Warning!

It has come to our attention and confirmation that the RCMP is conducting random road blocks and asking hunters for their firearms possession licences (or valid FACs). If a hunter cannot produce a licence or FAC, then firearms are seized.

FYI,

Don Meredith
Alberta Fish and Wildlife

Thanks Don! Glad to see that it's only the federal goons that are after us gun owners.

T.J.

I was just wondering how the Alberta government can sell you hunting liciences without having a pol/pal and then the federal government turnaround and say that if you are stopped randomely by the Rc's, they have the right to seize your gun, because i just bought elk/deer/and chicken/grouse licence without either one and now read the warning about the RCMP?? So now i'm a little worried and ****ed off at this.Also i have several friends that have applied last year for a pol/pal and still haven't recieved it,except for the 10$ debit out of their account,what do the feds want?a bunch of ****ed off hunters and gun owners?perhaps the start of a revolt?but we do need a leader for a revolt,any takers?

T.J.,

Please be aware that our Conservation Officers are "peace officers" and will enforce the law, whether federal or provincial. Often our officers are part of RCMP road blocks to help check for wildlife violations. So, under such circumstances, they may also enforce federal law. Also, there is nothing to stop our officers from enforcing such law (or any law) if the evidence presents itself.

Don

Wade,

Your message is interesting to me because earlier this spring I spent some time quashing a rumor that we would be requiring people purchasing hunting licences to produce a firearms licence (we do not!). Firearms law is federal law and has nothing to do with managing Alberta wildlife. The selling of Alberta hunting licences has everything to do with managing Alberta wildlife. All the hunting licence provides is the opportunity to hunt, whether with firearm or bow and arrow. The federal firearms licence allows you to possess and carry a firearm under certain conditions, including hunting.

With regard to your points about the way the firearms licensing has been handled, I agree. It has been a mess from start to finish. But if you think licensing is bad, wait until registration starts in earnest.

Don

Howdy Ya'll
I agree with you wade, it is a pretty sad situation.I wonder if they are happy with the amount of $$$ that has been spent on this. I have a cousin in the military, and by the sounds of it they could make good use of the 600 million or so that has been funnelled into gun control. Maybe Canadians will wake up to what their elected officials are doin with our tax $$$ when we can't afford to fight a war or worse, lose some of our depleated military personnel to war.
I thought at one time the RCMP stated that they were not going to enforce this law unless they had to, I don't think that hunting is that serious of an offence that constitutes actively persuing people that don't have their pol or pal. Maybe they should worry about the $@#&ing drug dealer down the street that my daughter has to go by to get to school.(How many phone calls do I have to make to them)
Until everone has their licenses maybe have an NFA membership or have someone with you that has their pal or pol.

Good luck
Brady

No worries here Don, I faithfully pack my PAL everywhere I go, although I have yet to be asked for mine even though I have been required to show my hunting license. The officer that stopped me seemed as upset with the gun laws as I was. Are officers being directed by your department to ask for these licenses or is it left to their discretion?

This raises an interesting point, however. Was not one of thr reasons for this licensing so that peace officers could instanly access the computer to see if any Canadian had guns? So why the heck do we have to carry this license everywhere? Couldn't the RCMP just access the master computer to see if I was indeed licensed? Could it be that the Federal government lied to us yet again and was not abable to assemble this master data base? I hear that guns are being siezed from any individual that does not carry his license. They don't sieze your car if you foeget your wallet at home.

T.J.

T.J.,

Likewise, most officers I've talked with about the gun laws are not happy with them. But they are also trained to enforce the law. There is no specific policy that I'm aware of to enforce the law, so I imagine that it is left to the discretion of the individual.

Yes, the information is supposed to be "easily accessed" on a portable police computer, but there is a long way to go before that will be a reality (my information is that the federal database is a real mess, including non-compatability with most police communication systems, despite the amount of money that has been spent to fix it). When I was doing research on the licences I noticed that there was no mention on the firearm's centre web site of whether you would have to have the licence on your person when using firearms. So, I asked the question. I was told that the requirement was not in the firearm's act but in the Criminal Code. So, you have to go to the Criminal Code to see the reference (it's there). But I believe you do have a grace period within which you must produce the licence to reclaim your firearms (I could be wrong about that -- it's been a while since I looked this up). Not being a lawyer, it appears to me this area is ripe for a court challenge which I'm sure will come.

Don

They should get this problem straightened out and have a website with definite answers for everyone. I know people that applied last year for the pol/pal and still have not recieved it and just get the run around when phoning about it. So I guess now they don't get to hunt this year. I was also in Canadian Tire last week to purchase my tags and the guy in front of me asked if he needed his pol... the answer they gave him was "not yet as the government has extended the grace period to the end of this year".