Here is a letter recently sent out by the BCWF President Bill Bosch. We're doing what we can to get things moving.
Tony Koett
BCWF Region 5 President
Unit 101 – 9706 188th Street
Surrey, BC V4N 3M2
Telephone: 604-882-9988 Fax: 604-882-9933
Toll Free: 1-888-881 BCWF (2293)
officeinfo@bcwf.bc.ca www.bcwf.bc.ca
July 25, 2012
The Honourable Vic Toews, MP, PC Parliament Hill
Suite 306, Justice Building House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6
Phone: (613) 992-3128
Fax: (613) 995-1049
Email:
Toews.V@parl.gc.ca
Dear Minister Toews:
I am writing because our members are concerned that there is an unreasonable delay in renewing firearm licenses in the BC Chief Firearms Officer’s office. Apparently, this delay is due to personnel problems that have resulted in staffing shortages.
While the problem is general I will describe one specific case as an illustration. One of our members has been waiting since 23 March when renewal papers were submitted. This is unacceptable. Repeated calls to the BC CFO’s office have elicited the excuse that the case is assigned to an officer to do the background check. It is unreasonable that processing a firearm license would take over three months. Applicants should be accepted or rejected more expeditiously. In previous years, firearms licenses were issued with a lag of no more than 3 weeks to one month.
In this particular case, the delay in issuing the license has taken so long that the licensed has expired. Individuals who allow their license to expire are in criminal possession of firearms. The license has now expired even though the individual in question submitted the necessary paperwork with plenty of time. The expiry is entirely due to the BC CFO’s office not acting in time. The individual in question has no way to show they are not in criminal possession of their lawfully purchased and used firearms.
Our members would appreciate your efforts to encourage the BC CFO’s office to expedite their duties more quickly.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
The BCWF is British Columbia's largest and oldest conservation organization with over 40,000 members passionately committed to protecting, enhancing and promoting the wise use of the environment for the benefit of present and future generations. Visit
www.bcwf.bc.ca for more information.
Yours in conservation,
Bill Bosch
President BC Wildlife Federation
Cc: Dan Albas, MP
Cc: Hon. James Moore, MP
Cc: Hon. Shirley Bond, Attorney General of B.C
Cc: Gary Mauser, Chair, BC Wildlife Federation Firearms Committee
