Are long guns next on Martin's confiscation list?

Greg Farrant
Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters
22 December 2005 � 11:07 ET

ONTARIO � CCNMatthews � Dec. 22, 2005) � In the aftermath of Prime Minister Paul Martin's announced ban on handguns, thousands of responsible gun owners, proudly represented by the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, don't like where he and other misguided gun control advocates appear to be headed: a national confiscation of every legally-owned firearm, long guns included!

"The O.F.A.H. has been predicting for years that the confiscation of all firearms will be the sequel to the national gun registry.  Are we destined for another couple of billion dollars wasted on the next gun control program � another Liberal scheme that will once again fail to reduce violence in Canada?" said O.F.A.H. Executive Director, Mike Reader.  "When will the Liberals learn from well-documented failures in other countries?" he said.

In Great Britain and Australia, for example, gun bans and gun registration have actually backfired, and the only thing that surpassed the increase in the crime rate in those countries was the amount of wasted tax dollars to track down more law-abiding citizens.  Meanwhile, in Australia, crime rates have increased 166 percent since the gun ban came into effect down under.

Reader noted that the Prime Minister publicly confirmed at least twice during this election campaign that hunters, farmers and target shooters have nothing to do with the spate of urban gun crimes.  However, the O.F.A.H. is concerned about Liberal gun control zealots who, in the past week, have made every effort to imply that any law-abiding citizen with a licensed shotgun or rifle potentially fits the profile of the next violent offender.  They imply that confiscating guns from duck hunters, farmers, and Olympic target shooters is the solution for safer downtown streets � again, another knee-jerk reaction from a misguided few.

"Instead of demonizing law-abiding Canadians, gun control advocates should be focusing their efforts on the justice system and working on improvements to keep guns out of the hands of criminals," added Reader.

For further information: Greg Farrant
O.F.A.H. Government Relations Manager
Ph. (705) 748-6324 cell (705)875-0274