Member
Posts: 218 
Location: Alberta
Location: Alberta
December 28th, 2005, 03:55 AM
Martin's proposed gun ban propels sales rise
The morning after Paul Martin campaigned in Toronto's crime-ridden Jane-Finch corridor and pledged to ban handguns, Frank Hiemstra walked in to work at Shooter's Choice gun store and range and got a surprising phone call.
"The guy says, 'Get me two 1911s. They don't want me to have one gun, I'm going to buy two,' " Mr. Hiemstra said.
Mr. Hiemstra, whose store is in Waterloo, Ont., said the announced ban has had a noticeable effect on sales: "We're definitely selling more guns than normal."
Gun shop owners and distributors across the country say handgun sales have increased since the Liberal Leader promised to ban them if his party wins the next election. Buyers are stocking up on coveted models before it's too late and hoping the ban would not be retroactive by including guns already owned.
"The people that are buying these guns hope they'll be covered under the exemption Martin said there'd be for target shooters," said Sean Hansen, who manages Freedom Ventures Ltd., a high-end handgun distributor in Halifax.
"And if they are seized, they've said, 'we'll have a very recent receipt showing the market value,' which Mr. Martin promised when he said he'd buy up all the guns."
Phil Harnois is a former police officer who now owns one of the biggest gun shops in Western Canada. Handgun sales at his Edmonton store, P&D Enterprises, have skyrocketed since the Liberal announcement.
"In a week we've done about 60 handguns, where we'd normally sell about 15," Mr. Harnois said. "It's certainly driven sales and we didn't try and assist that at all. People just came on their own."
He's worried sales might plummet, though, if the ban goes into effect.
"In the short term, yeah, we're doing quite well in sales. But soon we're going to exhaust our inventory and we don't know if they'll allow more handguns in Canada," Mr. Harnois said.
There are more than 500,000 legally registered handguns in this country. Most are owned by police, security guards, collectors and licensed target shooters.
Under the proposed ban, collectors would have to permanently disable or get rid of their guns. But Mr. Martin said legitimate target shooters who meet "strict requirements" would be exempt. He did not, however, explain what those requirements would be -- leaving target shooters frustrated by the idea of more red tape in what is already a strictly and cumbersomely regulated sport.
"People are saying, 'Piss off a Liberal: buy a handgun,' " said Len Kucey, owner of Phoenix Indoor Range and Gun Shop in Edmonton, who has also seen a boost in sales.
He said the people who come to his shop are tired of politicians making threats against the sport and not explaining any of it.
"We get calls all day about these announcements and regulations, 'What's your feeling on this, what's going to change?' " Mr. Kucey said.
"It's all very frustrating, because they [the government] are not doing the right thing. I would bet my house that less than 5 per cent of these crimes they talk about are committed by lawful gun owners."
Mr. Kucey said target shooting is a popular pastime in the area and he gets all types of shooters walking through his doors, from first-timers to national competitors.
"We get lots of stagette parties in here," Mr. Kucey said. "It's a lot of fun and women tend to be very good, better than the guys, beginners."
Martin's proposed gun ban propels sales rise
The morning after Paul Martin campaigned in Toronto's crime-ridden Jane-Finch corridor and pledged to ban handguns, Frank Hiemstra walked in to work at Shooter's Choice gun store and range and got a surprising phone call.
"The guy says, 'Get me two 1911s. They don't want me to have one gun, I'm going to buy two,' " Mr. Hiemstra said.
Mr. Hiemstra, whose store is in Waterloo, Ont., said the announced ban has had a noticeable effect on sales: "We're definitely selling more guns than normal."
Gun shop owners and distributors across the country say handgun sales have increased since the Liberal Leader promised to ban them if his party wins the next election. Buyers are stocking up on coveted models before it's too late and hoping the ban would not be retroactive by including guns already owned.
"The people that are buying these guns hope they'll be covered under the exemption Martin said there'd be for target shooters," said Sean Hansen, who manages Freedom Ventures Ltd., a high-end handgun distributor in Halifax.
"And if they are seized, they've said, 'we'll have a very recent receipt showing the market value,' which Mr. Martin promised when he said he'd buy up all the guns."
Phil Harnois is a former police officer who now owns one of the biggest gun shops in Western Canada. Handgun sales at his Edmonton store, P&D Enterprises, have skyrocketed since the Liberal announcement.
"In a week we've done about 60 handguns, where we'd normally sell about 15," Mr. Harnois said. "It's certainly driven sales and we didn't try and assist that at all. People just came on their own."
He's worried sales might plummet, though, if the ban goes into effect.
"In the short term, yeah, we're doing quite well in sales. But soon we're going to exhaust our inventory and we don't know if they'll allow more handguns in Canada," Mr. Harnois said.
There are more than 500,000 legally registered handguns in this country. Most are owned by police, security guards, collectors and licensed target shooters.
Under the proposed ban, collectors would have to permanently disable or get rid of their guns. But Mr. Martin said legitimate target shooters who meet "strict requirements" would be exempt. He did not, however, explain what those requirements would be -- leaving target shooters frustrated by the idea of more red tape in what is already a strictly and cumbersomely regulated sport.
"People are saying, 'Piss off a Liberal: buy a handgun,' " said Len Kucey, owner of Phoenix Indoor Range and Gun Shop in Edmonton, who has also seen a boost in sales.
He said the people who come to his shop are tired of politicians making threats against the sport and not explaining any of it.
"We get calls all day about these announcements and regulations, 'What's your feeling on this, what's going to change?' " Mr. Kucey said.
"It's all very frustrating, because they [the government] are not doing the right thing. I would bet my house that less than 5 per cent of these crimes they talk about are committed by lawful gun owners."
Mr. Kucey said target shooting is a popular pastime in the area and he gets all types of shooters walking through his doors, from first-timers to national competitors.
"We get lots of stagette parties in here," Mr. Kucey said. "It's a lot of fun and women tend to be very good, better than the guys, beginners."
Member
Posts: 218
Location: Alberta
Location: Alberta
December 28th, 2005, 01:57 PM
Quote:
it does doesn't it, its just something about defying a really stupid government that I cannot resist. I do not own any firearms although I am legally entitled to purchase rifels. But since the Liberal's announcement on banning handguns, I have seriously thought about getting the extra lisence needed to purchase a handgun. Although I would probably rarely use it, and probably keep it lockedup in a gunsafe at my parents house.
this article gives me the sudden urge to buy a handgun. course i'm the highly suggestable type.
Ponderous Intellect
Posts: 4,465
Videos: 1
Location: Surrey, British Columbia
Videos: 1
Location: Surrey, British Columbia
December 28th, 2005, 02:08 PM
While I support the Liberal Government in most of its endeavours, I do not honestly believe that its proposed handgun ban will have anything more than a negligible effect on handgun crime in Canada. I do, however, support the ban in the context of being a declaration from the Government that handgun crime is unacceptable, and that it is a problem in Canada; that is, I suppose I support the ban in principle, but not in practice.
While I support the Liberal Government in most of its endeavours, I do not honestly believe that its proposed handgun ban will have anything more than a negligible effect on handgun crime in Canada. I do, however, support the ban in the context of being a declaration from the Government that handgun crime is unacceptable, and that it is a problem in Canada; that is, I suppose I support the ban in principle, but not in practice.
Member
Posts: 218
Location: Alberta
Location: Alberta
December 28th, 2005, 04:12 PM
The liberal party is famous for making these kind of declarations on an uninformed public, to simply garner votes, or please people in a certain region.
Quote:
i dont think so either, and there are much more effective ways to curb firearm violence in Canada.
While I support the Liberal Government in most of its endeavours, I do not honestly believe that its proposed handgun ban will have anything more than a negligible effect on handgun crime in Canada.
Quote:
I think I know what you are saying, however for the government to acknowledge that handgun crime in unacceptable by making such a foolish law, it really speaks of the thought process that is put into making new legislation.
I do, however, support the ban in the context of being a declaration from the Government that handgun crime is unacceptable, and that it is a problem in Canada; that is, I suppose I support the ban in principle, but not in practice.
The liberal party is famous for making these kind of declarations on an uninformed public, to simply garner votes, or please people in a certain region.
Mighty Intellect
Posts: 1,640
Location: Oklahoma, USA
Location: Oklahoma, USA
December 28th, 2005, 04:21 PM
Why I'll bet come election time, criminals will line up to vote en masse for the Liberal party.
Quoting
Yep, as usual the Liberal government in Canada places the needs of the criminal ahead of those of the law abiding citizen. Why can't the Liberal government grasp the simple concept of making laws that punish the criminal, not the law abiding person?
While I support the Liberal Government in most of its endeavours, I do not honestly believe that its proposed handgun ban will have anything more than a negligible effect on handgun crime in Canada. I do, however, support the ban in the context of being a declaration from the Government that handgun crime is unacceptable, and that it is a problem in Canada; that is, I suppose I support the ban in principle, but not in practice.
Why I'll bet come election time, criminals will line up to vote en masse for the Liberal party.
Super Genius
Posts: 1,458
Location: Toronto
Location: Toronto
December 28th, 2005, 04:25 PM
Quoting
I'm with you there Roy! I've never owned a gun, but am strongly considering buying one now.
Quote:
it does doesn't it, its just something about defying a really stupid government that I cannot resist. I do not own any firearms although I am legally entitled to purchase rifels. But since the Liberal's announcement on banning handguns, I have seriously thought about getting the extra lisence needed to purchase a handgun. Although I would probably rarely use it, and probably keep it lockedup in a gunsafe at my parents house.
this article gives me the sudden urge to buy a handgun. course i'm the highly suggestable type.
Member
Posts: 218
Location: Alberta
Location: Alberta
December 28th, 2005, 05:14 PM
...correct me if im wrong, but aern't there already strict requirements for target shooters? ...what is Mr Dithers talking aboooot?
Quote:
...this fellow sounds like my dad
"The guy says, 'Get me two 1911s. They don't want me to have one gun, I'm going to buy two,' " Mr. Hiemstra said.
Quote:
...wow this is going to be a great use of taxpayer money eh!
"And if they are seized, they've said, 'we'll have a very recent receipt showing the market value,' which Mr. Martin promised when he said he'd buy up all the guns."
Quote:
So I guess they (Liberals) believe that collectors and people who have had guns passed down to them through family are the real threat, wow we need to keep our veterans and their antique pistols off the street before they start shooting us up.
Under the proposed ban, collectors would have to permanently disable or get rid of their guns. But Mr. Martin said legitimate target shooters who meet "strict requirements" would be exempt. He did not, however, explain what those requirements would be -- leaving target shooters frustrated by the idea of more red tape in what is already a strictly and cumbersomely regulated sport.
...correct me if im wrong, but aern't there already strict requirements for target shooters? ...what is Mr Dithers talking aboooot?
Quote:
yep...I am getting tired of the shabby treatment of Canadians who own guns, and I don't even own one....yet
"People are saying, 'Piss off a Liberal: buy a handgun,' " said Len Kucey, owner of Phoenix Indoor Range and Gun Shop in Edmonton, who has also seen a boost in sales.
He said the people who come to his shop are tired of politicians making threats against the sport and not explaining any of it.
He said the people who come to his shop are tired of politicians making threats against the sport and not explaining any of it.
Quote:
hey this guy is smart... I would bet my beans that he's absolutely correct.
"It's all very frustrating, because they [the government] are not doing the right thing. I would bet my house that less than 5 per cent of these crimes they talk about are committed by lawful gun owners."
the clan of the claw
Posts: 1,976
December 28th, 2005, 05:25 PM
it is too funny how reactionary people are. by that i mean both the reactionary nature of the government to handgun violence and the nature of people reacting to the government's reaction.
society would be best served with guns removed, but unfortunately we can not successfully force the removal of something from society. History and human nature teaches us that.
We need to be addressing the core issues around gun violence rather than upsetting liberals by buying handguns.
it is too funny how reactionary people are. by that i mean both the reactionary nature of the government to handgun violence and the nature of people reacting to the government's reaction.
society would be best served with guns removed, but unfortunately we can not successfully force the removal of something from society. History and human nature teaches us that.
We need to be addressing the core issues around gun violence rather than upsetting liberals by buying handguns.
Steven Hawking's Hero
Posts: 6,891
December 28th, 2005, 05:27 PM
Quoting
I was thinking about the REACTIVITY of some people too. Someone talks about gun control and just like adolescents ......off they go and buy guns. Teen rebellion comes to mind with such imaturity. Embarrassing to see people act this way. Knee jerk reactions.
it is too funny how reactionary people are. by that i mean both the reactionary nature of the government to handgun violence and the nature of people reacting to the government's reaction.
society would be best served with guns removed, but unfortunately we can not successfully force the removal of something from society. History and human nature teaches us that.
We need to be addressing the core issues around gun violence rather than upsetting liberals by buying handguns.
society would be best served with guns removed, but unfortunately we can not successfully force the removal of something from society. History and human nature teaches us that.
We need to be addressing the core issues around gun violence rather than upsetting liberals by buying handguns.
Member
Posts: 218
Location: Alberta
Location: Alberta
December 28th, 2005, 05:30 PM
Quoting
yea that would be cool, or maybe we could build one big enough to hurl you all the way to suburban Toronto......or better yet the Parliment building in Ottawa where you could assist in making ridiculous laws based on idealogy.
I've never owned a catapult, but I'm considering building one. A great huge medieval siege engine...maybe big enough to hurl a cow.
