Fwd: Federal government creates new secret ?Gun Police?

[JFA]

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

CILA / ICAL               
Defending Canada's Heritage

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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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 at 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 at magma.ca

Legal Services
16 John St. Thornhill, ON  L3T 1X8
PH: (904)882-2422 Fax: (905) 882-2431 e-mail: e.burlew at cila.org

Home:   <http://www.cila.org/>http://www.cila.org

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