Good job on CBC's Alberta @ Noon!

[timsesink]

Hey everyone, to all those who phoned into the CBC at lunch time over the Firearms debate great job! I think she was pretty flustered by the overwhelming response of those who supported firearm ownership.

[1bowhunter12]

I never got to hear it but I wish I would have ..

[1bowhunter12]

I refuse to watch or listen to CBC tho

[Scott N]

Originally Posted by 1bowhunter12

I refuse to watch or listen to CBC tho

It's hard no doubt. Sometimes I like to keep track of what they're up to though lol.

[270person]

Lots of talk about suicide by handgun numbers playing a part in things. Total joke. Apparently one cannot commit suicide with a rope, razor, pills, exhaust pipe, extended fall, shotgun or long rifle. Just a handgun.

"So I was going to end my life by shooting myself, but...I could only get my hands on a 12 gauge." "So I abandoned the plan."

Made up statistics on the number of women killed by handguns as well. I thought I heard her say more in Ab & Sask than people shot and killed in Toronto gang wars. Pardon?

"Handguns should not be a means of self defence in ones home. Better to use rubber bullets or a Taser." Apparently Tasers are legal now. !??

[NCC]

If the government changes the rules so I can own a handgun and carry it when in the bush, I'll promise to only use rubber bullets if I shoot an intruder.

[Twisted Canuck]

I heard some of it. Wendy is a real peach. A lying peach, but still....

The guy that annoyed me was the retired RCMP guy going off about how handguns are 'antiquated' and nobody needs them for 'close quarters' self defense. No, better to use an 870....he was a real tool.

Overall, good job by those who called in. I generally refuse to watch or listen to CBC but made an exception while I was running around to suppliers today.

[CaberTosser]

Wasn’t aware of it to listen or participate, but if the RCMP officer in question thinks that way, then why does he carry a pistol at work every single day? Oh yeah, thats because the entire administration above him has known for well over a century that handguns are excellent tools for self defense and the defense of others. Fancy that! He’s entitled to his opinion, but it should be noted that he’s in a serious minority with his. Nearly every cop I know is pro firearm and the odd one out among them is more neutral rather than an outright anti.

[happy honker]

Originally Posted by timsesink

Hey everyone, to all those who phoned into the CBC at lunch time over the Firearms debate great job! I think she was pretty flustered by the overwhelming response of those who supported firearm ownership.

I didn't get the sense she (the host) was "flustered", just tried to redirect to the specific topic of handguns a few times.
And the "guest"..she obviously has an agenda and I think her skin is pretty thickened to anything a gun owner could say.

What should be of concern, is the recent trend from antis stating that there have been more handguns used in crimes from REGISTERED Canadian handguns, either stolen in break-ins or they are hinting that owners are selling them to the black market. ( we know that's highly unlikely and extremely rare at worst)
Are these numbers real? I do recall quite a few gun stores being robbed over the last few years. Were a lot of handguns lost in those incidents? (Phoenix range and a couple in Calgary)

I think the CBC host was pretty fair, and I like CBC Radio (not so much TV) format of giving issues more time than TV, and actually having a real DISCUSSION about an issue and taking the time for both sides to have a voice.

[expedition]

Originally Posted by 270person

Lots of talk about suicide by handgun numbers playing a part in things. Total joke. Apparently one cannot commit suicide with a rope, razor, pills, exhaust pipe, extended fall, shotgun or long rifle. Just a handgun.

"So I was going to end my life by shooting myself, but...I could only get my hands on a 12 gauge." "So I abandoned the plan."

Made up statistics on the number of women killed by handguns as well. I thought I heard her say more in Ab & Sask than people shot and killed in Toronto gang wars. Pardon?

"Handguns should not be a means of self defence in ones home. Better to use rubber bullets or a Taser." Apparently Tasers are legal now. !??

x2

[torch919]

Found a link to the episode.

https://www.cbc.ca/listen/shows/albe...isode/15596327

[torch919]

So if people are using firearms to commit suicide at an alarming rate is it not a failure of the licensing process? If people are accessing other people's legally owned firearms for suicide then is that not an issue with individual storage or storage laws?

I mostly just found the guests argument in favour of a ban weak and disjointed.

[timsesink]

Thanks for the link, that was me at about the 48 minute mark

[32-40win]

Something I find interesting is the way the "rates" are bandied about. They are talking per 100,000 people and rates of under 1% (just off the top of my head) for the most part. Vast increases in rates are being represented, which really haven't changed much in 100yrs or so. The physical number of people encompassed in those rates has grown, because of the population growth over the last 100 yrs, so it sounds worse when represented that way. But the rates themselves are fairly constant, and many of the spikes in those rates can be traced to economic downturns as well, they very often coincide with them. The gangs have existed since day one on this continent in one form or another. They are not going away any time soon, if you have poor people or bad economics in a city, or even rural areas, they will spring up. Been that way for centuries.

[Chuck_Wagon]

Originally Posted by happy honker

And the "guest"..she obviously has an agenda and I think her skin is pretty thickened to anything a gun owner could say.

Well, the “guest” was Wendy Cukier, founder and president of the Coalition for Gun Control, and the person behind every restrictive firearms legislation forced on Canadian’s since 1990, so yes, you could say she has an agenda.

[happy honker]

Originally Posted by Chuck_Wagon

Well, the “guest” was Wendy Cukier, founder and president of the Coalition for Gun Control, and the person behind every restrictive firearms legislation forced on Canadian’s since 1990, so yes, you could say she has an agenda.

Yes...and notable that she's the pres of Coalition for GUN Control..not HANDGUN control, as was the topic....the mission statement is obviously not to stop there.

[Scott N]

Originally Posted by happy honker

Yes...and notable that she's the pres of Coalition for GUN Control..not HANDGUN control, as was the topic....the mission statement is obviously not to stop there.

Wendy is a misandrist and a bully on top of her anti-gun stance.

[Bub]

Thanks for link. I gave it a listen.

I thought the discussion was quite alright. The very first guy who called was off base with having a gun (regardless whether a handgun or any other type firearm) for the purpose of self-defense. Like the whatever anti-gun lady mentioned, it is not a legitimate reason to posses a firearm in Canada, regardless of what the retired officer said. It may be legal to shoot someone in self-defense in certain circumstances, but I really doubt it would go well for an applicant if he/she mentions that the purpose of handgun (or any other firearm) acquisition is to protect themselves. In other words, it is OK to use a gun (and then defend yourself) if you happened to have one, but it isn't ok to buy one for that purpose.

I also agree with the ex-cop in regards to shotguns being a better choice for self-defense in a home. There is no doubt about it: they are more efficient and probably safer for the those around.

The guy who suggested the use of a taser or rubber bullets is definitely out there. He is obviously not aware that I can legally own a handgun, but not a taser. Don't tell him that though because then his argument will be that one cannot legally buy a taser, yet one can buy a handgun. He also seems to be oblivious to the fact that rubber bullets do not shoot themselves and one needs some means to facilitate the use of the said bullets, i.e. a firearm.

Also, the argument of storing my guns elsewhere is really ridiculous. I am pretty sure that they are safer, as is everyone else in the society, when they are properly stored at my house. How does the society verifies whether the guns are stored properly is another question to which i do not have an answer, but for most part, it does not seem that there is a problem overall, aside from an occasional Gerald Stanley and whatnot. So I do not think there should be a major overhaul in that department.

Sure, if someone wants to check my ability, mental or otherwise, to still be able to posses and acquire firearms, go ahead with a reasonable notice. I do not mind. Who is going to pay for it though? I am not paying for it, that's for sure, and most likely they guy who proposes the checks is not willing to pay for it either.

Some of the pro-gun callers really could have left out "the guns came from the US" part though because, like the host noted on several occasions to correct the individuals, there is no conclusion on that part as of yet. It would be much better to show that the party on this side of the argument is really more informed then they think they are. Perhaps, it is not that big of a deal.

To conclude, I really do not see a need to introduce any more restrictive changes to our existing system.

Also, I can see how firearms can contribute to suicide rate just because there is less planning involved and it is (potentially) a quick way to go, but one can obviously not blame firearms for the problem. I will allow for the fact that some number of suicides may be prevented just because of the time factor and someone may intervene or find out or whatever. At the same time, I am pretty sure this is not how suicides work.