Vancouver school board trustee Sharon Gregson [publicly argues that] Canadians need to broaden their thinking about handgun ownership. “There is a thinking that guns can only be bad and related to crime, and that’s not my experience as a legal gun owner, participating in a gun sport,” Ms. Gregson said, explaining why she decided to get a handgun permit in Utah….
But some of Ms. Gregson’s colleagues have urged the trustee, a married mother of four, to stop shooting her mouth off. Trustee Clarence Hanson said her comments send the wrong message to kids. [Ed note – “stop shooting her mouth off”… how clever!]
“I was quite shocked,” Mr. Hanson said after he heard Ms. Gregson on a morning radio program yesterday, in which she argued in favour of easier access for permits to carry a concealed gun, especially for women who feel threatened. “As a school trustee, my concern is basically, we have a number of children … who sometimes feel harassed and bullied. I don’t want them to get the impression that this is the way to protect yourself,” Mr. Hanson said. “If they get a feeling that a school trustee who represents them thinks it’s okay to protect yourself in this way, … we’re going down a dangerous road, I think.” …
Ms. Gregson said she did not mean to suggest that kids in the school system be urged to carry guns. However, she did suggest that the outcome of the Montreal massacre might have been different if any one of Marc Lepine’s 14 female victims had been carrying a weapon…..
Not Lepine. Gharbi. His name was Gamil Rodrigue Gharbi.
The head of the Canada’s main gun-control lobby[, Wendy Cukier,] denounced Ms. Gregson’s comments as well …. “It’s an absurd comment. It’s completely contrary to Canadian traditions. It has no basis in fact, and for someone who is associated with schools to be making those comments is particularly alarming, especially a woman.” …
Well, Ms. Cukier… here’s a comment from a woman. I hope you find it alarming.
Not only did I shoot the gopher that graces the top of this page, I did so with what is now a prohibited firearm – the same .22 rifle I’ve used to dispatch gophers since I was 12 years old. And God willing, I’ll dispatch a few more with it in years to come.
And never mind the teachers – thinking back to the class of 16 that I graduated with, at least half of the girls I knew in school with would have proven a worthy match for Gharbi or any other nutcase intent on turning them into next year’s excuse for your precious televised candle-light marches – given half a chance and access to the appropriate firepower.
That any individual would presume define “acceptable” thought for an entire gender is completely contrary to our western democratic traditions, not to mention, an insult to all Canadian women. Suffice it to say, Wendy Cukier – you don’t speak for me.
h/t
Ild Hack sez: “Both provide the owner with a degree of power and prestige. Both act as deterrents.”
>>By that twisted logic every cop is a sociopath with phallic/power issues to salve by carrying a gun. Whether you want to be responsible for your safety or not, ultimately it is someone with a gun who has to watch over you…seems petty to rationalize your own fear of guns by demeaning the efforts of more stoic men who have to take up arms to protect you or who decide to take responsibility for their famile’s safety themselves.
“Killing a gopher and testing a bomb both serve as symbols of expertise and taelnt, and endow a degree of pride and prestige on those who ve achieved them. Both kill.”
>>There is no rational equivilence there. Spoken like a concrete rancher who never had to cope with a gopher infestation attacking his crops…or losing live stock to coyotes and cats. Lord I get sick of these ignorant self centered illusionists who think that their situation is everyone’s situation.
One interesting tidbit I came across the last time I ran some numbers on this issue; since 1993, the Canadian murder rate has dropped by 6.8% (from 2.19 to 2.04); to get that drop, we spent somewhere around $2 BILLION dollars (the actual figure is still unknown), and prohibited millions of dollars worth of private property. Over that SAME 12-year period, the AMERICAN murder rate dropped by 41% (from 9.5 to 5.6), but they got their drop by doing nothing more than treating their responsible adult citizens like responsible adult citizens; during those 12 years, 12 more US states passed laws allowing citizens to carry concealed handguns for self-defence, AND the Clinton “Ugly-looking Gun Ban” sunset. If we’re to believe the gun prohibitionist’s arguments, these things should’ve led to an INCREASE in the US murder rate, and certainly not a 41% DECREASE.
Hey, Hack:
So, if you don’t want a gun, don’t get a gun. Why would it bother you if I have a gun?
I’m old enough to probably be your grandfather. I handled my first gun when I was 10 years old. I was taught by a next door neighbor, who was a police officer and who took me to the range on his qualifying days.
Except for predators I’ve shot, I’ve eaten everything else I hunted. I’ve never threatened anyone with my guns, and I’ve never pointed one of my guns at anything I didn’t intend to shoot. OTOH, if need be, in defense of myself, my family, my country, and yes, even you, I could use the guns in a defensive manner. I have trained for that.
Now… what would you rather have as a neighbor; me with some guns in my closet, or me with a suitcase nuke in my closet? If you can equate the two then you have a very real problem.
Wendy Cukier should spell her last name “Kookier”. Given that this lunatic is a professor of Information Technology and the Associate Dean, Academic, Faculty of Business, Ryerson University, I have always wondered about the enormous cost overruns….almost all of which resulted from “Information Technology” problems. Maybe the whole gun registry and this lunatic should be investigated.
A Toronto ‘youth’ was convicted in the ‘Good Samaritan’ murder case. He and a friend attempted to rob another youth, who escaped and sought help from a man relaxing at an outdoor cafe on Danforth Road. The man argued with the would-be thieves who then left, came back with a gun and waited in ambush for him. They then shot him to death in an alley.
The ‘youth’ originally charged with first degree murder was given 18 months probation after having served 18 months already. He was also cited on his apology to the victim’s family.
I reckon because the government, the court system and the police will not uphold the law; because judges have more compassion for cold-blooded killers than for victims – the signal is clear – the public is on their own and therefore it’s time to arm ourselves.
Oh, and BTW Yoop, moonbats can equate anything with anything. Once you get rid of all rational thought, all logic and all morals – you can do that and more.
It is quite amazing the depth and breadth of support that I’ve received over this story, as well as the upset it has caused. Thanks Kate and others for not being afraid to discuss the issue of guns in Canada – as so many seem to find it such a taboo subject. It is after all possible to be a firearms enthusiast and a left-winger !!
My father lives in LA and he has the coolest living room. He has two German anti-aircraft guns from WW1 on the wall. He only fired one of them once and he says the recoil hurt his shoulder for two weeks! (Back then it didn’t take a lot to shoot a bi-plane….the anti-aircraft gun is more like a high-powered rifle today and he had to have the shells custom built). He also has two old school Smith & Wessons. He is the most law-abiding, decent citizens I know. But if any socialist tried to take his guns away, he’d be a 77-year-old rebel in a second. By the way, nobody has ever robbed his house. He has an NRA decal on the front door.
I’d love to know how Sharon did it, I tried last year and was told I didn,t qualify.It,s great to see a woman and an NDP woman at that on our side.It will be hard for Wendy to go on the CBC and try to turn her into a knuckle dragging redneck.I love it ,maybe LAW ABIDING gun onwners in this country have a chance after all. Lane
I was going to make a fairly long post, but since this is so far down the page, I’ll just make a comment or two.
Most gunfights take place at a distance of 8 to 12 feet.
If a woman is threatened by someone 8 feet away who wants to hurt her, rape her, or kill her, then what in the hell is she supposed to do if she is unarmed?
We’re not talking here about a situation involving a threat 4 football fields away, which she could run from. We’re talking about a snarling presence in her face and coming to get her.
No one can ever really know how they’ll react when adrenaline hits their system. However, if this woman is able to get her gun out and point it, she has an enormous chance of living to tell the story to her grandchildren. If she doesn’t, she’s almost certainly dead meat.
I frankly am completely appalled at the number of accounts I see of women who would have been able to live and go into therapy if necessary, but who instead wind up as a chalk outline provided by the ministrations of society.
And that is what society provides, you know, they’ll make a nice chalk outline around your body and investigate your murder. They won’t arrive on the scene until after the deed is done.
Frankly, when someone is trying to murder you, it’s not about society. It’s personal.
You know, rape and murder are pretty nasty, ugly, horrible things for someone to do to another. And if some politician keeps a woman from saving her life so that some piece of unspeakable scum can preserve his in the face of his awful deeds, then that politician runs a Naze death camp on the basis of sins of omission. You don’t have a society. You have a death cult with yourself as the victim.
Sorry if this is too unpleasant a post for Christmas. I started to give a few tips for handling a firearm in crisis situations, but I guess I’ll settle for this rant.
I was pleased to see Sharon’s ability to stand and speak, and equally appalled at the instant slurry of denigrating comments from the militant left. Speaking of Toronto and Jamaica, how can we continue to live with the freedoms we used to enjoy if the gun criminal psychotics from jamaica continue to populate the Gangs of Toronto ? If anyone reads the Jamaica Observer and the Jamaica Gleaner (est 1834) every week, they would see what a chithole this failed state has been turned into, notwithstanding the fenced in resorts with the AK-47 armed guards on the permimeter.
If you take a holiday you should be able to go to town without getting killed, and you know, same thing if you stayed home in Canada. Wendy and the cult of the left are nothing more than dangerous mischief makers who belong to that phylum of those who would pervert the foundations of our society…because they can.
As to that Old Fart’s nuclear weapons… America now has first strike doctrine Old… bring ’em on. We’ll all burn together in the end and it will be because Liberal Carter lost Iran and Liberal Clinton didn’t crush Osama and tribe when they had them on the ground, in a nice tight little circle. Again, leftist dithering as opposed to rightist decisiveness makes all the difference. Decisive action got this country established, not collegial consensus-building exercises…. ask bernie Lord.
“It is quite amazing the depth and breadth of support that I’ve received over this story, as well as the upset it has caused. Thanks Kate and others for not being afraid to discuss the issue of guns in Canada – as so many seem to find it such a taboo subject. It is after all possible to be a firearms enthusiast and a left-winger !!”
What disturbs me most in this whole gun story is the fact that whether you are for or against gun control it should be able to be discussed. I happen to for gun ownership but those who are against it are like the pro-abortionists-there is only one valid side of the story. For John Les(B.C. cabinet minister) to say the vile things he said about Sharon Gegson and gun ownership is disgusting.
Horny Toad
Here is a few good reaons wy rural people need guns
First, I had a rabid skunk on my property this fall.
Second, I have rats in my straw stacks.
Third, I have coyote that want to kill my lambs and kid.
Fourth, I lost $1,000 dollars worth of gasoline last week to a thief.
For rural people, guns are essential elements of our existence.
Urban idiots like Wendy Cukier have never had to defend their houshold against animals with rabies. When you face a foaming mouth animal, you really appreciate why firearms were created.
If Wendy want to ban firearm owernship within town limits, ok. Forn rural people, firearms are about protecting our helath and wealbeing.
Myself, Culkier, and guns.
In 2002 I worked my entertainment job in Toronto. I had no firearms, not a whole lot of immidiate interest in them, but a thourough working knowledge of them, both recreationally and professionally through the years.
I fired my first proper rifle, an FN-FAL, as a 15 year old Army Cadet. Enjoyed it a lot. Enjoyed shooting a lot of paper with .22. Enjoyed shooting in the military later. But now was out, and working, not thinking much about it. Living in downtown Toronto.
In 2002, my father gave me a subscription to The Walrus for Christmas. New magazine, Canadian, good to give it a go. What I wasn’t expecting, was the junk mail. Suddenly it seemed my name had been sold off to some sort of clearinghouse of madmen. David Suzuki and his global warming was seemed willing to sacrifice many, many trees in the pursuit of a donation to save my life.
The NDP was suddenly mailing me brochures. It was interesting. The kicker, however, came when I received a large glossy envelope exclaiming, (in caps) “YOUR LIFE AND THAT OF YOUR FAMILY IS IN DANGER Please Open.” I thought it was odd to get such a threat by ad mail.
It didn’t seem like the envelope itself was the threat, so I opened it up. The literature claimed, and I don’t think I’m off much, in the large print, “Gun Violence Costs Society Over $6 Billion Annually….” The THREAT was that Paul Martin might toss the registry, and that the GUN LOBBY was advising him to do so, and if this happens (which I would strongly support), MY LIFE AND THE LIVES OF YOUR CHILDREN would then be in jeopardy. They then wanted to know how much would donate $50, $100, $250, $500 or other, and credit card space, in order for the government to know how important womens lives are, That the registry is still cheap as ‘GUN VIOLENCE COSTS SOCIETY $6 BILLION A YEAR’ (yes, $6 Billion, society?).
I was full of WTFs? This junk mail was TOO much as it was basically a threat. How did me getting the Walrus for Christmas lead to THIS trash in my slot? I had to know more!
So, like inviting 7th Day Adventists for tea, I wrote a pleasant letter to the address listed on the junkmail, ‘The Coalition For Gun Control’ (What!?? WHo!?) and forwarded it to the email address, their president, a Prof Wendy Culkier (the use of Prof, when most I know don’t write Dr., really gets my curiousity).
I expressed my surprise at their figures, not realizing gun violence was as terrible or expensive as it must be and could they point me to the studies or reports these statements are based on so I can read more on the matter.
They replied with…
Nothing.
No reply. Not surprised. Though I was busy digging my way past Mothers Against Drunk Driving mailers, I did called the ‘Coalition’ once to indicate my letters hadn’t been returned.
Nada.
But other than NOT send this kook my cash, what else could I do? The answer was obvious. Buy a gun! My wife, less than excited, but when I explained I wanted to make sure MY kids could have a firearm someday, she relented.
So, I googled firearms training in Toronto, made a few calls, and took the tests that evening with a great instructor. 30 days later, I had license, with the restricted qualification, and was waiting on the pistol I’d always wanted. A great 9mm Browning 1935. Fabulous. Always enjoyed shooting growing up, had grown away from it for no other reason than I didn’t really have much of a chance to shoot.
Thanks to Culkier, I joined a gun club, now have my IPSC Black Badge, so I can compete, and have a couple of times so far. Great fun. Great people.
I do thank Wendy, and her bag of hammers scare skills, for encouraging me back into the shooting sports.
So now I have a gun at home. Hows that? Great! My best looking piece of insurance. It’s secured behind a keypad, but I can get to it if I need to. My wife is familiar with it as well and has shown she can hit what she aims at, and well! If they offered use of force training here and authorized carry regulations like other nations, she’d have one.
It’s laughable that our current laws make it unable to list ‘protection’ as a reason to own a firearm. That said, she doesen’t have to worry about winning a fist fight with an intruder in OUR home. Likely to happen, no. But hey, it’s insurance.
She SHOULD be allowed, if she so desired to carry a small concealed pistol when she walks on the woods trails here, where women have been attacked, and yes, we have a dog that she takes. Were it at least known that women (and..) COULD be carrying an equalizer, all women benefit, carrying or not.
Culkier, I didn’t tick any of the ‘suggested’ donation amounts, definitely not the $500 box, or the other. To those who do support you, I suggest you question where your money goes, and weigh it against providing support to ideas that may bear some fruit in protecting society from those who shouldn’t posess firearms, a pretty straightforward idea.
Then, use the savings to purchase a firearm, it’s the Canadian thing to do. A canoe and a cooey in every home!
Finally, is the likes of Culkier to imply that Gregson would suddenly turn into a murderous thug or lunatic because she has access to a firearm? Get real. It’s possibly liabel, it’s definitely insulting to everyone. Get off the handouts and do something useful with your time.
So where did Culkier and her band of merry socialist useful idiots and professional snake oil salesladies get us? Canada now has a dubious list of ~1/3 of the firearms in Canada. It cost $2billion. It continues to cost tax dollars, and costs the goodwill of some of the most solid members of society. It has never solved or prevented a violent crime. It HAS to go.
Let’s hope it does, and please, newscasters, no more non-sense from Culkier, giving her your airtime to lie and tell bafflegab meaningless statistics discredits you.
And folks, buy a gun! Shoot safe though. Firearms are fun, and safe, and Canadian, and may SAVE THE LIFE OF YOU OR YOUR CHILDREN.
Merry Christmas.
“I’m sure Gary Mauser would love to debate Wendy Cukier on an open line radio show, but I doubt very much if Cukier would accept the invitation.”
Tony Bernardo of CILA and the CSSA (Canadian Shooting Sports Assoc. http://www.cdnshootingsports.org/) has ‘debated’ Wacky Wendy before on a call-in show on AM 640 in Toronto. Tony is a brilliant speaker and Wendy was pretty seriously, ahem, shot-down. She won’t willingly go up against him again in open debate, I’m pretty sure. Then again, she doesn’t want to go up against ANYONE in honest debate. She hasn’t a leg to stand on and she knows it.
Yeah like when the gun control freaks were going around with the piles of shoes of kids supposedly killed by guns well what about those kids that died of other things like bicycle accedents or the died becuase of AIRBAGS in cars
If you want to know how your name gets on some junk mailing list, and how long it takes, just misspell it someplace or use MS instead of Mrs, or fill in your last name in place of your first and vice versa. Amazing. Takes about 2-3 weeks. The next thing you do is forward all the junk mail in some pre addressed and stamped envelope to somebody. Make sure you black out the tracing numbers on the envelope, and go for it, buy a stamp and send it back. And, they have to open them because you may have included a cheque.