Border Services probe nets 800 illegal replica guns, 78 criminal charges

[Lawdog]

Originally Posted by Rhonda

You are absolutely correct on that it has gone no where Rich. Usually, because the players are afraid of what could happen from the govn't that all they do is talk about doing it. Eventually they either forget about it or quit b4 they start.

Nothing to do with fear mon ami, just being practical. Since I'm just getting old and lazy I will quote myself from an earlier thread:

As has been discussed before I have lobbied provincially, federally and now internationally on behalf of various organizations.

Proper lobbying is time consuming and expensive, and having unco-ordinated efforts where everyone is not delivering exactly the right message in the same way can be a big problem. In one case I met with a minister who told me that a member of one of the orgs I represented had told him that we wanted X, when we really wanted Y. He basically told me to come back when we had our crap together, so we had to discpline the member and probably lost 6 months or so.

Lobbying also requires infrastructure. If your long term dream is to lobby for better treatment of airsoft (which is federal issue, a much more expensive and complicated place to lobby) you need a really good grassroots system in place. For instance I can walk into a meeting and say, "I represent OTLA an organization of 1100 lawyers with members in every riding in the province" when I lobby in Ontario (just as an example).

So, and this is my opinion only, that if someday (not tommorrow) you wanted change in this regard you should start with local and then provincial airsoft organizations with membership lists, properly registered, with lots of dues paying members and a good constitution etc and then you can think about funding a lobbying effort (I do fundraising now for lobbying, and let me tell you, it is NOT cheap to even get meetings). I am doing some projects provincially and our we are buying a bunch of tickets for the Liberal Heritage Dinner coming up, and the tickets are $800 a pop.

Until airsoft is a well organized sport (which may not be something people want), I think the idea of petitions, letters to politicians, lobbying etc is premature.

Ld

[KillerCreed]

Originally Posted by Lawdog

Nothing to do with fear mon ami, just being practical. Since I'm just getting old and lazy I will quote myself from an earlier thread:

I realised after re-reading my post, I should of not said "afraid" instead cautious would of been better suited.

[mopic]

I have spoken to guys in Law enforcement, including high ranking officers in the Provincial weapons enforcement unit, When asked if there is any enforcement action planned on airsoft he laughed and said " we have real guns, making real victims everyday, airsoft is not on the radar.

That being said, I would not want to open a retail store in Torornto, the chance of the thug element getting them is too great.

[SHÖCK]

Instead of buying PTW's, every airsoft team should put a member through lawschool and then maybe one day, we'll have a large army of lawyers to lobby on our behalf

[gabe_guitarded]

Originally Posted by gabe_guitarded

For the CBSA spooks lurking these forums reading this post:

The above post was intended as a joke, not a serious suggestion, and in no way do any of us here at ASC intend to brainwash youth's to fight for airsoft in government and law. I think.

Originally Posted by SNK

Instead of buying PTW's, every airsoft team should put a member through lawschool and then maybe one day, we'll have a large army of lawyers to lobby on our behalf

I thought wrong.

[Lawdog]

Originally Posted by SNK

Instead of buying PTW's, every airsoft team should put a member through lawschool and then maybe one day, we'll have a large army of lawyers to lobby on our behalf

You underestimate the cost of law school.

Ld

[mopic]

If I was a thug, I would not buy an airsoft pistol, I would buy a cheap Highpoint arms 9 mm semi auto, cheaper or the same price as a GBB stateside. They can be had for around $500-600 in this country.

[Brian McIlmoyle]

Originally Posted by mopic

If I was a thug, I would not buy an airsoft pistol, I would buy a cheap Highpoint arms 9 mm semi auto, cheaper or the same price as a GBB stateside. They can be had for around $500-600 in this country.

Pardon? Dude... In your sideline... you do not want to be saying such things

[mopic]

I am not for one second advocating the use or purchase of illegal firearms, I am just stating a fact that the price and availabilty of cheap guns, like the highpoints and davis industries guns is so great most gang guys buy the real thing. The criminal use of airsoft is so low, it barely is worth a mention. I bet more banks have been robbed with cell phones or sawed off sticks of bread than airsoft.

As for the price comparison a highpoint .380 or 9mm is around the same price as good quality GBB. For the terminally stupid, let me make one thing clear, I don't sell real firearms. I am simply stating a fact I have interviewed the ATF liason to the PWEU, and Regina told me that the price of real pistols has hit the sub $500.00 mark on the streets of Toronto.

I was simply stating a fact if I was a gang member, I would not bother with airsoft when the real stuf is so cheap and available. And clearly, gang members agree. (Shootings are up 30% over last year)

[MillerBRo]

Mopics statement is nothing but fact. I have had the misfortune of running with some rather disreputable folks back in my old home town and it was cheaper and easier for them to get real firearms than it was for me to get my airsoft guns- like it or not actual guns are stupid simple for 'bad men' to get in Canada.

[Crunchmeister]

I'll have to agree with that. It's relatively easy to get real steel if you know the right people, all for the same price or cheaper than a good GBB would cost. And they're probably more plentiful too.

<sarcasm>
Looks like the firearms laws are working!
</sarcasm>

[Brian McIlmoyle]

but knowing something.... is different than saying something.

Fact or not

[Brian McIlmoyle]

Originally Posted by Crunchmeister

I'll have to agree with that. It's relatively easy to get real steel if you know the right people, all for the same price or cheaper than a good GBB would cost. And they're probably more plentiful too.

<sarcasm>
Looks like the firearms laws are working!
</sarcasm>

And by that statement you imply that you not only know the right people ... but also have intimate knowledge of price...

information that a consumer would have

Get it?

[Proteus]

A simple way to organize the Airsoft Canada community is to have a requirement that forum members join the Canadian Shooting Sports Association.

No need to re-invent the wheel or just talk about organizing.

It is already in place.

For $45 we can join the Canadian Shooting Sports Association.



http://www.cdnshootingsports.org/whoarewe.html


They are the voice of the sport shooter and firearms enthusiast in Canada.

They already have 15,000 members and are organized. These people are Canadians and have the same interests and concerns as the people in the airsoft community.

How many members are there in Airsoft Canada community?

If enough members join, the Airsoft community would have a responsible advocate.

[Drake]

Originally Posted by Proteus

A simple way to organize the Airsoft Canada community is to have a requirement that forum members join the Canadian Shooting Sports Association.

No need to re-invent the wheel or just talk about organizing.

It is already in place.

For $45 we can join the Canadian Shooting Sports Association.



http://www.cdnshootingsports.org/whoarewe.html


They are the voice of the sport shooter and firearms enthusiast in Canada.

They already have 15,000 members and are organized. These people are Canadians and have the same interests and concerns as the people in the airsoft community.

How many members are there in Airsoft Canada community?

If enough members join, the Airsoft community would have a responsible advocate.

Last time I checked, there was a large chunk of firearm owners who hated airsoft/airsoft owners. (just like by a similar token a lot of hunters hate "black rifle" owners, etc)

Until I see explicit support for airsoft I really don't think joining that would help anything.