This Weeks Postings to the Canadian

THIS WEEKS POSTINGS TO THE CANADIAN FIREARMS DIGEST National and International Gun Control News for the week ending January 24, 2020 [email protected]

POSTS FROM CANADA

FIREARMS ACT DOESN’T AUTHORIZE THE RCMP TO TRACK 459,538 CONVICTED CRIMINALS PROHIBITED FROM OWNING FIREARMS BY THE COURTS - By Dennis R. Young – January 24, 2020 Comment on RCMP Commissioner's Firearms Report for 2018 [Date modified: 2020-01-22] https://dennisryoung.ca/2020/01/25/firearms-act-fails-to-track-highest-priority-gun-control-targets/

FIREARMS PETITION, INTRODUCED IN SOUTHERN ALBERTA, SURPASSES 100,000 SIGNATURES According to the petition, the proposed buyback of legal, licensed firearms would cost taxpayers over $250,000,000. By David Opink - Jan 24, 2020 https://lethbridgenewsnow.com/2020/01/24/firearms-petition-introduced-in-southern- alberta-surpasses-100000-signatures/ https://www.thepostmillennial.com/petition-against-liberal-gun-ban-signed-by-over-100000-upset-canadians/

NEW MACHINE GUNS FOR CANADIAN ARMED FORCES The Government of Canada’s commitment to equipping the members of the Canadian Armed Forces continues, with the purchase of 3,626 new C6A1 FLEX General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG) from Colt Canada, Defence Minister Harjit S. Sajjan announced today. National Defence News release - January 24, 2020 – Ottawa https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/news/2020/01/new-machine-guns-for-canadian-armed-forces.html

GUNS AND AMMO STOLEN FROM CANADIAN TIRE IN SOUTH WINDSOR Windsor police are hoping the public can help identify a man who stole two firearms and ammunition from the Canadian Tire at 4150 Walker Rd. on Wednesday night. By Dalson Chen, Windsor Star Updated: January 24, 2020 https://windsorstar.com/news/local-news/guns-and-ammo-stolen-from-canadian-tire-in-south-windsor

N.S. MAN'S GUNS STOLEN WHILE HE ATTENDED FATHER'S FUNERAL HALIFAX -- Darren White of Aylesford, N.S., is still fixing the busted locks and bent frames of his scratched and dented gun safes – the result of a break and enter on Monday. He discovered the theft when returning home from an already devastating event – his father's funeral. By Emily Baron Cadloff, Reporter - CTV - Published Friday, January 24, 2020 https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/n-s-man-s-guns-stolen-while-he-attended-father-s-funeral-1.4782713

LILLEY EXCLUSIVE: MACKAY MAKES HIS CASE FOR THE CONSERVATIVE LEADERSHIP The lawful gun owner community in Canada is often vilified and misrepresented in this debate and I’m a strong believer that you go after the bad guys, the problem. I try to look at this logically, practically. By Brian Lilley, Toronto Sun - January 24, 2020 https://torontosun.com/opinion/columnists/lilley-mackay-makes-his- case-for-the-conservative-leadership

‘BAN THE DAMN GUNS!’ HAMILTON’S MAYOR CALLS FOR ACTION AFTER 7-YEAR-OLD SHOT Hamilton’s mayor is calling for a ban on handguns after a seven-year-old boy was shot in the city’s east end. “This is the kind of thing you worry about when folks are out brandishing guns out there. Some innocent person becomes the victim

who had nothing to do with whatever crime is going on,” said Eisenberger. Police say the boy was on the main floor of his Gordon St. home around 8 p.m. when “multiple gunshots” were fired into the house from the back yard. By Shayla Vize - January 24, 2020 https://www.chch.com/ban-the-damn-guns-hamiltons-mayor-calls-for-ban-after-7-year-old-shot/

DOUG FORD TELLS JUDGES THEY NEED TO ‘TOUGHEN UP’ ON GUNS, GANGS AND BAIL Judges and justices of the peace are being too gentle with firearm offenders, Ontario’s premier said on Friday. Doug Ford made the comments in Mississauga, Ont., where he announced $20.5 million in funding to Peel Regional Police. Asked whether border officers need more money to prevent gun smuggling, Ford said that what the federal government should be doing is “focusing on bail reform.” By Anita Balakrishnan, Law Times - 24 Jan 2020 https://www.lawtimesnews.com/practice-areas/criminal/doug-ford-tells-judges-they-need-to-toughen-up-on-guns-gangs- and-bail/325420

TEAM CSSA E-NEWS | JANUARY 24, 2020 COMMENTARY - THE DANGER OF BUYING INTO UNCERTAINTY AND FEAR There has not been a time that The Canadian Firearm Industry or The Canadian Shooting Sports Community has been affected by the spectre of speculation and fear as much as it is at present. Those who are on social media and online where Canadian firearm owners congregate have been subject to the rumours of ‘ban lists’, impending Orders in Council to enact prohibitions and information from unverified sources regarding changes to Canada’s firearm regulations. As a result, consumer anxiety is rampant. Those within The Canadian Firearm Industry are met with a barrage of questions on a daily basis regarding what information is credible and what is to be expected when Parliament resumes. The answer, is: ‘we don’t know’. Posted by Ryan Simper, Select Shooting Supplies on 11th Jan 2020 https://t.co/wkaACituzP

CANADIAN SPECIAL FORCES SOLDIER CONVICTED IN CONNECTION WITH THEFT TO BE RELEASED FROM THE MILITARY - A Canadian special forces soldier convicted in connection with the theft of equipment will be released from the military. Cpl. Pedro Collier, who was assigned to the Joint Task Force 2 counter- terrorism unit at Dwyer Hill, was found guilty in August of possession of stolen property exceeding $5,000 and possession of a prohibited device. Between December 2015 and March 2017 Collier took approximately $23,000 worth of equipment from the special forces, including jackets, a global positioning system, backpacks, watches, a tent, a solar charger, a fan, kitchen sets, hoodies, generators, saws, boots, and a pouch to carry magazines for firearms. He also took two C7 rifle magazines, capable of holding 30 bullets, as well as hundreds of rounds of ammunition. By David Pugliese, Ottawa Citizen Updated: January 24, 2020 https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/canadian-special- forces-soldier-convicted-in-connection-with-theft-to-be-released-from-the-military

DELAYED 2018 FIREARM REPORT SHOWS CLIMB IN HANDGUNS, SEMI-AUTOMATICS The number of regulated handguns and rifles in Canada continued to climb in 2018 to a total of nearly 2 million across the country, a long-awaited report from the commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police reveals. By Tim Naumetz, iPolitics - Published on Jan 23, 2020 https://ipolitics.ca/2020/01/23/delayed-2018-firearm-report- shows-climb-in-handguns-semi-automatics/

2018 COMMISSIONER OF FIREARMS REPORT [Date modified: 2020-01-22] http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/2018-commissioner-firearms-report

MARCH 3, 2019 - CANADIAN FIREARMS PROGRAM: RCMP REPORT ON LICENSING AND REGISTRATION ERRORS FOR 2017 - Why weren’t these errors reported in the 2017 RCMP Commissioner of Firearms Report tabled in Parliament in December 2018? Analysis and Commentary by Dennis R. Young March 3, 2019 https://dennisryoung.ca/2019/03/03/analysis-commentary-firearms-program-errors-for-2017/ 2

DECEMBER 5, 2018 - IMPORTANT GUN CONTROL STATISTICS MISSING FROM RCMP FIREARMS COMMISSIONER’S REPORTS TO PARLIAMENT - The Liberal Government promised their policies and programs would be ‘evidence-based’. Unfortunately, the base of ‘evidence’ in support of federal firearms programs is sorely lacking. By Dennis R. Young - December 5, 2018 https://dennisryoung.ca/2018/12/05/evidence-based-firearms-statistics-desparately- needed/

ELEPHANT HUNT AUCTION AT CALGARY TRADE SHOW CANCELLED; TO BE SOLD DIRECTLY INSTEAD - A planned auction for an elephant hunt at a fundraiser this weekend in Calgary has been cancelled, its organizers say. Instead, the Calgary chapter of Safari Club International says the prized trip will be sold directly to an interested customer. The shift comes after considerable backlash from Calgary Animal Rights Effort (CARE). “SCI Calgary wants to thank all those who have expressed their support of the hunt, including the people of Botswana to determine their future and the role ethical, controlled hunting plays in the long-term conservation of this majestic species.” By SAMMY HUDES, Calgary Herald - Updated: January 24, 2020 https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/elephant- hunt-auction-at-calgary-trade-show-cancelled-to-be-sold-directly-instead

CALGARY HUNTERS CLUB TO AUCTION OFF ELEPHANT HUNT; ANIMAL RIGHTS GROUP CALLS IT 'UNACCEPTABLE' - David Little, president of the Calgary Alberta Chapter of Safari Club International, said he’s hopeful there will be a successful bid at this year’s dinner banquet and auction on a licensed elephant hunt in Botswana. It’s just one of two dozen hunts available at the club’s annual fundraiser auction, which caps off a two-day hunting expo. Little said he understood that there could be controversy over this particular hunt. “It’s an elephant, which is an iconic animal,” he said. “There’s been a lot of levers pulled and buttons pushed — a lot of sensitivities — but it might as well be auctioning off a trip for two to Tahiti. It’s the same genre (of adventure travel).” He said the legal hunt reopened in Botswana last May after a five-year closure, and he described a problem of “overpopulation” of elephants there. By Brodie Thomas, Calgary Herald - Updated: January 24, 2020 https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/calgary-hunters- club-to-auction-off-elephant-hunt-alarming-animal-rights-group

PREMIER DOUG FORD PUTS UP $20M TO FIGHT GUNS AND GANGS Premier Doug Ford announced $20.5 million for Peel Regional Police so the force can beef up its efforts to combat gangs and guns. “It will also allow our officers to target organized crime at its source and work with prosecutors to lock up the criminals,” Ford said. The overwhelming majority of crime guns in the GTA are smuggled in from the United States. By Brian Lilley, Toronto Sun - January 24, 2020 https://torontosun.com/news/provincial/premier-doug-ford-puts-up-20m-to- fight-guns-and-gangs

HIGH RURAL CRIME RATES AND SLOW EMERGENCY RESPONSE TIMES LEAVE ALBERTA RESIDENTS FEELING VULNERABLE - The province is also seeking changes at the federal level to target rural crime. Alberta Justice Minister Doug Schweitzer sent a letter to his federal counterpart this week, asking that the Criminal Code be amended to impose harsher sentences for rural crimes “in recognition of the victim’s enhanced vulnerability.” Mr. Schweitzer pressed the issue during a meeting in Victoria on Wednesday with Canada’s justice ministers, who agreed to form a working group to study the issue. By Jessica Nelson, Special to The Globe and Mail - January 24, 2020 https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alberta/article-wheres-a-cop-when-you-need-one/

RCMP COMMISSIONER OF FIREARMS PUBLISHES 2018 REPORT. TheGunBlog.ca — A report by Canada’s firearm regulator shows there are “no reasons why” the country’s 2.2 million men and women with a gun licence shouldn’t have firearms, suggesting the prime minister’s plans for mass confiscations are unjustified. “All applicants are screened to ensure that there are no reasons why, in the interest of public safety, they should not possess a firearm,” the Ottawa-based Royal Canadian Mounted Police said in its 2018 Commissioner of Firearms report, published online yesterday. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is ignoring Lucki’s conclusions and preparing 3

to order licence holders to surrender 250,000 of their rifles or face jail. He’s also working to criminalize handgun owners. It could be one of the largest confiscations against honest citizens by any democracy in history. THEGUNBLOG.CA - JANUARY 23, 2020 https://thegunblog.ca/2020/01/23/rcmp-new-report-undermines-trudeaus-planned-gun- confiscations/

MP ALEX RUFF SAYS LIBERAL GUN BAN WON'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM Ruff says banning a loosely defined rifle will not solve Canada's urban gun crime problem. Grey Bruce | by Claire McCormack Thursday, January 23, 2020 https://www.bayshorebroadcasting.ca/news_item.php?NewsID=114822

NFA - LIBERAL GUN CONTROL A TEN BILLION DOLLAR TAX WASTE Mr. Clare continued, “The Liberal firearms control proposals floated for public consumption will cost the taxpayer in the neighborhood of ten billion dollars – all to regulate people who are over-regulated with additional controls that will merely reduce freedom, harm businesses, cost people their jobs, and build a strong lack of respect for the law. None of Canada’s past firearms control laws have had any effect whatsoever on reducing violent crime, preventing or limiting violence, or in reducing suicide rates.” Clare stated, “Public Safety Minister Blair’s repeated comments about more gun control show proposals more akin to a police state than anything suitable in a free society. National Firearms Association Media Release - January 23, 2020 https://nfa.ca/2020/01/23/liberal-gun-control-a-ten-billion-dollar-tax-waste/

KENNEY SAYS HANDGUN BAN WON’T WORK Alberta premier Jason Kenney says, “Criminals do not respect gun bans. By definition, they are already engaged in the lawless use of firearms. I don’t see how criminalizing law-abiding firearms owners is a solution to the illegal misuse of firearms by criminals.” By Dave Naylor, Western Standard - January 23, 2020 https://www.westernstandardonline.com/2020/01/kenney-says-handgun-ban-wont-work/

ONTARIO PROPOSAL TO IMPLEMENT A REGULAR SPRING BLACK BEAR SEASON Proposal summary: We are proposing to implement a regular spring black bear season, shorten the Bruce Peninsula black bear hunting season, and make other minor updates to black bear regulations. This consultation closes at 11:59 p.m. on: February 18, 2020 - Submit a comment Follow this notice https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-1112#proposal-details

LIBERALS PROMISE QUICK ACTION ON GUN CONFISCATION. SAY GUNS ARE PRIVILEGE, NOT A RIGHT The federal government says they are looking to ban assault-style rifles across the country quickly – despite the fact they haven’t defined what constitutes one yet. By Dave Naylor, Western Standard - January 22, 2020 https://www.westernstandardonline.com/2020/01/liberals-promise-quick-action-on-gun-confiscation-say-guns-are- privilege-not-a-right/

LYNDA KIEJKO WINS CANADA’S ONLY SHOOTING SPOT IN 2020 OLYMPICS The Shooting Federation of Canada named Kiejko, a 39-year-old mother of three from Calgary, as the winner of Canada’s sole quota spot on Jan. 20, based on her scores and prospects of winning a medal in the women’s 10-metre air-pistol match. This could be the last time a Canadian pistol shooter attends the Olympics if Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has his way. He is working to end Kiejko’s athletic career and kill sport shooting by making it a crime to have handguns. THEGUN BLOG.CA P JANUARY 22, 2020 https://thegunblog.ca/2020/01/22/lynda-kiejko-wins-canadas-only-shooting- spot-in-2020-olympics/

RURAL CRIME INTENSIFYING WESTERN ALIENATION, NATIONAL STRATEGY AND CRIMINAL CODE CHANGES NEEDED: JUSTICE MINISTER - But now it’s time for the federal government to step in, according to Schweitzer. He said Canada’s Criminal Code needs to be amended to see harsher punishments for people who commit crimes where victims are in an isolated setting, like a farm. Those who refuse to leave a property when they’re trespassing and drug traffickers should also face harder sentences, he said. By Lauren Boothby, Edmonton Sun - January 22, 2020 https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/crime-and-western-alienation-on-the-agenda-at- ministers-meet

LETTER: TARGETING LAW-ABIDING GUN OWNERS IS NOT GOOD GOVERNANCE Criminals will continue to get their firearms the same way they always have, by Claude Couture, Sudbury https://www.sudbury.com/letters-to-the-editor/letter-targeting-law-abiding-gun-owners-is-not-good-governance-2040479

CITY TAKES NEXT STEP IN SETTING UP TASK FORCE TO ADDRESS GUN VIOLENCE Coun. Jyoti Gondek pushed to pause the idea until council consulted with Calgary's police commission, but a council committee voted 4-3 to move the proposal along. Councillors Gondek, Sean Chu and Jeromy Farkas were opposed. By MADELINE SMITH, Calgary Herald - Updated: January 21, 2020 https://calgaryherald.com/news/city-takes-next-step- in-setting-up-task-force-to-address-gun-violence EXCERPT: Premier Jason Kenney also addressed gun violence in Calgary on Tuesday, telling reporters that the provincial government is willing to contribute to the city’s task force and find ways to curb violence, especially in the northeast. But Kenney called for harsher penalties and more enforcement to crack down on drug trafficking, saying it’s “no secret” that the spike in gun violence is “highly related to criminal drug activity, to drug gangs engaged in turf warfare.”

LILLEY: BOY DIES IN TORONTO SHOOTING WHILE TRUDEAU LIBERALS FIRE BLANKS Police aren’t willing to say that Khosrawi was the intended target of the shooting, he may have simply been killed while trying to get home. Det.-Sgt. Andy Singh said that Khosrawi was not known to police at all, had never been in trouble. The same can’t be said for the suspect, who cannot be named under the Youth Justice Act. “This male is known to police,” Singh said of the accused. “We have identified with the accused, some gang ties.” By Brian Lilley, Toronto Sun - January 21, 2020 https://torontosun.com/opinion/columnists/lilley-boy-dies-in-toronto-shooting-while-trudeau-liberals- fire-blanks

NAFTA RATIFICATION, ASSAULT RIFLE BAN AMONG TOP PRIORITIES FOR LIBERAL GOVERNMENT Legislation to ban military-style assault rifles will also be high on the agenda for the first extended sitting of Parliament since the Oct. 21 election reduced Justin Trudeau‘s Liberals to a minority. The NDP and the Bloc are likely to oppose NAFTA, but are expected to support efforts to strengthen gun control. By Joan Bryden The Canadian Press - Posted January 21, 2020 https://globalnews.ca/news/6440408/liberal-minority-priorities/

TRUDEAU PLEDGES TO ALLOW HANDGUN BANS, KENNEY SAYS THEY WON'T WORK Jason Kenney, speaking to the media Tuesday, admitted there is a real problem of gun violence in Alberta, particularly in Calgary. "It is a terrible issue and I want to thank councillor George Chahal for raising the alarm about this. We would certainly be willing to cooperate with the City of Calgary in a task force to find solutions to crack down on gun violence, particularly in the northeast quadrant of the city." He says "it's no secret" the violence is linked to drugs, gangs and turf wars. "I think we need much tougher enforcement of the laws against drug trafficking. I regret that the Trudeau government repealed the Harper governments tough mandatory minimum sentences for the illegal possession of firearms and for serious narcotics offences. I call on the government to bring back those tough penalties." But when it comes to an

outright handgun ban, Kenney said it wouldn't work. "Criminals do not respect gun bans. By definition, they are already engaged in the lawless use of firearms. I don't see how criminalizing law-abiding firearms owners is a solution to the illegal misuse of firearms by criminals." By Michael Franklin, Senior Digital Producer - Published Tuesday, January 21, 2020 https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/trudeau-pledges-to-allow-handgun-bans-kenney-says-they-won-t-work-1.4777395

TRUDEAU GOVERNMENT’S ‘BUY BACK’ GUN PROGRAM LIKELY A MULTI-BILLION BOONDOGGLE Based on these assumptions, confiscating 250,000 firearms would cost the Canadian taxpayer between $1.6 billion to almost $5 billion in the first year. This estimate excludes travel costs and any ministerial administrators. Remember, this is just part of the costs to taxpayers for the “buy back.” These estimates do not include the $600 million the government promises to pay owners who surrender their firearms. Nor have I estimated the costs involved with a) new information processing equipment or systems, b) notifying law-abiding citizens that their property is to be confiscated, c) contracting for venders and destroying the guns collected, c) arresting and charging anyone who refuses to submit or d) the costs of the public relations campaigns. One thing is certain—the costs will greatly exceed the $600 million presented thus far by the government. Author: Gary Mauser, The Fraser Institute Blog — January 21, 2020 https://www.fraserinstitute.org/blogs/trudeau-governments-buy-back-gun-program-likely-a-multi-billion-boondoggle

BILL BLAIR EXPECTS RIFLE PROHIBITION ORDER ‘IN THE NEAR TERM’ Minister also plans new restrictions on home gun ownership. The government decree canceling permission of police- approved individuals and stores to buy, sell and possibly transport about 250,000 of their hunting and sporting rifles is a first step before ordering the forced surrender of the firearms. The Liberals use the made-up term of “military-style assault rifles” to describe the models they want to seize and destroy. THEGUNBLOG.CA - 21 Jan 2020 https://thegunblog.ca/2020/01/21/bill-blair-expects-rifle-prohibition-order-in-the-near-term/

LIBERAL MP’S LETTER TO BILL BLAIR APPLAUDED BY GUN OWNERS Thunder Bay’s MP, Marcus Powlowski, recently wrote a letter to Public Safety Minister, Bill Blair, regarding the government’s plan to ban military style rifles. The letter received a lot of attention from those opposing the ban and was circulated around the internet. The letter was dated January 16 and included objections and concerns regarding the plan. Powlowski said that he wrote the letter to pass on views of his constituents. One supporter wrote that Powlowski is “standing up to his own party.” “Over the course of the past three months, I have heard a wide variety of views on this proposed ban,” wrote Powlowski. “I believe it is my role to ensure that these views are brought to your attention for consideration.” By Sam McGriskin, The Post Millennial - January 21, 2020 https://www.thepostmillennial.com/liberal- mps-letter-to-bill-blair-applauded-by-gun-owners/

THUNDER BAY LIBERAL MP’S LETTER TO BLAIR GETS ATTENTION OF GUN OWNERS A newly elected MP got caught in a crossfire Monday after opponents of the government’s intention to ban military grade rifles circulated a letter he wrote to Public Safety Minister Bill Blair expressing constituent concerns over the Liberal gun plan. Thunder Bay MP Marcus Powlowski wrote Blair in a letter dated Jan. 16 with six main objections or worries in his region about the so-called buyback plan, which won’t be put fully into place for at least two years under a Liberal timetable released during the federal election campaign. By Tim Naumetz, iPolitics - Published on Jan 21, 2020 https://ipolitics.ca/2020/01/21/evening-brief-liberal-mp-raises-concerns-over-planned-ban-on-military-grade-rifles/

KILLING OF ‘COMPLETELY INNOCENT’ 15-YEAR-OLD BOY NEAR WOBURN HIGH SCHOOL LEAVES FAMILY DEVASTATED, COMMUNITY MOURNING - The Grade 10 student — shy and hard-working, but with a fun-loving streak — was on his short walk home, among a crowd of pedestrians at Ellesmere and Markham roads when, just after 3:10 p.m., gunfire rang out multiple times. Panicked students scrambled, one gunman fled the scene, and

Khosrawi, just 15 years old, was left gravely injured. Rushed to hospital, the boy died a short time later. The shooting in broad daylight has stunned and devastated Khosrawi’s parents and three older brothers, upended his high school community, and resulted in second-degree murder charges against another 15-year-old boy who also attended Woburn Collegiate. By Jacob Lorinc, Staff Reporter; Wendy Gillis, Crime Reporter; Tess Kalinowski, Real Estate Reporter, THE STAR - Tues., Jan. 21, 2020 https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2020/01/21/15-year-old-victim-killed-near-woburn-high- school-was-completely-innocent.html

CANADIAN MILITARY GOODS SUPPLIERS UP IN ARMS OVER EXPORT PERMIT DELAYS UNDER LIBERALS - The backlogged permitting process has caused delays across Canada’s $10B armaments industry and cost companies millions in voided contracts. By Jesse Snyder, National Post - January 21, 2020 https://nationalpost.com/news/canadian-military-goods-suppliers-up-in-arms-over-export-permit-delays-under-liberals

VIDEO: WINNIPEG MAYOR SAYS THEY STILL PREFER NATIONAL HANDGUN BAN Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman said while a handgun ban wasn’t discussed during a meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday, they would still prefer a national handgun ban be instituted in the country. Global News - January 20 2020 https://globalnews.ca/video/6436879/winnipeg-mayor-says-they-still-prefer-national-handgun-ban

TRUDEAU GOVERNMENT’S GUN CONTROL STRATEGY TO BE IMPLEMENTED SOON “Our work is to reduce the supply of guns getting into the hands of criminals, but you also have to interdict the demand for those guns,” he said. “We have just gone through, for many communities across Canada, a very difficult summer last year. And so we want to make sure we are there for those communities and work in those communities to make substantive changes and investments that will help to keep them safe,” Blair told The Globe and Mail in Winnipeg. By Roberto Wakerell-Cruz, The Post Millennial - January 21, 2020 https://www.thepostmillennial.com/trudeau-governments-gun-control-strategy-to-implemented-soon/

OTTAWA TO IMPLEMENT GUN-CONTROL STRATEGY IN MULTISTEP PROCESS: BILL BLAIR The federal government plans to implement its gun-control strategy in a multistep process, acting quickly to prohibit the sale of assault weapons but taking more time for other measures, including a partial handgun ban that requires negotiations with the provinces, Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said. By Daniel Leblanc, Parliamentary affairs reporter, Winnipeg - Globe and Mail - January 20, 2020 https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-ottawa-to-implement-gun-control-strategy-in-multistep-process-bill/

MORE THAN 90,000 SIGNATURES SO FAR OPPOSING LIBERAL GUN BAN At a recent press conference, Winnipeg Police Service spokesperson Constable Rob Carver said the following about handgun bans: “It won’t make any difference whatsoever. When we seize handguns, the handguns are always, almost 100 per cent, in the possession of people who have no legal right to possess them. They’re almost always stolen or illegally obtained.” He went on to say: “I guess it might make some people feel good, but it will not change the threat level one iota.” The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police has also said that they do not support a handgun ban. By Bob Zimmer / Alaska Highway News - January 20, 2020 Bob Zimmer is Member of Parliament for Prince George- Peace River-Northern Rockies. https://www.alaskahighwaynews.ca/opinion/columnists/bob-zimmer-more-than-90-000- signatures-so-far-opposing-liberal-gun-ban-1.24056565 EXCERPT: I know many in the outdoor community are concerned about these blanket bans. My colleague Glen Motz, Associate Shadow Minister for Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, recently sponsored an e-petition in response to the proposed Order in Council to ban "military-style assault rifles". In just over a month it has already received more than 90,000 signatures. If you want to add your name visit https://petitions.ourcommons.ca/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-

2341 The petition will be closed for signatures on February 15. We stand up for lawful firearms owners and only wish the Liberal government would too.

'A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION': COUNCILLOR PITCHES TASK FORCE TO CURB GUN VIOLENCE A dramatic increase in deadly gun violence in Calgary has prompted a proposal for a public safety task force to curb growing concerns of innocents being caught in the crossfire. Coun. George Chahal, who put forward the proposal along with Mayor Naheed Nenshi, said the task force would engage various stakeholders and community partners, including police, to review and evaluate existing violence prevention programs in Calgary and examine best practices in other jurisdictions. The group would then report back to council with recommendations on how to reduce gang and gun-related violence. By ALANNA SMITH Updated: January 19, 2020 https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/a-step-in-the- right-direction-councillor-pitches-task-force-to-curb-gun-violence https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/calls-for-creation-of-task-force-to-stop-escalating-gun-and-gang-violence-in-calgary-1.4774946 https://themediatimes.com/one-step-in-the-right-direction-councilors-deploy-task-forces-to-curb-gun-violence/ https://globalnews.ca/news/6435278/calgary-public-safety-task-force/ https://thegunblog.ca/2020/01/18/calgary-councillor-against-pal-holders-proposes-new-task-force/

CBC - CALGARY COUNCILLOR PLANS MOTION TO BAN HANDGUNS IN CITY Chahal said there have been over 60 shootings in Calgary this year — many of them in his ward — and said he supported a national handgun ban. "This is a crisis facing our communities across this country. We have to tackle all aspects of this issue, and that means we have to go eliminate these from use," Chahal said. As part of their platform, the Liberals have said they would give local governments the ability to "further restrict" or ban handguns. By Joel Dryden · CBC News · Posted: Oct 03, 2019 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/george-chahal-kent-hehr-calgary-handguns-ban-guns-1.5307487

GUN INDUSTRY GATHERS AMID SLUMPING SALES, RISING TENSIONS LAS VEGAS — Gun companies are gathering for their annual conference and trade show this week in Las Vegas at a pivotal moment for the industry amid slumping sales, a public increasingly agitating for restrictions on access to firearms and escalating tensions over gun control efforts. The event, held by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the gun industry’s lobbying group, will take place in Las Vegas. An estimated 60,000 people are expected to attend, navigating a vast expanse of aisles filled with not just firearms but all sorts of accessories and industry-related apparel. 660 NEWS CALGARY - By Lisa Marie Pane, The Associated Press - Posted Jan 19, 2020 https://www.660citynews.com/2020/01/19/gun-industry-gathers-amid-slumping-sales-rising-tensions/

MARK ARENDZ WINS SILVER MEDAL IN BIATHLON SPRINT AT PARA-NORDIC WORLD CUP IN GERMANY - The Canadians combined to win seven medals in cross-country skiing and biathlon races over the last week. Collin Cameron had one silver and two bronze, Brian McKeever added a gold and silver and Natalie Wilkie also had a bronze in addition to Arendz’s silver medal on Saturday. The Journal Pioneer - January 18, 2020 https://www.journalpioneer.com/sports/local-sports/mark-arendz-wins-silver- medal-in-biathlon-sprint-at-para-nordic-world-cup-in-germany-399906/

CALGARY COUNCILLOR AGAINST PAL HOLDERS PROPOSES NEW TASK FORCE TheGunBlog.ca — A Calgary councillor who wants to expel federally licensed firearm owners is working with the mayor to propose a panel to study “gun violence,” a favourite phrase of anti-gun activists. Councillor George Chahal and Mayor Naheed Nenshi will propose a Public Safety Task Force on the matter, according to a new notice of motion for the Jan. 21 meeting of Calgary’s Priorities & Finance Committee. The document was reported earlier today by Dennis Young, an independent researcher who asked if it could be a first step to new bans. THEGUNBLOG.CA - 18 Jan 2020 https://thegunblog.ca/2020/01/18/calgary-councillor-against-pal-holders-proposes-new-task-force/ 8

DIVISION IN A TIME OF NEEDED UNITY The Canadian Shooting Sports Community - consisting of hunters, recreational and competitive target shooters and collectors standing in support of each other needs to happen, right now. Those who want to cease your activities at the range, or afield chasing quarry, want you to stay silent and in the shadows. They also want us to be divided. It’s time to step out as a unified voice. Select Shooting Supplies, posted by Ryan Simper on 18th Jan 2020 https://selectshootingsupplies.com/select-shooting-blog/division-in-a-time-of-needed-unity/

SASKATCHEWAN WILDLIFE FEDERATION MARKS 90TH ANNIVERSARY Happy Anniversary: SWF celebrates 90 years of conservation and education, The Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation celebrated its 90th anniversary in 2019, prompting executive director Darrell Crabbe to reflect on some of the association’s biggest accomplishments over the years—and to look ahead to future projects and endeavours. “I would think the number one success is the establishment of our Habitat Trust Fund,” he says. Created in 1978, the fund has protected roughly 70,000 acres of wildlife habitat to date through the purchase of land directly from property owners, as well as through donations of land. By Bob Sexton, Outdoor Canada - January 16, 2020 https://www.outdoorcanada.ca/saskatchewan-wildlife-federation-marks-90th-anniversary/

WILL CLEARVIEW SKI FACILITY'S RIFLE RANGE PERMIT HINGE ON CAT'S REACTION? Will a proposal to add a rifle range to a local cross-country ski facility come down to how a cat reacts to gunfire? In what was likely a first for a quasi-judicial inquiry, a cat video was presented as evidence during a hearing on a challenge of a Niagara Escarpment Commission (NEC) decision granting a development permit allowing Highlands Nordic and the Highlands Trailblazers to build a rifle range for biathlon training and competition at the cross-country ski facility west of Duntroon. In this case, it was a feline lazing beside a biathlete firing a .22-calibre rifle, demonstrating the cat didn’t flinch at the sound of a shot as proof noise coming from the proposed range would be minimal to non-existent. News Jan 16, 2020 https://www.simcoe.com/news-story/9803576-will-clearview-ski-facility-s-rifle-range-permit-hinge-on-cat-s- reaction-/

HOW DO WE REALLY RECRUIT NEW HUNTERS? HERE ARE 5 HONEST PERSPECTIVES It’s time to listen to some new ideas (and people) if we’re going to bring in more hunters By Joe Genzel, Outdoor Life - January 14, 2020 https://www.outdoorlife.com/story/hunting/how-do-we-really-recruit- new-hunters-here-are-5-honest-answers/

2019 WAS A BAD YEAR FOR THE “ONLY COPS SHOULD HAVE GUNS” NARRATIVE Many anti–private gun ownership activists continue to insist that only police officers and other government personnel ought to be carrying firearms, and that the police will protect the people from violent criminals. Yet, it’s unclear why the public ought to accept this rather strained claim. In 2019, police were repeatedly shown to endanger the public while pursuing their own safety. Meanwhile, the end of the year brought another case of private gun owners stopping a murderous gunman far more effectively than police ever could have. By Ryan McMaken – January 8, 2020 - Originally published at Mises.org. Ryan McMaken is a senior editor at the Mises Institute. He has degrees in economics and political science from the University of Colorado, and was the economist for the Colorado Division of Housing from 2009 to 2014. He is the author of Commie Cowboys: The Bourgeoisie and the Nation-State in the Western Genre. https://londonnews1.com/2020/01/2019-was-a-bad-year-for-the-only-cops-should-have-guns-narrative/

GUN OWNERS WANTED BUY BACK PLAN FOR PROHIBITED RIFLES, SAYS BLAIR Public Safety Minister Bill Blair says gun owners who possess military-style rifles that will eventually be prohibited under a new gun-control regime told him they preferred a buyback compensation system rather than a prohibition that would let them keep their guns — without taking them out of their homes. The former Toronto police chief disclosed the views of rifle owners as he responded to questions about his intention not to release the makes and models of semi-automatic rifles that will fall under the prohibition orders until the makes and models of all the guns are ready to be published. Blair told reporters last week he wanted to avoid a run of rifle sales before the regime is in place. By Tim Naumetz., iPolitics - Published on Dec 10, 2019 https://ipolitics.ca/2019/12/10/gun-owners-wanted-buy-back-plan-for-prohibited-rifles-says-blair/ EXCERPT: “I went across the country, I spoke to people who own these weapons that could be included on this list and many of them said to me ‘rather than prohibit them and grandfather them, because we cannot use them, we can’t bequeath them, we cannot sell them’, rather than do that, they thought it would be fairer if we had some system of allowing them to surrender the weapon and be compensated for that, that was fairer to them,” he told iPolitics.

POSTS FROM THE UNITED STATES & OTHER COUNTRIES

COMMENTARY: THERE WILL NEVER BE ‘ENOUGH’ GUN CONTROL FOR LEFT Writer Harald Zeiger, who grew up behind the Iron Curtain, was expelled from the East German Navy and oppressed by the STASI (East German State Security, for the younger folks) for his public declaration of his Christian faith. Eventually emigrating to America, Zeiger has said, “America is the greatest nation on Earth because it’s the only one with a First Amendment. We’re the only nation with a First Amendment because we’re the only one with a Second Amendment.” Delaware State News - Jan 25th, 2020 · by Matt Bucher https://delawarestatenews.net/opinion/commentary/commentary- there-will-never-be-enough-gun-control-for-left/

THE RACIST HISTORY OF GUN CONTROL Gun laws were originally intended to keep firearms out of the hands of blacks. By Brian Mark Weber, The Patriot Post · Jan. 24, 2020 https://patriotpost.us/articles/68126-the-racist-history-of-gun-control-2020-01-24

ACROSS RURAL NJ, A MOVEMENT GROWS TO COUNTER THE STATE’S TOUGH GUN LAWS The township committee this week adopted a resolution declaring Stillwater a “Pro Second Amendment/Lawful Gun Owner Township” — the latest in a series of such resolutions adopted in small and rural towns across the state. Some, like West Milford, have passed resolutions labeling their municipalities a Second Amendment “sanctuary” community. By Brenda Flanagan, Senior Correspondent | January 24, 2020 https://www.njtvonline.org/news/video/across-rural-nj-a- movement-grows-to-counter-the-states-tough-gun-laws/

SURPRISING GUN FACTS FROM THE SHOT SHOW Only John Lott could kill a much-repeated “fact” so cleanly. By Frank Miniter, Editor in Chief - Friday, January 24, 2020 https://www.americas1stfreedom.org/articles/2020/1/24/surprising-gun-facts-from-the-shot-show/

BLOOMBERG SETS PRESIDENTIAL SIGHTS UPON SECOND AMENDMENT Who were these voices criticizing Bloomberg’s intent to buy his way into our homes and the White House? These were not the criticisms of conservative politicians, but Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, respectively. That’s right—you no longer need to take our word for it; even some of the most anti-gun Democrats know the threat that Bloomberg poses to your freedoms in this election. By Jason Ouimet, Executive Director, NRA-ILA - Friday, January 24, 2020 https://www.americas1stfreedom.org/articles/2020/1/24/bloomberg-sets-presidential-sights-upon-second-amendment/

RURAL KIDS CARRYING HANDGUNS IS ‘NOT UNCOMMON’ AND STARTS AS EARLY AS SIXTH GRADE - Roughly one-third of young males and 1 in 10 females in rural communities have carried a handgun, reports a new University of Washington study. And, the study found, many of those rural kids started carrying as early as the sixth grade. “This is one of the first longitudinal studies of rural adolescent handgun carrying across multiple states in the U.S. It provides evidence that youth handgun carrying in these settings is not uncommon,” said lead author Dr. Ali Rowhani- Rahbar, a UW associate professor of epidemiology. The study of rural communities across the country, published Jan. 24 in the Journal of Adolescent Health, also found the practice was associated with pro-handgun attitudes and with having friends who carry handguns. By Jake Ellison, UW News - January 24, 2020 https://www.washington.edu/news/2020/01/24/rural-kids-carrying-handguns-is-not-uncommon-and-starts-as-early-as-sixth-grade/

VIRGINIA’S GUN RALLY WON’T HALT GUN-CONTROL LAWS An army of 22,000 protesters cannot reverse demographic change. The protest, by about 22,000 people, was organised by the Virginia Citizens Defence League, a statewide pro-gun lobby group, to campaign against gun-control measures planned by Virginia’s new legislature. In November the Democratic Party took control of all three branches of the state’s government. The Economist - January 23, 2020 https://www.economist.com/united-states/2020/01/23/virginias-gun-rally- wont-halt-gun-control-laws

THE OUTDOOR WIRE - JANUARY 22, 2020 SHOT 2020 OPENS, INDUSTRY STEPS UP VISIBILITY, AWARENESS SHOT Show 2020 is open and moving. And the first day was highlighted by new initiatives, significant visitors, a look at what may be ahead, and a fond look back at the people who imagined, and launched a trade event that has grown to be the industry’s major happening of the year. A record-setting 2600 companies are represented at SHOT 2020, whether full- fledged exhibitors with booths ranging from modest 10x10 foot displays to multi-level, multi-media extravaganzas. There are also table-top exhibitions in what is essentially a what’s coming pavilion area, and today will feature the second Pop- Up Preview section, where 260 exhibitors will showcase everything from footwear to cameras, tents, and other gear. https://www.theoutdoorwire.com/features/6e456c43-aaf8-4e9d-8e62-600764e832fd

VIRGINIA DEMOCRATS IGNORE 20,000-STRONG CROWD, MOVE 'RED FLAG' LAWS FORWARD More than 20,000 people marched on Richmond, Virginia, on Monday in a show of unity for Second Amendment rights. The state’s Democratic lawmakers didn’t seem to care, pushing a gun control bill forward only one day after the rally. The Virginia Senate, now dominated by Democrats, moved SB240 forward by giving it preliminary approval Tuesday, according to WHSV-TV in Harrisburg. The commonwealth’s Senate previously passed three other pieces of gun control legislation, restricting citizens’ rights by limiting the frequency of gun purchases and their ability to resell without performing a background check. SB240 is now primed to compound the damage being done to the Second Amendment in Virginia. By Jared Harris, The Western Journal - Published January 22, 2020. https://www.westernjournal.com/virginia- democrats-ignore-20000-strong-crowd-move-red-flag-laws-forward/

PRIVATE GUN OWNERSHIP IN AMERICA IS HIGHER THAN WE THINK According to data from the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the number of firearms exceeds the Institute of International and Development Studies (IHEID) estimates. The NSSF drew from the ATF’s Firearms Commerce Report, which estimated that there are 423 million firearms in private circulation in the U.S. By Jose Nino, The Advocates - January 22, 2020 https://www.theadvocates.org/2020/01/private-gun-ownership-in-america-is-higher-than-we-think/

A THESIS ON OUR RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS, AND HOW TO REVERSE THE DAMAGE A thesis pertaining to the destruction of ALL our rights occasioned by restrictions on our Right to Keep and Bear Arms. By Donald L. Cline. January 22, 2020 http://jpfo.org/articles-2020/rkba-thesis-how-protect.htm 11

THE MEDIA’S SHAMEFUL DEPICTION OF PRO-SECOND AMENDMENT PROTESTS IN VIRGINIA Just like with the tea party movement and even the annual March for Life, America’s national media seems hopelessly biased and one-sided. By Jarrett Stepman, The Daily Signal - January 21, 2020 https://www.dailysignal.com/2020/01/21/the-medias-shameful-depiction-of-pro-second-amendment-protests-in-virginia/

BBC - VIRGINIA GUN RALLY: THOUSANDS CONVERGE ON RICHMOND Thousands of gun rights supporters have converged on the centre of the US city of Richmond to protest against tighter gun laws in the state of Virginia. Many arrived in the state capital openly carrying an assortment of firearms including assault rifles. Security is tight and a cordon is in force round the state legislature, where guns cannot be carried. Virginia's gun laws had been seen as permissive, but Democratic lawmakers passed restrictions in January. This angered gun-rights activists, many making long trips from other US states to attend the rally. 20 January 2020 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-51180452

GUN OWNERS RALLY IN RICHMOND . . . AND THE PREDICTIONS OF VIOLENCE LOOK LIKE PANIC Excellent rundown of the most absurd headlines and statements from various national media outlets. By Jim Geraghty, National Review - January 20, 2020 https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/gun-owners-rally-in-richmond-and-the- predictions-of-violence-look-like-panic/

GUN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS RALLY AGAINST GUN CONTROL LEGISLATION IN RICHMOND A rally drew 22,000 heavily armed gun rights activists to Richmond, VA to oppose new gun laws and proposals before the legislature. MSNBC - Jan. 20, 2020 https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/gun-rights-activists-rally-against-gun- control-legislation-in-richmond-77161541692

VIRGINIA'S CAPITOL FLOODED WITH GUN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS FOR SECOND AMENDMENT RALLY "Thousands of people came to Richmond to make their voices heard," he said in a statement Monday evening. "Today showed that when people disagree, they can do so peacefully. The issues before us evoke strong emotions, and progress is often difficult. I will continue to listen to the voices of Virginians, and I will continue to do everything in my power to keep our commonwealth safe." By Barnini Chakraborty, Greg Norman | Fox News - January 20, 2020 https://www.foxnews.com/us/virginia-capitol-gun-rights-rally https://www.foxnews.com/media/gun-rights-activist-says-virginia-gun-laws-all-about-power

DO GUNS REALLY KEEP US SAFER? Noting that his interactions with renters at various properties sometimes get hostile, and that he often has to travel through neighborhoods that feel increasingly unsafe, Aaron believes he is justified in owning a gun, despite his mother’s opposition. “There has been enough cause in the past couple years for frum people to gain experience and learn self- protection.” Aaron’s perspective on gun ownership may sound shocking to many members of the Orthodox community, but it’s a perspective that has been gaining more adherents over the past number of months. By Aliza Grossman, The daily newspaper of the Torah Jewry כ"ג טבת תש"פ Hamodia - Monday, January 20, 2020 https://hamodia.com/prime/guns-really-keep-us-safer/

MARYLAND CONSIDERING GUN CONTROL BILLS THIS SESSION Maryland state lawmakers in Annapolis this session are considering a number of gun control measures, including a ban on untraceable guns made with 3-D printers, and a requirement for background checks of all private sales of rifles and

shotguns. Bethesda Beat Staff Report | Published: 2020-01-20 - https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda- beat/news/maryland-considering-gun-control-bills-this-session/

HOW DOCTORS IN CANADA ARE PREVENTING GUN VIOLENCE Wendy Cukier, author of The Global Gun Epidemic and president of the Coalition for Gun Control (CGC), says gun violence is a preventable public health issue. “It’s backed by the World Health Organization (WHO),” Cukier tells Parentology. “Gun control is statistically related to a decline in gun-related deaths. Stronger controls over legally- purchased guns reduce the likelihood they’ll fall into the wrong hands.” The data is overwhelming: Since 1982, the US has had 114 mass shootings. Of those, 85 (or 74%) involved firearms that were legally obtained. Women in the US are 21 times more likely to be murdered with a gun than women from other high-income countries. Two-thirds of gun deaths are self-inflicted. By Alexis Nicols, Parentology - January 20, 2020 https://parentology.com/virginia-declares-state-of- emergency-leaving-many-feeling-guns-are-a-public-health-issue-indeed-a-crisis/

EDITORIAL: VIRGINIA DECLARES WAR ON GUN OWNERS By Washington Examiner - January 19, 2020 https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/editorials/virginia-declares-war-on-gun-owners

GUIDE TO STATE FIREARM LAWS HOT OFF THE PRESS FOR 2020 The 2020 updated edition of the Traveler’s Guide to the Firearm Laws of the Fifty States has just been published. It includes state-by-state breakdown of firearms ownership, semi-auto gun ownership, castle doctrine, right to protect, open carry, concealed carry, permit reciprocity, shall issue, loaded vs. unloaded, interstate transport restrictions, traffic stops, universal restricted areas, motorcycle issues, commercial trucker regulations, motorhome and other RV issues, public transportation carry laws, and preemptive local laws — plus much more information. January 18, 2020 https://www.rvtravel.com/guide-to-state-firearm-laws-hot-off-the-press-for-2020/

HAWAII: GUN CONTROL MEASURES INTRODUCED WITH MORE ON THE WAY • House Bill 1599, House Bill 1734, and Senate Bill 2152 would change the permitting system for the purchase of rifles and shotguns (long guns) to match the procedure currently in place for handgun purchases. This would require an individual to obtain a permit from the police each and every time they wished to purchase a long gun that would only be valid for 10 days. • House Bill 1733 and Senate Bill 2151 would prohibit the purchase and manufacture of certain firearms parts by private individuals in an effort to ban home built firearms. • House Bill 1736 and Senate Bill 2154 would prohibit possession of magazines capable of holding more than ten rounds. NRA/ILA Sunday, January 19, 2020 https://www.nraila.org/articles/20200119/hawaii-gun-control-measures-introduced- with-more-on-the-way

A GIRL AND A GUN: NATIONAL CONFERENCE • APRIL 30 – MAY 3, 2020 Join us in the beautiful Rocky Mountains for the EVENT OF THE YEAR! This is your chance to gather with more than 400 other AG & AG members from around the country! Attend training sessions with top instructors, get motivated by speakers, and meet innovative vendors and sponsors. Come and join us for a weekend full of women shooters looking to do three simple things: LIVE, LOVE, SHOOT! Here are just some of the many topics covered: https://www.agirlandagun.org/conference/

WHY BOTSWANA IS LIFTING ITS BAN ON ELEPHANT TROPHY HUNTING Botswana is home to some 130,000 elephants, more than any other country in the world. For years, trophy hunters from the U.S. and Europe came to Botswana to hunt large male elephants, paying tens of thousands of dollars to head out into 13

the bush with a professional hunter and send a tusked trophy home to mount on their wall. People working in the hunting industry lost their jobs, and without the threat of hunting, wildlife officials say elephants have expanded their territory and increasingly wander around human settlements. "Before the hunting ban, the elephant's range was most restricted to the game reserves and the forest reserves," says Thebeyakgosi Horatius, who was until recently head of human-wildlife conflict in Chobe District for the Department of Wildlife and National Parks. "Now because they are feeling comfortable, they are not feeling disturbed by shootings. They come through the villages. They are free to go wherever they want to go." That has led to an uptick in incidents of human-elephant conflict. Between August 2018 and 2019, 17 people were killed by elephants across Botswana, according to the government. In Chobe District alone, five people were killed and seven elephants were shot by people trying to protect themselves. By KRISTA MAHR, National Public Radio - September 28, 2019 https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2019/09/28/763994654/why-botswana-is-lifting-its-ban- on-elephant-trophy-hunting

OTHER ARTICLES ON ISSUES THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST

MALCOLM: THE PATH FORWARD FOR CONSERVATIVES GRAPPLING WITH SOCIAL ISSUES Conservatives can fight and win on moral, cultural and social issues, but they need to do so in good faith and after some soul-searching about what it means to be conservative. They should follow the path of Harper, not Scheer, and certainly not Décarie. By Candice Malcolm, Toronto Sun - January 25, 2020 https://torontosun.com/opinion/columnists/malcolm- the-path-forward-for-conservatives-grappling-with-social-issues

GUNTER: THE FRONTIER OILSANDS MINE IS A NO-BRAINER First of all, as mentioned above, oil from Frontier will produce fewer emissions than oil produced in just about any other country. So if Canada doesn’t approve Frontier, our foreign customers will just buy oil from other, dirtier sources. That will raise worldwide emissions. Then there is the benefit to governments and taxpayers and to local and national economies. Over its lifespan, the mine will pump $70 billion into the Canadian economy, create more than 90,000 person- years of employment (about 30% in provinces other than Alberta) and raise over $12 billion in tax revenue for the feds alone. Given the added national-unity element, this should be a no-brainer. But the Libs have given every indication of being reluctant to say “yes.” By Lorne Gunter, Toronto Sun - January 25, 2020 https://torontosun.com/opinion/columnists/gunter-the-frontier-oilsands-mine-is-a-no-brainer

CANADA’S “CLIMATE CRISIS” IS ENTIRELY POLITICAL In some years, the increase in China’s emissions approximately equals Canada’s entire annual total. Why didn’t Thunberg travel there? She “hadn’t been invited.” No doubt that’s true. If she or Extinction Rebellion tried their stunts in the Communist-run police state, they would likely be “invited” to a forced-labour camp. By Gwyn Morgan, C2C - January 14, 2020 https://c2cjournal.ca/2020/01/canadas-climate-crisis-is-entirely-political/

EX-CONSERVATIVE MP SAYS RONA AMBROSE BLOCKED PRIVATE MEMBER’S BILL ON DEFUNDING CBC - True North spoke to former MP Brad Trost after he tweeted that Ambrose “ordered Conservative MPs” to vote against his bill. “I don’t know why people talk about her being strongly conservative but my viewpoint is that she was Liberal-lite. Rona Ambrose did what the national press gallery told her to do,” said Trost. By True North Wire - January 23, 2020 https://tnc.news/2020/01/23/ex-conservative-mp-says-rona-ambrose-blocked-private-members- bill-on-defunding-cbc/

GUNTER: THE REAL REASON THE TRUDEAU GOVERNMENT WANTS A SECURITY COUNCIL SEAT For the past two years, the Trudeau government has made winning a seat on the UN Security Council one of its top foreign policy goals, maybe even the top. Why? The Security Council is the high temple of virtue signalling. Its members only have to care, they don’t actually have to achieve anything – exactly the Trudeau approach to every issue. Say the 14

right things, tweet the correct amount of indignation, throw other people’s money at the problem, then leave. Never have to get your hands dirty. By Lorne Gunter, Toronto Sun - January 22, 2020 https://torontosun.com/opinion/columnists/gunter-the-real-reason-the-trudeau-government-wants-a-security-council-seat

HOTTER THAN THE HOTTEST THING EVER So 2019 was hotter than anything ever was hot, except 2016 which was itself the hottest thing ever. We’re all going to die! Unless we don’t because it wasn’t. As Anthony Watts observes, if you measure from the depths of the natural Little Ice Age you get an upward line. But if you take a longer perspective you get ups and downs, within which our era is not remarkable. Even worse, as Watts also shows on a graph, the most credible numbers from the United States, which has the best temperature measurements in the world, show 2019 as cooler than 2005… and 2006… and 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018. But hey, who’s counting? Climate Discussion Nexus - January 22, 2020 READ MORE: https://climatediscussionnexus.com/2020/01/22/hotter-than-the-hottest-thing-ever/

JOHN ROBSON: IS SMUG EASTERN SOCIALISM THE TORIES' SOLUTION TO WESTERN ALIENATION? Imagine if the Conservatives tell Westerners: we have a new leader who's a socially liberal anti-fossil- fuel Quebecer, but hey, he speaks great French! By John Robson, National Post - January 21, 2020 https://nationalpost.com/opinion/john-robson-is-smug-eastern-socialism-the-tories-solution-to-western-alienation

THE ENDURING APPEAL OF RED TORYISM Among the worst offenders who dress their liberalism up as “conservatism” are Canada’s so called Red Tories. Journalist and author Steve Paikin recently defined this political species as “conservatives who are socially liberal but [are] sticklers for fiscal prudence and respect for democratic principles.” What this translates to in practice is a conservatism that represents little more than liberalism wearing blue stripes. Paikin was also being generous in his linkage of Red Tories to “fiscal prudence”, for in practice they’ve proved themselves nearly as big spenders as Liberals, often running massive deficits. Their habits largely account for current-generation “fiscal conservatives” defining themselves separately from Red Tories. By Ben Woodfinden, C2C - January 18, 2020 https://c2cjournal.ca/2020/01/the-enduring-appeal-of-red- toryism/

KNIGHT: FOREIGN FUNDED ENVIRO LOONS ARE STILL IMPOSING THEIR WILL ON CANADIANS B.C.’s newly minted Human Rights Commissioner Kasari Govender thinks Canada should defer to the United Nations directive to abandon three resource energy projects including the TMX pipeline. Somehow in her mind Canada’s sovereignty should take a back seat to the hand-wringers and pearl clutchers at the UN. Given the countries appointed to sit on the UN’s Human Rights Council, it’s hard to take them seriously on any issue. Nor should Canada surrender her sovereignty to the UN. By Leo Knight, THE TRUE NORTH NEWS - January 18, 2020 https://tnc.news/2020/01/18/knight-foreign-funded- enviro-loons-are-still-imposing-their-on-will-on-canadians/ EXCERPT: Speaking of Tides, yesterday the Prime Minister’s office announced the appointment of Sarah Goodman as Senior Climate Policy Director. Rather promoted to I should say. She has been working advising the Liberals for the past couple of years. The trouble is she is the former Vice President of the Tides Foundation, one of the organizations funding the scam that is the Wet’suwet’en blockade. So, a climate activist is now ensconced firmly within the government. Any pretence by the Prime Minister that he wants to work with Alberta has just gone up in smoke. And Tides Foundation fingerprints are on all of this. Make no mistake about it, the Tides Foundation is the enemy of the oil and gas sector and as such, the people of Canada. With the western separation movement gaining steam, this would seem to be an incredibly foolish move by the Prime Minister. He ignores the west at Canada’s peril.

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LATEST NEWS FROM JUSTICE FOR GUN OWNERS http://mailchi.mp/36033a2955cf/living-under-the-gun?e=bc1823b8e2

CALIBRE MAGAZINE The Canadian Firearms Magazine http://calibremag.ca/

CANADIAN OUTDOORSMAN MAGAZINE http://www.canadianoutdoorsman.net/#!/page_home

OUTDOOR CANADA, OUTDOOR CANADA WEST www.outdoorcanada.ca

THE GUN BLOG https://thegunblog.ca/

LATEST NEWS FROM JOHN LOTT’S CRIME PREVENTION RESEARCH CENTRE http://crimeresearch.org/

CHRISTOPHER DI ARMANI [email protected]

JOHN ROBSON ONLINE True Canadian values in a complex world http://www.thejohnrobson.com/

LIBERTY QUOTES http://quotes.liberty-tree.ca/DailyQuotes

CANADA IN THE ROUGH – FIND US ON TV http://www.canadaintherough.com/episodes-schedules/

THINK TANK OF ONE BY JOHN THOMPSON Issues related to organized violence and instability. https://thinktankofone.com/about/

SPENCER FERNANDO Insight into news, money, politics, & culture https://www.spencerfernando.com/

TRUE NORTH

The True North Initiative is an independent, non-profit research and educational organization dedicated to advancing sound immigration and security policies. True North is a platform for a robust discussion on immigration, security and Canada’s role in the world. https://www.truenorthinitiative.com/home

CLIMATE DISCUSSION NEXUS The Climate Discussion Nexus is a group of concerned Canadians who believe more information about climate science and policy debates will lead to better decisions. https://climatediscussionnexus.com/