Thanks Canadian Customs...

[Savage Eh]

someone start a petition on that petition online site and circulate it for a few months. im sure it will get thousands of signatures fast....including the ones buy 14 year olds who want a gun:\

[-Number7-]

I have never seen a post that made so much sense. Maybe I will complain personally. Heh heh.

[thephenom]

Originally Posted by Savage Eh

someone start a petition on that petition online site and circulate it for a few months. im sure it will get thousands of signatures fast....including the ones buy 14 year olds who want a gun:\

Have you not be reading this thread?

[Savage Eh]

lol i actually skiped the part where someone posted the link for the petition (shrug)

[demco11]

A good first step would be a section of this forum devoted to making airsoft legal, that will stay locked to everyone but those who have something real to say. A rough letter that people can copy and Snail Mail to their MP along with their MP's mailing addres... something along those lines would be awesome

[drakore244]

hello, i must say this is a truly valid point of discussion, and i agree fully. I know this has already been stated but it can NOT be pointed out enough, we must all contact our M.P.s and tell them what a load of BS this is. as far as i know there are not fatalitities related to airsoft, and honestly paintball is far more dangerous, but they havent done anything against that, however they will. so if we dont unite and work together these soccer moms will continue to walk all over us and take away everything, first airsoft, then paintall, then who knows maybe even our beloved FPS, hell i would be suprised if they outlawed cap guns. I have always loved airsoft, and its so much fun, and it is made so much more fun if the guns you are using look close tot he real thing, and anyways they have to have alteast a 1.5cm blaze orange tip at the end of the barrel, i have no problem with this, and i think i can speak for many in saying we will take the orange tip over not having and guns

Fight the Power!

Cheers

[Curtis Tactics]

i think getting good attention in the local news would help. such as making all the stores ship bio-degradable bb's instead to help the enviroment. rid walmarts of clearsoft that ruins the rep. of airsoft etc.

[frankiet]

Originally Posted by Curtis Tactics

i think getting good attention in the local news would help. such as making all the stores ship bio-degradable bb's instead to help the enviroment. rid walmarts of clearsoft that ruins the rep. of airsoft etc.

While we're at it, why don't we as a community save the whales. What the hell are you talking about. I guess Vancouver is having some slow news days, because, crap like bio-bbs and clearsoft would hardly be considered newsworthy in Toronto.

Oh wait, you're Al Gore. I get it.

[lordosborne]

here's a copy of the message i sent to my federal MP.

Miss Savoie -
I can imagine that you're quite busy, so I will do what I can to make this email brief.
My name is Patrick Osborne. I'm an infantry officer in the Canadian Forces, and I hope to use my professional background as a soldier to try to impress upon you my opinion on an issue.

In a nutshell, there is a little-known adventure sport called "airsoft" in Canada. It got its start in Japan, where civillian gun ownership is illegal. Enthusiasts sought out to create realistic facsimiles of real-world firearms that shot 6mm diameter plastic pellets, or "bb's" through compressed gas at relatively low speed. Airsoft is very similar to the sport of Paintball, but it is different in that the toy guns used look and operate very similarily to the real thing while paintball guns do not.

Airsoft guns and the sport in general are in a grey area at the moment. They are technically a replica firearm, but do not qualify as such because the velocity of the pellets is less than that of a deadly weapon (which is listed at 450 feet per second. airsoft guns usually operate at around 200-350 fps.). Because airsoft guns lie in this grey area, nothing is really known about them and they are treated with suspicion and heavy-handedness by law enforcement. It is illegal for individuals to import airsoft guns (although accessories are allowed), however certain businesses can apply for a special license to do so.

There is a fairly small, but very enthusiastic and dedicated airsoft sporting element in this country and worldwide. At the moment, the sport is in danger of being squashed by inaction and by bad public image. Some individuals choose to perform acts of public disorder with airsoft guns (toting them or threatening with them as if they were real), and these people have done much to scar the otherwise professional and law-abiding airsofters across Canada. What the organized teams would like to see is some form of official Federal recognition and / or regulation. We are not adverse to seeing rules and regulations in place, so long as our category of sport is not allowed to die out or languish in the "grey area" of the criminal code and firearm acts. An example of regulation should be limiting the sale of airsoft guns to those who are above 18 years of age, or even limiting the sale of airsoft guns to those who have a valid firearms license. Nearly every legitimate team worldwide also requires their members to wear the proper safety equipment (face masks and impact-rated eyewear are most common. Airsoft pellets can easily poke eyes out, so glasses or goggles are an absolute must. airsoft rarely pierces the skin, except the most powerful guns at very close range. usually a small stinging welt is the result), which promotes good safety habits and good sportsmanship. The sport has every opportunity to be a perfectly safe and enjoyable hobby.

What I am asking you, Miss Savoie, as my Member of Parliament, is to start discussion in the House, or indeed, anywhere at all where you will be heard. I would like you to represent the mature and dedicated players of Airsoft in Canada, and bring public notice of this issue to the forefront. My email barely scratches the surface of the issue, so I would be delighted to continue the conversation with you at any time.
I would appreciate it greatly if you could take the time to contact me personally, rather than a boilerplate letter or a response written by an assistant. This issue is very important to me, because not only do I enjoy playing Airsoft, I also believe it can benefit the military during training exercises. I think every sport has a legitimate shot at being allowed to exist. All that I ask is that you seriously take this issue to heart.

I look forward to hearing from you in the future.

Sincerely,
PJ Osborne,
Second Lieutenant
The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's)

[cndzn]

Well done Pat.....I like it. Well worded.
It hits at the heart of the matter. Please keep me informed as to what reply you receive.

Cheers!!

[drakore244]

Nice work man, i hope you get a responce, keep us posted please.

[lordosborne]

Will do, guys.

[thephenom]

Originally Posted by lordosborne

Airsoft pellets can easily poke eyes out, so glasses or goggles are an absolute must. airsoft rarely pierces the skin, except the most powerful guns at very close range

Errrrr....that says to me, "Hi, please lend me your support and let me continue to play this sport where eyes and other bodily injury can be easily obtained."

I suppose it's a good start, but some of the wording needs to be changed. For example, try contrasting airsoft injuries vs paintball (where huge bruises can occur) in a sense you're trying to down play airsoft injuries instead of saying "Airsoft is a great sport with a good degree of injuries involved.

And no disrespect on being in the Force, but starting it off to say you're in the force to gain credit doesn't float well IMO, sounds like you're just a gun nut. As much as we are probably gun nuts, it doesn't sound convincing that it's a sport for "regular" people. Like it would be more compelling sort of speak if one comes out to say, I'm a Doctor or Professor or just a regular Joe Sixpack who enjoys the military "re-enactment" as a hobby.

I'm probably not all that clear on this, but hope you get the basic feel of what I'm trying to cut across.

[cndzn]

Regardless of who says what, people will always have differing opinions on where someone should start, what words to use, etc etc.

From a local perspective I fully support lordosborne, at least he is trying to do something. Most will sit back and wait, wait for what may or maynot happen, the slow demise of airsoft. Any help I can offer to him I am only too willing to.

I posted a while ago on another thread that I would be the first to donate $100 to a properly run and managed National Fund for Airsoft, using the money for the perhaps the education of those that make the rules we all live by here in Canada. Maybe organised demonstrations of exactly what airsoft is..how it is conducted might help. Who knows?..All I do know is lets try something.

Anyone else want to contribute??

[thephenom]

Originally Posted by cndzn

Regardless of who says what, people will always have differing opinions on where someone should start, what words to use, etc etc.

From a local perspective I fully support lordosborne, at least he is trying to do something. Most will sit back and wait, wait for what may or maynot happen, the slow demise of airsoft. Any help I can offer to him I am only too willing to.

I posted a while ago on another thread that I would be the first to donate $100 to a properly run and managed National Fund for Airsoft, using the money for the perhaps the education of those that make the rules we all live by here in Canada. Maybe organised demonstrations of exactly what airsoft is..how it is conducted might help. Who knows?..All I do know is lets try something.

Anyone else want to contribute??

Trying to do something should deserve some credit, I agree with that, but you can't exactly appreciate it when the msg being conveyed isn't very clear nor very positive. It's like having a friend to take a look at your car while he knows a bit about cars but not yet mechanic level, you appreciate the effort, but once he starts screwing up your car, it's not that well received anymore.

We do need to do something, but we need to do something together rather than every single person on the forum bombarding different versions of pretty much the same letter to our MP or MPPs.