A Glimpse of the Future...

Much has been made over the weekend of an article in the Globe & Mail (Two visions prevail for ‘bad boy' province) in which the writers refer to Alberta as the 'bad boy' of confederation. Although the story is ostensibly about Ralph's Klein's possible heirs, it adds the obligatory eastern media's slur on western perspectives (i.e. not Toronto's).

But the real story here is not the article itself: its the sixty-odd comments from on-line readers appended to the story before the editors mercifully shut it off.

Reading through the commentary should send shivers up the spine of any normal rational Canadian, at the extent to which individuals will go in print to demonstrate the intolerance, the ignorance, the sheer maliciousness, that has become the badge of liberalism, both here in Canada, and around the world.

Canadians should rightly fear the tone of puerility that propagates throughout many of the writings of these folks. The 'values' that are emerging from this "neo"-liberalism represent none of the highly moral code of tolerance and accommodation that purports to be the historical basis of liberalism in Canada and elsewhere.

What is evident here is nothing but petulant elitism, something you might expect from spoiled children long on material aspirations and very short on spiritual compass, and quite devoid of intellectual content beyond grade school hyperbole.

The bellwether of a Canadian world under the thumb of liberalism has to be Britain. That sad rock has reached an unprecedented parallelism with George Orwell's 1984 in recent years. From its legislated social hegemony to the recent intent to fingerprint motorists during traffic stops and eavesdrop on casual conversations, neo-liberal political correctness is moving swiftly to embrace its fundamental antithesis, something we used to call "Authoritarianism". You will be tolerant, or you will not be tolerated....

It has become the hallmark of the neo-liberal to legislate what it can't persuade. In the bustling metropolis of Saskatoon, in the heart of prairie country, the police were promoting a ban on knives, at the insistence of one Myles Heidt, city councillor. A notable quote from Mr. Heidt:

"People nowadays can't manage their lives. They need laws for everything."

The context is about banning the carrying upon the person of any knife "longer than your little finger in public".

Well, no, they don't need laws for everything. We already have laws for everything, with no demonstrable spine to enforce them. There are already a range of laws governing the use and carry of knives under a variety of circumstances, even taken to the Supreme Court level over the kirpan issue (ceremonial dagger carried by Sikhs). Banning - the magic bullet for neo-liberals worldwide. Ignore the laws governing behavior, and attack the object.

The logical fallacy should be obvious. Social re-engineering is the favourite sop of the neo-liberal, yet rather than dealing with the behavior at the roots of perceived problems, they simply attack objects - guns, knives, speech, opinions, rights.

Canadians need to be vigilant to the clear and present danger to their future posed by an ideology that no longer recognizes and respects individualism. The neo-liberal no longer embraces small "l" liberalism; he doesn't even understand what it means.

"The Greatest Moment in Canadian Political History"

That, according to Michael Ignatief, expounding on his self-assured win in the upcoming Liberal leadership improv.

Interviewed this morning by Beverley Thompson on CTV's Canada AM, Iggy offered his perspective on the rivalry between he and Bob Rae, explaining that they had always been competitive and expressing the hope that when it was over, words that had been spoken would be "taken in context".

When asked by Thompson who was going to win, Iggy unhesitating said he would, then offered that this campaign and his win would be the "greatest moment in Canadian political history". Considering how quiet the Vatican has been lately, Benedict mustn't have gotten the memo that the Second Coming was imminent. Good Lord...

Sanity, Amongst the Ruins...

My nation is . . . Toronto

Stow the envy, rest-of-Canada dwellers. 'We are a nation because we are what we are' here in Hogtown

CHRISTIE BLATCHFORD, Globe and Mail, October 25, 2006

I cannot tell you how conflicted I was by the "Quebec is a nation" business that broke out all over this week: as a federalist, delighted; as a Torontonian, amused. To borrow from the deliciously outfoxed and caught flatfooted Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe, who said, "We are a nation because we are what we are," we here in Toronto are also a nation and for the same reason.

As a native Quebecker, I know well how unique is that province, but if I had to name one place in the country that has almost nothing in common with the rest of it, it wouldn't be Quebec, but the city where I've lived for almost four decades.
In recent years, it's become so bad I've seriously considered separating myself from Toronto, the friends and routines of an adult lifetime, the house and neighbourhood I love.

I give you a small but telling true story.

I was in Edmonton last week and so, it turned out, was a Toronto couple I adore. They were visiting relatives who live about an hour out of the Alberta capital, and we chatted briefly on e-mail, unsuccessfully trying to arrange our various schedules in order to meet for dinner one night.

At one point, the husband was trilling on about how beautiful the relatives' property was, and how peaceful, and blah, blah, blah. Why, he cooed, from a window that very day, they'd spotted a deer.

"You should have shot it," I snarled, though I confess I have not yet found an e-mail icon to properly signify a snarl.

I actually knew, from an Alberta friend, that it is, or was, deer hunting season. Indeed, because of this friend, who regales me with lurid descriptions of the shots he could have taken but didn't and the hours he spends lying in various frigid places waiting not to shoot, and the array of clothes and gewgaws he takes with him to while away the wait until he doesn't shoot, I may well know more about Alberta deer season than any other single person in Toronto.

Anyway, as I recall, there was shocked e-mail silence from my Toronto friend. I don't think I ever got a reply. He probably thought I had mislaid my mind or that I had misspoken, which is what we here say when we accidentally have told a truth or said what we believe but had no intention of saying and been called on it.

After all, I had broken about a dozen Toronto conventions in one fell swoop: Thou shalt not speak of guns; thou shalt not speak of guns but to condemn; thou shalt not suggest, by word or deed or inflection or lift of brow, that there are good gun owners and bad ones; thou shalt not speak in any manner approaching approbation about hunting (for one thing, it may lead to meat eating), and thou shall always and at every turn defend the liberty-encroaching yet entirely useless national firearms registry while simultaneously attacking the liberty-encroaching but undeniably useful notion of imposing reverse-onus bail conditions upon those thugs caught actually using guns in the commission of an actual crime.

Now I didn't really want my friend to shoot the deer because, though I am a bad Torontonian, like any good one, I still see all deer as Bambi, much as I see all collies as Lassie and all horses as Black Beauty and all pigs as Miss Piggy and all cows as the long-lashed ones in the milk ads. We prefer our animals, domestic or wild, to be cartoons with cute voices, which is why so many of us want our dogs to be no bigger than a beaver's tail.

But the point is, Torontonians may not really think like this, but certainly, to judge it by what we say and certainly by how we vote, we do. The odds of the average citizen in this city being shot by a law-abiding, registered-up-the-ying-yang, taxpaying, gun-club-using fellow are next to nothing, but we here live in fear of that guy.

Him, we want banned, or his guns anyway. And his pal the hunter. We have no patience for any of his nonsense about shooting being a sport (what, biathlon?) or for any of the hunter's BS or the varmint-shooting farmer's. But give us a dude with a criminal record longer than (see earlier reference to dog size), a habit of not showing up for court and a well-documented taste for violence, and honey, we will turn ourselves inside-out in search of root causes.

I didn't mean for this to be so much about guns, but this is one of those issues that really captures so much that makes Toronto so breathtakingly irritating and, well, distinct.

There are others, but chiefly what distinguishes the Torontonian is that from the sanctity of his SUV-loving life, he desires to tell other Canadians how we all ought to live.

A few weeks ago, I was walking through the University of Toronto campus with my dog, both of us minding our business. Obie was, of course, on his leash, just trotting by my side. I had plastic bags in every pocket lest there be a hint of a dog turd within miles, and as we approached a young man, he smiled nicely. I am accustomed to people smiling at the sight of my dog (he is huge, white, goofy and with one floppy ear and one upright one) and smiled back.

"Where's the muzzle?" the young man asked pleasantly.

I presumed he had mistaken Obie for a pit bull and was referring to the Ontario ban on these dogs.

"Oh," I said, still polite, "his breed is exempt from the law."

"It's not a matter of law," he said.

"What is it a matter of then?" I asked.

He held his hands about a beaver-tail length apart. "I have a dog about this size," he said sorrowfully, shaking his head in what I suppose I was to take for rueful wisdom.

"My dog plays with dogs that size every day," I said. "He's as gentle as a lamb."

"Well," smarmed the young man, "I'm glad to hear it."

"I need neither your lectures nor your praise," I replied, rather regally I thought, and took my leave. But as he was to me, Toronto is to the nation. We are what we are, and what the rest of you, if only you were a little brighter, would want to be.
__________________

Remembrance Day, 2006

Some observations from Kate's open thread at Small Dead Animals and around the web, about remembrances and ceremonies encountered this day...

"At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.
Rest eternal grant to them, O Lord, and may light perpetual shine upon them."
'been around the block, SDA

"My dear old George:

Just a few lines to say that I am back in England & am making good progress with my wounds.
We had an awfully tough time at Ypres on June 2nd & all our battalion & several others got cut up to hell in a terrific bombardment & then the Huns came over in thousands & took our front line trenches, there being a few isolated groups of men left to oppose them. I got hit by pieces of shell casing in my left arm & leg. All the extensor muscles of the forearm are torn away & about two inches out of the middle of the ulnar bone are gone. The arm at present is absolutely useless, but Drs. Talk of grafting in a new bone & muscles so that they make a pretty good job of it.
My left thigh has all the inside of it gone, pretty nearly. Another half inch & it would have had the bone & femoral artery, & then it would have been all up.
I believe it will also have to have some grafting.
However I’m not worrying. I’m lucky to get off with what I did. The worst part was that I was not picked up for five days, & lived practically on what water I could get. It rained heavily one day & I managed to collect enough water to fill my water bottle & a tin can & believe me I have never tasted so delicious a drink in all my life. I just drank & drank & drank. I was practically a living skeleton when they got me & my wounds were in awful condition. I’ll bet you could smell me two miles off.
Poor old Alec is missing. There is a chance that he may be a prisoner, but personally I believe he was killed.
Poor old chap, he was the first to bind my wounds & then carried on with the fighting."
Raymond, SDA, from his great-uncle to his grandfather...

"I watched the ceremonies this a.m.,both on ctv & cbc,and once again moved to tears for all we have been given,thanks to all the Veterans.Having grown up on a military base,I truly do understand,and hold each and every one of the military..both past and present in the highest regard.
I must say tho,that I was somewhat disgusted that once again Taber uses the soapbox of honoring heroes,to politicize,and slag PMSH,and current gov't for any and every little thing.Also noted that Newman made bit of issue about PMSH standing on the dais (with Gov.Gen),for the march past of the vets,etc.He commented that it was the 1st.time a PM had done so,that it was usually just the Gov.G.that stood there.I say..why not let PM be front and center to show his respect for,and gratitude to the troops.Maybe this simple gesture speaks volumes about his commitment to our folks in uniform,as opposed to the Libs,that tried to decimate them.Good for you PM,we the people stand with you!
LEST WE FORGET..and with deepest thanks to all that wear the uniform. Sammy"Sammy, SDA

another rainy, cold remembrance day...brings back many memories..parade square in petawawa...snow an inch thick on my face....hungover as heck....but i never flinched....if those old guys who put it on the line can stand there...a thank you to those who served b4 me, a salute to the fine men and women i served with, and a "GO ARMY" to the boys and girls in afghani...u r makin this old soldier proud kingstonlad, SDA

I started this video in memory of our hometown hero of Cpl David Braun of Raymore, Saskatchewan (3-Aug-79 - 22-Aug-06). With a population of 648, I thought it hit pretty hard... I was naive, I have received e-mails from coast to coast that also mourns the loss of a Canadian Forces member. David, this tribute is for you and your fallen brothers in arms. I hope I never have to update this video again but if I do, sadly, a new version of this video will be placed here in their honour. (I will be gone to C.F.B. Borden, doing my BMQ from 06-Jan-07 through 06-Apr-07 and won't be able to update this video--it will be high priority upon return) Pte. Caswell

In Flanders Fields' is not only a poem we recite to remind us of those soldiers who died. It's a poem to remind us of _everyone_ who has died, soliders and the civilians who unfortunately but always seem to inevitably to get involved. From WW1 and WW2, through Korea and Vietnam to Kosovo, the World Trade Center, Afghanistan and Iraq, it is the people in these conflicts and others who have passed on that we remember on November 11, and that their sacrifices, some necessary and many not, have shaped the world we are in today. It is to remind us of the price that is always paid.

And it's a poem to remind us to not let those deaths, civilian and military, become meaningless, senseless, worthless. That something worthwhile should come out of the price paid by the efforts and lives of those in the middle of everything. And I do believe that our troops are doing their best to make that happen, even if things are not happening the way it sounds like some people want. I understand that it will take time, but so do all good things. I do not believe that diplomacy with the radicals will be honored by them. I believe that our troops are needed alongside the humanitarian effort. I do not want their efforts to be wasted. Because I want the world to be a better place.

As did those who lie row on row in Flanders fields. Lest we forget. Alberta Bound, SDA

Over 8000 in attendance at Credit Union Centre in Sasktoon today. Wonderful service with a couple of highlights. Huge standing ovation for the vets who came marching in. Then, when the mother of Sean Keating, recently killed in Afghanistan, laid a wreath, the crowd gave another huge ovation... a lot of tears at that moment.

At around 11:00 the lights were dimmed... with a lone trumpet playing and rows and rows of soldiers, mounties, cadets etc. at attention, the place went dead silent... very wonderful moment. It made me wish that all those lads who perished in wars gone by, and in Afghanistan, and on Peacekeeping, could be there to see the respect they were being shown. Truly a wonderful moment. Debris Trail,SDA

Normally I attend the Remembrance Day ceremonies held at Old City Hall in Toronto, in better times with my mother and my now-deceased father, but this year I attended the ceremonies in Streetsville.
ere was a good turnout of several hundred people in the square around the Cenotaph. The day was wet and a bit cold, but on the whole a lot better than anything I’ve experienced before, when the wind has been a lot stronger and the air is usually bitterly cold.
The Streetsville Pipe & Drum band was on hand in kilts. A number of local veterans stood proud with chests full of metals. There were also a good number of active duty military men and women.
Young cadets in uniform stood at the four corners of the cenotaph. One was so cold that you could easily see the visible shaking of his body.
A young family stood behind me, and I could hear the father whispering to his daughter the meaning of why we were there. He told her that soldiers made sacrifices – some of them the ultimate sacrifice – to ensure our freedoms, and that we were there to honour them and their sacrifices. It was all very well put and inspiring.
Liberal MP Wajid Khan presented a wreath, as did Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion (85 years’ young, the amazing Mayor McCallion moves with an ease and grace that indicates she suffers none of the pains nor debilitations that normally come in later years).
At the end of the ceremonies a procession of military personnel went from the cenotaph to the local legion. The rest of us went to the cenotaph to have a look at the wreaths and messages; amongst them was a wreath that was signed as being from the Muslim community of Mississauga.
Then we all removed the poppies from our coats and either laid them at the base of the cenotaph or pinned them to a wreath.
Mississauga Matt, SDA

On this weekend, it is important to think of, support and admire the LIVING soldiers, the ones with exuberance and energy are representing Canada in this long war. Tom Eschak and Doug Tizya are Yukoners who have served and are serving in Afghanistan in the Princess Pats. Doug was wounded and is (I think) in Manitoba. Tom is on holiday right now. I have posted photos Tom sent home, of his friends and etc in Afghanistan. They are fun and well worth a look, and are such that, they are so worthy of our pride. I keep hoping that Canada will rise to the occasion, and become worthy of these soldiers' effort. Anyway, I am adding more photos to the blog over the weekend.heather, SDA

I attended the Remembrance Day ceremonies at the neighbourhood school yesterday.
It started off well and the children were very quiet and well behaved when reminded that this was a very solemn occasion.
Then about a quarter of the way into the program a Love-In broke out. (Not surprising the school is in Kitsilano).
A student recited the story of a little Japanese girl who had suffered so terribly after Hiroshima was bombed.
Then another student asked everyone to stand and raise their right hand and swear an oath that they would promise to always settle conflicts around the world peacefully.
I was so angry that this was the lesson being presented to the children that I had to pass by the Principle without looking at him.
Afterward I was more troubled by the thought that I may have been the only adult in the Auditorium that thought that this was not only an insult to the war veterans but even more insulting to the men and women currently fighting in Afghanistan.
Cal, SDA

From a Yank soldier south of the border, my thanks and gratitude to you our northern neighbors who have shared the same hardship and spilled your own blood for the same ground through the years.
I think you all have it right in calling it Remembrance Day. Here we call it Veterans Day and I wonder if perhaps that detracts to some extent from the meaning of it. it would be far more difficult I think for stores to have major sales to entice the public to buy more crap on "Remembrance Day."
Anyway, just the tuppence of an engineer waiting for the next deployment.
Tonight we toast the fallen and each other.
Anthony, SDA

At the Cenotaph this morning, there was a crowd larger than I remember in recent years. They all, including children, stood silently through the pouring rain for the entire service. The one image that struck me most, was an older veteran, not in any legion uniform, but with his medals pinned to an old checkered jacket. Through the entire service, he stood at attention in the pouring rain, and when I offered him my unbrella, he shook his head no, and continued to stand at attention silently, staring straight ahead.Ann, SDA

Today I travelled to Moose Jaw to visit my favorite Veteran who is hospitalized at the Union Hospital, my dad. He served 7 years in the Royal Canadian Air Force during the second world war. I was shopping for a couple of items at the Super Store where I crossed paths with an Air Force officer stationed at the base in Moose Jaw. He and his wife had attended services earlier and I considered it a great priviledge to approach them and offer my thanks for his (and her) service. He readily extended his hand along with a warm smile to thank me for the recognition and encouragement. He told me how much it meant to members of our Canadian armed forces to have folks approach them with thanks and encouragement.

I don't want to get too political with this but I wonder how many times the likes of Jack Layton and his followers have PERSONALLY given thanks to ANY of our men and women in uniform. They enjoy the freedom to spew their drivel while our finest die to protect their right to do so. a different Bob, SDA

Pittance of Time. The embedded link, along with all of the other remembrances of the Eleventh Hour of the Eleventh Day, will serve to remind that Canadians died for the freedoms that lie at the heart of the gun-control controversy, and how easily that freedoms can disappear in the Pittance of Time in the fog of "political correctness". As the story goes, this is apparently based on a true event in a retail store in Halifax a few years ago. Terry Kelly was so upset by the event, he penned the song shortly after his arrival back home.

Semi-Auto Ban Rumour Being Laid to Rest?

Update 3 - November 6, 2006.

Just when we thought this story could be put to bed, it continues to break. As more MPs offices report in to their constituents, the messages are not consistent. Some are saying the CPC "has no plans, currently", some point to Bill C-21 as not having any changes to semi-autos (it doesn't, but then it wasn't intended to), some, like the following from David Emerson's assistant, are more illuminating:

"Further to our telephone conversation, I can confirm that the government is currently in consultation regarding the possible reclassification of restricted firearms. This process is being conducted with Provincial, Territorial and Stakeholders across Canada. The intention is to improve Canada’s laws, enhancing public safety while keeping with our platform. Please note that this is only a consultation process.

I have requested more information from Hon. Stockwell Day, Minister of Public Safety, and as soon as I am in receipt of same, I will be in touch with you.

Sincerely,

Elecia Elliott
PA to the Honourable David Emerson, PC, MP
Vancouver Kingsway

Update 2 - November 6, 2006.

Feedback coming out of variety of CPC MP offices today is indicating that no plan is in the works to further ban or re-classify semi-automatic firearms, although there have been a few admissions that it has been a topic of discussion. For the moment, it appears that calm is returning to the hinterland, and the CPC has been fully apprised of its constituent's concerns....

Update - November 6, 2006.

In response to the rumour, the office of Stockwell Day, deluged apparently with emails, faxes and phone messages has been advising callers that Minister Day and the CPC have no plans currently to introduce changes to classification or prohibition to semi-automatic long guns. They have been somewhat surprised by the intensity of the response to the weekend rumour.

---

MPs in Ottawa arrived this morning to find their fax, email and voice-mail machines full of expressions of concern from their constituents over the possibility of bans or reclassification of popular semi-automatic sporting long-guns. While rumours have circulated for a bit, the tenor raised somewhat over the weekend when a respected source outlined a serious plan that is rumoured to be in the works. Rumblings have been emanating from the Hill for a couple of weeks about this.

Stockwell Day's office is somewhat consternated about the volume of concerns and their source, but has not issued a definitive denial.

One MP, David Sweet, of Dundas-Ancaster-Flamborough-West Hamilton, has reportedly responded to a constituent:

I called the office the Hon. Stockwell Day on receipt of your letter and was informed that there are consultations taking place with the provinces, territories and stakeholders on repeating and semi-automatic firearms. They said that there may be some firearms reclassifications, but at this point they cannot confirm what if any. They are mindful of those with outdoor traditions and of collectors like yourself.

I have forwarded your letter along to Minister Day so that he is made aware of your concerns and frustrations.

Sincerely,
David Sweet, M.P.

The comment of interest is "re-classification". This has been one of the concerns outside of an outright ban. Some of the popular sport/competition semi-automatic firearms like the SKS, M-14, AR-15, and Beretta Storm may wind up as prohibited, or in the case of the M-14 and SKS, as restricted.
The Liberals slammed the door last year on owners of grandfathered prohibited firearms, removing their ability to take them to a range to shoot. Court challenges are underway on this decision. The SKS and M14, in addition to being popular hunting rifles, are also pivotal in the sport of Service Rifle competition, along with the AR-15. The loss of these firearms would effectively destroy Service Rifle competition, one of Canada's oldest shooting sports, one steeped in the traditions of Canada's military history.

The unacceptable part of all of this, is that there is no compelling public safety issue justifying the drive to ban and reclassify these firearms. The political will has come largely from raw vote-getting politics, ignorance, lack of general knowledge of firearms, leftist and socialist agendas, and from supporters of the UN world-government view. No defensible statistical and criminological justification has ever been put forward to support the assault on democratic principles these policies represent. A review of the Firearms Act (C-68) and the consequent Criminal Code amendments will clearly illustrate how anti-democratic and draconian these policies, and their underlying legislation, are.

[Cross-posted to www.guncontrolcanada.org]

Politics/Cartoons - Where the line is drawn... [Pt.5]

If you don't have the background on this story, this is it:

"You know, education, if you make the most of it, if you study hard and you do your homework, and you make an effort to be smart, uh, you, you can do well. If you don't, you get stuck in Iraq." John Kerry

given at a campaign event on the Pasadena City College campus on Monday held for losing California Democrat gubernatorial challenger Phil Angelides. There is meltdown of epic Democratic proportions underway in the U.S. over this comment.

To pick up the trail see Cox & Forkum (while you're there pick up a copy of their books - they are superlative right wing political cartoonists), and also cruise Michelle Malkin.

Slandering soldiers in uniform is apparently becoming a U.S. Democratic national pastime: witness this abomination at...gee, McGill...

(H/T to F&C and MM)

"...betrayal from the inside shall see no mercy"

Grass roots supporters from coast to coast are up in arms about a rumoured sellout over firearms issues by the Conservative party, in order to curry votes from the opposition and improve their voting base in Ontario and Quebec. CPC members can expect a firestorm in Ottawa this week from their constituents. Some of the comments from the trenches:

..."If this happens, it would be suicide for Harper. Seriously. The Liberals would get a majority government next time, and deservedly so. If the Harper government proved itself unable to stand up for this basic principle, then they would be exposed as nothing more than the same type of opportunists as the Liberals. Even worse, because at least the Liberals, NDP and Bloc are not idiots -- they know not to piss off their core supporters."

..."8 members of my family voted CPC in the last election but if we have to go Libertarian next time , we will . The majority of my gunclub feel the same way as we remember Joe "The Duck" Clark and Kim Campbell and we've heard Peter MacKay and read what the CPC rep to the UN has recently said regarding the International Small Arms Agreement.

We'll stick with the CPC until there is one sign of treachery and if they table, facilitate or enact any legislation that negatively effects us, we're gone . We won't vote for anyone who only acts like a Liberal sometimes to purchase votes in Toronto and Quebec by trading our freedom for a few more seats."

..."What is so frustrating is that Statscan, the US Department of Justice and the National Acedamy of Sciences have been collecting data for decades and to date they have not found any evidence that any gun control measure has reduced murders, accidents or suicides. Stepping on citizen's Rights and freedoms through restrictions and prohibitions has not produced and positive benefits for society. Our Charter of Rights and Freedoms says that we have the Right to own Property and we have the Right not to be arbitrarily deprived of it. If there is no evidence that taking away firearms from law abiding citizens provides society with any noticeable benefits then that would surely be a case of arbitrarily taking away property. It is outrageous that the government would consider taking away firearms from citizens when knives are responsible for injuring and killing far more people in this country. If the Government was really interested on public safety then why not start with banning all pocket and hunting knives?

...All studies based on hard numbers and unbiased stats show that it will not make a difference. Taking guns away from criminals might make a difference but taking them away from people who will not commit a crime is just ridiculous. Even the people of Quebec who traditionally hate guns do not think it will make any difference what so ever. The small group of people that Wendy Cukier has organized do not speak for the majority. Those people will not vote Conservative even if you banned every firearm in Canada. The rest of Quebec won't be swayed by a ban since they don't think it will make any difference one way of the other."

...I am told that the Government plans to ban restricted long guns.
I will not mince words. This is an error of the gravest type. Not only will you dissolve a relationship of grass roots supporters based in legal gun owners, the public will see this as "another ban" blurring the image of the party with the oppositions antics. An ill-conceived initiate such as this cost Canada further millions of tax dollars, and just like the registry - will contribute nothing to public safety.
Gun bans globally have not contributed to their nations safety and lives. Australia for example just had an article in the British Journal of Criminology admitting that their ban was a costly, futile effort without a reduction to crime.
Your minority hangs in the balance. Respecting that you need every vote possible, these ever increasing changes of policy will erode the trust you have in your core supporters.
Lastly, if this rumour is true, my own personal support of the CPC will have been damaged beyond repair. I am a good supporter, who volunteered for events, walked the street carrying placards for the party, gave hard earned money by the hundreds, plastered my lawn with giant CPC signs and lastly - trusted you to be the better party."

...If this "pending ban" is true the CPC are risking political suicide...
If they use restricted long-guns as bait and fail to bring an end to the long-gun registry, they will be wiped off the map in Western Canada."

Conservative Party Set to Betray its Grass Roots?

The rumour mill has been churning strongly of late that the Conservatives are about to turn on their grass roots supporters over firearms issues. Since the Dawson College episode, there have been persistent rumours that Peter Mackay's side of the house has been pushing to ban semi-automatic firearms is order to conciliate to the Bloc and the NDP.

Today, new rumours from usually reliable sources are circulating that the announcment is imminent, and that firearms owner will be given no quarter to grandfather themselves, as occured in previous legislation. The target is believed to be all currently restricted semi-automatic long guns, with possible extension to some models of non-restricted semi-automatic long guns.

Such a move by the Conservative Party of Canada could destroy its broad based grass roots support, particularly in the west. Certainly, there are large Canadian grass roots organizations now positioned to drive local Conservative campaigns, and if the betrayal is as monumental as suspected, there will be a concerted effort to take the party out of the running in the next election.

After all, if betrayal has become the de-facto standard of all Canadian governments in power, Canadians might as well cosy up to the party that gives away the most, and that ain't the Conservatives.

The implications to troop morale in Afghanistan are incredible. Such a betrayal will destroy the morale of the boys over there. Their efforts, their lives, are being given to preserve the democratic principles of individual freedom and responsibility that have been a Canadian hallmark since its inception. Based on the ones I know personally in theatre, most of them clearly "get" the significance of a betrayal such as this - its been a significant topic of discussion already.

That the Conservatives might pull such a stunt around the "11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month" is to commit the ultimate indecency to the memory and sacrifice of hundreds of thousands of Canadians on the beaches of Normandy, of Ypres, Vimy, of Holland, France, North Africa, Italy.

If these rumours come to pass, the name "Canada" will cease to have any meaning whatsoever. Reduced to a giggling backwater by the Liberals, a faint hope existed in a fragile Conservative government that the phoenix that was Canada might rise again. A betrayal of the magnitude that is rumoured to be impending will signal that Canada has become ungovernable. All that will remain will be to pick the bones of the carcass, to squabble over the distribution of its resources, for at its core, there will be nothing left.