To the Editor:
In response to Dave Coles’ letter regarding the much flawed gun registry, first let me say that I am unable to place a huge label behind my name such as the President of some Union to make my statement seem more important.
I am a confirmed archery addict, bowhunter, archery coach, and do not hunt animals with a firearm. Maybe those are my credentials. I have no problem with firearms, as well as firearm or hunter education and the registering of pistols and restricted weapons.
We have had registration of pistols for almost a century. We also have registered cars and motorbikes for years... the fees for that help pay for roads, safety initiatives and of course, claims.
What has gun registry paid back to us? - nothing. What it has given us is another wanton waste of taxpayers dollars. A bottomless pit of useless information. Or is it? Now, as the owner of a registered firearm, when a neighbour complains about your barking dog the police come there with the knowledge you may own a single shot .22 Cooey rifle, used to hunt gophers.
With a new officers straight out of the city this can present a danger to you as a civilian. Do not under any circumstances make a sudden move.
Having said that I sincerely trust that the police follow the same guidlines when attending a home regardless of whether they know there might be a firearm there or not.
There are over a million un-registered guns in Canada and here is the saddest part of that statistic. Most are owned by law abiding citizens who have never, nor will ever commit a crime. The rest are owned by lowlifes who are not beating a path to gun registry with their illegal weapons.
It’s too bad Mr. Coles cannot point to one event that gun registry has helped with. Those wasted taxpayer dollars could be spent on more police activity and getting prisoners more well deserved jail time for gun crimes.
So here is where he and I can agree - vote with your values and when doing so remember who brought in the gun registry, and who keeps wasting law abiding citizens tax dollars.
Ernie Marvin, Keremeos (President of nothing)