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114783

Name: ammo
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Comments: From: john kaplanis
Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 9:24 AM
To: Phil Hewkin
Subject: Re: Bill C68
Let me be clear on NOSA's views Phil. Seeing the dismantling of the registry, from our organization's perspective, is our primary concern. No, licensing is not our primary worry. We license our trucks our ATV's, our trailers, we have to buy hunting and fishing licenses. I have not had a single complaint from any of my members who have argued that they feel having to be licensed to handle a firearm is too much of an infringement upon their rights. The process of crossover from an FAC to the current PAL/POL was not without unnecessary complications, I will concede that.

However, my own son must soon take a course in firearms handling, hunting education course...all rolled into one session. He'll get a hunting license and be licensed to handle firearms safely. I fail to see how this is a bad thing....

Can the licensing system be examined to make it more efficient? That is a question that we'd be willing to look at, along with the gun retail industry representatives and gun owners alike.

The reference I made to the Charter is due to your website...it points out that Section 26 of the Charter states the right to "bear arms" and after discussing this with our legal advisory we have been informed that this view point by your group, is not so clear cut.

I hope this clears up NOSA's stance on the topic.

John Kaplanis
Executive Director
The NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO
SPORTSMEN'S ALLIANCE
807-623-7999 ph
807-623-7060 fax
kaplanis@tbaytel.net
www.teamnosa.com

----- Original Message -----
From: Phil Hewkin
To: john kaplanis
Sent: Monday, January 12, 2009 9:54 PM
Subject: Re: Bill C68
Myself and my group has been doing just that, unfortunately unsuccessfully, for a very ,very long time. The reference to the dismantling of "the registry" is misleading, it sounds as though this is the only contentious part of the firearms act, when licensing is truly the lions share of the intrusiveness and prejudice against us. Honestly, I didn’t refer the section 26 of the charter. I say that, not the charter. A right is not only one as described by government. is is a basic human right of survival, (in a life/death situation) that no government can revoke through diversion, or avoidance.
Many in our ranks openly make statements "licensing is here to stay" well, Not if I can do anything about it. Do we not need to start speaking the same language, in reference to our primary objective "freedom" by employing terminology that is accurate?
Garry Breitkreuz has also been making "the registry" reference. Eliminating only that aspect is to burn your seat on the titanic. Orders in council by the next antigun government guarantees absolutely that the FIREARMS ACT, specifically, licensing, is the true root of our collective problems. Do you suggest this inaccurate reference is purely a journalistic slip, and that NOSA is committed as well, to the repeal of the entire firearms act? I sure hope so... members of the "firearms advisory committee" have failed to communicate the importance of the dismantling licensing requirement quagmire. They too only refer to "the registry"
sincerely.phil
From: john kaplanis
Sent: Monday, January 12, 2009 5:40 PM
To: philhewkin@telus.net
Subject: Bill C68
Phil:
Your email message about C-68 that you sent to G. Hankkio was forwarded to me. It matters not what is taken in an interview on this topic and subsequently put in some other context in the media, as I expect this is where your comment is directed at. The Breitkreuz folks are doing a good job getting media clips out to the outdoor community!

I'm sorry but, it's sort of like stating that Section 26 of the Charter of Rights, overtly states that Canadians have the right to bear arms...but Section 26 does not blatantly say it that way, does it? So by saying Section 26 gives Canadians the Right to Bear Arms is a bit of a stretch. Not that I wouldn't like it to say that but it just doesn't.

Nonetheless, what does matter is that our points are made and they are enough to get MP's back on this topic and forcing the matter to a head in Parliament. The proposal to have a Private Members Bill to Scrap the firearms registry in Canada will have to pass a lengthy process in Parliament as it is. I suspect the gun owning community will either get motivated and push this matter nationwide or bog it down with criticism that just results in a failure to accomplish anything at all. In which case, we then deserve what we get.

I encourage your group to push to have C-68 scrapped. We will continue to do our part also.

Regards,
John Kaplanis
Executive Director
The NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO
SPORTSMEN'S ALLIANCE
kaplanis@tbaytel.net
www.teamnosa.com
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