help me stand up for our rights

[mattj117]

To Whom It May Concern;

Hi, My name is Mathew Jasman, I am a gun enthusiast who has lived on a farm all my life. After a long search for my own farm I purchased 80 acres in Strathcona county.
This was in August of 2014. In 2017 I was charged with 8 counts of breaking Strathcona County noise Bylaw 66-99 (section 3.1a cause a noise in the county). These charges stem from myself and others shooting on my property over the previous couple of years. Several of my neighbors in a subdivision .5 miles north of me kept complaining to the RCMP and BYLAW officers until finally BYLAW decided to lay these charges. I’m very concerned about the precedence a conviction on these charges would set, not only for myself (as a farmer, firearms enthusiast, sport shooter), but for other farmers, Land owners, firearms enthusiasts, sport shooters, both now and in the future.
The Lawyer that I have consulted stated that if I don’t fight this charge both myself and other farmers/Landowners will loose our right to shoot in this county and other counties. This deeply concerns me, because today they are attacking farmers, recreation-ally shooting, and next they could be attacking my rights to harvest and protect my animals.
I feel Strathcona County is abusing a by-law that should only apply to towns and hamlets, not to rural farmers. Also, if one chooses to recreation-ally shoot, they will have to pay thousands of dollars in order to fight a by-law that should not apply.
Complaining neighbors(acreage owners not farmers)have called RCMP several times over the past couple years, every time I’ve spoken with the RCMP they stated that I was shooting safely and perfectly within my rights to shoot. An agreement was made, by mediation, with complaining neighbors, but the neighbors reneged on our agreement the very next time I was shooting. As a result of the 8 (noise by-law) tickets I received, I obtained a disclosure and read a statement of one of the complaining neighbors, who is a EPS(Edmonton Police Service) officer, which says quote “ Folks fed up with there nonsense and disrespectful attitude may take matters into there own hands which we all know will not end well”
As a result of the disturbing threats made in the statement, I reported the statement to the CFO ( Canadian Firearms Officer) in Edmonton, AB and to this date, I have not heard from them regarding the statement.

Most recently, I received a call from the CFO to meet. I assumed it was in regards to the statement( threat that was made) from the EPS officer ( complaining neighbor). I agreed to meet, and to my dismay, discovered that the CFO was investigating my eligibility to hold a PAL.
*Of note* I discovered that the CFO was also an Ex-EPS officer. During my conversation, with the CFO, which I recorded, he stated that “ I’m allowed to shoot on my property however, if I continue to shoot, I will be charged under the firearms act even though he knows there’s no chance of conviction, I would then not be able to travel to the US because I would have a firearms charge on my record. He also unjustly added 3 conditions to my PAL

A couple of weeks after our meeting, I received another call from him, while out of town working, asking if I had been shooting, since I wasn’t the one shooting he concluded it must have been one of the neighboring Farmers. He then stated “since your not allowed to shoot, why should they be.” and that I should try to find out who the neighbors are that are shooting and let him know. I’m sure he would then threaten them in a similar manner.

In conclusion, I believe that my freedom to shoot is being severally threatened, and no local government should be allowed to take this away. This is prejudicial to myself, all farmers/landowners and recreational shooters, this is a part of our culture as Canadians. It seems unreasonable that a few acreage owners who live at least 1/2 mile away (with dense bush in between) can dictate weather I can shoot or not. The longest I have ever shot would be 2 hours shooting clays with Friends but this would be only once or twice a year. I also liked to target shoot with a 22 once a month.
However due to my current financial situation I am unable to fight this on my own.
Therefor I am asking for financial help in order to pay legal fees. We need to preserve our Canadian heritage and ancestral rights. The only rights we truly have are the ones we are willing to fight for, we owe this to our grandfathers, our children and to future generations. I will have a link to my go fund me below anything helps.

Concerned Responsible Firearms owner
Mathew Jasman

https://www.gofundme.com/caitlin-rag..._co_campmgmt_w

[brendan's dad]

Originally Posted by mattj117

To Whom It May Concern;

Hi, My name is Mathew Jasman, I am a gun enthusiast who has lived on a farm all my life. After a long search for my own farm I purchased 80 acres in Strathcona county.
This was in August of 2014. In 2017 I was charged with 8 counts of breaking Strathcona County noise Bylaw 66-99 (section 3.1a cause a noise in the county). These charges stem from myself and others shooting on my property over the previous couple of years. Several of my neighbors in a subdivision .5 miles north of me kept complaining to the RCMP and BYLAW officers until finally BYLAW decided to lay these charges. I’m very concerned about the precedence a conviction on these charges would set, not only for myself (as a farmer, firearms enthusiast, sport shooter), but for other farmers, Land owners, firearms enthusiasts, sport shooters, both now and in the future.
The Lawyer that I have consulted stated that if I don’t fight this charge both myself and other farmers/Landowners will loose our right to shoot in this county and other counties. This deeply concerns me, because today they are attacking farmers, recreation-ally shooting, and next they could be attacking my rights to harvest and protect my animals.
I feel Strathcona County is abusing a by-law that should only apply to towns and hamlets, not to rural farmers. Also, if one chooses to recreation-ally shoot, they will have to pay thousands of dollars in order to fight a by-law that should not apply.
Complaining neighbors(acreage owners not farmers)have called RCMP several times over the past couple years, every time I’ve spoken with the RCMP they stated that I was shooting safely and perfectly within my rights to shoot. An agreement was made, by mediation, with complaining neighbors, but the neighbors reneged on our agreement the very next time I was shooting. As a result of the 8 (noise by-law) tickets I received, I obtained a disclosure and read a statement of one of the complaining neighbors, who is a EPS(Edmonton Police Service) officer, which says quote “ Folks fed up with there nonsense and disrespectful attitude may take matters into there own hands which we all know will not end well”
As a result of the disturbing threats made in the statement, I reported the statement to the CFO ( Canadian Firearms Officer) in Edmonton, AB and to this date, I have not heard from them regarding the statement.

Most recently, I received a call from the CFO to meet. I assumed it was in regards to the statement( threat that was made) from the EPS officer ( complaining neighbor). I agreed to meet, and to my dismay, discovered that the CFO was investigating my eligibility to hold a PAL.
*Of note* I discovered that the CFO was also an Ex-EPS officer. During my conversation, with the CFO, which I recorded, he stated that “ I’m allowed to shoot on my property however, if I continue to shoot, I will be charged under the firearms act even though he knows there’s no chance of conviction, I would then not be able to travel to the US because I would have a firearms charge on my record. He also unjustly added 3 conditions to my PAL

A couple of weeks after our meeting, I received another call from him, while out of town working, asking if I had been shooting, since I wasn’t the one shooting he concluded it must have been one of the neighboring Farmers. He then stated “since your not allowed to shoot, why should they be.” and that I should try to find out who the neighbors are that are shooting and let him know. I’m sure he would then threaten them in a similar manner.

In conclusion, I believe that my freedom to shoot is being severally threatened, and no local government should be allowed to take this away. This is prejudicial to myself, all farmers/landowners and recreational shooters, this is a part of our culture as Canadians. It seems unreasonable that a few acreage owners who live at least 1/2 mile away (with dense bush in between) can dictate weather I can shoot or not. The longest I have ever shot would be 2 hours shooting clays with Friends but this would be only once or twice a year. I also liked to target shoot with a 22 once a month.
However due to my current financial situation I am unable to fight this on my own.
Therefor I am asking for financial help in order to pay legal fees. We need to preserve our Canadian heritage and ancestral rights. The only rights we truly have are the ones we are willing to fight for, we owe this to our grandfathers, our children and to future generations. I will have a link to my go fund me below anything helps.

Concerned Responsible Firearms owner
Mathew Jasman

https://www.gofundme.com/caitlin-rag..._co_campmgmt_w

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaah!

In the time you wrote this thread you could have filled out a job application. Good Luck!

P.S. The CFO is a retire RCMP officer

[claykuch]

Originally Posted by brendan's dad

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaah!

In the time you wrote this thread you could have filled out a job application. Good Luck!

P.S. The CFO is a retire RCMP officer

People in this community need to stick together. I think this fellow could do without your smart ass remarks.

[Talking moose]

Show us some facts first.

[Talking moose]

Some sort of proof it’s not just for money

[solocam3]

Holy Crap. That is to close to home. Mathew, hopefully you belong to NFA and the CSSA. They should be able to help you out with Legal Advice as well.

[mattj117]

Pm me your email and I can send pictures of the tickets also I asked the NFA for help and have yet to hear back as for the CSSA they will be putting it before the board of directors

[solocam3]

I could be arrested for Flatulence! It basically says "No person shall: A: Cause a Noise in the County.

You can't even fart in our County????

[Talking moose]

Would u like me to post the tickets u sent me?

[Talking moose]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mattj117]

yes technically you could get the same ticket but in the words of my lawyer "the bylaw makes an otherwise federally legal activity illegal" and "municipal law does not supersede federal law" also to note the bylaw states that any activity not specifically mentioned in the bylaw (shooting is not mentioned) shall be done as quiet as possible

[mattj117]

thanks talking moose

[260 Rem]

Bottom line Matt, is that your rights end where your neighbors start and if you are making sufficient noise to disturb them it would be a good idea to examine what you are doing. Afraid I don’t see this as a “gun rights” issue but rather a noise issue. Suggest you and your buds join a gun range.

[brendan's dad]

Originally Posted by claykuch

People in this community need to stick together. I think this fellow could do without your smart ass remarks.

If he posts up the audio clip of his conversation with the CFO and it proves he is telling the truth about the veiled threats, then I will gladly eat humble pie and offer a full apology.

A picture of 8 violation tickets proves nothing as I believe he did get 8 violation tickets. And if you get 8 violation tickets for the same activity in Strathcona County you could be looking at thousands of dollars in fines.

What were the 3 conditions he added?

[pikergolf]

Originally Posted by 260 Rem

Bottom line Matt, is that your rights end where your neighbors start and if you are making sufficient noise to disturb them it would be a good idea to examine what you are doing. Afraid I don’t see this as a “gun rights” issue but rather a noise issue. Suggest you and your buds join a gun range.

X2

[58thecat]

Need to hear the other side of the story from neighbours etc....sorry but with today's society as soon as someone is stepping out of line and corrective actions are put back in place they whine....more meat to this so called meat sandwich please....

[brendan's dad]

Originally Posted by claykuch

People in this community need to stick together. I think this fellow could do without your smart ass remarks.

I just checked the "Go Fund Me Page" and he still rolling a donut. Where is your support for this worthy cause?

[bobtodrick]

I'd really like to hear the neighbors side.
It's about the noise...not the firearms themselves.
So...are you and your buddies getting together with your SKS semi auto's and a case of surplus and making it sound like the Russian Front in WWII?
Or up at the crack of dawn on Sunday morning loosing of a fusillade?
I have a very sneaky suspicion that we are only hearing one side of an argument where the opposing side has a valid viewpoint.

[Jack fish hunter]

And that's why I didn't buy in strathcona county. Too many yuppies for this guy.

[kritz]

Originally Posted by 260 Rem

Bottom line Matt, is that your rights end where your neighbors start and if you are making sufficient noise to disturb them it would be a good idea to examine what you are doing. Afraid I don’t see this as a “gun rights” issue but rather a noise issue. Suggest you and your buds join a gun range.

Hey!!! That's is unfair adding common sense to this or the fact that those are the rules in Strathcona and always have been. I guess knowing those before you started, maybe you need to live somewhere else. Or as 260 said go to a gun range.

[Kim473]

Hmmm, 4 posts on this forum, all in this thread, can't access his profile and he is asking for money ? The story Sounds a little fishy. Would like to hear the other side of the story.

[Ebrand]

I shoot. LOTS.

Clays. 22 for the kids. Lots of load development for 338mag and all my friends come to my place to shoot.

Precisely why I bought outside of a county that currently has shooting restrictions and is very very unlikely to ever have them.

Your neighbour an EPS member ( I’don’t see how that is relevant ) likely bought out there because Strathcona offers all the city rules without the close neighbours. ( maybe so a shift worker can sleep during the day ?? ).

Of course your lawyer wants you to fight this “ to protect gun rights and not set a bad precedence” ( and for you to continue paying him $350 an hour ).

It is not a gun rights issue.

You bought in the wrong place.

If you “win” the precedence will allow me to create noise in Sherwood Park (the urban part) on my own property because I am on my own property (stereo loud vehicles noisy tools). The county is only alleging your noise exceeds what is covered by their bylaw.

CFO messing with your PAL sounds like bs ( I believe they are doing that ) and you can deal with that issue.

Fire your lawyer. Hire Realtor if you want spend money on this.

Comfree works.

[HoytCRX32]

I bet 80 acres in Strathcona Country would buy you a couple of quarters (or more) in other, less dense MD's or Counties. More farming revenue, no? And the shooting noise wouldn't necessarily be as much of an issue.

[darren32]

I wish you luck Matt. I am not as cynical as the rest but maybe because I am in quite a similar situation.

I will be following this thread so I will appreciate any information and updates you can provide.

About 5 years ago I bought 160 acres in Parkland county very close (1 mile) from our cabin on lake Wabamun. The primary reason was to have a close place to shoot with my family. We are at the cabin every weekend anyway. Our land is AGG but borders on a acreage subdivision which is county residential.

The second year we started getting some complaints. I got a call from Evansburg RCMP. I showed the office what were were doing and exactly how and where we were shooting. He said it was safe and had no issue with what we were doing as long as we were not shooting restricted firearms. He did not give me the names of the neighbors that were complaining. I told him that if it was a safety concern he could inform the people that were complaining that they were welcome to access the land and take a look at what we were doing to ease their minds regarding safety. Whether they did or not I don't know.

The office said he would tell anyone that complained that we were shooting safely and that gun noise was part of living in the country. Whether that happened or not I do not know either...

Bottom line for us is that we have taken some steps to be as good of neighbors as possible (while keeping in mind that I spent a lot of money to have our own place to shoot). We now only shoot in the woods to keep the noise down and so we are not visible to the neighbors. We try to shoot on week days when possible. We try not to shoot anything with a break. Shoot mostly shotgun and 22 ... etc.

So far it seems to have worked because we have not gotten any complaints in a while. Subsequent conversations with the RCMP revealed that at least one of the complainers was jealous .....

But I digress as it appears that you are too far along to try and reason with the neighbors. It may be worth a try tho..

Originally Posted by 260 Rem

Bottom line Matt, is that your rights end where your neighbors start and if you are making sufficient noise to disturb them it would be a good idea to examine what you are doing. Afraid I don’t see this as a “gun rights” issue but rather a noise issue. Suggest you and your buds join a gun range.

Although I agree with being a good neighbor, which is what I am trying to do, it is nice to have a place to shoot with your family in private.
I have 4 range memberships (CHAS, Phoenix, Edmonton Gun club and Edson) but still prefer to shoot at mine, just me and my family.





(The glock mags in the picture are for a JR Carbine, not a handgun)

[Jamie]

Originally Posted by brendan's dad

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaah!

In the time you wrote this thread you could have filled out a job application. Good Luck!

P.S. The CFO is a retire RCMP officer

Do you know more about this than what has been posted?

[raab]

Originally Posted by Jamie

Do you know more about this than what has been posted?

He's probably the OP's neighbour! LOL

To the OP. This is why you don't buy in Strathcona county. It's a communist state where you literally can't do anything. No quadding/Snowmobiling, No shooting, No Sea Cans, No Pot Belly Pigs. Still can't believe they stole that kids pig. Beaver County is better in pretty much every respect. Actually the further you get away from the NDP stronghold, the better things seem to get. Will never move back there. Worse place in the province IMO.

[antlercarver]

Sorry for the hijack but to help improve you shooting. The picture of the youngster resting the gun barrel on the shooting rest totally defeats having a free floating barrel. Rest the forearm of the gun on the shooting rest.

[darren32]

Originally Posted by antlercarver

Sorry for the hijack but to help improve you shooting. The picture of the youngster resting the gun barrel on the shooting rest totally defeats having a free floating barrel. Rest the forearm of the gun on the shooting rest.

Thanks for the tip. Yes, and a gun that fits him would help too .......
He is 8, and it's a 10/22 he does just fine.

[solocam3]

Did you get in touch with your Ward Councillor? I have been in the County 28 years and never a problem. The County needs a definition of "Noise" as it applies to the bylaw. Pretty Vague.

[brendan's dad]

Originally Posted by Jamie

Do you know more about this than what has been posted?

Nope