Folks,
I helped a fellow in Canada by sending him some .35 Remington brass. I asked what was the problem with the anti-social government in Canada and I have posted his reply with his permission. Just reading what Canadian gun owners and hunters face to the North makes me cringe. All the best...
Gil



My email to Harry Snippe:
I really like Canadian people, the shopping malls, beer, highways and restaurants. How did you folks ever get such a socialist anti-gun government? I digress. Anyway, I will take care of your brass requirements. All the best...
Gil
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I blame the current government on the people of Toronto.
Ontario and Quebec pretty well says what does in Canada.
As far as the anti gun thing , I point to wards the UN and it's mandate to disarm it own citizens.
What they really fear are all the nations who's citizens harbor the famous AK waving war and terror against the Americans and the western world.

We as a country have never threated our own government with arms since the Metis uprising around a hundred years ago in lower Alberta.

The young lad in the rural centres that is interested in dusting a few gophers or rabbits with Dad and grampa just would like a little spare wild meat pose no threat to any government.
Gangs and groups involved with the sale and use of drugs pose a great danger in the urban area's. This resulted in prohibiting the short barrel hand guns and the 25 and 32 handguns.
What was primary the 25 and 32 Automatic like the little Davis, unfortunately ended up with a ban on all 32"s and we are banned from owning a 32 H&R revolver and the 32 calipier used for target shooting.

Now permits are required to own rifles, shotguns and handguns and to use them costs over three hundred dollars to get started . The price of small arms doubled as sporting good stores were required to pay importing fee's along with high costing permits to stay in operation . Then also they were required to have permits to buy and sell ammo.
This policy drove the little shops to pack it in and we are now required to drive to one of the main centres to purchase firearms and related Material.
A model 94 Winchester sold for about $350 new . Now that same arm used bring in a hundred dollars more .
A box of 3006 cost about fifteen dollars then and about 28 to 58. dollars a box depending on the grade of bullet and load desired.
There is talk of the Tree hungers stopping the Deer hunt as they managed with our spring bear hunt.
The government is going after the reloaders. we can no longer have more than a few pounds of powder and they would like to force us out by requiring us to load in a bunker away from housing . We are currently fighting that one.

In general there is so much red tape and expense in the shooting and hunting sports that the average citizen is over whelmed by it all and stays away.
The Hunters are disappearing in the woods . It is mostly a war baby pastime. Shooters at the clubs are mostly grey haired or the well to do.

The laws in the States are going to change for the worst , if every one does not band together . The Canadian people grumble among themselves , but only a few speak out.
I was active as a trapper and hunter and spoke out against the new firearm requirements . We had many meetings with our members of federal government over the issues.
When the votes were all counted Toronto outvoted the rest of Ontario and Our PM's were told to tote the line.
Being able to buy what you want , hunt with a hand gun or even have one on your hip is something we see on TV when we watch some of the old movies from the twenties or Roy Rodgers or maybe John Wayne.
Being able to go and shoot a hand gun, and carry a firearm in the woods is a privilege not a right in this country and I see it disappearing in my life time.
We spend every nickle we can in all the shooting sports, firing off our hand guns, rifles and shot guns , trying to promote the sport and getting the younger generations involved .
That means loading up a lot of Ammo , and talking to new people and inviting them to try our arms at a shooting range free of charge, just to get them involved , or a young lad shooting , and maybe going hunting.
So the brass your willing to send , not only goes to my own shooting pleasure , as I love the 35, but fifty rounds loaded with lead bullets might also get a new shooter started in the sport. So your not just helping one Canadian, your helping a cause.
If the privilege dies in my lifetime , I am going to die kicking'

You may post this E-mail if you want to show your fellow Americans what might blow in from the North.
Do not give the Anti's an inch , They are coming for your guns . They want to stop a way of life , and change a right to bear Arms, that your country STILL has.

Make aware and make ready.
Harry Snippe
Happy

Gil,
Your E-mail from Harry is pretty profound. It very much reminds us of our need to be ever vigilant of what our state and federal governments are doing, and the importance of having a strong and united voice in the world of shooting sports. Most of all it reminds us that each one of us needs to stay active or get active in support of our Freedoms.

Listen to the man, Gil. Spread the word on your fine site. Having been once connected to the UK, Canada is now starting to sing from the same song sheet as us. I hope they can change the tune before it's too late. Once it's gone, it's gone is NOT just an advertising slogan! We have the NRA here in England, it's about as much use as an ashtray on a motorcycle. Give them their due, they try. Trouble being, who listens (or even hears) to fifty voices at a football game? Keep the flag flying over there.

This topic always chaps my hide. Take guns out of the hands of the people and then the only people carring guns will be the ones that buy them illegally anyways.
Thanks to our God we still have the 2nd amendment. We settled this country and broke away for freedom. I hope we are not blind enough to lead ourselfs back into bondage.
Everybody needs to vote for freedom every chance they get, or we will be in the same shoes as a lot of other countries.

Knifeboy

We have our problems with gun issues in Canada, no doubt, but we're also getting some ill needed help from your President Bush. I went to place my annual order from Sinclair this year only to find that I can no longer purchase ammo or reloading components from the U.S. without an import/export license from the U.S. State Department. I have to send a request to my capital, Ottawa, saying what I'm buying, have some bureaucrat wake up long enough to sign it, send it back to the seller (Sinclair). He in turn will make the request for the license to your State Dept. When everything is signed and stamped the license is returned to Sinclair who will keep a copy on file for me, and send me my order. This took a grand total of 3 months. The alternative is for me to drive south to Vermont, purchase my supplies there and return home with them. The problem here is that your border agents have taken to checking vehicles leaving the U.S. as well as entering and it's now against U.S. law to bring reloading components and ammo across the border. U.S. Customs will confiscate it. All this is done in the name of reducing the risk of terrorism.
The U.S. has simply gone too far with this threat of terrorism. Actually the new law was introduced under Clinton and took effect under Bush. It's a law that doesn't help either country. Since the average citizen doesn't import ammo across national borders he isn't even aware of it. Often a Canadian law ends up being a byproduct of something you've introduced.
The two countries support each other in introducing these jackass laws. In addition to the inconvenience we all get buried under another mountain of useless paperwork. I don't mean to rant, just trying to explain what is and isn't. I wouldn't even try to make excuses for my own government. It's pathetic. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal


Cal - Montreal

Calsibley

If the new law you refer to was introduced, as you say, under Clinton, then it has more to do with Canada's anti gun stand (and Clinton's compliance) than terrorism. If our country has "gone too far" about the threat of terrorism, it is with good cause. It was our country that was attacked and we should do everything we can to see that it does not happen again. If that causes some to be inconvenienced when they buy stuff from our country, then so be it. From my stand point that's what is and isn't. I don't mean to sound short, but I live on the exact border crossing where most of the terrrorists entered my country from Canada so the subject is near and dear to my heart.

Blaine

Hi Blaine and Cal. I'm not trying to start a pissing contest here, but it seems to me as an outsider that America should be more worried about what's coming IN than what's going out. I don't think your average common or garden terrorist is going to worry too much about reloading supplies - unless RPG's are now re-usable! All the best. Del

Cal,
I did not have any problem sending .35 Remington brass to Canada. I marked the package "Brass Pieces, No Value" and Customs folks let it go duty free. Do you need any brass? All the best...
Gil

Well Gil

Remember the e-mail I sent you about when all of thiswas starting in Canada about the ban on short barreled hand guns ( under 4 1/4 " ) and the ban on 25 and 32 cal hand guns and the need to resister all firearms.
I was active against the goverment policy, and we had a good movement going in this district.Muskoka/Parry Sound
How ever the biggest problem with the message is that it gets lost so quickly when it comes to the table . Suddenly we get off topic and the mud starts slinging. Start at the top and read on. get the idea?
This always happened at every meeting and not too much ever got done.
While we were fighting over the small stuff and devided , the goverment laughed. With out a strong united front , you have no voice . If every hunter sportsman farmer and trapper had said NO , we never would have had the rug so quickly pulled from under our feet while we were at the other. How many times does this need to be said before it happens to you too? We just ignored that last statment
I can identify with Calsibley, as in fact all the red tape has driven up the cost and caused delays. But if memory serves me right it was the past liberal goverment that started all of this way before 911.
So who needs to throw the first stone.

The message is "IF" you guys want to fight amonst yourselves over everything that has already happened , then you loose on the time needed to defend what is coming down on you tomorrow.
It happened in Britain , It almost all went in Canada, and it is coming to the states.
So best follow an old boys advise .

"Quit fussin"and listen up!
Cause if you don't in the mean time this is going to happen to you.

Gil thank you for getting past the sytem and sending the much needed 35 brass.
Not only was there a good exchance over goods , but also a good bond created by two men in different countries. We need the other.


Harry ( Happy)

Happy,
You make a lot of very good points. The tendency of hunters and shooters to get tunnel vision about their guns is self-defeating. We saw it with the 1994 "assault gun ban" when a number of hunters, shooters and gun writers embraced their expensive shotguns and deer rifles and railed against the ugly black guns that others preferred to shoot. The real point is that when the anti's come after our guns, they want all off them. They are content to take half of them now and the other half later.

By the way, I remember having lunch and a few beers at the Royal Hotel in Parry Sound many years ago. Is that place still open? All the best...
Gil

I have not been in Parry Sound for a few years.
We used to fish the native lake trout and got real good at it .Theynow closed the fishery to protect the native trout.

Me drinking beer in a Hotel? Do not do that any more . You risk loosing your drivers licence real quickfor starters .Second the native men do not like you takin' to the ladies, and after a few beers -that I would do.
Third Should I make it past the OPP, not be confronted by a few band members out side , make it home in one peace - I have the Mrs. standing at the door with the big cast iron frying pan, My clothes would be all over the yard waiting for a suitcase to throw them in, before I go AFTER beeen assaulted by the fryin' pan

Best just have those few beers in the back yard, that way if you should have a few too many , they can always bring you around with the garden hose

Srucedale Hotel is an other famous place to go. I would not be temped by the ladies so much- but I still get the Cast Iron job when I get home .

Now that every one has had a good laugh , I hope you yanks are abit smarter in the States ,than some of the other countries where the citizens have lost all , or part of the shooting sports. It is up to you to support your RNA, but also at your local place .
Happy

One item well worth noting is the the United States is responsible for people entering your country. The country of exit, regardless of who it is, does "not" check vehicles leaving the country. You are not required to stop or even slow down. However, you must immediately stop and declare yourselves to customs and immigration (if a foreigner) of the nation you are entering. Your own people blew this one, not Canada so don't expect us to be a scapegoat. I personally know several US customs officials and can sympathize with their staffing problems and shortages, but you have to be the ones to correct that. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal