Fwd: Federal government creates new secret ?Gun Police?

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From: CILA / ICAL National Office To: Subject: Federal government creates new secret ?Gun Police? Date: Sun, 21 Jan 2001 18:31:58 -0500

CILA / ICAL Defending Canada's Heritage ---------------------------------------------- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ---------------------------------------------- January 21, 2001 Federal government creates new secret "Gun Police" The Federal government has secretly created a new federal police force in Canada called the "National Firearms Enforcement Support Team (NFEST)". This unit will be headed by Bob Frolic, formerly the leader of Ontario's controversial "Provincial Weapons Enforcement Unit". Mr. Frolic has headed the PWEU for the last five years and has proven himself to be extremely aggressive towards legitimate firearms owners. Frolic first came to the attention of the public when his PWEU arrested ten legitimate firearms owners in Halton Region for neglecting to change their addresses on their firearms registrations. More recently, several lawsuits have been filed against the Unit for harassment and wrongful arrest. The Unit has also been involved in several questionable tactics such as the coercion of paid informants and the photographing and recording of license plate numbers at both Canadian and U.S. gun shows. As well, the Unit routinely trains with the notorious U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (BATF) and conducts numerous undercover operations in legitimate activities such as gun shows. The Unit also boasts an abysmal conviction record. When questioned, a CFC Information Officer would only confirm the existence of the new federal police unit. The Officer was extremely evasive regarding the following questions: - What is the NWEST's mandate? - How is NWEST funded and how much will it cost to operate? - How many Agents (Officers?) will NWEST have? - Why have these firearms enforcement duties been taken away from the RCMP? - What relationship will this unit have with the BATF? - Does the government have to pass legislation to create this new federal police force? - Will information collected by NWEST be routinely shared with BATF? BATF activity in Canada is on a steady increase, not only in training our law enforcement community but also in the conducting of operations. Information regarding both law abiding Americans and Canadians is regularly exchanged. Has the BATF "officially" come to Canada? The NWEST Unit is yet another hidden cost of C-68. Why do we need "Gun Cops" in the first place? Canada has one of the lowest incidents of firearms crime in the free world and the setting up of a secret federal police force to violate the lives of ordinary Canadians is an expensive, intrusive undertaking our country can ill afford. -30- For more information contact: Canadian Institute for Legislative Action / Institut Canadien pour l'Action Législative National Office: P.O.Box 44030, 600 Grandview St. S. Oshawa, ON. L1H 8P4 Ph: (905) 571-2150 Fax: (905) 436-7721 e-mail: teebee@sprint.ca Administrative Services: (905) 725-1615 Ottawa Office: 27 Cedar Grove Crt. Nepean, ON. K2G 0M4 Ph: (613) 828-8805 Fax: (613) 828-6967 e-mail: aldorans@magma.ca Legal Services 16 John St. Thornhill, ON L3T 1X8 PH: (904)882-2422 Fax: (905) 882-2431 e-mail: e.burlew@cila.org Home: http://www.cila.org/http://www.cila.org A proud member of the World Forum on the Future of Sport Shooting Activities / Forum du Monde sur le Futur d'Activités des Sports des Armes à Feu ===================END FORWARDED MESSAGE===================