[andyt]

I've tried googling this several different ways - no luck. I was living in Vancouver at the time - I would remember if the military was called out to deal with a bank robber. I've never heard of such a thing.

Bart's been visiting his alternate universe again.

[Gunnair]

andyt andyt:

I've tried googling this several different ways - no luck. I was living in Vancouver at the time - I would remember if the military was called out to deal with a bank robber. I've never heard of such a thing.

Bart's been visiting his alternate universe again.

Enough already, Bart's seems a good sort. I suspect it's more of a misunderstanding.

[2Cdo]

andyt andyt:

I've tried googling this several different ways - no luck. I was living in Vancouver at the time - I would remember if the military was called out to deal with a bank robber. I've never heard of such a thing.

Bart's been visiting his alternate universe again.

The military has assisted the police several times in the past but it has almost always been Military Police. I have never heard of any infantry called upon to shoot bank robbers. Knowing our press, and their ability to know nothing about our military, I would suggest that it was a police tactical team who did the shooting. The fact that a lot of these teams wear camoflage uniforms probably confused the news team covering the incident.

[BartSimpson]

I'll contact the Times Colonist and Shaw TV - one of the two will be able to pull this from their archives.

[sandorski]

angler57 angler57:

Just the facts; Growing up in a rural area all our neighbors and my family all had firearms.
A rifle always sat on the back step or in a kitchen corner. Was
not uncommon to step out on porch and add a rabbit or squirrel to the breakfast or lunch menu. Also kept much needed monies in our pockets.
Most folks had a hand gun in a closet our bed stand.
Now, all these thrity, fourty, fifty. Well, all these many years. Non of these people or myself have ever broken the law. Cept, maybe parking violations at those silly meter things or going a bit to rapidly.
Myself and most I know have carry permits. I also build muzzleloading weapons. Long sticks and pistols. Just a hobby, much as bowling or stamp collecting.
These weapons are just a bit of history.
Now if you choose to use demeaning statements to insult myself and other honest hard working people, thats your business.
As for me your views are yours and mine are mine.
I respect your country and would never do anything to break your laws.
Please permit me and mine the rights we are given here in the US of A.

No.

[BartSimpson]

sandorski sandorski:

angler57 angler57:

Just the facts; Growing up in a rural area all our neighbors and my family all had firearms.
A rifle always sat on the back step or in a kitchen corner. Was
not uncommon to step out on porch and add a rabbit or squirrel to the breakfast or lunch menu. Also kept much needed monies in our pockets.
Most folks had a hand gun in a closet our bed stand.
Now, all these thrity, fourty, fifty. Well, all these many years. Non of these people or myself have ever broken the law. Cept, maybe parking violations at those silly meter things or going a bit to rapidly.
Myself and most I know have carry permits. I also build muzzleloading weapons. Long sticks and pistols. Just a hobby, much as bowling or stamp collecting.
These weapons are just a bit of history.
Now if you choose to use demeaning statements to insult myself and other honest hard working people, thats your business.
As for me your views are yours and mine are mine.
I respect your country and would never do anything to break your laws.
Please permit me and mine the rights we are given here in the US of A.

No.

Molon labe.

[bootlegga]

Ruxpercnd Ruxpercnd:

First: I would never bring an illegal weapon into Canada or otherwise violate any Canadian law. And I have always felt comfortable in Canada without my usual equipment.


I am properly licensed to conceal carry a handgun and I do every day. I pretty much feel naked without my gun, like leaving the house without my wallet or car keys. All this feels very natural and otherwise don't give it much thought. My handgun is concealed and out of mind most of the time. I go to the gun range often. Practice, practice...practice.

So, I wonder about Canadians.

- Do Canadians feel properly protected? Do you have enough police to stay on top of the crazies? Does Canada have a lot less crime than America?

- Do Canadians want to be able to protect themselves?

The 2nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, does not grant the right to bear arms, rather it simply prohibits our government from interferring with our natural God given right.

Even at that I beleve we have too much regulation. Freedom is never guaranteed, but must always be demanded.

Is Canada some kind of utopia where you can just breathe easy all the time?

There is an Obama poster in one of our local gun shops with the title: "Our best Salesman". Yea, kind of funny, but apparently true. I am an old fart, but I am just amazed at the young people, including young ladies at the gun range. I don't think anybody has a real true picture of all this. The left wing media here in the U.S. doesn't want to admit where citizen sentiment resides.

I live close to a major mental institution and large prison facility. As our government spirals out of control and threatens early prisoner release, there seems to be more reason to gear up for personal security.

So, is everything that cozy in good old Canada?

Next time you visit U.S. look up a good in-door gun range that rents out handguns. You might like it. A good range will provide a firearme safety course and provide instruction.

I've never understood the American obsession with firearms. I'm sure some of it is leftover from their youthful rebellious ways in the 1770s-80s, but to me, Americans seem obsessed with firearms to the point of hysterical paranoia. I've heard dozens of whoppers of US firearms stories, but this is my favourite.

While I was in Taiwan, I met an American girl from Georgia. Young, sweet, rather pretty, the typical girl-next-door, cheerleader type. When she turned 16, her father bought her 2 things, a car and a handgun. He told her to put it in the glove compartment, and if she ever broke down while driving, to dial 911 on her cell, then pull out the gun and be ready to blow away anyone who showed up to help her, unless they came in a police cruiser and were wearing a police uniform!

To me, and pretty much everyone I know, that is simply unthinkable, yet she said it so matter-of-factly that it scared me.

Other stories that are related to your topci;

- while working as a travel counsellor for CAA (Canadian equivalent of AAA), someone from San Diego called and asked, "What's the safe part of Calgary?" I almost had to laugh, but told her it was all safe - at least from her perspective.

- while driving through Arizona in 2005, I stopped a gas station in the middle of nowhere and was stunned (when I went in to pay for my gas) to see a veritable armoury inside available for purchase from pistols to assault weapons, with a group of rednecks standing around haggling over prices. It seemed like something right out of Deliverance.

I feel safe everywhere I've been in Canada (and even most places in the US) without a firearm. I have worried about people breaking into my car to steal stuff (like on my trip to Vancouver last summer) or worried about breaking down on the highway, or even fretted a bit when my wife went to Calgary on business trips, but I've never feared for our safety the way many Americans seem to. I have been the victim of petty crime, like vandalism or theft, but nothing that would warrant owning a firearm.

When I was younger, I had a FAC (Firearms Acquisition Certificate), which allowed me to purchase firearms. I spent time in the Militia (like the National Guard) and have fired plenty of firearms, from pistols to hunting rifles to military weaponry. Back then, it was during the Cold War, and I was quite the little hawk, but as time went on, I've mellowed and decided against purchasing a firearm. Part of that is that my FAC has expired and frankly I'm too cheap and too lazy to jump through all the hoops to get a new permit, but also the realization that there isn't a maniac hiding behind every tree in Edmonton.

I understand and support people having the right to own firearms, but don't see the need for people to own assault weapons.

[Ruxpercnd]

Well... think about it. About the time we were drafting our Constitution and Bill of Rights, we had just fought off the British (in British parlance, we rebelled). When the fight ignited in Lexington, the British were on a mission to seize guns. So, in our minds, guns were important and central to our liberty.

The thing about the militia is ambigious. As a matter of fact, our Washington State constitution, reaffirms our right to bear arms but prohibits the formation of armed groups (a militia?). I am sure they just didn't want vigilante groups running around.

Guns are part of America and will remain so as long as I am alive. It could be different. We could be like Canada, but really can't because we have a different history. In America we don't really take to royal families controlling things. We must have already been a roudy bunch to have rebelled in the first place. Having a gun is like having a vote with a kick. It's a symbol of freedom.

For a civilian, a handgun is a protection item. It can only be used in the extreme circumstance. I would get in max trouble if I even began to intimidate someone with my weapon, just as you would in Candada. Can't intimidate or threaten.

If all hell breaks loose in the States... and I run out of bullets. I'm heading for Canada where people are nice.

[Public_Domain]

BartSimpson BartSimpson:

sandorski sandorski:

angler57 angler57:

Just the facts; Growing up in a rural area all our neighbors and my family all had firearms.
A rifle always sat on the back step or in a kitchen corner. Was
not uncommon to step out on porch and add a rabbit or squirrel to the breakfast or lunch menu. Also kept much needed monies in our pockets.
Most folks had a hand gun in a closet our bed stand.
Now, all these thrity, fourty, fifty. Well, all these many years. Non of these people or myself have ever broken the law. Cept, maybe parking violations at those silly meter things or going a bit to rapidly.
Myself and most I know have carry permits. I also build muzzleloading weapons. Long sticks and pistols. Just a hobby, much as bowling or stamp collecting.
These weapons are just a bit of history.
Now if you choose to use demeaning statements to insult myself and other honest hard working people, thats your business.
As for me your views are yours and mine are mine.
I respect your country and would never do anything to break your laws.
Please permit me and mine the rights we are given here in the US of A.

No.

Molon labe.

Okay, this is what pisses me off about Americans.

What makes you and angler believe that you are above Canadian law and Canadian customs while in Canada? That's why sandorski said no.

[sandorski]

Mr_Canada Mr_Canada:

BartSimpson BartSimpson:

sandorski sandorski:

No.

Molon labe.

Okay, this is what pisses me off about Americans.

What makes you and angler believe that you are above Canadian law and Canadian customs while in Canada? That's why sandorski said no.

Yup, he asked, I answered. Any questions?

[Gunnair]

Ruxpercnd Ruxpercnd:

If all hell breaks loose in the States... and I run out of bullets. I'm heading for Canada where people are nice.

Please don't

We're getting tired of being the insurance policy of people who have fucked up their countries.

[fifeboy]

Mr_Canada Mr_Canada:

http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/85-002-x/8 ... 11-eng.pdf

Thank you. A very interesting article.

[fifeboy]

ShepherdsDog ShepherdsDog:

The thing is, violent crime/armed assaults still occurs even without ready access to firearms. The weapons involved, vary from knives to tools to anything that can be concealed by the perp, before they require it. For good reasons, the areas with the most violent crimes are the prairie cities of Saskatoon, Regina and Winnipeg(which also has a serious problem with vehicle theft).

I live in Saskatoon. I am not sure what colour medal we won this year in the violent crime Olympics but it is either Gold or Silver. Whatever, we own the podium on that. However, I do not feel unsafe here. Not at all. There are places I would not walk at night, but show me a city in the Western World where there is not a few dangerous places.

[fifeboy]

herbie herbie:

If you actually think you need a gun for personal protection and you're not a timber cruiser or prospector wandering alone for days in grizzly country, you've got a problem.
You society is broken.
If you truly want an opinion from an average Canadian, we'd tell you to fix it or move to another country.
Or turn off the fucking tv, cuz Momma never told you it wasn't fucking real.

I'm not shitting. I go on a welcome BC site and here's some lady asking if its 'safe' to move to Prince George. WTF? Safe?
Safe from paranoid chickenshits who think they need to hide a gun under their coat, certainly. Anybody sees a handgun on you 911 is going to swamped in three seconds.
You can own a handgun in this country if you want to. With the proper permits, locked in a case on the way to and from the range, and if you even want to show it to someone in your own home it better be unloaded and the ammo locked away somewhere else.
And about 2% of us will take your side on the issue.

Now if you wanna talk about a long gun, that's another story. Half the damn problems here are due to automatically associating the word 'gun' with a handgun or assault weapon. Leave our rifles and shotguns alone.

[fifeboy]

PublicAnimalNo9 PublicAnimalNo9:

Vermont- a CCW state. Population, approx. 600,000. Incidents of gun crimes- 119/100,000 ppl. I use Vermont cuz so many gun proponents like to point at the "success" of CCW laws there.

Metro Toronto- a city in a gun control nation. Population, approx 6,000,000. Incidents of gun crime. 40/100,000 population. The bulk of that being gang on gang.

Toronto is Canada's 3rd most violent city when it comes to gun crime. And yet, with 10 times the population of the entire state of Vermont, it has one third the gun crime per capita.
So yeah, I feel plenty safe.

Therefore we have:http://vermontcanada.org/

Really now, Vermont must be a very nice place to live but hardly typical within the fifty!