Date:
Friday, September 16, 2005
There are many international initiatives which could have
ramifications for Canadian firearms owners, firearm importers, dealers
and retailers.
The United Nation's next major move on
Small Arms and Light Weapons will be at the Biannual Meeting of States
in July 2005. This will be followed by the United Nations Review
Committee Meetings in 2006.
The Government of Canada
plays a major role at the United Nations in the Small Arms and Light
Weapons Control efforts. Canada's United Nations efforts are
co-ordinated through the Department of Foreign Affairs and
International Trade.
Internationally, the firearms community faces well funded and organized Non-Government Organizations (NGOs).
There
is a great deal of work being done internationally to protect your
rights to own, use and enjoy your firearms. Here is a very short
backgrounder on some of the major issues.
We also suggest you visit our
Links for Researchers and Scholars section for added research.
Definition of Small Arms Light Weapons
- The various international initiatives on small arms/firearms are in
serious need of agreed upon definitions relating to the various
categories of arms. Terms need to be precise and comprehensive yet
neutral in their effect so that it is clear to all concerned in this
area that the particular firearm category under discussion is
understood by all. We
should also examine the actual uses of firearms. Canada's SALW
Committee report stated there is no clear definition, internationally
accepted, of exactly what small arms and light weapons are.
The {mosbookmarks:bm=1367;box=2} states:
"Small
arms and light weapons have been defined in various ways in various
fora, but are understood to include weapons that are designed to
military specifications to be used either by an individual or a crew as
lethal instruments of combat. It is generally accepted that 'small
arms and light weapons' include such weapons as fully automatic assault
rifles, light and heavy machine guns, grenades and their launchers,
small caliber mortars and shoulder fired anti-aircraft and anti-tank
missiles."
Considerable
confusion surrounds the whole firearms area. And it may well have
started because insufficient efforts were made to tease out the
difference between on the one hand the illicit traffic in military arms
which are of special interest to the international community, and on
the other hand, the legitimate firearms that have traditionally had
both high density and very low involvement in crime in Canada and other
countries.
This
is a major issue. It leads to confusion between legitimate use and
illicit use. Based on information gathered by firearm organizations,
NGOs and other civil societies, this is a serious omission.
Marking and Tracing
- Creating a universal system of firearms marking has become a focal
point of several ongoing international policy initiatives.
"...
Canada continued to promote its gun control measures internationally
yesterday. On the last day of a week-long United Nations conference on
small-arms trafficking, Canada underscored its support for a global
gun- tracing centre that would seek to keep track of weapons each time
they are sold."
"Agreement
on how to mark and trace guns should also be set out in an
international treaty, Robert McDougall, Canada's chief representative
at the conference, told delegates of the UN's 192 member countries.
"Tracing is not an aim in and of itself. Nor is marking," he said.
"They are tools to enable us to stem the flow of illicit small arms and
light weapons." He offered Canada's help to any country that wanted to
establish a marking and tracing system."
Source: National Post, 2003-07-12.
In
consultation meetings with the Canada Firearms Centre, and the
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, the National
Firearms Association has been working to stop these measures from
coming into effect.
Internationally,
through the World Forum on the Future of Sport Shooting Activities, the
National Firearms Association is working to stop these measures from
coming into effect.
The
National Firearms Association asserts that "Marking and Tracing" will
seriously impact the retail trade of firearms in Canada by adding extra
costs delay to Canadian firearm retailers, dealers, importers, and
manufacturers.
What
can you do? You can send letters to the National Firearms Association
outlining your concerns on this issue. The National Firearms
Association will take your concerns forward to the Canada Firearms
Centre, the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and
the Manufacturer's Advisory Group of the World Forum on the Future of
Sport Shooting Activities.
Antiques
- The definition of ''antique'' firearms is a topic under discussion by
the international community in an attempt to formulate possible
instruments.
There
are no accepted international definitions regarding antique firearms.
Again this leads to confusion. Confusion leads to problems for firearm
owners, civil servants, and international tourists.
In Canada, the National Firearms Association's
Paper on Antique Firearms has been used by importers and dealers who have had antique firearms halted at the Canadian border.
For more Information on International Issues:
WFSA: The World Forum on the Future of Sport Shooting Activities
WFSA: A Question of Balance
WFSA: Lead Symposium in Rome
Links for Researchers and Scholars
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