December 14, 2001 - Duck Hunters or Hospitals?
 

The federal government is trying to bribe gun owners to make their flawed approach to gun control work says
Greg Illerbrun, Chair of the Responsible Firearms Community, Saskatchewan (RFC Sask.).

"This carrot being dangled in the face of firearm owners is rotten to the core," says Illerbrun.  "It is an insult to the intelligence of every tax payer in Canada to suggest that a government program is ‘free'.  They are increasingly desperate to get people to co-operate"

The federal government has once again initiated an expensive media blitz for a program that is collapsing due to ridiculous cost over-runs.  The program offers "free" registration to firearms owners provided they do so by an arbitrary deadline even though the legislated date is January 1, 2003.

"The 2000/2001 budget for the gun control program ballooned from $34 million to an unbelievable $200 million in one year," said Illerbrun.  "That represents a 500% increase at a time when there is no new money for health care, education or agriculture.  What is the priority?  Duck hunters or hospitals?"

The hidden agenda of the federal government to confiscate all privately held firearms was also re-confirmed in a December 11th announcement on airport security by Transport Minister David Collenette.

"I believe in a civil society we should do as much as possible not to have <firearms> in any guise, but obviously they are a necessary function of policing." said Collenette.

This statement reaffirms earlier statements by Federal Ministers and Senators and illustrates the track record of register and then confiscate.  One-time Justice Minister, Alan Rock was quoted as saying " when I came to Ottawa I arrived with the firm belief that the only people who should possess firearms are the police and the army."  Liberal Senator Sharon Carstairs stated "It's not about gun control, it's about the social re-engineering of Canadian society."

"We are confident that Canadians will continue to send a message to Ottawa that this program will not work and it is an unacceptable waste of public funds." said Illerbrun.  "Thanks, but no thanks.  It takes more than a savings of $18.00 to compromise our integrity.

Legal firearm owners are not required to register their firearms under the current legislation until January 1, 2003.  The fee for registration at that time will be $18.00 for all of the firearms an individual possesses.

For More Information:

Greg Illerbrun                                          Larry Luzny
giller@sk.sympatico.ca                            lluzny@cableregina.com
Tel:  (306) 773-2566                              Tel:  (306)  543-7599
       (306) 773-1326                               Fax:  (306)  949-9072
Fax: (306) 773-0733

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