CSSA Talking Points
Bill C-71, The Firearm Owners Harassment Act
What you can do
Communication is the key to defeating Bill C-71. Firearm owners must voice their displeasure to the House of Commons and the media as soon as possible, and keep the pressure on our elected officials.
CSSA members have asked us for talking points to use in their communications with federal members of Parliament. We are delivering with 35 separate talking points listed below.
Here are three excellent methods to express your opinion to our elected representatives:
1. Repeated emails. Send until you get a response.
2. Snail mail letters. Postage is not required when writing to your federal M.P.
3. Telephone calls. Phone repeatedly. Ensure the M.P. actually answers your question.
Communicate with your elected representatives as often as you desire. The more often they hear from law-abiding firearm owners, the better. Always include your own M.P. in your communication, regardless of political affiliation. Find your M.P. here: https://www.ourcommons.ca/Parliamentarians/en/members
It’s easy to use these talking points in your communications with Parliament, the media and friends.
Pick one or two points and base your letter or phone call upon them.
Simple is always best. Express one point well, then repeat in your next letter. Ten individual emails, each addressing a specific problem with this legislation, is better than one letter addressing ten points at once.
While this legislation is riddled with problems, clarity is essential. Keep to one or two points, at most, then write another letter.
In all your communications, please refer to this legislation as:
Bill C-71, The Firearms Owners Harassment Act.
Send the email, snail mail or phone message to:
The Hon. Ralph Goodale, P.C., M.P.
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6
Telephone: 613-947-1153
Fax: 613-996-9790
ralph.goodale@parl.gc.ca
CC: Your M.P. FIND HERE
CC: Right Hon. Justin Trudeau, T.J. Harvey M.P., Gudie Hutchings M.P., Hon. Larry Bagnell, Hon. Wayne Easter. Bob ZimmerM.P.
TALKING POINTS
Background Checks
• Who evaluates the information resulting from a background check?
• What qualifications do they have to evaluate this information?
• Whose opinion(s) will form the basis for an investigation and by what legislative authority?
• What is the criteria the evaluations are based on?
• Why is there no appeal process?
• What is the start-up cost and annual operating cost for this system?
• How did the existing background check system fail? In other words, what is the evidence proving the existing 5-year background check fails its public safety goal?
Licence Verification
• Businesses are forced to keep a record associating an individual person to an individual firearm. How is this not a gun registry?
• Are all Licence Verifications entered into a database to track individual firearm owner activity?
• Who keeps this Licence Verification activity data, for what purpose, and how long will it be retained?
• Is Licence Verification data attached to an individual's licence? If so, who can access it?
• What is the criteria for the Licenve Verification to be approved or denied?
• What is the start-up cost and annual operating cost for the License Verification system?
Authorizations to Transport
• Why was “Transport to/from a Gunsmith eliminated?” Was there any public safety issue and, if so, what was it?
• Why was “Transport to/from a gun store for Appraisal or Sale” eliminated? Was there any public safety issue and, if so, what was it?
• Why was “Transport to/from a Gun Show eliminated?” Was there any public safety issue and, if so, what was it?
• Why was “Transport to/from a Border Point eliminated?” Was there any public safety issue and, if so, what was it?
• What is the government’s estimate of the annual cost to perform these mundane functions individually?
• Will the four previous ATTs be issued on paper? If not, how will an individual prove they have an ATT for the purpose stated?
• Was there a cost/benefit analysis completed? If so, what conclusion did it make?
Section 12(9)
• Can any type of firearm be added to Section 12(9)?
• Who will make the decision to add firearms to Section 12(9) and under what legislative authority?
• What criteria are used to include a firearm in Section 12(9)?
• What new legislative authority grants the RCMP the power to prohibit or restrict firearms?
• Will there be a communique sent to all firearms owners every time a firearm is classified as Prohibited under 12(9)? Or will the RCMP continue to secretly add firearms to the Firearms Reference Table (FRT) without informing the owners of this classification change?
• Why are firearm owners not informed of firearm classification changes under the current system?
• Why are licensed firearms owners not permitted access to the FRT to determine if legally-acquired firearms were re-classified as Prohibited Firearms, inadvertently turning them into criminals?
• Is there an appeal process to 12(9) and if not, why not?
Swiss Arms Classic series and CZ-858s will be made 12(9) Prohibited.
• Previously, the RCMP classified CZ-858s as Section 12(3) Prohibited. Does their inclusion in Section 12(9) mean the RCMP made another mistake in classification?
• Will an information bulletin be issued to police describing the difference between prohibited CZ-858s and other very similar firearms?
• Is there an appeal process to 12(9) and if not, why not?
The powers of the Governing Council to declare a firearm to be Non-Restricted has been revoked.
• Why, after the RCMP’s repeated history of incorrect firearm classification, has the power of our elected officials to correct mistakes made by the un-elected and un-accountable RCMP been removed?
• Does the government plan another method to correct RCMP mistakes? If so, what is that method?
• What is the rationale for elected Members of Parliament to abdicate the powers delegated to it by the electorate to make laws?
• What must the current or future government do to rectify an incorrect firearm classification
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