XPost: can.politics, bc.politics, ab.politics   
   XPost: ont.politics   
   From: ConsRCons@govt.cda   
      
   Canada has its own version of the NRA - which lobbies the rightwing   
   Harper government on a constant basis.   
   Time for Canadians to let Harper & Co how they will be voting in 2015 if   
   he bends to the gun lobby on this issue.   
      
   Let John Baird know that the gun nuts are not the only ones that will be   
   going to the polls - and send a copy of your email to the leaders of the   
   other 3 parties.   
      
      
   Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird:     bairdj@parl.gc.ca   
   Leader of the NDP / Opposition:          thomas.mulcair@parl.gc.ca   
   Leader of the federal Liberals:          justin.trudeau@parl.gc.ca   
   Leader of the Green Party:               Elizabeth.May@parl.gc.ca   
      
   PS:  No surprise that ISRAEL is refusing to sign the treaty - they're   
   now making billions each year selling major arms to countries around the   
   globe:   
   ________________   
      
   The announcement by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry that the U.S. —   
   the world’s largest arms dealer — will sign is critical, but the   
   treaty’s ultimate strength rests on support by all major arms exporters   
   and importers. While the treaty was overwhelmingly approved on April 2   
   by the U.N. General Assembly, key arms exporters including Russia, China   
   and Israel and major importers including India, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia   
   and Egypt abstained and have given no indication yet that they will sign   
   it.   
   ________________________________________________________________   
   _______________   
      
   The Canadian Press - October 2, 2013   
      
      
   Firearms lobby warns Ottawa against signing UN arms trade treaty   
      
      
      
   OTTAWA - Canada's recreational firearms lobby is telling the Harper   
   government to avoid signing a landmark United Nations arms trade treaty,   
   arguing it could lead to an insidious return of the federal long-gun   
   registry.   
      
   That's the message Canada's National Firearms Association and the   
   Canadian Shooting Sports Association are delivering to Foreign Affairs   
   Minister John Baird as he weighs whether Canada should follow the United   
   States in signing the Arms Trade Treaty, which aims to regulate the   
   multibillion dollar global arms trade.   
      
   Proponents of the treaty, including Secretary of State John Kerry who   
   signed it last week on behalf of the U.S., say it would have no impact   
   on domestic gun owners.   
      
   Not so, says Canada's sports shooting lobby, which has been consulting   
   with the government.   
      
   "We think that it has the potential to raise prices on firearms,   
   firearms accessories, parts and ammunition," Sheldon Clare, president of   
   the National Firearms Association, said in interview.   
      
   "We rely heavily on imports."   
      
   Clare said he doesn't think Canada will follow the U.S. and sign the   
   treaty, suggesting that the Conservatives realize this could affect them   
   at the ballot box in 2015.   
      
   "I think they also recognize there would be some significant   
   ramifications in their voting base were they to approve this," he said.   
      
   The Harper government came to power in 2006 in part on a promise to   
   scrap the long-gun registry, which was reviled by recreational shooting   
   enthusiasts and rural gun owners. The registry was voted out existence   
   in February 2012.   
      
   During that time, recreational firearms users have had greater access to   
   weapons and accessories than in the previous years.   
      
   An analysis of Industry Canada data by The Canadian Press shows that   
   imports of revolvers, pistols, rifles, shotguns, accessories and   
   ammunition into Canada totalled $2.84 million between 2006 and 2012.   
      
   That's almost double the nearly $1.56 million in similar imports to   
   Canada during the previous seven years when the Liberal government was   
   in power, from 1999 to 2005.   
      
   Total imports reached an all-time high at just over $507,000 in 2011 but   
   then fell to $445,000 in 2012.   
      
   Tony Bernardo, head of the Canadian Shooting Sports Association, said   
   he's been working hard to oppose UN gun control efforts since the mid 1990s.   
      
   He said the treaty could impose a burdensome bureaucracy on Canada not   
   unlike the now-defunct gun registry.   
      
   "I think there's lots of potential links to the gun registry," said   
   Bernardo.   
      
   "The problems we've had with the gun registry — unaccountability, the   
   incredible cost, complete ineffective uselessness — those things are not   
   only a potential scenario, they're a likelihood" if Canada were to sign   
   the treaty.   
      
   The groups say that if the federal government signs the treaty it will   
   have to create a new bureaucracy of regulations, one that could   
   potentially be less strict than the current rules that govern the arms   
   imports and exports.   
      
   Bernardo said he didn't think Baird was likely to follow the U.S. lead   
   on adopting the treaty any time soon.   
      
   "Minister Baird has been very thoughtful and intelligent on the Arms   
   Trade Treaty right from Day One," said Bernardo.   
      
   "At the beginning of the process he asked the United Nations to remove   
   civilian firearms from scope of the treaty. He's seen the writing on the   
   wall. He's not a dumb man."   
      
   Baird has said there is a potential link between signing on to the   
   treaty and Canada's now-abolished long gun registry. Baird's spokesman   
   said the government will take its time, and do its "homework" to ensure   
   that the interests of Canadians are protected before deciding whether to   
   sign on to the treaty.   
      
   "If properly done, an Arms Trade Treaty can help limit the worldwide   
   trade in illicit arms," said spokesman Rick Roth in an email.   
      
   "At the same time, it is important that such a treaty not affect lawful   
   and responsible firearms owners nor discourage the transfer of firearms   
   for recreational uses such as sport shooting and hunting."   
      
   Baird's office wouldn't release the names of the individuals it is   
   consulting.   
      
   According to an internal memo obtained by The Canadian Press, Clare and   
   Bernardo are among 14 stakeholders that Foreign Affairs has consulted on   
   the issue.   
      
   Four of those consulted are from the groups Oxfam, Project Ploughshares   
   and Amnesty International, and have publicly urged Canada to follow the   
   U.S. and more than 90 other countries and sign the treaty. They argue   
   the pact would lead to a decline in violence against innocent civilians,   
   including crimes against humanity.   
      
   But at least seven more on the list are from arms and ammunition   
   suppliers, manufacturers, or the defence industry.   
      
   NDP foreign affair critic Paul Dewar accused the government of giving   
   special interest groups preferential treatment in their consultations.   
      
   "It's clear that the Conservatives are continuing to favour their   
   friends in the gun lobby over good policy that will save lives."   
      
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