cdn shooter vol 1 iss 1 spring 09final

WELCOME to the CFI

a LOVE AFFAIR with the .303FIREARMS and the LAW

BILL C301 and You!MOOSE Hunting in

Newfoundland

Vol. 1, Issue 1Spring 2009

The Magazineof the Canadian

Firearms Institute

www.canadianfirearmsinstitute.ca

WELCOME to the CFI

a LOVE AFFAIR with the .303FIREARMS and the LAW

BILL C301 and You!MOOSE Hunting in

Newfoundland

Volume 1, Issue 1, Spring 2009

CFI NEWSEditor’s Voice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

– Mark HamiltonFrom the CEO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

– Jim NewmanWho We Are . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4From the Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

– Terry BurnsPyping Up - The View from the Vice-Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

– Pyper UnittCFI in Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16The Long View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

– Jim Newman

IN THIS ISSUEWomen Change the Face of Hunting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

– Robert RemingtonBill C-301 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

– Pyper UnittA View from the Canadian Outdoor Heritage Alliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

– Alison Beal

IN EVERY ISSUEFederation Voices: Nova Scotia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

– Tony RodgersFirearms and the Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

– Paul Shaw, B.A., LL.B.

FEATURESTo Newfoundland for Moose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

– Mark HamiltonA Love Affair with the Lee Enfield Rifle . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

– Don MacLeanA Day at the Shooting Range . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

– Elizabeth Flavelle

CONTENTS

THE MAGAZINE OF THE CANADIAN FIREARMS INSTITUTE

1

On the cover: Rob Rankin scans the Newfoundlandlandscape for moose. See story page 11

The Reluctant AntThere are two ways a club functions, it seems to

me: a group of people who come together to react toa crisis, and a bunch of buddies having fun. In ourinaugural edition of Canadian Shooter, there’s noquestion of the sense that we’re in crisis—that’s one-half of why the CFI is here—but there’s more.

I, for one, am having fun.For many, shooting is hunting, hunting is

happiness, and happiness is time away from work.Who wants to think about labour and strife?Opinions on crises might come out over the cribboard, (Tony Rodgers talks about that in this issue,page 7) but the hand is played and it’s off to bed—and that’s the way it should be, in a perfect world.

All this happiness means that some of us aredoggedly oblivious to the threats to our shootingpursuits, and don’t think about them or try to ensureour future ability to enjoy that time at camp or onthe range. To be honest, I can sympathize with thathappiness, but it also reminds me of the Aesop fableabout the grasshopper and the ant.

Well, fellow grasshoppers, the good news is (andI’ve lived in our Canadian firearms community along time, and I believe this might be news to a lotof us)—life can be that simple. The battles that arewon during the workday are the ones that you don’tever have to think about in camp.

Fun and work: when it comes to shooting, I preferthat order. But who fights the battles?

The politicos—those poor people who have aconstant sense of being embattled. Unfortunately, inmy years as a member of the executive of the NovaScotia Federation of Anglers and Hunters (and abunch of other outdoor-related boards), and as aneditor of Eastern Woods & Waters magazine, I haveseen burnout of the tiny percentage of volunteerswho shoulder the load of representing us—peoplefor whom an evening at home is a series of phone

calls dealing with crises.

Listen, I’ve seen them miss aday’s hunting to attend a meetingto defend that day’s hunting.

The ant credo is simple: get ’erdone.

I have also seen that when westop celebrating the pleasures ofthe things we enjoy, and spend all our time at thebattlements, we’re at a quiet, insidious risk ofabandoning our posts. Even the little posts. The do-nothing posts that require only that we own amembership card, take a kid rabbit hunting or shootat a speck a mile away for fun. A pretty easy detail,but an important one.

Fun just might be the most important post.So there is one thing this magazine will never do

that a newspaper does, I promise you. It will nevertell the bad news without telling you the good. Andthere’s a lot of good stuff happening. The CFI is a bigone.

We’ve got some of both approaches in thismagazine—the grasshopper and the ant—becausethey’re both important, because in balance lieslongevity.

So here’s my real editor’s message: have fun.Celebrate time on the range and in the field. Bragabout your deer; show a nice target group to yourfriends. Shoot that distant speck and get that kidaway from the damned screen for an hour or two.That’s how we keep traditions alive, entrenched, andviable.

And carry the card and support the ants in thisthing. Ninety-nine per cent of us don’t belong to agroup dedicated to our strength as a community—orany group at all, for that matter. Maybe enough of ushappy fools together will get it done.

[email protected]


2

EDITOR’S VOICE MARK HAMILTON


FROM THE CEO JIM NEWMAN

3

“The Canadian Firearms Institute is anon-profit National Firearms OwnersAdvocacy and Resource Organizationdedicated to Protecting Canadians’Firearms Heritage”

I would personally like to welcome you to theCFI/ICAF.

Who is the CFI? The simple answer is “you”. A classified ad might read like this: “wanted:

passionate and dedicated individuals, clubs, andorganizations that are committed to preservingCanada’s firearm heritage. Here is an opportunity foryou to make a positive, effective difference. Jointoday!”

By joining together and with the help of yourmembership fees and donations, we can fulfill ourmandate to advocate for, fight for, and work togetheras an effective and united voice to assure the futureof our firearms heritage.

We at the Canadian Firearms Institute arecommitted to uniting the Canadian FirearmsCommunity and preserving its rights and heritage.We believe that in order to do that, we need to offereach facet of our diverse community a viable reasonto work with us. We have reached out to individuals,clubs, organizations, retailers, wholesalers,distributors and hunting outfitters with partnershipoffers. These partnership offers are contained in thismagazine. Have a look.

The response has been what you’d expect fromCanada’s proud firearms community. Membership issnowballing, and with it, our strength. We’ve joinedforces with outstanding organizations andindividuals, and our capacity to effect change growsdaily. You should be a part of that.

To continue with the classified theme, “we needvolunteers.” If you have a particular skill-set,expertise that you think we could use, or lots of just

plain enthusiasm, give me a callor e-mail.

The fact that you are reading this causes me toacknowledge and thank the core staff who make theCFI possible. To Pyper Unitt; a special thank you forall your commitment, dedication and hard work.This wouldn’t have happened without you. ElizabethFlodell: thank you, and I apologize for all thoseearly-morning calls. Mark Hamilton, our editor,thank you: you have done a great job.

Finally however, it comes down to you themembers to give us the strength to be effective onyour behalf. Stand alongside us.

Jim NewmanCEOCanadian Firearms [email protected]

The Canadian Firearms Institute is amember-driven firearms resource andadvocacy group that has evolved as a directresult of a defined need for anorganization which can work effectivelywith and meet the needs of the variousfacets of the Canadian FirearmsCommunity.

• If you own a gun…• If you enjoy hunting…• If you enjoy any form of recreational shooting…• If you believe that others have the right to enjoy

their sport or protect their livelihood…• If firearms are tools that enable you to do your

job, feed your family or protect your livestock…• If you believe that the cultural and historical value

of our heritage is worth preserving…• If you own or operate a business that in anyway

supports the Firearms Community…You Are the Canadian Firearms Institute

We are committed to bringing together existingorganizations, clubs, wildlife federations and otherconservation groups, outfitters, retailers, wholesalers;target shooters, hunters, archers, collectors,trappers—drawing on the strengths of each andworking together to overcome the weaknesses—sothat when the need arises for a strong united front,our community is prepared and speaks with onestrong collective voice.

We are committed to developing a systemwhereby clubs, organizations and individuals canshare ideas and concepts that will benefit all. Byopening lines of communication that have notexisted previously, we can work together and supporteach other. Developing a strong internal communitysupport system will not only aid us on an individualbasis, but work towards strengthening our

community as a whole.

We are committed to redefining the public’sperception of the Firearms Community andindividual firearms owner in a proactive andaggressive manner. As individuals we may be part ofthe firearms community but we are also doctors,lawyers, mechanics, teachers, nurses and the peoplenext door. Other Canadians turn to us for help everyday in one way or another and we are there.

We are proud, hard-working, contributingmembers of the Canadian society. Annually, throughour collective sporting activities, we contributenearly 1 billion dollars to the Canadian economyand an additional 1.2 million dollars annually tosupporting conservation and wildlife habitatpreservation activities. The general population needsto see us for what we are, not what the anti-gunlobbyists would have us be.

We are committed to creating open andconstructive dialogues with governing bodies andlaw enforcement officials. We are building a nationalnetwork of firearms experts who can offer theirexpertise in a professional and constructive mannerto these stakeholders before they make decisionswhich affect our community. We are working at agrass roots level to establish working relationshipswith the politicians—nationally, provincially andmunicipally—that will allow us to act in an advisorycapacity; to create trust and a reliance on the CFI fora reasonable presentation of accurate informationand education with respect to issues that affect us.Facts, presented properly, far outweigh theeffectiveness of propaganda.

To date the most persistent voice has spreadmisinformation and negative perceptions of ourfirearms community, and to date, the firearmscommunity has been too fragmented to be effective.We are committed to changing those importantfactors.

With your help, it can be done.


4

WHO WE ARE Name Here

Aims and Objectives:Facilitate• The unification of the firearms community.• Active and effective participation of the firearms

community in the drafting of any new legislationthat would have an impact on the firearmscommunity.

• Positive/progressive interaction betweengoverning bodies and the firearms community asa whole.

Advocate• Actively champion the inclusion of Property

Rights in the Charter of Rights. • Advocate the responsible use and ownership of

firearms. • To promote Canada’s Firearms Heritage. • To embrace all firearms sport and recreational

disciplines.

Communicate• To communicate a positive image of firearm

ownership. • To provide firearms-related resource materials to

the public and media. • To provide firearms-related resource materials to

local, provincial and federal governments andagencies.

Educate• Provide national safety courses and training. • Provide governance practices for clubs and

organizations. • Provide firearms-related resources to clubs and

organizations.

I know that I am very excited about thenew beginnings in store for all of us.

New beginnings … yet another firearmorganization? Why do we need to build a neworganization? Why not fix what already exists?Because there comes a time when a new coat of paintwon’t cover the flaws; a time when the structuredoesn’t come up to code or meet the standards and isso shaky and outdated that no amount of time,money or renovation will fix it. Now is the time tobuild an organization with a solid foundation that isinclusive enough to meet the needs of all itsoccupants.

I am a hunter who believes there are only twoseasons: hunting season and before hunting season. Ihave been a participant for more than 30 years in

hunter education, firearms safetyinstruction, firearms advocacy atthe local, provincial and nationallevels and I am most proud of mywork with the Canadian FirearmsInstitute. I cannot praise thetireless work and selflessdedication of Jim and Pyper enough. For the firsttime in 30 years, I see a light at the end of the tunnelthat is not an oncoming train.

Please join us in building your organization—built by you, with you and for you.

Terry [email protected]


FROM THE CHAIR TERRY BURNS

5

The FACE of Canadian Firearms Owners“The Canadian Firearms Institute is a non-profit

National Firearms Owners Advocacy and Resource Organizationdedicated to Protecting Canadians’ Firearms Heritage.”

Hello, and thank you for taking the time toread our magazine. My name is Pyper andI wear several hats within the CFI:Assistant CEO (when Jim needs a hand);Vice-Chair when I need a little snob factor!Mostly though, I am just Pyper and Iwould be happy to talk to you and answerany and all questions you might haveabout the CFI and the firearmscommunity. If I don’t know the answer, I’llfind it and get back to you.

It seems to me that this world’s a little crazy. Badbehaviour is blamed on the environment in whichpeople grow, and nobody is held responsible for theirown actions. In order to protect us from our feeble-minded, blameless selves, the powers that becontinually restrict our liberties and free us from ourresponsibilities. Something is terribly wrong withthis. This over-indulgent mothering of our societyhas to stop!

A little more “suck it up, buttercup” thinkingneeds to be re-introduced into the minds of thepublic and the governing bodies of this country.

The ultimate goal of the antis is a prime exampleof this “no responsibilities/no rights” type ofgovernance. Their misinformation is very persuasiveto the (antiseptic) urban population and theunaware, and it’s frightening from myperspective. If they have their way the onlypeople with firearms will be government andcriminals, neither of which will be heldresponsible for their actions. Scary, eh? Well,it scares me enough to do what I can to makesure it never happens.

For some of you this fight for firearmsrights is about being able to participate in asport that you love, and about being able topass that love on to your children and

grandchildren. For others it’s

about preserving part of the history that helpedmake this country—or it’s about getting back tobasics, bonding with buddies and the thrill of thehunt. For me, it’s simply about making sure that youhave the right to do as you wish and that those whoabuse that right—and only them—are heldresponsible for their actions.

That is why I will work with you and for you, andthis is why you need to lend your support andcommitment to the CFI. We have worked hard tostart an organization that is all-inclusive and offerssomething to every facet of the firearms community.Now it’s up to you—hunter or sports enthusiast,wholesaler or retailer, registered or unregistered gunowner—to help us make it work. We have given theFirearms Community a FACE—now you need tolend your voice to make us strong.

I believe in your fundamental right to own afirearm!

I also believe it is your responsibility to ensure thatyour children and grandchildren can enjoy thatfundamental right too.

I look forward to talking to you soon.

[email protected]


6

PYPING UP – THE VIEW FROM THE VICE-CHAIR PYPER UNITT

This issue: Nova ScotiaBig game hunting seasons are finished for the year

in most parts of Canada, and friends—some ofwhom don’t see each other at any other time of theyear, except at the hunting camp—have separatedand gone home until next fall’s hunting season.

Hunting camp life is something I will alwayscherish for the good food, good-natured kidding,wild and unusual stories, and friendships.

Another great tradition of the hunting camp is thediscussion surrounding hunting politics. The solvingof moose population densities in one area and theclosing of some zone because of a lack of deer areamong mainstay topics. Sometimes these discussions(heated agreements) go on long into the night andcover a sack full of hunting issues.

The one thing that all of these camp-tablediscussions have in common is that nothing will evercome out of the talks. Once the hunters leave thecamp, it’s all over! Yet it doesn’t have to be that way,if hunters having these dialogues become membersof wildlife organizations.

Far too many hunters and shooters are lone wolvesout on their own doing nothing. They complainabout serious hunting issues they see, but their howlis never heard. The key is that a pack hunts betterthan a lone wolf. When dealing with tricky huntingissues, so do hunters: they have an effective voicebecause they are all howling from the same direction.

I sometimes wish it was mandatory for all huntersto belong to a wildlife club, but it is not verydemocratic to force someone to belong (so I wouldnever push for it). However, I believe if hunterssearched their souls they would see that whatever hasbeen accomplished for hunters in Canada was theresult of unified hunters making requests for changethrough a group structure.

On the flip side, if they notice something that hashad a negative impact on hunters, they can only look

at themselves for not helping tobuild a stronger voice for huntergroups. I don’t care what yourfavorite species to hunt is; I don’tcare which is the best firearm tohunt it with; what I do care aboutis that hunters get off their behinds and join local,provincial, and / or national wildlife groups to ensureour hunting future and the hunting future of thosewho are coming behind us.

Hunting, trapping and angling activities are long-term traditional gifts from the land, but we will notbe able to hold on to them if we are not a strongpack.

Go Google yourself a local club and then, don’tjust buy a membership: go to the meetings and beactive. Bring out your thoughts and comments onwhat you see and you’ll be surprised at how manyothers feel the same way. Then, ask for change.

The old cliché is that you’re either part of theproblem or you’re part of the solution. For me it’ssimple: for something I love so much, I amhonoured to be able to give a little back.

I hope you feel the same way too, and someday,welcome to the club.

Tony RodgersExecutive DirectorNova Scotia Federation of Anglers and [email protected]


FEDERATION VOICES TONY RODGERS

7

This page is set aside for news and views fromthe wildlife Federations of Canada. We welcomeop-eds or announcements from the executivesand Executive Directors of our CanadianFederations on an ongoing basis. Please contactthe editor. – MH

Females Break Stereotypes WhileBolstering the Ranks of the HuntingCommunity

It's been a bad year for hunters in the Letters pagesof the Calgary Herald. They've been excoriated as"egomaniacal thrill-seekers," "wanton killers" and"eco-sadists." One woman referred to hunting as"plain old Neanderthal knuckledragging male thrill-seeking."

Infiltrating their ranks reveals a different story.Contrary to the stereotypeof hunters as toothlessbackwoodsmen, my firstyear of hunting has put mealongside lawyers, wildliferesearch biologists, Crownprosecutors, judges,computer experts,denturists, police officersand health-care workers.

Instead of male thrill-seekers, I've also met asurprising number of youngwomen, all with a full set ofteeth and several of whomare considerably moreattractive than a certainAlaska governor.

According to KellySemple of the Hunting forTomorrow Foundation, and herself a hunter for 25years, women are the fastest growing sector of thehunting community. Female participation inhunting, growing in Alberta at a rate of three percentper year, signals a trend in a sport that has seendecreasing or stagnating numbers for two decades.

Registered hunters in Alberta reached 109,813 in2007, up from 96,772 in 1996. While that's not on

pace with the province's population

growth, hunting organizations are encouraged by anew demographic they see attending hunter trainingcourses and enrolling in outdoor educationprograms.

The trend, they say, is clear. After years of beingwritten off as an endangered species, hunting appearsto be going through a resurgence, led by a newgeneration of women who are reviving interest in thesport.

Among them is Melanie Buteau, a 27-year-oldformer Calgarian who tookup hunting six years ago.Now living in NewellCounty near Brooks, herparticipation in a blood sporthas shocked some of herurban friends. "They thinkthat I've turned into ahillbilly who goes out andkills stuff," says Buteau, wholikes to bird hunt with herblack lab Jinx and redretriever Cooper. "That's thereaction from some peoplewho don't hunt or don'tunderstand it," Buteau says."That's the way I used tothink, before I got into it."

According to Semple,women hunt for the same

reasons as men: the enjoyment of being outdoors,camaraderie, the possibility of obtaining food from anatural source and the ethical commitment of beingpersonally responsible for the death of an animal onechooses to consume.

Melanie Vieira, 35, a Calgary paramedic, took uphunting three years ago in a quest for lean, organicgame meat. "I knew that if I wanted it on my table,I was going to have to put it there myself," says


8

WOMEN CHANGE THE FACE OF HUNTING ROBERT REMINGTON

Jennifer Madden of Nova Scotia enjoying a grouse huntin the fall of 2007

Vieira. "I love the taste of it." Today, on Alberta'ssecond-annual Hunting Day, Vieira hopes to takedown a moose or elk using a bow and arrow.

Bob Gruszecki, president of the Alberta HunterEducation Instructors' Association, which teachesfirearms safety and humane hunting, says women areparticipating in increasing numbers. Of the 55,000students who will go through its programs this year,about 15 per cent are women, up from five to six percent a few years ago. An outdoor education programfor 200 women held by the organization each Augustsells out. "We can't keep up with the demand," saysGruszecki. He says the women's outdoor program—teaching everything from hunting and fishing tohow to back up a trailer—is the largest trainingprogram of its kind in North America.

Ed Houck of the Canadian Pheasant Company, ahatchery at Brooks, says an introductory women'sprogram at its shooting range was flooded withparticipants over two nights this summer. "We werehoping to have a few ladies come out. The first night,we had 72 show up. On the second night, we had54." His hatchery also co-sponsors the RingneckClassic, a team pheasant hunt staged every Februaryby the Brooks Clay and Feathers Club. It hasattracted several women's teams, including theDeadly Dames, six women from the Calgary andPatricia area. "We've never beaten the guys in sixyears, but we've never been the worst, either," saysteam member Dulcie Beasley. "We just have a lot offun. We're not great shots, but we have wonderfuldogs." Working with dogs, which are used to point,flush and retrieve birds, is "the ultimate thing," saysBeasley, who is reputed to make what Houck insistsis the best pheasant pot pie he's ever tasted.

The Hunting for Tomorrow Foundation, whichpromotes responsible and safe hunting practices,sponsors an annual women's waterfowl program thatis also a sellout. "We won't be able to meet this year's

demand," says Semple. The organization puts out afact sheet for female hunters that notes equipmentand technology has equalized the field for men andwomen hunters.

Hunting can also be a source of accomplishmentand empowerment for women, the brochure says.Hunting creates a sense of independence and is anact of conviction, courage and self-respect. "There isa profound, deep sense of self-satisfaction, similar toa woman who runs her first marathon or wins thelongest drive competition on the golf course." Thereis also "pride in eating and sharing a meal that youhave taken from the field to the table. This seems tobring out the best in people in terms of sharing."

Semple says courses teach all hunters to respectthe choice of others not to hunt, even if the debate isnot always a two-way street. "Unfortunately, there isa stereotypical perception of the average hunter thatis not always complimentary," says Semple. "It isimportant for the hunting community to educatepeople about that and have faces that break downthat image."

Robert Remington(Story courtesy the Calgary Herald)


WOMEN CHANGE THE FACE OF HUNTING cont’d

9

CFIICAF

Bill C-301: The time has come, the walrussaid. But has it really?

Gary Breitkreuz, MP (Yorkton-Melville)—a veryhard-working and vocal supporter of the firearmscommunity—tabled a private members bill (C-301)on February 9, 2009 that provides the most viablealternative to the existing gun registry that we haveseen to date.

On the face of it this seems like a big step towardshaving the “Billion Dollar Boondoggle” if noteliminated, perhaps utilized in a more productivemanner. Perhaps we should all sit back and patourselves on the back for a job well done—theregistry will soon be gone.

Well, let’s look at the reality of the situation. This was a private member’s bill. Historically,

private members’ bills hardly ever make it to asecond reading. They are used to appease a segmentof the general population that wants to seesomething in particular accomplished. If (and that’sa big “if ”) they get a second reading, they get passedoff to a committee for review and generally die a slowand painful death. There are 100 private memberbills to be reviewed before C301 even has a chancefor a second reading. With an election looming onthe horizon, the chances of this bill passing andbeing implemented (before an election is called) areslim to none. If this private member’s bill does notpass, the government will say to the firearmscommunity “we did our best”.

Had the government been serious aboutabolishing the registry, it would have tabled its ownbill.

So, how do we ensure that the effort put intodrafting this alternative to the long gun registry hasnot been wasted? It’s simple: MPs are elected torepresent the concerns and desires of theirconstituents. It is not their job to worry about the

rest of the country; they are only

concerned about what is needed or desired in theirlocal area. We need to put the pressure on them,individually. This issue needs to be repeatedlybrought to their attention by every individual intheir community who owns a firearm or who justsimply wants the pointless and extravagantexpenditure of our tax dollars to stop.

Mr. Breitkreuz has done his part; now its time foryou to step up to the plate and do yours. If you reallywant to see the long gun registry abolished, you needto do something about it—over and above being anarmchair critic.

Don’t know what to write? That’s fine. We’vedrafted a letter and posted on our “Its Now OrNever” website (www.itsnowornever.ca). Downloadit; add the name of your MP, your name and address;sign it and put it in the mail. Encourage everyoneyou know to do the same.

Don’t think that will do the job? That’s fine. We’veput a sample petition up on the “Its Now or Never”site that you can download. Get everyone you knowto sign it. Get as many signatures as you can andplace it front and center on your MPs desk.

If every MP across the country is approached witha demand from his or her constituents to dosomething about this counter-productive waste oftaxpayers’ money, you can rest assured that they willpay attention. C301 may still die waiting to beheard, but come election time, our community willhave made its stand. Our concerns will be listenedto.

To paraphrase: Let’s get ’er done boys (and girls)!


10

BILL C-301 PYPER UNITT

CFIICAF

It was Rob’s dream hunt—Newfoundland formoose—and he and his grandfather had talked manytimes about the two of them making the trip. HisGrandad was gone now, leaving Rob the tools of alife in the old Nova Scotia guiding trade: dark,varnished skis and paddles; cane rods; dulled andslick salmon reels and guns, worn felt hats and a loveof days afield and nights beneath the stars. Robwould dedicate his Newfoundland trip to that man,and of many guns in the locker would carryGranddad’s venerable .303—the historical go-to riflefor Newfoundland moose hunters.

We were both jacked up about getting to theRock. Our destination was Cross Pond Lodge, themain moose camp of Stag Lodge Outfitters. We wereafter moose, and outfitter Neil Lucas promised usgood opportunities in beautiful country. The floatplane picked us up just outside of Stephenville: wechugged and shuddered downwind to the far end ofthe lake, then powered across the waves into thewind—and high over the wilds of Newfoundland.

Seeing the province from the air for the first timeis an education. Everything is stony slopes, plateaus,

gorges and lakes (known as “ponds” here). Growth isscrubby and stunted in the wind; water and animalpaths crisscross the landscape. Ponds interjectthemselves into hillsides, and two lakes 100 feetapart might be separated by 50 feet in elevation.

We had arranged to go in by air and out by foot,boat and ATV to see the country whatever way wecould.

Twenty minutes away we dropped on to a lakesurrounded by rocky hills and taxied to the shore. Ashort climb with armloads of gear and food put us inthe main cabin. It was built in 1946 and built heavy:snowloads here can go 15 feet deep and windstormsare frequent in winter. (Past restocking trips haveinvolved parking the snowmobiles up above the roofand digging down to the doors.) The place’s solidityand coziness is accented with deep leather couchesand a crackling fire that always has a pot of tea ontop. A long table cuts through one side of the lodge,with huge topo maps posted beside it; guides bunkin homemade racks in rooms at the other end.

We were coming late in the season, the last of theguests, and were treated to the out-


FEATURE MARK HAMILTON

11

The view from the plane.

TO NEWFOUNDLAND FOR MOOSEA Week at Cross Pond Lodge

Cross Pond Lodge, one of the camps of Stag Lodge Outfitters.

migration of hunting guides headed home. Theseable lads were in high spirits, and after scroungingthe available beer, crib games were ceremoniouslypounded out on the table. Guide talk gave a glimpseof life afield in a sometimes-harsh climate—ofvisiting sports (good and bad); of powerful animals;of lakes too turbulent for even these boatmen; ofgrand days afield. I knew Rob was thinking of howhis grandfather would have enjoyed this company ofwoodsmen; how the guides were as he must havebeen in his youth. It’s not a life for everyone, and onefellow who didn’t make it was rememberedcharitably: “you have to give him credit though…hehad the guts to try.”

Heading up this formidable group is KevinYoung, a quietly capable fellow whose amusement atthe proceedings was obvious. We drew up plans forthe next day. “Are you guys in good shape?” Kevinasked. Neil had told us that this guide liked to walk,and we’d start out right away. After a bite to eat wegeared up with daypacks and guns, optics andraingear to do some scouting.

A word on raingear. It’s not just for the rain. (Wehad great weather while we were there.) No, it’s tokeep the constant wind from blowing through your

bones, and it’s to protect you as you push throughthe island’s mind-altering tuckamore, which growseverywhere. Tuckamore: picture a combination ofbonzai spruce trees and those coiled metal pot-scrubbers…only three to five feet high. The only waythrough this stuff is on animal trails or in brookbeds, and woe to him who defies that bit of advice.And, on the good trails, the tuck still reaches acrosseverywhere. (Kevin mystified Rob and I on our firstday out by his seeming ability to teleport to the otherside of the worst tangles. Then Rob pointed out thathe was jogging over the tops of the brush before ithad time to bend!)

Again, raingear: two fellows went out with us thefirst day with lesser rainpants and returned back tocamp in skirts. Bring good gear.

Our week’s routine fell into place right away: ridea 16 foot boat down the pond; on foot throughanimal trails to a high spot to glass for moose. Wedidn’t go far the first day and although there wasmoose sign everywhere, nothing appeared. Wevisitors were content perched up on our 200-foothump of granite watching the bogs and ponds andforest that everywhere stretched into thedistance…but not Kevin.


12

TO NEWFOUNDLAND FOR MOOSE cont’d

The amazing landscape of “The Rock”.(Bring windproof clothing.)

Newfoundland, home to caribou, moose, and large views.

“Are you guys in good shape?” he asked again,then added matter-of-factly, “Tomorrow I’m goingto take you where there are moose.” This was the endof a long season, heavily hunted, and I got theimpression that we might need to get back into thebush a little ways to get it done.

The next part of our routine revealed itself wellbefore dawn the next day: we gathered at the longtable for a big breakfast before the ritual checks ofpack and guns, clothing, cameras, food and water. Bythe end of the week I was getting up at 4:30 a.m. andfalling asleep at 9 p.m.

Into the boat; backdown the pond. Robpointed out somethingabout Kevin I hadalready noticed: with hiscompact agility, tirelesspace and hawk-likevision, he was our idea ofthe natural point man.We arrived after an hourof hiking to our huntingspot, another windsweptpeak that commandedthe country around. Itafforded a beautiful viewof several lakes, ruggedgranite hills on all sides, forest and fen, and far belowus the field-over-bog typical of plateaus in thislandscape, stretching 600 yards to our left. Kevinsaid this was the spot. He said it in a way that madeone pay attention.

I had won the coin toss and was to have first crack.If I didn’t want the animal, it was Rob’s turn. We gotcomfortable, cinching hoods against the wind andpulling from canteens. We had just settled whenKevin said “Oh, bull. Nice bull. Here he comes.”

There was no missing him. With the sun gleaming

off his antlers and glistening on his dark fur, he stoodout against the yellow field and fall colours of thesurrounding foliage. He lumbered steadily towardus, left to right across the field. Kevin pointed to arock outcropping just below us: my shooting bench.I slid down and laid on the lichen and scrub, andafter pulling up a handful of shoots was nestledprone and comfortable.

For a full four minutes the bull steadilyapproached, the bell swinging under his neck. Forthe last minute of those four, Rob and Kevin were

muttering “takehim…take him” undertheir breath, but Iwanted the perfect shot,and had noted a spot inhis trajectory where hewould have to quarteraway slightly to turn up asmall rise.

Two sets of binocularsand a 3 x 9 x 40 riflescope panned along thelandscape as the moosedrew to within 250yards. I had perfectconfidence in the knock-down power of the .300

Winchester Magnum. The crosshairs sank with mybreath and rose across the bull’s chest again and againas he approached the spot I had chosen. He paused,then quartered right into the sight picture I had beenwaiting for. The crosshairs disappeared into the shot,and the shot disappeared into the center of the boilerroom. I jacked another round home and searched forthe bull in the foliage.

“He’s down,” said Kevin. They were higher thanme on the hill and could see the bull; I couldn’t buthad faith in the shot. Still, I scanned



13

The author and his guide, the tireless Kevin Young,with the author’s moose.

and asked Rob to do the same in case a follow-upwas needed. It wasn’t.

We grabbed our packs and began to descend. We shared handshakes and a few hoots as we

checked the downed bull: a nice animal with a heavy,solid rack of 16 points. This bull had very wornteeth—the old warrior had a lot of miles on him.Kevin mentioned that the rack would have beenlarger at one time in the bull’s youth. I wasn’t worriedabout that: it was solid and symmetrical and wouldbe a great reminder of our hunt.

The next day was Sunday, and I was happy thatreturning to pack out the meat wouldn’t interferewith Rob’s hunt. We shared the burden and left littlebehind—besides a gutpile, that is, which wasn’twhere it had been when we had left the previous day:Rob followed the trail into the brush and came outshaking his head. Here we were in the backcountrywithout rifles, and we had just pushed off a bear thathad a very clear three inches between incisors.

That left us with one meat tag to fill, and wefound ourselves back on the huge granite lookout wehad climbed the first day. Rob shares Kevin’suncanny visual acuity: they spotted a moose, but it

was across a lake and far up on a hill.

After a half-hour of working their way into a saddledirectly across from the animal, they had shortenedthe distance to a mere 550 yards. Since Rob’s gunhad been badly bumped the day before, he carriedmy .300, and from high on the hill I heard it barkand grinned to myself. His shooting was flawless.After 15 minutes we found each other in thebinoculars and exchanged waves, and I started downand around the lake. It was three-quarters of an hourbefore I crested the rise on the other side where Robwaited, and we shared a handshake of celebrationthat he had gotten his Newfoundland moose: hisgrandfather’s dream had found its way true.

Back at the lodge Mr. Ed Murphy worked hisreliable magic with the tenderloins. There’s littlecertain in hunting, but one thing is certain at thislodge: you’ll eat as well as you ever have, anywhere. Idon’t recall dining in a restaurant where the entirestaff could equal Ed’s talents in baking, main courses,desserts, pickles… you name it. Rob and I wereamazed at this food in the backcountry—including afull turkey dinner on Thanksgiving that includeddelicious stuffing, rolls, cranberry sauce, yellowpickles (an eastern tradition), and several kinds ofpies for dessert.

Besides Ed’s facility for matching the appetites offar-ranging hunters, he has a gentle good humour.And, on Thursday we got a tap on our cabin door,with Ed saying “come on out, slowly now: Daisy’shere.” Daisy turned out to be a nine-year-old femalecaribou that Ed had tamed as an orphaned fawn. Shelives in the harsh mountain wilds of Newfoundland’swest coast, a land where, for a caribou, wary alertnessmeans life. In the fall though, she visits the huntingcamp. The boys had been glassing the far hills for herfor days, but she had turned up by surprise.

A half-hour of gently tossing bread and gingercookies slowly brought the wary animal closer andcloser. One slight quicker movement meant we had


14


Following animal trails and brook beds back to the boat.

to start over, but eventually she was sniffing a cup oftea between my feet as I laid back on the deck steps.Ed warned us against trying to touch her, but shefinally—very, very slowly and carefully—took acookie from my mouth and from Rob’s. It was awonderful moment.

That left only two pieces of business to beconcluded during our visit to the Rock: the finale ofthe Newfoundland vs. Nova Scotia cribchampionship, which was tied at that stage, and thevoyage back to a busier world. I won’t say who wonthe tournament, except that it wasn’t us.

Then it was time for one of the most memorabletreks of my life: a 15-minute boat ride to the firstshort “carry” (portage); a 20-minute boat ride to thenext; 45 minutes of hiking to the next boat, whilegear was hauled with ATVs. Then a long and magicalboat ride down a pond that was a perfect mirror ofthe trees and heavens, crisply painted in brilliant fallcolours. Finally, an hour on ATVs over gloriousautumn hills and valleys put us at the trailhead andthe trucks.

In that travel and in our hunting we had seen andfelt a landscape that would make us smile withlonging every time someone mentionedNewfoundland, and we had spent time with men of

the wilds who knew how to make a hunter part ofthat land.

Rob summed it all up when someone mentionedgetting “back out to reality.” Rob replied of the wilds“this is reality, not the world out there.” And after aweek of rising before the sun and walking as a hunterin the ancient paths of the moose and caribou, Iknew exactly what he meant.

Story courtesy Realtree-ca.com



15

Ed Murphy and his pet caribou Daisy. Sharply alert, but a pushover for Ed’s ginger cookies.

The firearms community contributes1.2 MILLION DOLLARS to

wildlife conservation programsand events

Firearms

Fact

DONATE A GUNMost of us have a gun or two that we don’t often

carry. Now, here’s a chance to help another shooterget started with affordable gear—or own a specialfirearm—while giving strength to the organizationthat protects your rights.

We make it easy for you. Your donated gun will besold by John Simpson Auction, and you can donateall the proceeds to the CFI or put half in your ownpocket. We do the work, and it’s a great chance tosupport your watchdog on firearms issues.

Honour your Mentor or Partner.Do you have a keepsake gun that you don’t often

carry, one that you keep because of someone whoowned it? Through our Legacy Gift Program, theirmemory is honoured with support for firearmsadvocacy. If that gun would see more use in someone

else’s hands, you can donate it in the name of theperson whose memory you want to honour. You candonate one of your own guns in the name of a specialperson too. We’ll publish their name in the LegacyCharter of Canadian Shooter – the Magazine of theCFI – a permanent record of their commitment tohunting and shooting sports.

Take a moment and think of what you have in thelocker, and what you would give to keep our heritageand traditions alive. All proceeds go to fight the goodfight!

We’ll also take ammunition, accessories andfirearms paraphenalia.

Please contact program coordinator JimNewman at (705) 252-0477 today, and we’lldo the rest. You can also [email protected]

Burlington, ON - The National Wild TurkeyFederation (NWTF) Ontario—some 40 chapters—held their annual convention and awards banquet inBurlington on the weekend of January 15, 16 &17.The Canadian Firearms Institute’s staff were invitedto attend and introduce the CFI to theirorganization. Other invited quests included OntarioMinister of Natural Resources, Donna Cansfield andBob Fountain, Vice President of Operations forNWTF, from South Carolina.

CFI Chief Executive Officer Jim Newmanaddressed the afternoon session and spoke briefly atthe banquet. He later commented, “The receptionwas overwhelmingly positive. During the afternoonsession I was scheduled to make a 20-minutepresentation communicating our aims andobjectives, and how we planned on implementing toachieve those goals, with 10 minutes for questions.The Q & A session went on for nearly two hours.”

In response to a question, Pyper Unitt, the CFIAssistant Executive Officer stated “We see theCanadian Firearms Institute as the hub of a wheel,

with the various members of the firearmscommunity—hunters, gun clubs, retailers, outfitters,and wildlife federations—forming the rim: thespokes come into the CFI to facilitate and coordinatecommunications, firearms advocacy and the sharingof resources and expertise, and to get those servicesback out on the spokes to the rim. The more spokesthe greater the strength of the wheel.”


16

CFI IN ACTION

Pyper Unitt of the CFI; Chris Patty, Eastern Ontario RegionalDirector for the NWTF; Tammy Falk, Western Ontario RegionalDirector, NWTF; Bob Fountain, Vice President of Operations,

NWTF; Jim Newman, CEO, Canadian Firearms Institute.

“The best infantry rifle ever built.”Raymond Gregory didn’t mince wordswhen I asked him for his opinion on LeeEnfield rifles and their place in history.After spending several hours viewing hiscollection at his home in Pictou, NovaScotia, I share his opinion of this fine rifle.Raymond has a 40-year love affair with theLee Enfield rifle and, from what I saw, thelove affair isn’t about to end soon.

Growing up in Nova Scotia I was very familiarwith Lee Enfields and the .303 cartridge they fire. InAtlantic Canada the terms .303 British and LeeEnfield mean the same thing to most people.

Raymond told me the .303 British caliber has along and illustrious history. It had its beginningsback in the late 1880's as a black powder cartridgebefore transforming to cordite and then smokelesspowder. It served as the standard British andCommonwealth military cartridge from the 1890'sup until the 1950's, and Lee Enfields were the mainfirearm used by Britain and Commonwealth

countries from 1900 up until the 1950's. It isestimated that during that time some 15 million LeeEnfield rifles chambered for the .303 British werebuilt, and there is a good chance that quite a few ofthem are still in service somewhere in the world.

Sitting in Raymond’s gun room I was surroundedby Lee Enfields. His collection stands at 75 rightnow—each one different—but this is a work inprogress as Raymond trades, buys or sells as he comesacross a rifle he needs to add to his collection. I askedhim what sparked his interest in Lee Enfield rifles.“Well, I would have to say that it goes back to whenI was a young boy. When we attended RemembranceDay ceremonies the WW I veterans marched withtheir rifles, and I was fascinated by those guns. Theywere Lee Enfield Mk III—the Long Lee or OldSmellies, as they were known.” It was a new term tome so I asked Raymond where the nicknames camefrom. “The old Mk IIIs were long rifles and underrapid fire the barrel heated up and they used to smell.The grease or packing they used would get hot and Iguess it had a bad smell, hence the name.”

Raymond remembers admiring Lee Enfield riflessold in the Eaton’s catalogue. “They sold for $11.00but I didn’t have any money back then,” he laughs.His first Lee Enfield had to wait until he startedworking. “I bought my first gun back around 1960.I ordered it from S.I.R., a No.1 Mk III and Iremember I paid $39.95 for it. That was the first oneand I haven’t stopped since.”

I spent several hours with Raymond talking abouthis collection but I could have spent a week. Everyrifle has a story related to its history or some aspectof its manufacture and it is usually a fascinating one.He demonstrated how a “Volley Site” was designedto work. The site, found on the MkIII, elevated thegun to approximately a 45 degree


FEATURE DON MACLEAN

17

A man and his Lee Enfields. Note the rifle equipped withgrenade launcher just below his hand.

A LOVE AFFAIR WITHTHE LEE ENFIELD RIFLE

angle and sent a volley of bullets down on the enemyfrom the maximum range possible. Raymond alsodemonstrated the correct firing procedure for a MkIII equipped with a grenade launcher, placing thebutt on the ground and angling the rifle away fromthe shooter. Rifles used to fire grenades fired aheavier charge and his rifle has additional windingsof wire around the stock and barrel in areas whichcould potentially fail.

His collection included rifles for launchinglanding lines from ships; amodel used for bayonettraining; rifles built for theRoyal Canadian MountedPolice and on and on. Iwas particularly taken withhis Lee Enfield built forthe King of Siam.Raymond told me theKing attended SandhurstMilitary College and camehome with an admirationfor the Lee Enfield. Therifle is one of 10,000 builtfor the King’s body guard, the Wild Tiger Corp.Talking about that gun took us to another wall ofRaymond’s room where he displays the bayonets,swords and daggers he collects. After a quick searchhe found the bayonet which goes with the Siam LeeEnfield. “This is known as the ‘Pussy Bayonet’among collectors,” he told me. “It’s stamped with asmiling tiger, as is the gun.”

The assortment of bayonets used on Lee Enfieldsis as fascinating as the rifles themselves. Raymondshowed me how the original long bayonet for theMk III had been shortened over the years: theoriginal was an impressive 17 inches in length. Healso demonstrated the correct technique for using a

rifle mounted with a bayonet

equipped with a fighting quillion—a hook at thebase of the bayonet designed to catch the enemies’bayonet and twist the rifle from their hands.

I asked Raymond if he had a favourite in hiscollection. “If I had to pick one I would have to sayit is this No.4 Mk.I sniper rifle. It is complete—every serial number, from the scope to the magazinematches. I also have the case.” I asked him if it wasaccurate. “It is. I am no marksman but in the righthands it could do the job. If I remember correctly the

qualifying test for a sniperwas five out of five shots in atwo-inch circle at 200 yards,and six out of seven shots ina 10-inch circle at 400 yards.You needed an accuraterifle.”

Raymond doesn’t huntbut he generally tries to firea few rounds through eachrifle he adds to hiscollection. “I have a fewrifles still packed in theoriginal grease so I didn’t fire

them, but I like to shoot a few rounds through themif I can.” Raymond also likes to share his collectionwith the community, and I’d often admired thewindow displays he places in the windows of localbusinesses in the weeks leading up to RemembranceDay. He also maintains a display in the Pictou RoyalCanadian Legion. He uses items from his owncollection as well as material given or loaned to himby individuals. “I receive a lot of items from peoplewho want their fathers’ or grandfathers’ medals to beon display rather than in a drawer gathering dust.They lend them to me in trust and I ensure each isdisplayed in a secure manner.”

After looking at his collection, which looked fairlycomplete to me, I asked Raymond if there was one


18

A LOVE AFFAIR WITH THE LEE ENFIELD RIFLE cont’d

The jewel of his collection: a No. 4 Mk I sniper rifle.



particular Lee Enfield that he is looking for. Hethought for a moment before replying. “Well, thereis one gun that I would like to have. It is not a LeeEnfield but it is a .303, a P14 sniper rifle. I have theinfantry model but I would like to find a snipermodel I could afford.”

While Raymond specializes in Lee Enfields he alsocollects other rifles and I received a quick historylesson on armed contact, ranging from the Boer Warand Zulu Conflict to the Korean War. His oldestpiece, a flintlock tower musket, was used by the

Nova Scotia 5th Battalion. His Martini-Henry, 57Snider and Ross rifle gave me an opportunity to see,and handle, guns I had only read about. His latestpiece is a Lee Enfield jungle carbine used in theKorean War.

Raymond also educated me on the clues requiredto decipher the markings found on Lee Enfields. Ihad brought along my Lee Enfield, a rifle which hasa special place in my collection. As the standard issueinfantry rifle, Lee Enfields were built throughout theworld; mine was built in Canada. After WW IIthousands of Lee Enfields came on the market andwere eagerly purchased by hunters. If you did asurvey of which caliber has accounted for the most

big game in Eastern Canada in the last 50 years Ibelieve the .303 British would top the list. I don’tknow too many hunters of my generation who don’thave one or two Lee Enfields in their gun cabinet.

The Lee Enfield I own is a sporterised modelwhich my brother and I bought in the late 1960's atCanadian Tire for the grand sum of $40. It was ourfirst center-fire rifle and we figured that we had itmade. Before that our deer hunting weapon wasDad’s single shot 12 gauge Cooey, loaded with arifled slug. That was his only gun and he used it on

everything from rabbits and grouse to deer. WhileDad never had a problem harvesting his deer withthe Cooey, my brother and I considered ourselvesseverely undergunned when we were in the woods!The Lee Enfield was equipped with a sliding rearpeep site and I harvested my first deer using thatrifle. Since that time I have added a scope and thegun has accounted for a few more Nova Scotiawhite-tail bucks.

Commercial .303 British ammunition is widelyavailable throughout Eastern Canada loaded with150 and 180 grain bullets. My favorite is a 150 grainload which generates muzzle velocities ofapproximately 2,600 feet per second

Every Mark Tells a Story: The “Smiling Tiger” markings on the wristguard and bayonet of this Lee Enfield show it was manufactured for the King of Siam’s Tiger Corp.

The author’s No. 4 Mk I * was built at the Long Branch Armoury in 1944

19


20


along with muzzle energy of 2,400 foot pounds,making it suitable for most medium-sized game.

The information I gained from Raymond alsoadded to my own connection to this fine rifle. Themarkings on my No.4 Mk 1* show that it was madeby the Long Branch Armoury in Toronto in 1944.However, a closer examination with Raymond as myguide revealed that the safety lever was stamped witha broad arrow, an indication that it had been madefor a British gun and probably replaced at a laterdate.

My time with Raymond passed quickly and I leftwith a new appreciation for the Lee Enfield rifle andthe important role it has played in world history, arole which continues to this day, as Raymondreminded me: Inuit Rangers in Northern Canadastill carry Lee Enfields, as do armies and militiasaround the world.

As I was leaving I spied another Lee Enfieldhanging in Raymond’s living room. “Oh, that is mygun of the month display,” he laughed. “Everymonth I take a gun from my collection and hang itthere so I can admire it. Fortunately my wifehumours me.” I left his home thinking that this isone 40-year love affair which is as strong as ever.

Reference MaterialThere is an impressive amount of reference

material available on the Lee Enfield rifle. (A Googlesearch for Lee Enfield revealed more than 2,000,000references.) However, there are three reference booksRaymond recommends to the serious Lee Enfieldcollector:• Reynolds, Major E.BG.: The Lee Enfield Rifle.

Arco Publ. Co., 1962.• Skennerton, Ian: The Lee Enfield Story. Arms and

Militaria Press, 1993.• Skennerton, Ian: The Lee-Enfield. Arms and

Militaria Press, 2007.

Raymond welcomes collectors who would like totalk Lee Enfields. You’ll find him at:

Raymond GregoryP.O. Box 51, Pictou, NS B0K 1H0

Phone: home (902) 485-5487cell (902) 759-1717

email: [email protected]

This bayonet has a “Fighting Quillion” tang.

Firearms owners contribute over A BILLION DOLLARS ayear to the Canadian economy through their activities:

hunting, hunting equipment, sports equipment, recreationalvehicle purchases, travel expenses, etc.

Firearms

Fact

When I was recently asked to contribute anarticle to this magazine I had mixedfeelings. I had never heard of the CanadianFirearms Institute (CFI) and the first thingthat crossed my mind was that Canadianfirearms owners did not need anotherupstart organization diluting efforts andscarce resources of the organizationsalready in the field. However, I kept anopen mind and requested backgroundinformation as to how this organizationwas constituted and what its “game plan”was. I am impressed with the vision of itsorganizers. Whether CFI can effectivelyachieve its objectives on an ongoing basisremains to be seen.

I have shared the successes, frustrations and inmany cases the failures of the major firearmsorganizations of this country. I had the privilege ofbeing the president of the Shooting Federation ofCanada for more than 10 years. The SFC as theNSO for the shooting sports had a huge mandate indealing with Olympic and Paralympic teams,coaches and officials; it interfaced with SportsCanada, the International and Canadian OlympicCommittees, the International and CanadianCommonwealth Games Associations, the ISSF andon and on. Sport Canada and COC funding wasalways tight but in the mid 1990's the shootingsports and their organizations had to withstand awithering assault from many fronts. Allan Rock hitus with oppressive gun control measures. Funding tosports organizations such as the SFC was decimated.When the going got tough, some firearmsowners/organizations cut and ran and some stayedand fought.

In spite of overwhelming obstacles the SFC wasone of those organizations that stayed and fought.We were not alone: the Canadian Shooting Sports

Association (formerly OHA), the

National Firearms Associationand various wildlife federationsall worked very hard on behalf offirearms owners from coast tocoast. I personally helpedorganize rallies, spoke at theOttawa rally, prepared and sentlegal briefs to and attended before the (then) Justiceand Legal Affairs Committee and the Senate. I wasco-counsel at the Firearms Reference for the SFC (asan intervenor) both at the Alberta Court of Appealand Supreme Court of Canada. So what did all thishard work, expense and personal sacrifice for somany within the firearms-owner community actuallyaccomplish? The nay-sayers contend we all wastedour time and money. I disagree. There emerged acommonality of purpose—a commitment to rightthe wrongs of the firearms legislation and put it onthe track of targeting real criminals, whilerecognizing and supporting the legitimate ownershipand use of firearms for recreational and sportingpurposes. The only realistic way to achieve thisobjective is to ensure there is a majority of federalMP’s that will repeal and replace the existinglegislation. Any organization that will help achievethat objective gets my support.

There are side issues. Politicians often exploitopportunities. If opinion polls show that Canadianswant even tougher gun control it becomes a no-brainer. The Chretien Liberals did not need toconsider reason, statistics, common sense,criminalization of otherwise law abiding citizens,and total ineffectiveness of the measures. They had amajority. They wanted their version of “gun control”and they / we got it.

Do you think that in the last federal election thatvery many of the MP’s in the opposition caucus whovowed to ban handguns from civilian ownership andban semi-automatic weapons even knew what thelatter entailed? Any organization that will help


22

FIREARMS AND THE LAW PAUL SHAW, B.A., LL.B.

inform and educate the public and the media as tothe socially positive aspects of firearm ownership anduse gets my support. Believe me, if and when thebiased stigmatism is removed and the public andmedia insist on gun control measures that effectivelyimpact on the criminal element—and further insistthat the scarce human and financial resources of ourcriminal judicial system must not be wasted ondiversionary tactics like long gun registration—thepoliticians will follow.

Meanwhile, Canadian firearms owners remainsubjected to oppressive firearm laws. I am a full-timepracticing lawyer engaged in many aspects of the law,including criminal and civil trial work. The gun lawsare so complex and convoluted that few policeofficers, defense lawyers, crown attorneys or evenjudges have a solid grasp of the current law and itsimplications. I am constantly learning things myself,and I have been at this a long time.

Many defense lawyers continue to assist theirclients in pleading guilty to firearm charges wheredefenses exist. And, firearms owners—who aregenerally a trusting lot—continue to provide policewith verbal admissions that often become theCrown’s best or only evidence.

In addition to representing individuals, clubs andassociations, I do my best to help other defenselawyers who have challenges on their firearms files.Sometimes there is little or nothing that can be done,but too many individuals and the lawyers whorepresent them give up without even exploringpossible defenses or sentencing implications.

There is often a significant difference in the waycharges are laid by police and prosecuted by crownattorneys (Crowns). Jurisdictions vary. Even Crownswithin the same jurisdiction vary in the way chargesare dealt with. The same alleged offense in similarcircumstances for a first time offender could result ina Court disposition anywhere from a conviction,fine, criminal record, and firearms prohibition to

donating money to Crimestoppers on a diversionprogram (where these programs exist). Some Crownstry to get convictions for failure to register long gunseven though an amnesty period exists. Some Crownsare practical. Some are not. For instance, whatshould happen if an individual has used storagemeasures that far exceed the safety features of theFirearms Act regulations, but do not “technically”comply with them? Some Crowns prosecute and leta judge give credit on sentencing to theseextraordinary safety measures. Unfortunately, thereexists no minimum equivalency standards.

While Crowns have considerable discretion inprosecuting charges, just as police do in laying them,would it not be helpful for defense lawyers to have attheir disposal helpful information and argumentsprovided by a defense networking system coast tocoast?

At one point in time firearms references (todetermine whether a person’s Possession &Acquisition License should be revoked for instance)were directed at individuals who had seedy historiesof violence, criminal records, addiction, etc. Most ofthese cases are cleaned up now and the long arm ofthe law is targeting marginal cases—such as peoplewho are suspected of association with someone whois prohibited. There is a bureaucracy in place that hasto be seen to be doing something.

How do resources stack up on each side of thejudicial equation? The police and crown attorneysare able (at public expense) to share case law (casedecisions, whether reported or not). They haveaccess to research, opinions, precedents, resourceexperts. This is all instantaneous.

Defense lawyers have very little access to anythingother than what is already in the public domain orwhat has been accumulated by that lawyer—or by afew lawyers who network. There is certainly nonational strategy to assist defense lawyers. Part of thisis because some lawyers appear to


FIREARMS AND THE LAW cont’d

23


24

FIREARMS AND THE LAW cont’d

covet their own research, unreported decisions,successful strategies and approaches for their ownfuture use, for their own clients, and for profit. Onecan look at this two ways: the lawyer spent time andmoney getting the experience and expertise; why giveit away? However, if there was wider cooperationCanada-wide throughout the defense bar—wherenetworking on all firearm-related issues occurred—itwould make for a much better educated andinformed defense bar to assist firearms owners. DaveTomlinson of the NFA (before his passing) and Ioften shared case law and defense strategies. CSSA isalso helpful. But, nobody has the time and expertiseto do a credible job of defense lawyer networking.Lawyers are too busy making a living. Anyorganization that can build and manage a defenselawyer networking system to match what exists on

the Crown side of the equation gets my support.The firearms owners best informed in Canada

about firearms issues are those who already belong toclubs and organizations. These people often belongto several. These people are visible and accessible. Yetthey represent a small percentage of the firearmsowners of this country. How does one identify andreach out to firearms owners who have neverbelonged to any club or organization? Theorganization that is able to reach out to this silentmajority and engage them gets my support.

The Canadian Firearms Institute has its work cutout for itself, but there is clearly an untapped nichewhere hopefully efforts of other firearmorganizations will not be undermined, butcomplemented. The Canadian firearm owner shouldbe the benefactor.

How I unexpectedly learned abouthandguns, gained respect for their power,design and appeal and found it was reallyfun to practice at a shooting range!

The next time you need to buy your loved one apresent, think about something completely out ofthe ordinary—think wow, this is going to be a greatgift! At the same time, just between you and me,remember that fair is fair: you are doing all of thiswork choosing the best present and making all thearrangements for your special someone. It is ok if thegift giver, as well as the receiver, benefits from all thethought and preparation!

A really good present can be many things:ridiculously expensive and completely useless (butdecadent in its silliness); unbelievably practical—useful and needed—or a new, completelyunexpected adventure. I find the mix of adventureand practicality a dynamic combination.

My husband David was nearing a ‘big birthday’ afew years ago, and we were both reading thenewspapers over breakfast. As my husband quietlyread, I pondered again what to give a man who isconvinced he has everything he needs and wants (nota shopper, my David).

Luckily, I saw an advertisement in the paperselling novel gift packages—things like flying inhelium balloons while drinking champagne, orscreaming down nightmarish rapids followed by aluxurious meal at a country chalet. I was mostintrigued by one offering a basic orientation ofseveral handguns, with practice shooting at a range!Bingo!

An adventure—and certainly a surprise. I set thewheels in motion.

Many times, David had proudly talked about hisexperiences as a Canadian army cadet in the ’50s andearly ’60s. During this memorable period, hemastered basic riflery and gained an appreciation andrespect for rifles; he had not, however, shothandguns.

I have never owned nor used a gun. As a probationand parole officer in the Ontario Ministry ofCorrectional Services, I learned that if I were aprobation officer in New York City, I would havebeen issued a handgun—but not in North York.

During the summer of 2004, Toronto began tohave an alarming number of shootings. As avolunteer with the Toronto Police Service, I wasparticularly aware of the numbers of non-registeredguns used for violent purposes. David and I haveoften discussed this frightening trend, asking—whydid it happen? Who was involved? Were guns tooeasy to get? What were these guns like? What it waslike to shoot a handgun? Neither of us knew. Maybeit was time to gain a basic understanding of thesubject.

Opportunity to learn often arises when leastexpected. In addition to providing a unique gift toDavid, this experience would help us to gain somebasic, practical understanding of handguns.

I contacted the agency listed in the newspaper andthrough them arranged for a visit to a privateshooting club in Gormley, Ontario. The club uses anindoor target range in a sports facility; it’s entirelydesigned for handgun shooting with 10 stalls andindividual electric target retrievers.

When we pulled up to the club, I asked myself“what have I done?” (I think all new adventuresbegin this way. We just don’t like to admit it.)

To my sheer delight and relief we were welcomedby a wonderful fellow, James. A retired OntarioProvincial Police (OPP) officer, he worked as atrainer for the club.

James ushered us into the orientation/trainingroom. When he learned about my ‘session’ arrangedthough an agency, he smiled and suggested that allwe had to do was call the club directly! He laughedand invited both of us to learn and practice.

Displayed before us was a large array of handguns,including a chrome-plated “Saturday night special”,.22 target pistols, a Smith & Wesson


FEATURE ELIZABETH FLAVELLE

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A DAY AT THE SHOOTING RANGE

.38 revolver and a 9mm Glock. We held each one. Iwas very surprised to feel how heavy some were! Ifound the size differences intriguing. I noticed also,that while some were very simple in design, otherswere intricate in their pattern—one was almostornate. Several (and this may sound odd) were intheir own way very attractive; a few small onesalmost pretty. Each seemed to have its own character,its own feel. David felt the same.

James explained the history of each type of gun aswell as its purpose, range and so on. His ability toclearly explain the intricacies of each handgun wasexcellent. Best of all, he shared with us numerousinteresting stories about the various guns, and manyof these accounts were based on his personalexperience in the OPP. Some were legendary storiesfrom our Canadian history. It struck me that eachhandgun was like a person with its own character,history, purpose and use.

An hour had vaporized! Time to practice.I was given a .22 caliber target pistol. Now, before

I tell you how I did, I would like to remind you thatI had never done anything remotely like this!

I found it difficult to stand and hold such a weightand aim at a target that seemed very far away. Jameswas very kind; he waved those great big hands againand graciously said, “No problem. Sit and becomfortable.” How good does it get?

I learned to load the gun, which was not as easy asI thought. Of course, my understanding of loadingguns was based on the television shows Gunsmokeand Ponderosa! After a few pathetic shots, hegraciously moved the target closer. (Ok, muchcloser). With a bit of practice, I thought I had donenot so badly. I found I just wanted to keep shootingand do better. I really had fun!

Finally, the very patient birthday boy got hischance. The .22 was too easy for him and within afew minutes James gave him the Glock. Davidquickly learned to load it and fired off severalmagazines with stunning success. Later, David told

me he found the experience exciting,

satisfying and rewarding. And then we were done. With our targets in hand

(we still have them), it was time to say goodbye toJames and leave the range.

It was an experience we will always remember. Welearned a lot about the different types of guns; theirdesign, purpose, use and history. We acquired a newappreciation of handguns and respect for those whogo to the range to improve their proficiency. It is aplace to meet good people who enjoy mastering thisunique set of skills and have a lot of fun doing it!That’s a lot to learn.

It really was a great present for both of us.

Elizabeth Flavelle worked 27 years in the Government ofOntario in a number of ministries, including Treasury andEconomics, Correctional Services, Community and Social Servicesand Management Board Secretariat. Now retired, she lives withher husband, David Windeyer, in the City of Toronto. Inaddition to writing for local community organizations, shevolunteers for a number of groups, including 22 Division,Community Police Liaison Committee, Toronto Police Services,the Kingsway Park Ratepayers Association and the KingswayBusiness Improvement Area.


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A DAY AT THE SHOOTING RANGE cont’d

Elizabeth Flavelle with husband David Windeyer

Editor’s Note: The Canadian Outdoor Heritage Alliance andthe Canadian Firearms Institute enjoy a mutually supportiverelationship. Here, we present a view from COHA’s Field Newseditor Alison Beal.

-MH

The only thing necessary for the triumphof evil is for good men to do nothing.

(Edmond Burke 1729-1797)

The scene is Ontario around ten years ago, wherethe government under Mike Harris was preparingfor election. Enter a wealthy Ontario industrialistwith a strong sympathy for animal rights rhetoricand pockets deep enough to suggest defeat for thegovernment if the annual spring black bear hunt wasnot immediately banned. After a major lobbyingeffort allegedly financed by the rich guy—andthreats of a very negative advertising campaign thatwould blame the Harris government for the fictitiousorphaning of black bear cubs—a completelyirrational, non-scientific, and hugely offensivedecision was made to ban Ontario’s spring black bearhunt. This, despite the fact that it was already illegalto shoot a cub or a lactating sow, and no evidence

was ever produced to support the allegation thathunters orphaned even one cub.

One good thing did come out of this horrifyingvictory of propaganda over fact; a gathering of some40 representatives of provincial and nationalhunting, guiding, angling, and trappingcommunities. The Canadian Outdoor HeritageAlliance (COHA) emerged from that meeting. Afledgling organization whose founders were deeplycommitted to science-based management ofhunting, angling, and trapping activities inCanada—and to protecting the rights and privilegesof those who practice those honourable outdoor artsthat date to the dawn of humanity.

During the intervening 10 years, the federalgovernment has ratified the Canadian OutdoorHeritage Act and the government of BC has adopteda made-on-the-West-Coast version of the same. Afledgling COHA has evolved and adapted to therealities of finance over ideology, and struggled torespond to the changing priorities of numerousstakeholders. Like many organizations, COHA istaxed with high expectations and very limitedhuman and financial means. The board struggleswith demands from all corners of Canada withlimited volunteer resources. Scheduling conflictswith employment, family, a hunting trip or a roundof golf limit the extent of the contribution most canmake.

These challenges can be overcome, but only ifgood folk stand up to the challenge by writingletters, voicing educated opinions, and supportingthose very agencies that are prepared to take acollective stand, to move forward with an initiative,or to demand accountability from politicians andopinion leaders. COHA can help you do that, butwe need to know your issues, and must have yoursupport to get things done. If you can’t volunteer,maybe you can recruit three new members.

Whatever you do, we hope you’ll add your voiceto the community of Canadians who support thehonourable outdoor arts of hunting, angling, andtrapping. Start with a COHA membership, andgrow with us. And remember, in the words ofEdmond Burke ... “No one could make a greatermistake than he who did nothing because he coulddo only a little.”

Contact COHA at www.coha.net


A VIEW FROM THE CANADIAN OUTDOOR HERITAGE ALLIANCE ALISON BEAL

27

Your $35 membership will get you a subscription to ournewsletter and add your voice to a proud community of

Canadians who are committed to the sustainableuse of our wilderness resources.

The patterns of nature are tried and trueIt’s late fall, early morning, and the rising sun is

shimmering off the dewy grass of a large parklandalong the south shore of the Thames River.

The morning ritual is about to start. I sip mycoffee and watch with interest. The first flock—agroup of about two-dozen Canada geese—rises fromthe river and lazily circles a couple of times just abovethe trees, checking the area for lurking dangers.Finally one amongst the flock cups its wings; theothers follow on cue and they glide in to feed. Theyland in a tight circle with an uproar—squawking,honking and feathers ruffled—all of them vigilant.Every head is on a swivel checking for danger. Thenoise quickly subsides as the inner group settles andputs their heads down to feed, but the geese on theoutside of the circle are still vigilant and on guard.Soon, as the geese feel secure, there is but one sentry,head still swivelling. The rest seem content, relyingon that sentry to look after them.

There will be another commotion on the river andanother flock of geese will appear above the tree topsfollowing the same routine, circling cautiously. Asthey land the volume of squawking and honkingincreases exponentially as the original flock is againat full alert, defensively protecting their space. Thesecond flock will land at the other end of the greenspace; a safe distance away. The number of sentrieswill follow the pattern of the first flock.

Within minutes the two flocks will have grazedtoward each other and merged together forprotection.

This ritual continues through my second coffee asflock after flock leave the river and noisily join thegroup feeding; first landing a safe distance away andthen merging with the larger flock. By the time mycup is done, the flock is nearing a thousand birds. Incontrast to the original small group with all the birds

on watch, now there’s a massive group

contently grazing with only oneor two heads aloft and swivelling,ready to alert the larger group toany danger or threat. When theydo, the flock—withouthesitation—reacts amass to asignal of danger. For survival thisritual is hard-wired into the species. Safety innumbers.

As I watch this instinctive behaviour I think aboutgun owners and the lesson we can take from thebirds. As predators—hunters—we humans takeadvantage of this pattern by setting out decoys andharvesting a few birds as they come in to land. Therule of nature prevails, however and safety innumbers ensures the survival of the species. Just likethem, it’s up to us individually and in small groupsto keep honking and squawking but at the same timejoin together for our survival and the protection ofall of us.

I am not asking you to leave your flock but to joinwith us in the larger flock.

If you are not a member, join today.


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THE LONG VIEW JIM NEWMAN

CFIICAF

CFIICAF

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