Letter to the Editor,
Dear Senators,
As a law-abiding Canadian citizen who is fast losing his pride of country, I come with pen and paper to the Canadian Senate for help in stopping an ill-conceived request by the House of Commons government to accept Bill C 21. I and millions of Canadians would ask that the Senate do not accept this Bill C21 regarding firearms.
Canadian citizenry will accept firearm regulations that were present up to a year ago. But Bill C21 goes too far in a negative, social and political direction.
Presently, in Canada we have the regulations that are adequately in place regarding safety, licensing, storage and usage of firearms possessed by law-abiding firearm owners.
Also, firearm owners are subjected to background checks, spousal checks, must be mentally healthy and have taken a firearm safety course.
In contrast, in Canada presently we do not have a meaningful system of justice for dealing with the criminal and criminal element relating to smuggling guns across borders, gangs, illegal drugs, etc.
Presently we do not have a government that is acutely interested in dealing with the criminal in a meaningful manner, and as a result, the criminal will always have possession of an illegal firearm or know where he can smuggle one.
Most Canadian citizens will accept firearm regulations that were in place prior to the undemocratic “order in council” that was brought down last year regarding legally held handguns that were presently in the possession of law-abiding owners, who acquired them through legal means and regulations.
Neglect by the government in dealing with the criminal was displayed when the order in council was brought down on law-abiding citizens and their legally held possessions. Both the order in council, last year and Bill C21 presently have been and are “knee-jerk and wrong-headed” reactions to crime that is not connected to law-abiding citizens.
We would ask that the government rescind the order in council and that the Senate deny the acceptance of Bill C21.
Bill C21 presently before the Senate also goes too far in a very negative, social and political direction and denial of rights and freedoms. Bill C 21 and previous orders in council, if placed, ironically give government support to the criminal and criminal activities, as criminals will simply keep rolling along uninhibited with even greater freedoms because no one outside the police and the RCMP will have any means to stop them.
I was present in the Seed Cleaning Plant this spring, doing business and I noticed a 4-foot by 4-foot advertisement hanging on the wall that was printed in about 1905 believed to be sponsored by the provincial government, saying, “Come to Alberta, get a ¼ section of land free” and under that was printed “Home for everybody”, – “easy to reach” – “nothing to fear” – “protected by the government.”
At the present time we are living through the reversal. Now we are witness’ to fearing the government which is trying to take away our rights and freedoms because they (the government) cannot stick to the true, honest and respectful job of corruption-free governing.
Please – as sober, reasonable, trustworthy citizens of Canada, put a stop to Bill C21 now.
Thank you.
W. Douglas Fawcett,
Consort, Alta.
