CUFOA

Canadian Unlicensed Firearms Owners Association
Association canadienne des propriétaires d’armes sans permis

The Honourable Pamela Wallin
Senate of Canada
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A4

Dear Senator Wallin,

I was a voting delegate to the Conservative Party's Montreal Convention in March 2005. In Workshop D - Security at Home and Abroad - a capacity crowd which included now Public Safety Minister Vic Toews, debated the "pith and substance" of the Conservative Party's Firearms Policy. This group then agreed by a very large majority that the mandatory licencing scheme of the Liberals’ 1995 Firearms Act unjustly criminalized the simple possession of a firearm. 1, 2

Workshop D also decided that a certificate screening system provides for the same security checks as a licence, but notably does not criminalize peaceful firearms ownership. While this certificate does not affect gun owners in peaceful possession of a firearm, the certificate system does criminalize the act of acquiring a firearm without authorization and includes police screening and safety certification.2

In the plenary session, the delegates endorsed this view and - also by a very large majority - voted to combine two clauses, one - clause 70 - that contained a reference to licensing, to form today's Conservative Firearms Policy. This policy specifically excludes the licensing of gun owners:

A Conservative government will repeal Canada's costly gun registry
legislation and work with the provinces and territories on cost-effective
gun control programs designed to keep guns out of the hands of criminals
while respecting the rights of law-abiding Canadians to own and use firearms responsibly. 3

Therefore, I strongly request that you and your fellow Conservative Senators amend Bill C-19 to reflect the Conservative Party Firearms Policy. Please replace the Liberals' Possession and Acquisition License (PAL) scheme with the Conservative Party’s certification screening system that respects our Right “to own and use firearms responsibly”.

Sincerely yours,

Dr. Joe Gingrich
Box 2409 Nipawin, Saskatchewan S0E1E0
306-276-2158

1. Conservative Party of Canada Policy Statement September 8, 2004
2. Conservative Party of Canada Proposed Policy Resolutions 2005, page 33,
3. Criminal Justice Firearms, Policy Plenary Agenda CPC Convention 2005 p. 15, P-76 K