Mini-14 Ban!

New 04 February 05: Minister of Justice planning to Ban Ruger Mini-14 Sporting Rifle. Your immediate action needed!

Technique of the letterstorm: The NFA tells you to write.  You write, and the individual we asked you to write to gets 200 letters.  Politicians count one personal letter as the voice of 500 angry voters, because so few people actually write -- but they know, from experience, that the non-writing 499 are angry enough to change the way they vote.  200 letters?  100,000 lost votes.  Politicians care about votes.

This is a classic example of the vital need for all firearm owners, National Firearms Association Members, and non-members alike to work together on an issue.

The National Firearms Association has contacted hundreds of firearm clubs across Canada as soon as we got this information.

Every letter counts... do not delay... even if you do not own a Ruger Mini-14 remember that an attack on one single firearm is an attack on all firearms.

We suspect, but do not have the evidence yet that any proposed bans may not be for one single firearm.    However the Liberal government's commitment to ban the Ruger Mini-14 and the Colt AR-15 and variants is very well known, Here is the HISTORY.

Here is a link to the National Firearms Association article the "AR-15 Complication" -- Worthwhile reading for all firearm owners.

Here is what we received on 04 February 2005: 

Justice Minister Cotler announces plan to ban Ruger Mini 14

http://www.garrybreitkreuz.com/publications/IrwinCotlerLetterFeb05.pdf

Here is a copy of the letter that National Firearms Association President James Hinter has sent to the Honourable Irwin Cotler MP on 04 February 2004.

Hon. Irwin Cotler MP,

Minister of Justice

House of Commons, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0A6 

Sir,

 This afternoon I received a copy of a letter in which you state: “The Government of Canada is committed to introducing legislation to prohibit the Ruger Mini-14 at the earliest opportunity during this session of Parliament.”

 The Ruger Mini 14 Ranch Rifle is a very popular sporting rifle. Sturm Ruger, the manufacturer describes the rifle for 2005: “Over 18 months of dedicated effort to totally retool our Mini-14 line has resulted in the most precisely fitted Ranch Rifles ever offered. In 2005, we are proud to introduce the new Ruger Ranch Rifle, with a number of important new features. We’ve changed the look and improved the handling of the Ranch Rifle by rounding the receiver contours and eliminating sharp edges. We’ve added a rugged, adjustable “Ghost Ring” aperture rear sight and a protected blade front sight, ensuring fast, accurate target acquisition. The new Ranch Rifle is available in either blued or stainless steel with a new hardwood stock that features a flat, rifle-style recoil pad and sling swivels. The All-Weather® stainless Ranch Rifle includes stainless steel components and a checkered synthetic stock with a rubber recoil pad. Features like integral scope bases, free Ruger scope rings, a patented recoil buffer and side ejection are still standard on all Ruger Ranch Rifles”.[1]

 Countless farmers and ranchers use the Ruger Mini-14 for predator control. As well as countless hunters use this firearm extensively across Canada.  Many firearm owners use the Ruger Mini 14 for target shooting.

 This apparent decision to ban this very common sporting and hunting firearm does not meet your government’s own statements that the criteria for prohibiting firearms is that they are not suitable for sporting or hunting purposes.

 What this does demonstrate is that the government of Canada has not yet heard the words of the Auditor General when Ms. Fraser stated: “In February 2001, the Department told the Government it had wanted to focus on the minority of firearms owners that posed a high risk while minimizing the impact on the overwhelming majority of law-abiding owners. However, the Department concluded that this did not happen. Rather, it stated that the Program's focus had changed from high-risk firearms owners to excessive regulation and enforcement of controls over all owners and their firearms. The Department concluded that, as a result, the Program had become overly complex and very costly to deliver, and that it had become difficult for owners to comply with the Program.

“The Department said the excessive regulation had occurred because some of its Program partners believed that

• the use of firearms is in itself a "questionable activity" that required strong controls, and
• there should be a zero-tolerance attitude toward non-compliance with the Firearms Act."[2]

 I strongly suggest to you that it is time that the Government of Canada starts to realize that law abiding firearm owners are not the problem. The only person this ban would affect are the very people who have already complied with licencing and registration. Many firearm owners have worried that this program is designed for the long-term confiscation of their firearms. This move will prove this belief to millions of firearms owners. This will likely result in less compliance and great costs to the program.

 Your real target should be criminals using guns and other weapons to rob, murder and terrorize Canadians.

 Canadians have inherited the right to own and use firearms from our founding cultures. Both the English and French legal traditions recognize the citizen’s right to own and use firearms. English common law has long recognized that Englishmen could own firearms for the protection of themselves and their families[3]. French historians recognize that while hunting with firearms was limited to the nobility, peasants had the right to keep firearms in their home for personal protection[4]. The individual’s right to firearm ownership in France was considerably broadened with the coming of the French Revolution in 1789 and the proclamation of the universal rights of man.[5]

 The legitimate use of firearms by Canadians deserves protection.

 The National Firearms Association request a meeting with you immediately where we can discuss this issue with you and your officials. The National Firearms Association has participated in meetings with the Canada Firearms Centre, and with your fellow cabinet member Albina Guarnieri over the past several years. There has never been any discussions about banning the Ruger Mini 14 rifle.

 I request copies of all the consultation documents on this subject so that I may properly prepare for that meeting. I will send your office material on the Ruger Mini-14 Ranch Rifle.

 These kinds of decisions should never be made without full consultation or without proper study. I have enclosed a copy of the National Firearms Association’s recently published White Paper on Small Arms and Light Weapons for your interest. 

 I look forward to solving this problem with you and your officials.

Sincerely,

James M. Hinter

National President

Encl.

CC: Prime Minister Paul Martin MP, Deputy Prime Minister Anne Mclellan, William Ruger, Sturm Ruger, Garry Breitkreuz MP, Stephen Harper MP, Jack Layton MP, Auditor General of Canada