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Canada Still Not Hospitable to Hunters

To: TKeegan@peoplepc.com, ttkeeg1@isd.net, tkrause@wyoming.com, iwmc@iwmc.org, jrladam@hughes.net, LITTLE0963@aol.com, r.brunisholz@worldnet.ATT.net, Jay@amoarchery.com, cocoa33@aol.com, merican@abanet.org,
Frank.Miniter@tmm.com, ovadeska@3rivers.net, WPageFur@erols.com, MarcMorano@aol.com, asds@netdirect.net, MKeefe@NRAHQ.org, WOkamoto@ctcweb.net, Steve_Peterson@Fishgame.state.ak.us, walf@3-cities.com, BH_Powell@USGS.gov, pioneerp@sisqtel.net, dalerappii@msn.com, mnminker@uslink.net, Train100@cs.com, BrokenAxe50@hotmail.com, Director@KeepAndBearArms.com, rjsmith@cei.org, naia@involved.com, kjeeper@usmo.com, BTaubert@gf.state.az.us, nationaltrappers@egroups.com, info@patrappers.com, MassSOS@aol.com, frc@pvtnetworks.net
Date sent: Sun, 28 Oct 2001 14:01:37 -0500
Subject: A Letter to the Washington Times
From: James M Beers <jimbeers@juno.com>

CANADA IS NOT STILL HOSPITABLE TO HUNTERS

Mr. David Austin's letter, from the Canadian Firearms Centre of the Canada Department of Justice, consisting of 10 paragraphs is a sterling example of governmental gun-control misinformation. As someone who duck hunted in Canada last year and passed up an opportunity to do so this year, the Austin letter must be answered.

Mr. Austin essentially details how the price of the import or the "borrowing" permits are less than reported (US v. Canadian dollars) and how Canada is making it "easier" for Americans to obtain permits. He conveniently ignores the ammunition restrictions and the penalties associated with the "requirements".

My reasons for passing up a highly valued opportunity to hunt in Canada are the same reasons I oppose gun control measures here in the USA. Just as prairie Canadian Customs are friendly to the numerous hunters crossing the border, Eastern Canadian Customs can be hostile. The uneven enforcement in all nations of increasingly complex laws, our tax code is a good example of such, creates an increasingly dangerous situation for citizens and non-citizens subject to increasingly complex requirements. For example, an American was recently treated rudely and denied entry with a firearm because a shared US/Canada law enforcement record revealed a long past DWI conviction. In the same vein, as a former law enforcement officer, I am very familiar with the power that such requirements give an officer who suspects a hunter of anything else or who takes a dislike to a particular hunter, or even an officer (we also have these in the USA) who dislikes folks from South of their border. Not only is there a whole range of prosecution possibilities regarding things like the ammunition being carried, the single digit difference in the serial number, or the fact that the Canadian host's gun was left in the blind while the warden approached and the Canadian hunter was answering nature's call. There also the purchase of ammunition or the loaning of a gun in a truly remote location because the non-residents‚ gun broke down or ammunition was shared with the host because a canoe tipped over. Just as a spiteful neighbor can create trouble by "informing" on another in USA locations where gun laws are enacted, a Canadian could easily make trouble for another Canadian by noting a violation of a visiting hunter. While the Canadian government and USA gun-control advocates all disregard these very real impacts of their drives toward gun-free societies, hunters and other gun owners know that the danger to us is real and not to be taken lightly.

The point of these few examples of many that could emerge is the legal consequences. Those gun laws, that are "only" meant to "register" guns, throw the violator into legal penalties and lifetime consequences intended for guys with names like Ali driving vehicles filled with semtex and rocket launchers. That is exactly what USA gun control advocates and their Canadian counterparts intend.

I for one will continue to oppose such national measures, which directly contradict our US Constitution. I will offer my advice to every other nation in the world that the US freedom to keep and bear arms should be emulated because it is a major reason for our continued mention as the model for freedom loving people throughout the world. Finally, I will always respond when gun control measures such as Canada's recently enacted restrictions are touted as acceptable and no big deal when they are neither.

Jim Beers
10-28-0


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