…on an evening in January in 1994 in a little town called Preeceville, Saskatchewan. Garry Breitkreuz (pronounced Bright-Krites) was then a new member of Canada’s Parliament. He had been elected in October of 1993. Preeceville has about 1,000 residents. Garry was excited. This would be his first town-hall meeting. The topic was about a new gun-control bill, C-68, brought in by the then Liberal Government. It included the creation of a long-gun registry. “I’ll never forget that first meeting,” says Garry. “Even though it was 39 degrees below zero outside the place was packed and the people heated.”
Now it should be noted that Garry was hardly a gun-rights activist. Not yet anyway. Sure, he grew up in a rural Saskatchewan home and had a .30-30-caliber rifle he used to hunt deer with. “But when it came to the gun issue,” says Garry, “I was very naïve.”
Naïve indeed. Garry started the meeting off by saying to the crowd that “this long-gun registry seems to make sense. Maybe it’ll catch a few criminals….” He barely got started in this manner when his constituents made it clear they didn’t agree.
The article was first published in February, but it’s still worth the read. (h/t Ron)
Did not know this story, as a law-abiding gun owner,I owe these men my thanks!
The registry, rather than catching a few criminals would create criminals. More than a few!
Great story…and, as mentioned in the conclusion, hopefully encouraging to the Tea Party and other conservative movements.
Did not know this story, as a law-abiding non-gun owner, I owe these men my thanks!
From my perspective, the gun registry was always about way more than “registering and taxing the property of duck hunters”, as Stephen Harper used to say — and he always knew that it was about way more.
And contrary to the crap the Canadian media tries to ladle down our throats, the repeal of the gun registry is not the end of the “gift that keeps on giving” for the Conservatives, but rather more like the beginning — with great benefit to Canada and its reputation going forward, which the Forbes article implicitly acknowledges.
This must really mess with the UN gun registry plan for the planet earth … and Canada will probably be “punished and ridiculed” for not going along with it. Obama wants to endorse this, but Americans have very little to say to influence the government.
I’ve met Garry several times and he’s a truly caring person, the abuse he has put up with since his first kick at the firearms act would drive most people bonkers, he was targeted by the MSM and became a whipping boy for every lefty politician in the house. He stayed on task and got it done, often quietly behind the scene. There were literally thousands of people working to get this travesty turfed.. and more work in the future.. so climb on board, there’s lots of work left to do..
Garry Breitkreuz helped bring down the biggest organized crime syndicate in Canadian history.
(Let their name be stricken from the pages of history)!
Today we are blessed with the greatest Prime Minister in Canadian History the Honorable Stephan Harper, a global champion of freedom & democracy and “World Statesman”.
Mr. Harper tear down our participation in the corrupted UN, tear down the draconian Liberal gun laws that shackle the real Canadian people from protecting themselves from our nations Liberal destruction and creeping tyranny.
Gary came to speak at one of our Landowner Assoc. meetings.
He speaks plainly, openly, and with complete honesty. He must feel very out of place at times.
His presence on Parliament Hill speaks volumes about the common-sense of voters in his riding.
Well said knight..
@ robin111:
I want to second your opinion i have met Gary a few times. After my testimony during the Senate hearing we shook hands and he was almost near an emotional state. He has taken a world of abuse from even inside his own party. Anyone who owns firearms in Canada or who believes in freedoms owes Gary big time.
While some of the legislation makes sense (criminal record checks and psychiatric checks) there is a l
Sorry cut off. To continue: a lot of legislation appears to be statistically useless In reducing crime and more about punishing gun owners than anything else.
Whoopie, I only have to get rid of half my rifles and all my handguns if I want to return to Canada.
I do like however the successful use of the cost arguement. I suspect this may relate to the sensible nature of Canadians.
Not sure though that this would work in the US, where all the gun theives would need to do is print more money.
The Preeceville rally was a protest both against the Chretien Liberal’s proposed C-68 and against the Mulroney Conservative’s C-17(1991).
From there over the next year, 8 of 10 provinces and both territories opposed the imposition of C-68, but the federal Liberals hammered it through. There is no such precedent, that I know of, in Canadian Parliamentary history.
That no mainstream media even mentions this is not an accident.
Both have operate from the premise that inanimate objects(guns) cause humans to commit crimes of violence and that only that state not ordinary citizens can’t be trusted with the power of a firearm.
There is a morass of regulatory law embedded as criminal law. Every aspect of possession and use of a firearm became subject to unreasonable restrictions or prohibition.
Try to find copies of the Criminal Code and Regulations, even on the internet. It’s not that easy to find but 43 pages of regulations and 34 pages of Criminal Code, but they remain for arbitrary enforcement.
Prior to C-68, Canadian firearms law prohibited the federal government from declaring prohibited firearms commonly used for sporting purposes.
Thus now any federal government, by simple order in council, can prohibit any and all firearms anytime the whim occurs to them.
The current Harper Conservative government has, so far, decided to support that measure. Clearly, they are not as “firearm owner friendly” for either hunters, farmers or target shooters.
While registration aids in confiscation, what made criminals out of an estimated 5 to 7 million otherwise law-abiding citizens was making the simple possession of a firearm to be a criminal offence for the first time in Canadian history.
Now any Canadian can be subject to a police raid(SWAT) in their home or in public with only an allegation of being in possession of a firearm.
That includes those in legal possession. All the Firearms Acquistion and Possession Licence provides is a legal defense in court to the charge
of Possession of a Firearm!
So based on a 4 yr olds crayon drawing or a neighbour calling the police after seeing a steering wheel lock “The Club” and thinking it was a sawed off shotgun(and many others cases) continue.
Registration was only one of many issues at the Preeceville rally. It was videotaped and broadcast across community TV channels.
The Auditor General’s office reviewed both C-17(1991) Campbell/Mulroney’s gun law and later the C-68(1995) and found there was no scientifically valid evidence to support both laws, yet 98% of those laws continue.
Yes, the repeal of “long gun” registration was a badly needed reform but is a long way from what the Preeceville Rally demanded.
Thanks for sharing that story. I’d never heard of Garry Breitkreuz before today.
Yay Preeceville! My mom’s home town.
Old article, but apparently it bore repeating.C-68 should also be repealed, but there’s no one to champion that cause,the Conservatives believe they’ve done their pandering to the “gun lobby”,and are afraid to stir the hornet’s nest of the Left/MSM cabal.
But,anyone who owns a gun should be aware that we are only experiencing a lull in the never-ending storm of left-wing activism against gun owners.
Any who is momentarily dissatisfied with Stephen Harper and swears “he’s lost my vote”, had better recognize that with just ONE majority, either the Liberals or the NDP will subscribe fully to the UN’s agenda,and our guns and most of the other freedoms we currently enjoy,will be gone in the blink of an eye.
Someone from his Riding should put Garry Breitkreuz’s name up for the Order of Canada for his work on behalf of law-abiding Canadian citizens. The application is on line, but the app has to have the nominee’s full street address,which I assume someone in his Riding would know.
For his work, Breitkreuz deserves it a hell of a lot mote than some who’ve been named to the O.of C.
So? Will someone here who has that information do the honors?
Larry is spot on. Yes, this was the proper first step, but until the Liberal Firearms Act is repealed/changed just owning a gun makes one a criminal unless he can prove otherwise.
Well said all of you, well maybe not the troll who snuck in again.
dmorris, exactly, there will be a greater effort by the totalitarian states of the UN and their liberal cronies to bring this back even more onerous.
Oh how we inflate our victories. The LGR was not even the most pernicious piece of anti-gun legislation. C-68 and C-17 are still in force. Harper has no interest in repealing these because he’s gotten rid of the LGR and that’s enough for Canada’s gun enthusiasts who are pretty cheap dates.
The NDP used to have a clutch of semi-independent thinking rural MPs who opposed the LGR but they are largely extirpated. I don’t think the Liberals are going to go back to the LGR. Not much political gain and a lot of pain. No need to stir up that nest.
I just got my renewal for my firearms licence. – $60 – Harper is a supreme A-hole. Arbitrary regulation?? Revolver barrel length is measured from the front of the chamber, automatic barrel length is measured from the back of the chamber. Idiots!
Scar, I hear you.. now who’s responsible for fighting the fight to get these goofy rules changed..
I’ve been doing it since 1994, and its awful lonely at times..
So Harper is an a-hole.. consider the alternatives.. Harper at least will listen and respond.. there’s lots in the conservative caucus how want these questions and suggestions… have you written them.. its easy to complain, but action accomplishes more… We would welcome the help..
robins111 “its easy to complain, but action accomplishes more… We would welcome the help..”
I’ve written a lot of letters on other topics. While I wouldn’t wish the Conservatives to be gone, I get the feeling that the bureaucracy quickly mellows principled leaders and eventually takes over.
I don’t understand why the fight for conservative causes is so tough when there is a Conservative government, considering that a lot of stuff, particularly firearms regulation, is not necessarily contentious, being simply stupid.
By getting rid of the least onerous part of the gun laws, the gummint has pacified casual gun owners who don’t understand the significance of the thick wad of convoluted rules that still entwine firearms regulations with CRIMINAL LAW. Harper promised to repeal Bill C-68 but, he is personally gun-phobic and has absolutely no time for poor old Breitkreuz. He had no problem with fence sitting and pulling a bit of sleight of hand (that’s a polite way of saying “double cross”).
There are tens of thousands (possibly hundreds of thousands) of once-a-year gun users who are now under the misapprehension that good ol’ Stephen has kept his promise and disposed of the beast. There will be considerable weeping and wailing when they fail to renew their possession licences, are visited by the police, have their guns legally confiscated on the spot, and end up in court facing serious jail time merely for failing to do their paperwork.
Those of us who led the fight against Bill C-68 did so, not so much out of concern for the minor inconvenience of placing a piece of paper beside a firearm but because the criminalization of simple gun ownership and the devolution of arbitrary power to bureaucrats and police officers are serious threats to freedom.
LAS,
Not all gun owners are cheap dates but, vast numbers of them are extremely naive.
It obviously takes time and pressure to wade through decades of Liberal Tyranny.
How many naysayer commenter’s’ on this thread are members of the NFA and staying politically active or informed?
http://nfa.ca/
Any who is momentarily dissatisfied with Stephen Harper and swears “he’s lost my vote”, had better recognize that with just ONE majority, either the Liberals or the NDP will subscribe fully to the UN’s agenda,and our guns and most of the other freedoms we currently enjoy,will be gone in the blink of an eye.
Someone from his Riding should put Garry Breitkreuz’s name up for the Order of Canada for his work on behalf of law-abiding Canadian citizens. The application is on line, but the app has to have the nominee’s full street address,which I assume someone in his Riding would know.
For his work, Breitkreuz deserves it a hell of a lot mote than some who’ve been named to the O.of C.
So? Will someone here who has that information do the honors?
Posted by: dmorris at November 17, 2012 1:18 PM
This should be done.
Robbins and langman; excellent comments. I watch the HOC on C-Pac so I know Garry . He gave some fabulous speeches during the ‘repeal C-68’ days; using facts. The corrupt Liberanos/ Dippers/Blocistas squawked and squealed but could not ever ruffle Garry’s composure. He is a statesman of the caliber of Ron Paul. Anne McClennon (edmonton) lost it a few times, she looked and acted like a wet hen in a empty chicken coop!, priceless. Garry tried to keep a smile away but he almost laughed at her. His eyes were laughing, I laughed with/for him – out loud.
CPC kept adding guns to prohibited class. Uh-oh!
Vic Toevw himself bragged about adding that little 22 caliber Armi Jager and how that would increase public safety.
Public safety my azz! How many were there in Canada? One?
From the gun owners perspective it does not matter who will be the next ruling party – CPC, LPC, NDP of Green. Neither of them will ever restore the reigstry. But if CPC will continue to refuse to make further cuts into C-68, they need a swift kick to the butt.
Many people aren’t aware of the Conservatives actions regarding the liberal legacy of gun control, for example not many know that Windy Kookier of the Coalition for Gun Control was booted off the delegation to the UN, on small arms treaty. Her place was taken by a representative from the Canadian Shooting Sports Association. Dr, Langmans work, and presentation on firearms, factored into the new self defence legislation, The government has repeatedly slapped down the rogue CFO’s and their attempts to backdoor a registry etc. Remember, PM Harper likes to make changes incrementally, I suspect this is one of those cases. Remember, you eat a pie, one piece at a time.
As a libertarian conservative I find that I rarely have to make a political decision. They are already made for me. If a law removes rights, it’s bad. WTF is wrong with the government? Does anyone get the idea that they are just humouring their constituency?
Prohibiting the 22 caliber Armi Jager? That’s a 22 rimfire and it’s stupid. I suspect Vic Toews is the goose-stepping type of conservative as opposed to the libertarian.
Scar, I echo your frustrations on this issue, but remember, the Conservatives have a very left wing bureaucracy in place who frequently make every effort to sabotage the governments initiatives. Its almost a year, and the CFO’s are still trying to throw roadblocks into turfing the registry, using every niggling exactitude they can find, supported and egged on by most of the media..
Scar, “I get the feeling that the bureaucracy quickly mellows principled leaders and eventually takes over.” Bingo! Add to that what robins111 says at 5:22.
Knight 99 @ 3:20, I am a member of the NFA.There is also the Canadian Firearms Institute http://www.cfi-icaf.ca/English/
Dr. Langman, thank you.
The best thing about Garry by a large margin, is that the very mention of his name, makes Windy Kookier blow an ovary.
Harper at least will listen and respond
No he won’t. Certainly not to you people who he knows will support him regardless.
I don’t understand why the fight for conservative causes is so tough when there is a Conservative government
Because most conservatives are short-sighted and are in love with their party/leader. It is sufficient to stick it to the other team. They are satisfied with their guys holding office but never holding power.
Hence the pathetic excuses offered. ‘The other guys would be worse/incrementalism!’ Never no mind that there’s scant evidence of any incremental progress.
PM Harper likes to make changes incrementally,
He likes to expand government incrementally.
The registry may be gone but the criminalization of gun ownership continues. Prior to C-68 ot was a crime to “acquire” a firearm without a FAC. Now it is a crime punishable by up to 5 years in jail to POSSESS a firearm without government permission. Hence the Possession and Acquisition License. Forget to renew it and your firearms are toast, maybe you to if you are unlucky. Gangbangers and other criminals, however, seem to be strangely exempt from these laws. Only the law-abiding gun owners are targeted.
Can someone tell me why the upper levels of police forces and organizations supported this abomination of legislation?
This is just the start. Next we have to get rid of C68 and the ridiculous “storage” regulations that exist. I want to be able to legally keep a loaded pistol under my pillow to deal with potential human vermin invading my home.
Gary has been great on this issue and he’s the only politician that I make political donations to. If you make a donation to Gary Brietkreuz’s riding association, 80% of the money goes to them and only 20% to the CINO’s. Dennis Young has also been a great researcher and I get frequent updates from him via the Canadian firearms list.
We need to keep up this fight till we get concealed carry in this country.
Was it lloyd Axworthy that started the whole gun control by stating at the U.N. “I am going to show you how to disarm a nation” ?
I want to be able to legally keep a loaded pistol under my pillow to deal with potential human vermin invading my home.
You can. “Storage” only applies to unattended firearms. If it’s within ‘arms reach’ it’s ‘in use’. Keep a cleaning kit on the bedside table. If you’re legally licensed to have a firearm at a specific location then you can have it anywhere at that location, as long as it’s not unattended.
north_of_60
Exactely….
BTW…IF the Police ever come to your door, do not let them in…even if they say “please”. Once invited in you have consented to a search without a warrent. You have the right to say “NO”.
Woodporter, the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, received huge donations from the software contractors for the long gun registry. It was so blatant, the their ethics advisor resigned over it.
The RCMP, brass, almost to a man are either full or associate members of the CACP. Many of the supposedly unbiased staff at the Canadian Firearms Office are similarly members.
Remarkably enough, the Coalition for Gun Control (Wendy Kookier) sits on the police chiefs board, and the president of the police chief sits on theirs. Its essentially an incestuous relationship.
“Can someone tell me why the upper levels of police forces and organizations supported this abomination of legislation?”
woodporter asked
It’s because they love “authority” to control you, they are control feeks who don’t understand that U, as a tax payer, are thier “boss”
Can someone tell me why the upper levels of police forces and organizations supported this abomination of legislation?
Because cops love their authority and will guard it jealously from anything that could threaten that authority or their reason to exist. This includes recording cops or concealed carry.
Do not trust the enemies in blue.
Repeal of the LGR has a side benefit. Police officers are again able to use a bit of discretion when dealing with rural people and the tools(guns) that rural people use.
It ain’t perfect but it’s a start.
A REAL representative of his riding.
“… Police officers are again able to use a bit of discretion when dealing with rural people and the tools(guns) that rural people use.
It ain’t perfect but it’s a start.”
Posted by: nold at November 17, 2012 11:02 PM
Just like deciding to issue a warning or a ticket for a speeding infraction, police were ALWAYS able to use discretion when dealing with firearms issues.
Vic Toews proudly and loudly announced this:
http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/media/nr/2012/nr20120907-eng.aspx
But CBC contended that the initiative has been pulled and there is no notice of that.
The gun show regulations are INSIGNIFICANT from the gun owners perspective. He was throwing a bone to us like politicians love to do when criticized for lack of action.
If he instead prescribed antique all pre-1898 firearms regardless of calibre for example, he would have done a huge service to the gun community. And he could do that with one strike of a pen instead of extensive reviews in various levels of government.
Boo-hoo Vic! Stop paying us lip service.
The biggest farce were the claims of Police using the registry thousands of times per day.
DISPATCHERS consulted the registry not the on duty Police. Dispatcher were under order to consult the registry over EVERY traffic stop or Every visit/call to a private residence. The on duty constables regarded it as background noise.
No legal fire-arms owner EVER successfully recovers stolen firearms/property. The excuses are endless….evidence, modifications such as buzzed shotgun barrels…and their favourite fall-back….if an insurance claim is made…the firearm is the property of the insurance company…who allegedly has the call…in reality the insurance company is never notified….cannot be due to the beaucrats being unaware of any details of insurance……..
I am proud to call Preeceville -home. I did not live here when the meeting took place but I know several of the people who were at the meeting. This event should remind us all that we can – Yes! we can democratically change things. If there is one place in North America that is entitled to say Yes! We did , it is Preeceville and Yorkton Saskatchewan.
Overstate our victory- not hardly! The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. We have a long way to go – but it encourages me that if we systematically use our resources and time diligently we can make a difference. No more pissing and moaning for me! Action ! Phone Garys office say thanks, send him an E-mail. Keep up the rationale for more changes to the remaining B.S.- Dont piss and moan, put some money in the proper organizations- talk is cheap. CSSA, NFA etc. Get off the pot gun owners!
Sasquatch >
“Dispatcher were under order to consult the registry over EVERY traffic stop or…..”
Yea, so law abiding people with a firearms licence who legally registered their guns now had a “jumpy” cop to deal with every time they were pulled over for something mundane.
Meanwhile cops were potentially in danger because real criminals who may have had a gun at the ready didn’t come up on the registry check potentially making the cop less careful when approaching the vehicle or residence.
Liberals create ghettos & criminals; they kill cops and little black babies alike, and leave societies good to the mercies of their destruction.