Because they're bad. And scary. And dangerous.

Knives are bad, m'kay. Because ......

26 posted on 08/16/2005 12:01:04 PM PDT by JohnnyZ ("I believe abortion should be safe and legal in this country." -- Mitt Romney)
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To: neverdem

Good idea, it worked when we put all our planes together in the middle of the airport at pearl harbor too.


27 posted on 08/16/2005 12:01:56 PM PDT by 1Old Pro
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To: neverdem
the guns need to be stored in a way that they can't be stolen. And perhaps a centralized facility of some kind could accomplish that goal,"

Need to mail this guy a huge envelope full of clippings about the historical raids on military armories, police stations, 'secure' railcars, BANK VAULTS, and other "secure repositories to prevent theft'.

28 posted on 08/16/2005 12:03:27 PM PDT by ApplegateRanch (The Marching Morons are coming...and they're breeding more Democrats beyond all reason!)
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To: Alexander Rubin
Do you have a link for this?

Not offhand, but the Internet was around when the Canadian gun registration plan was first proposed (1995), and I remember the proponents saying that it was merely a registration scheme and would not be expanded.

29 posted on 08/16/2005 12:05:59 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (Koran 9:123 "Make war on the infidels who dwell around you.")
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To: neverdem
"There's no reason to own a gun in Toronto -- collector or not..."

GANGBANGERS REJOICE!

30 posted on 08/16/2005 12:07:14 PM PDT by varyouga
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

...This is exactly what they said they wouldn't do when the registration was first proposed, but everybody knew it was a lie....

And anybody that didn't know that is as stupid as this Mayor.

USA take note.


31 posted on 08/16/2005 12:09:34 PM PDT by planekT
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To: neverdem

Yup,

Great idea eh?

That'll work ya bunch of hosers.

I hereby renounce my Canadian ancestry.


32 posted on 08/16/2005 12:13:13 PM PDT by cyclotic (Cub Scouts-Teach 'em young to be men, and politically incorrect in the process)
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To: planekT
This is what was done in Hong Kong when they moved to take all guns out of the hands of the people many years ago.

All law abiding members of the population comply. The first step is in a safe at your home or business then random compliance searches....claims of violation then confiscation.

This was very successful for the colonial police forces.
33 posted on 08/16/2005 12:14:37 PM PDT by colonialhk (sooprize sooprize sooprize)
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To: neverdem

Some genius has well calculated the risks.... in favor of the government and criminals' conflict of interest to implementing anonymity of "protection" of citizens...

And by the way, what makes Canadians employers of their government if they do not have the means to enforce the law on their employers...

There should be a worldwide imposition of the 2nd amendment if we want to start fighting terror in earnest.


34 posted on 08/16/2005 12:16:01 PM PDT by JudgemAll (Condemn me, make me naked and kill me, or be silent for ever on my gun ownership and law enforcement)
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To: neverdem

Own a fire extinguisher? Why?

Own a handgun? Why not?


35 posted on 08/16/2005 12:19:36 PM PDT by Fierce Allegiance (This ain't your granddaddy's America)
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To: neverdem

You mean to say that these Jack-boots are too lazy to go house-to-house to confiscate...they want the people to voluntarily bring their guns to their "central collection point"?

Oh, wait...this is Canada....never mind!


36 posted on 08/16/2005 12:24:13 PM PDT by anklebyter
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To: neverdem

Just one more reason not EVER to "register" a firearm.

What's the point in having a gun if your government knows where it is?


37 posted on 08/16/2005 12:26:51 PM PDT by Redbob
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To: colonialhk

The real kicker is how he patially blames the U.S. for illegal guns coming into Canada. Of course his unspoken follow up to that given his line of thinking will be that the U.S. also needs to lock up law abiding citizens guns to stop the illegal gun trade.


38 posted on 08/16/2005 12:27:07 PM PDT by planekT
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To: fanfan

Call up the defenders of the dominion. Unleash the awesome power of the Canada ping.


39 posted on 08/16/2005 12:29:29 PM PDT by Alexander Rubin (Octavius - You make my heart glad building thus, as if Rome is to be eternal.)
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To: Alexander Rubin

Man. This guy gets the dope of the day award. Why is it really stupid senseless people are the ones who become mayors, etc????


40 posted on 08/16/2005 12:34:10 PM PDT by InsureAmerica (the only free cheese is in a mousetrap)
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