XPost: can.politics, bc.politics, ab.politics   
   XPost: ont.politics   
   From: alangbaker@telus.net   
      
   In article ,   
    Con?RCon?  wrote:   
      
   A lie in her subject line.   
      
      
   > 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   
      
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