NEWS RELEASE

  May 22, 2001                                                                                                    For Immediate Release

  GOV’T TRUSTS FOREIGN VISITORS WITH GUNS MORE THAN ITS OWN CITIZENS

“Why one set of rules for foreign gun owners and another for Canadians?  It just doesn’t make sense.”

  Yorkton – Today, Garry Breitkreuz, MP for Yorkton-Melville exposed another example of Liberal hypocrisy when it comes to the country’s gun laws.  “Foreign visitors can come into Canada with their guns without having to pass any of the mandatory public safety tests and background checks forced on Canadian firearms owners,” revealed Breitkreuz.  “Declare your guns at the border, pay your fifty bucks and welcome to Canada – that’s it for a foreign visitor.  Meanwhile, Canadian firearm owners are put through a maze of bureaucratic red tape, safety testing, background checks, a waiting period and a barrage of personal questions that violate their right to privacy.  The government isn’t even checking to see if these foreign visitors take their guns out of Canada when they leave.  This destroys yet another feeble excuse the Justice Minister uses to justify the registration of all firearms.”

  Relaxed Rules for a Foreign Visitor with Firearms Coming into Canada

  (1) Fill out a Non-Resident Firearms Declaration Form (one page)

(2) Have a Customs Officer verify your firearms and witness your signature

(3) Pay a fee of $50 (Canadian) and receive a Temporary Firearms Licence and Registration

(4) Temporary Licence allows you to bring as many guns as you want into Canada

(5) Temporary Licence also allows you to buy ammunition here and bring 200 rounds into Canada duty free

(6) No, you don’t have to tell Customs when you take the gun back out of Canada

-          No criminal record checks, background checks or references

-          No embarrassing personal questions about your private life

-          No firearms safety course or proof you even know how to shoot a gun

-          No Waiting-Period

Onerous Rules for a Responsible Canadian Gun Owner

  (1) Pass the Canadian Firearms Safety Course

(2) Fill out an Application for a Firearms Licence (2 pages)

(3) Get a photograph and have a guarantor sign the back of the photo and your application form

(4) Answer eight very private and personal questions including: Have you been diagnosed or treated for depression, experienced a divorce, separation, job loss or bankruptcy? (None of which foreign visitors have to answer)

(5) Have your application signed by your spouse or common-law partner

(6) Provide the name, address and phone number for former spouse or common-law partner

(7) Have your application signed by your former spouse or common-law partner

(8) Provide the name, address and phone number of two references (cannot be your spouse)

(9) Pay $60 for a Firearms Possession and Acquisition Licence

(10) Wait for the mandatory period of 28-days

  “This is typical of the Ministerial mismanagement of the firearms file.  Check the guns coming into Canada but don’t check them going out.  Doesn’t this prove that Bill C-68 never was about tracking all firearms entering and leaving the country?” asked Breitkreuz.  “They’ve had six years and they still can’t make it work!  When will the Liberals realize the only solution is to repeal this fatally flawed legislation and replace it with something that will work?”

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