I don't own a 97 but this crap makes my blood boil. This is getting emailed and faxed to my local MP and Mr. Toews' office.
I'm writing to you to voice my extreme displeasure with the RCMP's handling of the Norinco Type-97 rifle. Many of these rifles were legally purchased and registered to licensed owners in Canada via retailer Lever Arms. After initial shipments of the rifles were registered and sold to legal owners, the Canadian Border Services Agency starting holding shipments at the RCMP's direction. During this time the RCMP unilaterally decided to change the classification of these rifles from restricted to prohibited (an action usually requiring an Order In Council), meaning that many otherwise legal owners were now instantaneously in violation of the Firearms Act. These owners are now being told by the RCMP to surrender their legally purchased property, without compensation, to the RCMP for destruction. Each rifle is worth nearly one thousand dollars. This represents a significant loss to an average Canadian family.
The RCMP's actions constitute a gross violation of power, and are abhorrent to anyone who values liberty and the rights offered by a free country. The very first priority listed on your own website is "accountability"; I believe that principle extends to all government subsidiaries, including the RCMP. I would like to know what my government is prepared to do to ensure that law abiding gun owners will maintain their right to keep legally purchased property without fear of reprisal from an increasingly arrogant national police force.
I thank you for your efforts in this matter.


















































