WEBVTT Kind: captions Language: en-GB 00:00:09.779 --> 00:00:12.499 Travis Bader: What started as a trip to support my friend and past 00:00:12.510 --> 00:00:16.349 podcast guest, Sonny Smith at his title fight professional bare knuckle 00:00:16.349 --> 00:00:20.400 boxing match in Alberta, along with other friends and past guests, Jason 00:00:20.400 --> 00:00:25.330 Budd and Chance Burrells turned into an opportunity I couldn't pass up. 00:00:25.889 --> 00:00:28.930 I sat down with Alberta's Chief Firearms Officer, Dr. 00:00:29.019 --> 00:00:33.010 Terry Bryant, to dive deep into the politics and realities of 00:00:33.010 --> 00:00:34.619 firearms ownership in Canada. 00:00:35.440 --> 00:00:38.980 Ever wonder why some guns are banned while others aren't, despite 00:00:38.989 --> 00:00:40.349 being essentially identical? 00:00:41.129 --> 00:00:44.030 Tired of feeling like a criminal for exercising your right? 00:00:44.440 --> 00:00:48.420 Want a glimpse into what the future could look like for Canadian firearms owners? 00:00:49.080 --> 00:00:51.440 Buckle up because we're breaking it all down. 00:00:51.890 --> 00:00:55.960 From Alberta's fight for sensible laws to how you can take action. 00:00:56.589 --> 00:01:00.769 This episode is brought to you by the amazing people at Armament Technology. 00:01:01.389 --> 00:01:05.289 Silvercore Club members, don't forget, you get 10 percent off 00:01:05.289 --> 00:01:10.300 Tangent Theta, 15 percent off SAI and 20 percent off Tenebrex. 00:01:10.705 --> 00:01:12.445 Now, let's get it rolling. 00:01:12.845 --> 00:01:15.795 I'm joined today by Alberta's Chief Firearms Officer. 00:01:16.185 --> 00:01:20.244 She's a dedicated advocate for responsible firearms ownership, bringing a wealth 00:01:20.244 --> 00:01:24.094 of experience and a balanced approach to firearms regulation in Alberta. 00:01:24.535 --> 00:01:28.555 We have the opportunity to explore her unique perspective on the challenges 00:01:28.555 --> 00:01:32.345 and opportunities facing the firearms community and how she's working to ensure 00:01:32.345 --> 00:01:34.414 fairness and safety in the province. 00:01:35.135 --> 00:01:37.655 Welcome to the Silvercore podcast, Dr. 00:01:37.655 --> 00:01:38.395 Terry Bryant. 00:01:38.905 --> 00:01:39.575 Teri Bryant: Thank you, Travis. 00:01:39.585 --> 00:01:40.895 It's a pleasure to be here today. 00:01:41.255 --> 00:01:43.025 Travis Bader: So what, three years? 00:01:43.085 --> 00:01:45.465 Are we on your three year anniversary today? 00:01:45.565 --> 00:01:46.635 Three years yesterday. 00:01:46.645 --> 00:01:47.824 Three years yesterday. 00:01:47.834 --> 00:01:48.415 Holy crow. 00:01:48.495 --> 00:01:51.165 Three years, you've been a firearms officer here and chief 00:01:51.174 --> 00:01:52.585 firearms officer for Alberta. 00:01:53.000 --> 00:01:55.440 Teri Bryant: Yeah, it's, uh, it's been a wild ride. 00:01:55.930 --> 00:01:59.270 I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I read this. 00:02:00.180 --> 00:02:03.369 Travis Bader: Myself personally, there's always been confusion about 00:02:03.369 --> 00:02:06.919 sort of the hierarchy within the firearms program, what it takes to be 00:02:06.920 --> 00:02:10.389 a firearms officer, let alone what it takes to be a chief firearms officer. 00:02:10.969 --> 00:02:15.244 Um, Opt in and opt out provinces has always been something that's been 00:02:15.244 --> 00:02:17.584 a little bit, uh, confusing to me. 00:02:17.584 --> 00:02:19.725 And I, I know others have brought that up as well. 00:02:20.035 --> 00:02:24.445 Can you tell me a little bit about sort of how you got into this and 00:02:24.445 --> 00:02:25.934 what the structure kind of looks like? 00:02:26.489 --> 00:02:32.589 Teri Bryant: Okay, so, uh, I got into this in a different way than, uh, most, uh, 00:02:32.600 --> 00:02:34.410 people who are chief firearms officers. 00:02:34.740 --> 00:02:36.960 So if I could just take a step back. 00:02:37.130 --> 00:02:40.869 So there's a chief firearms professor, uh, officer in every province. 00:02:40.880 --> 00:02:44.229 So there's 10 of us, plus there's one for the Northwest Territories. 00:02:44.799 --> 00:02:50.459 And, uh, most of those, uh, were appointed in a different way than me. 00:02:50.910 --> 00:02:53.769 Because, and this comes to your point about opt out and 00:02:53.769 --> 00:02:55.489 opt in provinces and so on. 00:02:55.489 --> 00:03:03.039 So opt in provinces are ones where the province has assumed responsibility for 00:03:03.039 --> 00:03:08.490 the administration of the Firearms Act, the Federal Firearms Act in Canada. 00:03:09.109 --> 00:03:13.809 And so that means that the Chief Firearms Officer is appointed by the 00:03:13.809 --> 00:03:20.065 province and the Uh, employees in the chief firearms office, the firearms 00:03:20.065 --> 00:03:25.135 officers and other, uh, individuals there are provincial employees and opt 00:03:25.204 --> 00:03:32.655 out province, uh, is a province that has chosen not to participate in the program. 00:03:33.034 --> 00:03:38.475 And that means that, uh, all of the, the chief firearms officer is appointed 00:03:38.475 --> 00:03:43.445 by the federal government and all of the employees are federal employees. 00:03:43.515 --> 00:03:44.145 Hmm. 00:03:44.265 --> 00:03:45.695 And Alberta was. 00:03:46.175 --> 00:03:51.905 Uh, an opt out province as was Saskatchewan until September of 2021, 00:03:52.345 --> 00:03:58.405 and then they, uh, there was a lengthy process before that to reach the decision. 00:03:58.675 --> 00:04:03.584 But on September 1st, 2021, we became an opt in province, which meant 00:04:03.595 --> 00:04:09.505 that, um, Um, my appointment came from the, uh, Minister of Justice 00:04:09.505 --> 00:04:11.235 and Solicitor General at the time. 00:04:11.735 --> 00:04:14.535 Uh, now we're just within the Ministry of Justice because 00:04:14.535 --> 00:04:15.835 they've kind of split that off. 00:04:16.255 --> 00:04:21.235 But, um, uh, Um, and of course it had to be approved by cabinet and everyone up 00:04:21.235 --> 00:04:28.815 to the premier, but, um, and all my staff are provincially, uh, appointed as well. 00:04:28.815 --> 00:04:32.745 So all the chief firearms officers have the role of administering. 00:04:33.125 --> 00:04:35.805 the Canadian firearms program in their province. 00:04:36.275 --> 00:04:40.415 Of course, how much they actually do themselves versus delegating to employees 00:04:40.415 --> 00:04:41.864 depends on the size of the office. 00:04:42.185 --> 00:04:45.024 If you're Ontario or Quebec and you have, you know, millions of 00:04:45.024 --> 00:04:49.385 people you're serving, then you're not going to be as hands on. 00:04:49.715 --> 00:04:52.795 If you're looking after Prince Edward Island and you've got just 00:04:52.795 --> 00:04:55.685 a couple of people, probably you're going to be much more hands on. 00:04:56.765 --> 00:05:02.635 Whether in, in, uh, the provincial public service or the federal public service. 00:05:03.280 --> 00:05:07.429 Travis Bader: So this is unique, Alberta is the only province that has a situation 00:05:07.609 --> 00:05:09.289 like this for the Chief Firearms Officer. 00:05:09.840 --> 00:05:12.400 Teri Bryant: Uh, well, technically we're unique. 00:05:12.400 --> 00:05:13.660 We weren't unique for a bit. 00:05:13.680 --> 00:05:19.899 So there's, there are two, um, chief firearms officers who have the 00:05:19.900 --> 00:05:26.059 expanded mandate that I have, not since Saskatchewan and Alberta, uh, 00:05:26.210 --> 00:05:33.110 Saskatchewan went, uh, went provincial a few weeks after we did, but, uh, 00:05:33.500 --> 00:05:37.250 they've since changed their structure a little bit so that their chief 00:05:37.260 --> 00:05:41.070 firearms officer with the same title is. 00:05:41.685 --> 00:05:47.575 Um, a non political person, the equivalent of my deputy, um, who 00:05:47.575 --> 00:05:49.045 is a member of the public service. 00:05:49.475 --> 00:05:56.464 And, uh, the, the person who previously was the chief firearms officer, they now 00:05:56.465 --> 00:05:57.965 call him the commissioner of firearms. 00:05:58.984 --> 00:05:59.384 Got it. 00:05:59.475 --> 00:05:59.955 Okay. 00:06:00.015 --> 00:06:01.545 So that's Robert Freeburg. 00:06:01.965 --> 00:06:02.955 And so he has. 00:06:03.415 --> 00:06:06.545 The firearms office and a couple of other things in, in Saskatchewan, 00:06:06.545 --> 00:06:10.335 they didn't previously have a ballistic forensic lab and when they 00:06:10.335 --> 00:06:12.125 created one, they put it under that. 00:06:12.145 --> 00:06:14.934 And there's a couple of other things that's under his, 00:06:15.445 --> 00:06:17.425 uh, control there as well. 00:06:18.000 --> 00:06:20.450 Travis Bader: In your role as a chief firearms officer. 00:06:20.960 --> 00:06:24.280 And I've actually got a, uh, I got a handy dandy little sheet here 00:06:24.280 --> 00:06:27.500 that outlines the role of a chief firearms officer in Alberta, which 00:06:27.500 --> 00:06:29.150 I thought was, was pretty neat. 00:06:29.230 --> 00:06:32.739 But I know you and I, we looked at this before, chief firearms officer 00:06:32.740 --> 00:06:36.934 with respective firearms matters in Alberta shall develop and implement. 00:06:37.095 --> 00:06:39.625 Implement policies, procedures, and strategies. 00:06:40.685 --> 00:06:44.835 A big mandate shall identify and conduct studies of specific issues 00:06:44.835 --> 00:06:46.245 or a specific subject matter. 00:06:46.245 --> 00:06:48.335 And may publish the results of those studies. 00:06:49.005 --> 00:06:51.245 That's, there's a lot of trust right there. 00:06:51.245 --> 00:06:55.514 That's, uh, shall review the programs and policies of the government 00:06:55.695 --> 00:06:58.725 or other jurisdictions that may affect individuals as firearms. 00:06:59.010 --> 00:07:03.970 Users and owners shall consult with and provide support to stakeholders. 00:07:04.440 --> 00:07:05.540 This is an interesting one. 00:07:05.560 --> 00:07:11.650 E shall engage in advocacy for and outreach to Alberta's firearms community. 00:07:12.330 --> 00:07:13.619 And I'll just go through the last couple. 00:07:13.619 --> 00:07:16.690 So provide information and advice to all levels of government, shall 00:07:16.690 --> 00:07:20.460 develop and implement initiatives in coordination with other departments, 00:07:20.830 --> 00:07:25.500 shall recommend the Shall recommend the establishment of advisory boards or 00:07:25.500 --> 00:07:30.960 advisory committees by the minister with respect to specific issues or a specific 00:07:30.960 --> 00:07:34.700 subject matter, and shall inform and educate Albertans, and shall carry out 00:07:34.700 --> 00:07:36.899 any other prescribed responsibilities. 00:07:37.399 --> 00:07:39.650 That's a pretty broad mandate. 00:07:40.240 --> 00:07:42.029 That's a lot of responsibility. 00:07:42.029 --> 00:07:44.160 But the one that I thought was really interesting was. 00:07:44.645 --> 00:07:49.995 So engaging in advocacy for an outreach to Alberta's firearms community. 00:07:50.844 --> 00:07:55.674 Teri Bryant: And so, so that's actually what I, uh, you know, that, that list 00:07:55.695 --> 00:08:03.614 that you have, uh, just enumerated, that's in addition to my role as being 00:08:03.614 --> 00:08:08.385 responsible for the administration of the federal firearms act in Alberta. 00:08:08.875 --> 00:08:13.890 And so Um, that part, the part that I do that is the same as what other 00:08:13.890 --> 00:08:18.120 people do, uh, in who are chief firearms officers across the country, 00:08:18.690 --> 00:08:23.040 uh, that's a relatively small part of my time, less than half certainly. 00:08:23.090 --> 00:08:23.400 Travis Bader: Okay. 00:08:23.470 --> 00:08:27.239 Teri Bryant: And, uh, because there are certain things like range approvals and, 00:08:27.310 --> 00:08:29.869 and that, that I have to do personally. 00:08:30.300 --> 00:08:38.210 Um, but most of my time is on the, the other part, uh, which is the list that 00:08:38.210 --> 00:08:40.030 you've enumerated there, particularly. 00:08:41.140 --> 00:08:46.480 To shorten that list part of my job is not just to administer the law as 00:08:46.480 --> 00:08:52.600 it is now But to figure out what it should be and Advocate to make changes. 00:08:53.060 --> 00:08:58.140 And so part of finding out what it should be is, as you've mentioned, conducting 00:08:58.150 --> 00:08:59.939 formal studies and things like that. 00:08:59.940 --> 00:09:02.390 And we've got a couple of those, uh, underway. 00:09:02.840 --> 00:09:07.599 And another part of it is, uh, consulting with Albertans to 00:09:07.599 --> 00:09:09.349 find out what their problems are. 00:09:09.730 --> 00:09:13.829 Now many of those are things that I was aware of before. 00:09:14.139 --> 00:09:18.935 But, you know, no one, Uh, in the firearms community is very, very diverse, right? 00:09:18.935 --> 00:09:21.385 It includes people who are Olympic target shooters. 00:09:21.385 --> 00:09:25.765 It includes, uh, ranchers, uh, who have a rifle in the pickup 00:09:25.765 --> 00:09:29.534 truck for, uh, protecting their livestock or things like that. 00:09:29.964 --> 00:09:33.634 And so I've been a member of the firearms community all my life. 00:09:33.634 --> 00:09:38.135 So I have had exposure to many of these things, but more to some than others. 00:09:38.185 --> 00:09:44.334 And so, uh, every weekend, basically I am out at some kind of event. 00:09:44.725 --> 00:09:50.535 Uh, whether it is a gun show or, um, a shooting competition or the annual 00:09:50.535 --> 00:09:56.035 general meeting of an organization so that I can hear straight from Albertans 00:09:56.455 --> 00:09:58.735 what the issues are that they face. 00:09:58.984 --> 00:10:03.625 And also that gives me an opportunity to educate them a little bit about 00:10:03.825 --> 00:10:08.215 what our office does Um, what the federal government does, what we 00:10:08.215 --> 00:10:11.745 are, as an office are doing about what the federal government does, 00:10:13.155 --> 00:10:15.365 uh, and, uh, things like that. 00:10:15.375 --> 00:10:19.215 So, uh, so that's a, that's a very, um, 00:10:21.415 --> 00:10:24.655 It's a part of the role that I very much enjoy because it gets me out 00:10:25.045 --> 00:10:30.015 talking to Albertans, particularly firearms owners, uh, who are, 00:10:30.084 --> 00:10:31.074 you know, that's the community. 00:10:31.084 --> 00:10:33.124 Those are my people, as I always say. 00:10:33.545 --> 00:10:37.705 Uh, and it also means that, uh, I get to go all around the province. 00:10:37.715 --> 00:10:43.455 So I travel over 30, 000 kilometers a year by car around the province. 00:10:43.930 --> 00:10:50.190 Um, and so I visited everywhere from Milk River, 10 kilometers north of the U. 00:10:50.190 --> 00:10:50.370 S. 00:10:50.370 --> 00:10:56.380 border, to Fort Mac in the north, from Grand Prairie and, and Beaver Lodge 00:10:56.420 --> 00:11:01.610 and, and, uh, Coleman in the west to, um, you know, Medicine Hat and 00:11:01.610 --> 00:11:04.280 Consort and Provost, uh, in the east. 00:11:04.610 --> 00:11:09.230 So, um, there's, it's, it's enabled me to see much more of the 00:11:09.230 --> 00:11:12.050 province than most people see and. 00:11:12.390 --> 00:11:16.450 Because I also, my, all my permanent homes in Calgary, I have a, an apartment 00:11:16.450 --> 00:11:24.189 in downtown Edmonton, um, I get to see a lot more diverse aspects of Alberta 00:11:24.220 --> 00:11:28.519 than most people do, because I see the rural areas, I talk to rural people, 00:11:28.550 --> 00:11:29.954 I have this apartment in Edmonton. 00:11:30.425 --> 00:11:34.595 In downtown Edmonton, where I see some of the challenges that 00:11:34.625 --> 00:11:36.545 people in an urban settings face. 00:11:36.754 --> 00:11:42.924 So it gives me a very diverse perspective on what Albertans are 00:11:42.925 --> 00:11:45.074 experiencing and what they need. 00:11:45.115 --> 00:11:48.755 And it gives me the opportunity to talk to people from a wide range of backgrounds. 00:11:49.324 --> 00:11:52.984 Travis Bader: Now you come from a long lineage of firearms 00:11:52.984 --> 00:11:55.214 owners and users and collectors. 00:11:55.214 --> 00:12:01.415 And I, as well, um, From a very young age, being exposed at the gun 00:12:01.415 --> 00:12:07.344 shows and in the firearms community and watching the different rules and 00:12:07.344 --> 00:12:08.974 regulations as they come into place. 00:12:09.885 --> 00:12:14.415 Uh, there's been a growing sort of us against them sort of mentality 00:12:14.415 --> 00:12:16.045 and like, why are they picking on us? 00:12:16.045 --> 00:12:20.165 Um, uh, sort of mindset within the firearms community. 00:12:20.355 --> 00:12:26.665 Was that a challenge for you to overcome when you were, when you first came into 00:12:26.665 --> 00:12:28.345 your position as a chief firearms officer? 00:12:28.585 --> 00:12:32.075 I know now you're welcomed with open arms, but were you looked at 00:12:32.075 --> 00:12:33.735 as the enemy when you first came in? 00:12:33.865 --> 00:12:36.775 Teri Bryant: Well, uh, so there were certainly a lot of people in 00:12:36.775 --> 00:12:40.495 the community that knew me, like particularly those around Calgary and 00:12:40.495 --> 00:12:43.125 in the, in the collecting community. 00:12:43.515 --> 00:12:48.525 And, um, so those people knew me and they were happy to see me take the job. 00:12:49.605 --> 00:12:53.585 Of course, there are a lot of people in the firearms community, um, who 00:12:53.615 --> 00:12:57.245 were in other areas of the province who may not have known me as well. 00:12:57.604 --> 00:13:01.734 And a lot of people in the firearms community that have a more tenuous 00:13:01.765 --> 00:13:06.694 connection, like they're not plugged in as much, uh, because I know for people 00:13:06.694 --> 00:13:10.765 like you and me every day we're looking at and seeing what's the latest thing. 00:13:11.204 --> 00:13:15.334 We get all kinds of, you know, email blasts from the different organizations 00:13:15.334 --> 00:13:20.334 about the latest court decisions and challenges and, and things like that. 00:13:20.775 --> 00:13:22.605 But a lot of people aren't that connected. 00:13:22.655 --> 00:13:30.355 And so what I did to start off with was, uh, initially using my own vehicle, my own 00:13:30.375 --> 00:13:36.944 materials and my own, uh, you know, paying for it myself, uh, to start with, um, I 00:13:36.944 --> 00:13:41.745 went to gun shows, which is a place where a lot of different parts of the firearms 00:13:41.745 --> 00:13:47.265 community intersect and, uh, set up a display with some firearms that I thought 00:13:47.265 --> 00:13:49.105 would attract attention because I have. 00:13:49.345 --> 00:13:51.485 Some firearms that tend to attract attention. 00:13:51.965 --> 00:13:54.185 I like to have the coolest guns at any gun show. 00:13:54.635 --> 00:13:59.355 Um, and so a matter of opinion, but I'm not, perhaps I'm not a totally 00:13:59.355 --> 00:14:06.415 unbiased, uh, uh, judge of that subject, but what would happen then is as people 00:14:06.415 --> 00:14:11.475 are walking by, They would see the, you know, I had, uh, signs and they 00:14:11.475 --> 00:14:13.105 would see, Oh, here's some cool guns. 00:14:13.105 --> 00:14:16.795 And then I would give me a, once soon as they paused it, bang, I can like, 00:14:17.175 --> 00:14:20.465 you know, like, like an insurance salesman or something, you know, I 00:14:20.485 --> 00:14:26.145 jump on it and, and, uh, and make my pitch and engage in a conversation. 00:14:26.495 --> 00:14:31.265 And then they realized more and more people realized that. 00:14:31.709 --> 00:14:36.090 Um, you know, we were doing things differently that, uh, we do have 00:14:36.090 --> 00:14:37.480 to administer the federal law. 00:14:37.490 --> 00:14:46.029 We don't get to make the law ourselves yet, um, but, um, we do have, it can make 00:14:46.029 --> 00:14:54.060 a big difference in how things are done because, uh, I believe that, uh, most 00:14:54.100 --> 00:15:01.260 people are, are reasonable and if you, uh, approach them in a reasonable fashion. 00:15:01.800 --> 00:15:04.640 And then you'll get a much more positive reaction. 00:15:05.079 --> 00:15:07.910 So we try not to. 00:15:08.365 --> 00:15:11.055 Uh, you know, bang on the table and say you have to do 00:15:11.055 --> 00:15:12.415 this or you have to do that. 00:15:12.435 --> 00:15:16.235 We educate them about what the law is and what potential consequences 00:15:16.595 --> 00:15:18.604 are if you, if you don't do that. 00:15:18.774 --> 00:15:22.474 But we also point out that many of these things, many aspects 00:15:22.545 --> 00:15:27.155 of firearms regulations in, in Canada don't make sense. 00:15:27.564 --> 00:15:31.964 And so we talk to them about that, recognize that we, yes, we know 00:15:32.274 --> 00:15:35.444 that it doesn't make sense that this particular firearm is classified 00:15:35.444 --> 00:15:39.774 this way and this one that's the same is classified a different way. 00:15:40.124 --> 00:15:43.424 Um, so we, you know, that we understand and sympathize with the 00:15:43.424 --> 00:15:47.424 problems there, but not just that we sympathize, but that we're actively 00:15:47.954 --> 00:15:50.074 engaged in trying to change that. 00:15:50.665 --> 00:15:55.645 And that I think has resulted in a totally different reception. 00:15:57.805 --> 00:15:59.905 Uh, want us to come to gun shows. 00:15:59.905 --> 00:16:04.875 And now, of course, we have a much more elaborate, uh, way of participating. 00:16:04.875 --> 00:16:08.544 So I have some fancy table cloths and pop up banners. 00:16:08.544 --> 00:16:14.834 And, um, ever since the federal government required that, uh, sellers 00:16:14.834 --> 00:16:20.535 of nonrestricted firearms verify the validity of the, the pals of, uh, 00:16:20.545 --> 00:16:25.255 buyers, um, That was very hard for people to do in the gun show environment. 00:16:25.445 --> 00:16:29.735 So, uh, I have my staff come there and we've worked out an arrangement with 00:16:29.735 --> 00:16:34.915 the registry so that we can provide that service in person at shows, which is 00:16:34.915 --> 00:16:40.704 something that doesn't happen everywhere and happens in few places, um, elsewhere. 00:16:40.984 --> 00:16:46.335 But that's what we needed to do to be able to, uh, ensure that gun 00:16:46.335 --> 00:16:50.725 shows were able to remain compliant with the law and that they were. 00:16:50.740 --> 00:16:53.980 Uh, there was no, there wasn't going to be an easy way for 00:16:53.980 --> 00:16:55.170 the feds to shut them down. 00:16:56.050 --> 00:16:58.490 Travis Bader: You know, and you, you bring up a few different points 00:16:58.490 --> 00:17:00.800 here, and I'm trying to think of what should be the most logical for me 00:17:00.800 --> 00:17:04.840 to, to, uh, to move from, but maybe, maybe the education piece there. 00:17:04.890 --> 00:17:09.259 And I, I know I've talked on the podcast before about the firearms 00:17:09.259 --> 00:17:13.720 officer who explained to me about normative process and I, you know, 00:17:13.730 --> 00:17:15.290 we've chatted about this as well. 00:17:16.165 --> 00:17:20.925 Uh, just like you were saying, why, why is something deemed as one classification 00:17:20.925 --> 00:17:25.145 and it's the same as another firearm and it's deemed in a different classification. 00:17:25.145 --> 00:17:29.624 And there was a point of, uh, confusion around the classification 00:17:29.625 --> 00:17:33.105 of firearms that I was in possession of through my business. 00:17:33.605 --> 00:17:38.835 And the firearms program had came in, they looked at them, they had, uh, verified 00:17:38.845 --> 00:17:40.555 them, a couple of firearms officers. 00:17:41.160 --> 00:17:44.820 And they said, Travis, you have to register these as this type over here. 00:17:44.820 --> 00:17:48.739 And I'm sitting there all paranoid and nervous. 00:17:48.740 --> 00:17:50.960 And, uh, like, what are you trying to entrap me into? 00:17:50.960 --> 00:17:53.300 Because it's, the law says different. 00:17:53.300 --> 00:17:55.909 I look at a different, but I tell you what, if you want to do it, 00:17:55.919 --> 00:17:58.970 you guys proceed, you go ahead and you register it as you see fit. 00:17:59.009 --> 00:17:59.409 Right. 00:17:59.740 --> 00:18:02.070 And they said, no, no, we want you to do it, Travis. 00:18:02.070 --> 00:18:03.730 And I'm like, oh man, what are they trying to do here? 00:18:03.730 --> 00:18:03.970 So. 00:18:04.435 --> 00:18:05.565 Talked to my MLA. 00:18:05.575 --> 00:18:09.774 She talked to Minister Blaney and they said, this doesn't make sense. 00:18:10.215 --> 00:18:11.274 Just tell him to hold off. 00:18:11.274 --> 00:18:13.814 We're discussing it at the ministerial level. 00:18:14.405 --> 00:18:17.805 I mentioned this to the firearms officer when they, uh, this 00:18:17.805 --> 00:18:22.684 fellow was in my business and he said, we don't give an expletive. 00:18:23.475 --> 00:18:27.465 Uh, what minister Blaney says, I don't give an F what the MLA says, 00:18:27.475 --> 00:18:29.065 they don't make the laws we do. 00:18:29.475 --> 00:18:32.335 And he's explained to me, it was done through a process of 00:18:32.335 --> 00:18:34.704 normative, normative process. 00:18:35.155 --> 00:18:41.754 Um, now that's one individual talking out of his pocket, talking about, uh, 00:18:41.785 --> 00:18:47.525 his opinion, but it's easy to paint the general mass by the actions of the one. 00:18:48.074 --> 00:18:51.375 Um, but there was an apology that came through really quickly the next 00:18:51.375 --> 00:18:54.405 day, but it brought to mind the. 00:18:54.850 --> 00:18:56.350 Issue of normative process. 00:18:56.350 --> 00:19:00.980 He says, you know, if we do things in a certain way, if there's layers 00:19:00.980 --> 00:19:04.800 of ambiguity within the law, the courts will turn around and say, 00:19:04.800 --> 00:19:05.900 well, how's it generally done? 00:19:05.909 --> 00:19:06.950 How's it accepted? 00:19:07.279 --> 00:19:11.539 And that's where I see the value of this education, both for the general 00:19:11.540 --> 00:19:14.930 public, the firearms community, as well as for the firearms program, 00:19:15.200 --> 00:19:18.550 for everyone to be singing from the same song sheet, to understand the 00:19:18.550 --> 00:19:20.859 struggles that the firearms community has, to understand the challenges. 00:19:21.000 --> 00:19:24.360 Which you have a very, you've got your finger on the pulse there and for the 00:19:24.360 --> 00:19:28.940 firearms community to understand the struggles and limitations that the 00:19:28.950 --> 00:19:31.000 firearms officers have to deal with. 00:19:31.389 --> 00:19:35.090 And if we're able to sing from the same song sheet and create a normative 00:19:35.120 --> 00:19:41.550 process that works for public safety, for everybody, and was able to navigate 00:19:41.610 --> 00:19:47.900 the ambiguity of all the, the hodgepodge of firearms laws that we have, I think 00:19:47.920 --> 00:19:51.600 that's where the power of discussions like this really comes into play. 00:19:52.240 --> 00:20:00.670 Um, if, since you are intimately aware of the firearms community, both as prior 00:20:00.670 --> 00:20:04.110 to being chief firearms officer, as well as even more so now that you're, 00:20:04.560 --> 00:20:09.179 you're in this position, you're What, what are some of the common things that 00:20:09.189 --> 00:20:14.129 you see that people have contention with that maybe they're approaching it 00:20:14.139 --> 00:20:17.459 in a fashion that's not serving their best interests and maybe there's a 00:20:17.469 --> 00:20:18.949 better way that it could be approached? 00:20:19.899 --> 00:20:24.999 Teri Bryant: Well, I think the main thing is to, um, to understand that 00:20:24.999 --> 00:20:31.070 at least in, in our case, we, our goal is to preserve the firearms community. 00:20:31.989 --> 00:20:35.590 Of course, our number one goal is public safety. 00:20:35.609 --> 00:20:35.999 Sure. 00:20:36.000 --> 00:20:36.059 Sure. 00:20:36.060 --> 00:20:40.695 But, um, I actually believe we need to preserve the firearms community 00:20:41.125 --> 00:20:43.365 in order to maintain public safety. 00:20:44.155 --> 00:20:49.755 And the reason for that is that every country has a firearms culture. 00:20:50.464 --> 00:20:57.025 And um, so the firearms community in all its different aspects, whether 00:20:57.025 --> 00:21:05.265 it's gun shows, uh, people who are, uh, training people to, to, uh, get 00:21:05.265 --> 00:21:08.335 their hunting license, people are training to get their firearms license. 00:21:08.415 --> 00:21:12.445 Um, all of these people are gun clubs that organize shoots and so 00:21:12.445 --> 00:21:16.485 on, um, all of these people are contributing to forming a culture. 00:21:17.144 --> 00:21:22.784 And uh, I feel that the firearms community is a very positive influence. 00:21:23.404 --> 00:21:26.824 It can be a very positive influence and we can shape that a little bit 00:21:26.834 --> 00:21:31.524 by helping them to understand, you know, is required to comply with 00:21:31.524 --> 00:21:33.174 certain rules and things like that. 00:21:33.674 --> 00:21:38.344 But, uh, if we create a firearms culture. 00:21:39.010 --> 00:21:44.590 that is based around responsibility and respect and safety, then that's 00:21:44.590 --> 00:21:49.549 going to pay huge dividends in terms of, uh, of public safety. 00:21:50.040 --> 00:21:55.579 And on the other hand, if you got rid of the firearms community, like somehow you 00:21:55.579 --> 00:22:02.410 managed, uh, some, some Mandarin in Ottawa waved a magic wand and we all went away. 00:22:02.410 --> 00:22:08.029 Uh, And I suspect there are a few that might want to do that, uh, but, 00:22:08.450 --> 00:22:12.770 uh, if they suddenly did that, there would still be a firearms culture in 00:22:12.770 --> 00:22:15.050 Canada, but how would that be shaped? 00:22:15.070 --> 00:22:19.730 It would be shaped by, uh, like ultraviolent video games and 00:22:19.740 --> 00:22:21.469 movies coming out of Hollywood. 00:22:21.790 --> 00:22:27.600 And, uh, social media posts by gangbangers and things like that. 00:22:27.929 --> 00:22:32.969 And that would be how people thought about firearms and that would not 00:22:32.979 --> 00:22:36.379 contribute to public safety because then if people saw a firearm, 00:22:36.379 --> 00:22:37.509 they'd, Oh, this is how you do it. 00:22:37.519 --> 00:22:40.030 You wave it around like this and you go like this to look 00:22:40.050 --> 00:22:42.330 tough and this kind of thing. 00:22:42.340 --> 00:22:42.840 And. 00:22:43.290 --> 00:22:50.510 Uh, and so, uh, the firearms community in all its aspects and all the people 00:22:50.700 --> 00:22:55.329 who work very hard, you know, using their own free time, often their 00:22:55.329 --> 00:22:58.230 own resources to educate people. 00:22:58.499 --> 00:23:02.810 Um, you know, people who, uh, for example, at a collector's show are educating people 00:23:02.810 --> 00:23:05.070 about the historical value of firearms. 00:23:05.970 --> 00:23:10.540 And the role that they have played in the evolution of our society and 00:23:10.540 --> 00:23:14.699 the technologies of it, it creates a different mindset around them. 00:23:14.699 --> 00:23:18.710 And that's something that contributes very greatly to public safety and 00:23:18.710 --> 00:23:20.640 that we want to continue to encourage. 00:23:21.770 --> 00:23:22.109 Travis Bader: Yeah. 00:23:22.109 --> 00:23:26.149 You know, I find like different, different groups will attract 00:23:26.180 --> 00:23:27.380 different types of people. 00:23:27.440 --> 00:23:32.280 The firearms community I find tends to attract a lot of independent 00:23:32.280 --> 00:23:33.620 minded sort of individuals. 00:23:33.630 --> 00:23:33.660 Yeah. 00:23:34.210 --> 00:23:38.910 I was teaching a class of training instructors to teach 00:23:38.910 --> 00:23:40.540 a basic firearm safety course. 00:23:40.540 --> 00:23:45.360 And just for fun, I, I ask them like, aside from guns, like, what are you into? 00:23:45.730 --> 00:23:49.960 And by and large, everyone comes back with, well, I'm into scuba diving, or 00:23:49.960 --> 00:23:53.400 I'm into rock climbing, or I'm into collecting, or I'm into, and all their 00:23:53.440 --> 00:23:57.830 other activities that they're listing off are, aren't team activities, they 00:23:57.830 --> 00:24:05.190 aren't group sort of activities, and, uh, I find, uh, To a degree that can 00:24:05.200 --> 00:24:08.170 fragment the firearms community because everyone's like, just leave me alone. 00:24:08.170 --> 00:24:09.250 Let me do my own thing. 00:24:09.350 --> 00:24:09.730 Teri Bryant: And 00:24:10.770 --> 00:24:14.200 Travis Bader: then they will also try and lean on other organizations to 00:24:14.200 --> 00:24:20.109 make things, to affect sort of change for them, uh, whatever that might be. 00:24:20.139 --> 00:24:26.050 And they sort of, uh, give control over to a third party without realizing 00:24:26.059 --> 00:24:30.569 the amount of personal agency each individual firearms owner actually 00:24:30.579 --> 00:24:34.609 has when it comes to affecting change within the organization. 00:24:34.670 --> 00:24:38.350 Within the community, within the culture, the laws, and dealing 00:24:38.350 --> 00:24:39.580 with the firearms program. 00:24:40.120 --> 00:24:44.809 Um, I, I know there's a lot of very, uh, frustrated individuals when they 00:24:44.810 --> 00:24:49.660 talk about the, uh, the OIC, the recent ordering council, or they 00:24:49.660 --> 00:24:52.289 talk about the, the handgun freeze. 00:24:52.869 --> 00:24:56.219 Uh, what can individuals do to help? 00:24:56.865 --> 00:25:00.275 support some common sense legislation? 00:25:01.465 --> 00:25:04.325 Teri Bryant: I'm glad you asked that because this is a point that I make 00:25:04.385 --> 00:25:09.334 quite frequently and just goes beyond, you know, everybody has a bit of a 00:25:09.334 --> 00:25:13.054 personal philosophy and part of my personal philosophy and my approach to 00:25:13.055 --> 00:25:15.530 life is is being an engaged citizen. 00:25:16.090 --> 00:25:21.140 And, so, being a citizen, it isn't just a matter of, well, it 00:25:21.140 --> 00:25:24.960 says nationality Canadian on my passport, or something like that. 00:25:25.380 --> 00:25:30.750 It means that you are engaged in, uh, creating the society that we all live in. 00:25:31.359 --> 00:25:36.909 And, so, people are very keen on expressing things about their ideas, about 00:25:36.909 --> 00:25:43.040 their freedoms, but they also have to play a role, have to be, have to, Accept 00:25:43.100 --> 00:25:45.550 responsibility for the way society is. 00:25:46.050 --> 00:25:52.750 And that means if you are going to play an engaged role, then you will 00:25:53.400 --> 00:25:57.519 the benefit of that, I mean, you'll get to meet other people that are are like 00:25:57.520 --> 00:26:03.580 minded, but it also means you're you will have less frustration Because I 00:26:03.590 --> 00:26:09.640 mean, I was more frustrated before I had this job, uh, because, uh, although I 00:26:09.640 --> 00:26:14.690 was active in a number of ways, I didn't have some of the abilities to do things 00:26:14.730 --> 00:26:16.599 to accomplish things that I have now. 00:26:16.770 --> 00:26:23.540 So I wake up every day and I'm energized because I see possibilities to do things. 00:26:24.040 --> 00:26:28.239 And some people also, I'm not the only one who recognizes this. 00:26:28.239 --> 00:26:29.650 I, it's a common question. 00:26:29.650 --> 00:26:33.370 One of the common questions that I get asked at, at, uh, gun 00:26:33.370 --> 00:26:36.549 shows and other events where I appear is, well, what can I do? 00:26:36.699 --> 00:26:41.649 You know, I'm, I'm not a, uh, uh, chief firearms officer. 00:26:41.649 --> 00:26:43.209 I'm not a former professor. 00:26:43.209 --> 00:26:43.959 I'm not this. 00:26:43.999 --> 00:26:44.589 I'm just. 00:26:44.915 --> 00:26:50.095 You know, they say just this, and, um, but what can I do? 00:26:50.485 --> 00:26:54.555 Well, I always say there's three things that everybody should be doing. 00:26:55.760 --> 00:26:59.880 So, as a preface to that, the firearms community has to recognize 00:26:59.880 --> 00:27:01.610 that we're a minority, okay? 00:27:01.879 --> 00:27:06.870 In Alberta, for example, uh, the population's about 5 million, maybe 3. 00:27:06.870 --> 00:27:07.740 5 million adults. 00:27:07.769 --> 00:27:12.679 There's 360, 000 people who have a, a, uh, possession and acquisition license. 00:27:13.049 --> 00:27:15.980 So that means we're about 10 percent of the adult population. 00:27:16.600 --> 00:27:21.679 Of course, some of the, you know, that's a, a wife may use her 00:27:21.710 --> 00:27:23.439 husband's guns or vice versa. 00:27:23.720 --> 00:27:25.109 So, so there's more users. 00:27:26.135 --> 00:27:28.815 You know, it gives you some idea of order of magnitude. 00:27:28.865 --> 00:27:33.045 This shocks some people because when they, uh, they're thinking, 00:27:33.095 --> 00:27:34.765 Oh, all my friends own guns. 00:27:35.105 --> 00:27:41.494 So, you know, but, but that's not, that's not, you know, the overall reality. 00:27:41.684 --> 00:27:47.825 So as a, as a very small minority and one that is not well understood because 00:27:48.245 --> 00:27:52.715 in today's society, even in Alberta, which is a very pro gun province where 00:27:52.715 --> 00:27:54.784 firearms have, have You know, a lot of things have happened in our country, and 00:27:54.784 --> 00:27:58.645 I think the economy has played a very important role in our traditions, in our 00:27:58.645 --> 00:28:01.205 history, in our culture, in our economy. 00:28:01.645 --> 00:28:09.154 Um, even here we're a small minority, and a lot of people here, especially 00:28:09.154 --> 00:28:12.054 because most of the population growth has happened in our big cities, 00:28:12.445 --> 00:28:14.275 don't have much first hand exposure. 00:28:14.734 --> 00:28:19.385 So what that means, because we're a minority and we're a misunderstood 00:28:19.395 --> 00:28:23.965 minority, that we People either have no opinion about us or that 00:28:24.004 --> 00:28:26.595 are not a positive one, uh, then. 00:28:27.014 --> 00:28:33.685 We need to be highly mobilized and you know, they may not a hundred 00:28:33.685 --> 00:28:37.785 percent agree with every perspective that you have But they'll recognize 00:28:37.804 --> 00:28:39.965 the legitimacy of your concerns. 00:28:39.974 --> 00:28:40.465 Mm hmm. 00:28:40.665 --> 00:28:42.385 And that's a really important thing. 00:28:43.485 --> 00:28:48.574 Travis Bader: Yeah Yeah, I think the ability to articulate those concerns 00:28:48.574 --> 00:28:53.064 in a way that, uh, makes people aware of the broader implications, like if 00:28:53.064 --> 00:28:58.754 it's, if they're concerned about the firearms confiscation, uh, that's one 00:28:58.784 --> 00:29:04.199 aspect of the concern, but the other aspect is can we Confiscating, uh, 00:29:04.389 --> 00:29:09.540 personal property just through ordering counsel without due process, which could 00:29:09.540 --> 00:29:12.200 affect a broader, a broader population. 00:29:12.609 --> 00:29:15.769 Maybe that's one way to help, uh, win allies out there. 00:29:15.769 --> 00:29:18.359 I know the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses has 00:29:18.399 --> 00:29:23.169 taken the, uh, the amount of money that's being spent as a, as a way 00:29:23.169 --> 00:29:24.600 to try and win hearts and minds. 00:29:26.389 --> 00:29:29.399 We don't care really one way or the other about the firearm side, but. 00:29:29.730 --> 00:29:33.900 The amount of money that's being diverted into something that isn't showing any net 00:29:33.900 --> 00:29:36.830 positive effect, this should be addressed. 00:29:37.010 --> 00:29:39.830 Teri Bryant: Well, there's, there are aspects of the firearms issue that 00:29:39.840 --> 00:29:44.219 should be of concern to everyone, whether they own firearms or not. 00:29:44.590 --> 00:29:48.169 So you've alluded to one of them, which is the whole property rights issue. 00:29:48.539 --> 00:29:55.290 Um, property rights are not particularly well protected under, under Canadian law. 00:29:55.480 --> 00:29:55.770 Right. 00:29:55.790 --> 00:29:56.290 Uh, in fact. 00:29:56.915 --> 00:29:59.135 Some would say they're barely recognized, right? 00:29:59.215 --> 00:30:04.765 Um, but, uh, you know, that's an important thing for everyone that 00:30:04.765 --> 00:30:09.665 if, if, uh, the federal government establishes the precedent that they can 00:30:09.665 --> 00:30:14.895 come along and take your property when you have done nothing wrong, and when 00:30:14.895 --> 00:30:19.415 you are posing no risk to society, and when they have presented no evidence 00:30:19.555 --> 00:30:21.085 that the property they want to take. 00:30:21.535 --> 00:30:26.075 If a firearm is of any danger to anyone, then that's a very dangerous precedent. 00:30:26.475 --> 00:30:33.225 And there are similarly many other aspects of, uh, federal firearms policy that 00:30:33.225 --> 00:30:35.135 people should be gravely concerned about. 00:30:35.385 --> 00:30:39.265 I expressed this right after I took office, um, I wrote a 00:30:39.265 --> 00:30:41.055 letter as early as November. 00:30:41.295 --> 00:30:45.575 I remember I took office in September and I wrote it off as early as November. 00:30:46.025 --> 00:30:50.535 Um, I wrote a formal letter, which then was, you know, had to work its way through 00:30:50.535 --> 00:30:57.045 and get, uh, get approval to go out pointing out the huge opportunity cost. 00:30:57.045 --> 00:31:02.245 Opportunity cost is, it's a fancy economics term for what, what 00:31:02.245 --> 00:31:03.315 else could you do with the money? 00:31:03.315 --> 00:31:03.464 Okay. 00:31:03.465 --> 00:31:04.335 Right. 00:31:04.455 --> 00:31:10.670 And so, you know, the, with the, this firearms confiscation plan, uh, They've, 00:31:10.680 --> 00:31:17.320 first of all, they've lowballed what the cost is going to be, um, and then they've 00:31:17.320 --> 00:31:24.400 also, uh, not recognized the alternative uses that that money could fit. 00:31:24.410 --> 00:31:29.010 Like I said at the time that I thought probably it would cost, you 00:31:29.010 --> 00:31:32.650 know, a lowball estimate I thought would be a couple of billion dollars. 00:31:33.270 --> 00:31:33.869 And So, yeah. 00:31:34.170 --> 00:31:37.940 Uh, so, I mean, so far they've admitted to spending, I say admitted because 00:31:37.940 --> 00:31:42.070 who knows how much the actual figure, but they've admitted to spending 42 00:31:42.070 --> 00:31:43.730 million and they've accomplished nothing. 00:31:43.820 --> 00:31:51.390 And so, um, if they are to, uh, to carry this out all across the country, then 00:31:51.440 --> 00:31:56.630 it would be, uh, an enormous expense when, you know, we could use more 00:31:56.630 --> 00:31:58.810 police officers, more border agents. 00:31:58.820 --> 00:32:02.520 So, if you want to take a broader look at some of the underlying 00:32:02.540 --> 00:32:04.995 problems that that generate violence. 00:32:04.995 --> 00:32:09.145 You could hire more social workers or addiction counselors, or, you know, 00:32:09.165 --> 00:32:14.465 people to get, uh, uh, gang members out of that destructive lifestyle. 00:32:14.615 --> 00:32:19.125 So there's so many alternative uses of that, uh, that money. 00:32:19.405 --> 00:32:19.965 And. 00:32:20.405 --> 00:32:23.075 Uh, you know, I know there's, there are certain politicians that 00:32:23.075 --> 00:32:26.815 believe there's a bottomless well that they can always just print more 00:32:26.815 --> 00:32:28.325 and the budget will balance itself. 00:32:28.895 --> 00:32:31.665 Uh, but you know, that money has to come from somewhere. 00:32:32.025 --> 00:32:37.085 And so I think it's, it's important to people recognize those, those, 00:32:37.105 --> 00:32:44.435 uh, alternative uses and also the corrosive impact that programs 00:32:44.435 --> 00:32:49.905 like that, that are clearly useless and that are, uh, attacking. 00:32:50.735 --> 00:32:55.035 people's property rights and, uh, their other freedoms. 00:32:55.535 --> 00:33:03.335 Uh, it's important that people recognize that, uh, those, those, uh, actions 00:33:03.635 --> 00:33:06.335 have consequences beyond finance. 00:33:06.555 --> 00:33:08.575 They undermine confidence in the system. 00:33:09.245 --> 00:33:17.790 And, you know, every society, every country has to have Um, people have to 00:33:17.790 --> 00:33:22.890 have confidence in their government, and all around the world we see that 00:33:22.890 --> 00:33:26.760 that is being undermined, that people are lacking confidence, and there's all 00:33:26.760 --> 00:33:30.730 kinds of contributing factors there, some point to social media or one 00:33:30.740 --> 00:33:34.570 thing or another, but governments have to look long and hard at themselves. 00:33:34.870 --> 00:33:38.040 And see whether their actions are undermining public 00:33:38.060 --> 00:33:40.399 confidence or reinforcing it. 00:33:40.400 --> 00:33:45.030 And that's one of the things when I, when I get philosophical, what I 00:33:45.050 --> 00:33:51.510 think about my job is I want to help restore confidence in government, 00:33:51.810 --> 00:33:54.020 not as the solution to everything. 00:33:54.990 --> 00:33:56.834 We have to have some level of government. 00:33:56.835 --> 00:34:01.225 You know, you can't have a society that's just total anarchy, you know, 00:34:01.225 --> 00:34:05.015 people running around doing anything they want to anybody they want 00:34:05.165 --> 00:34:07.025 without regard for the consequences. 00:34:07.575 --> 00:34:13.775 But the way that we will get the kind of government that we need to have is when 00:34:13.775 --> 00:34:19.365 the people who are involved in government recognize their responsibility to help 00:34:19.375 --> 00:34:22.235 reinforce confidence in the system. 00:34:22.235 --> 00:34:24.695 And when they do that. 00:34:25.040 --> 00:34:29.900 Then other people will not shy away from public service. 00:34:30.120 --> 00:34:33.290 They'll say, yeah, I want to be, I want to help be part of 00:34:33.290 --> 00:34:36.150 the solution, not the problem. 00:34:36.490 --> 00:34:38.640 So I'm not just going to sit here and carp. 00:34:39.060 --> 00:34:43.370 I'm going to get involved and I'm going to help to create the kind of government 00:34:43.380 --> 00:34:45.390 that I want to see our country have. 00:34:46.240 --> 00:34:51.920 And it's only when we all do that, that we will get the kind 00:34:51.920 --> 00:34:53.220 of government we want to have. 00:34:53.440 --> 00:34:56.910 And I think that firearms owners are uniquely positioned. 00:34:57.460 --> 00:35:04.070 to help in that process because they have been, uh, sort of the canaries in 00:35:04.070 --> 00:35:14.710 the coal mine for many of the attacks on individual liberty and, uh, on our, On 00:35:14.710 --> 00:35:17.050 the credibility of our, of our system. 00:35:17.350 --> 00:35:19.470 They're the ones who are suffering this first. 00:35:19.940 --> 00:35:22.080 And so they see it. 00:35:22.190 --> 00:35:27.720 And if they get involved, they can hopefully prevent this sort of corrosive 00:35:27.720 --> 00:35:34.020 rot from, uh, eating away at our system so much that it becomes irreparable. 00:35:34.490 --> 00:35:38.360 I don't think anybody wants to see that, but if we don't want to see 00:35:38.360 --> 00:35:40.760 it, we've got to play an active role. 00:35:45.585 --> 00:35:48.945 Travis Bader: So I have some theories as to why firearms owners are the 00:35:48.945 --> 00:35:50.975 canary in the coal mine, so to speak. 00:35:51.055 --> 00:35:55.285 Um, and I could, I can let you know what they are, or do you have 00:35:55.295 --> 00:35:57.475 theories as to why that might be? 00:35:58.055 --> 00:36:02.485 Teri Bryant: Uh, well, I think if you, if you look historically the people 00:36:02.485 --> 00:36:12.630 who become the scapegoats of the The, um, uh, scapegoats for problems are 00:36:12.630 --> 00:36:14.490 typically people who are misunderstood. 00:36:14.820 --> 00:36:18.120 They might be misunderstood because they're from a particular ethnic 00:36:18.120 --> 00:36:23.010 or racial or religious group, or in our case, because they are members 00:36:23.050 --> 00:36:27.380 of a group who do an activity that many people don't understand. 00:36:27.930 --> 00:36:31.150 And so if you want to get something. 00:36:31.835 --> 00:36:35.935 Uh, if you want to eat away at something, it's easy to, it's easiest 00:36:36.195 --> 00:36:43.495 if you use, uh, precedence with people who are not well understood, because 00:36:43.495 --> 00:36:45.325 it's easier to make them scapegoats. 00:36:45.325 --> 00:36:46.434 Right? 00:36:46.725 --> 00:36:51.255 And so, since we're not well understood, it's easier to make us scapegoats. 00:36:51.565 --> 00:36:54.335 And so, since people don't understand, well, why does 00:36:54.345 --> 00:36:55.635 somebody need to have a gun? 00:36:55.715 --> 00:36:58.055 Or, if you have a gun, why would you need two? 00:36:58.675 --> 00:36:58.965 Travis Bader: Well, 00:36:59.345 --> 00:37:00.455 Teri Bryant: people don't understand. 00:37:00.475 --> 00:37:04.135 I mean, my answer to, well, why do you need more than one gun is, well, why does 00:37:04.135 --> 00:37:05.675 a mechanic have more than one wrench? 00:37:05.675 --> 00:37:06.944 Yeah, that's right. 00:37:06.945 --> 00:37:08.055 Yeah, if one works. 00:37:08.125 --> 00:37:11.675 They're tools, and, you know, I mean, If you get a Crescent wrench, 00:37:11.675 --> 00:37:17.215 it could do a lot of wrenches, but it's not as good as, as an actual 00:37:17.215 --> 00:37:21.215 wrench that's a nine sixteenths or an 11 millimeter or, or whatever. 00:37:21.635 --> 00:37:23.135 So that's why mechanics. 00:37:23.550 --> 00:37:27.230 Have have lots of wrenches, and that's why people who want to do 00:37:27.230 --> 00:37:31.880 different things with guns have more than one gun because different 00:37:31.880 --> 00:37:33.670 ones are good for different things. 00:37:33.920 --> 00:37:34.410 Travis Bader: Yes. 00:37:34.580 --> 00:37:38.680 Teri Bryant: And, uh, so, so anyway, I think it's, you know, at least 00:37:38.690 --> 00:37:42.740 partially that kind of the fact that we're as people who are misunderstood, 00:37:42.740 --> 00:37:44.210 it's easier to scapegoat us. 00:37:44.800 --> 00:37:47.120 And once you establish that precedent. 00:37:47.765 --> 00:37:52.705 Then you can gradually, uh, you know, expand it out. 00:37:52.985 --> 00:37:56.625 And next thing you know, the person who thought, Oh, they'll never come for me. 00:37:56.975 --> 00:37:57.785 Realizes. 00:37:58.165 --> 00:38:01.645 That they are coming for you and, you know, like in the case of the, 00:38:01.695 --> 00:38:07.375 of the gun grab, um, they go after rifles that, uh, and other firearms. 00:38:07.375 --> 00:38:09.545 There's lots of things actually that aren't even in the, the 00:38:09.545 --> 00:38:11.595 modern sporting rifle category. 00:38:12.695 --> 00:38:15.945 They go after modern sporting rifles because it doesn't 00:38:15.975 --> 00:38:17.375 look like a traditional gun. 00:38:17.375 --> 00:38:20.365 And why would you, why would you want to have that? 00:38:20.375 --> 00:38:22.265 Why do you need to have that? 00:38:22.735 --> 00:38:27.685 But if the federal government succeeds in establishing a system. 00:38:28.075 --> 00:38:36.525 Uh, procedure, an infrastructure for, uh, confiscating those firearms after years 00:38:36.525 --> 00:38:41.515 of work and many, well, by that time it'll probably be at least hundreds of millions 00:38:41.515 --> 00:38:43.195 just to set up that infrastructure. 00:38:43.235 --> 00:38:43.655 Mm hmm. 00:38:43.940 --> 00:38:45.470 Do you think they're only going to use it once? 00:38:45.840 --> 00:38:46.100 No. 00:38:46.140 --> 00:38:47.500 They'll have a list every year. 00:38:48.090 --> 00:38:52.380 And so that's why this, this, uh, nefarious tendency has 00:38:52.380 --> 00:38:53.380 to be nipped in the bud. 00:38:53.500 --> 00:38:54.040 Mm. 00:38:54.200 --> 00:39:01.220 And, um, you know, the other thing about this, this particular, uh, pro 00:39:01.270 --> 00:39:06.030 set of prohibitions was it broke all of the sort of unwritten rules, right? 00:39:06.030 --> 00:39:09.400 The unwritten rule was when they prohibited things. 00:39:09.875 --> 00:39:12.715 people would get grandfathered and they could at least keep their stuff. 00:39:13.465 --> 00:39:16.035 And this violated that trust. 00:39:16.555 --> 00:39:24.195 You know, so, um, this was very, this set of measures was especially corrosive 00:39:24.895 --> 00:39:32.220 because it not only, uh, attacked people who We're not contributing to 00:39:32.220 --> 00:39:38.380 the problem, but it also undermined all of the assumptions that people had made 00:39:38.390 --> 00:39:40.740 about how things would be done fairly. 00:39:41.560 --> 00:39:48.180 And so, um, I think that, that was a, a, a major blunder. 00:39:48.620 --> 00:39:53.900 Um, and I, the positive aspect of that I suppose is when people make really major 00:39:53.900 --> 00:39:57.780 blunders, it's easier for other people to recognize that they are blunders. 00:39:57.820 --> 00:39:58.250 Sure. 00:39:58.350 --> 00:40:03.015 And unfortunately You know, the people who were involved in that keep doubling 00:40:03.015 --> 00:40:07.195 down and thinking that, uh, well, if we just spend a little bit more 00:40:07.195 --> 00:40:12.785 money and, or a lot more money, uh, and more time it's going to, but you 00:40:12.785 --> 00:40:15.725 know, uh, a bad idea is a bad idea. 00:40:16.025 --> 00:40:17.365 You dig yourself in a hole. 00:40:17.685 --> 00:40:24.175 The best solution is to stop digging, to abandon this whole idea and recognize 00:40:24.215 --> 00:40:30.415 that this was Uh, a bad idea from the start and a bad idea poorly implemented. 00:40:30.765 --> 00:40:30.925 Travis Bader: Yeah. 00:40:30.925 --> 00:40:34.195 There, there's two thoughts on the, they got the whole dig thought, okay. 00:40:34.285 --> 00:40:36.579 Best thing to do is stop digging that hole, find your way out. 00:40:37.050 --> 00:40:41.810 The other one is, okay, you found yourself into the darkest part of the forest. 00:40:41.810 --> 00:40:43.530 And they say, well, just keep pushing through it. 00:40:43.530 --> 00:40:44.890 There's going to be light at the end of the tunnel. 00:40:44.890 --> 00:40:50.590 And maybe they're thinking that my theory on it is, I mean, the people 00:40:50.590 --> 00:40:54.200 who come up with these ideas and laws, there's going to be those very few 00:40:54.210 --> 00:40:56.564 who are just fanatical and they have. 00:40:56.725 --> 00:41:01.845 They're not open to reasonable persuasion, but most of them 00:41:01.845 --> 00:41:02.775 are going to be intelligent. 00:41:02.835 --> 00:41:06.515 Most of them can look at the numbers, most of them can look at the statistics, 00:41:06.705 --> 00:41:09.775 and I've always thought it was more of a process of just being able to 00:41:09.775 --> 00:41:13.945 paint your opponent in a certain way, and to use something that's in the 00:41:13.945 --> 00:41:19.655 public mind as Uh, perhaps a negative and say, we're going to do something 00:41:19.655 --> 00:41:23.795 about what the public perceives as negative and our opponent over here, 00:41:23.835 --> 00:41:25.925 all they want to do is more negative. 00:41:25.975 --> 00:41:26.265 Right. 00:41:26.275 --> 00:41:30.315 And I've, I've always thought that that was sort of that, that had to be 00:41:30.325 --> 00:41:32.935 for the logical common sense person. 00:41:32.945 --> 00:41:35.565 The reason why they'd be pushing something forward was wasn't so 00:41:35.565 --> 00:41:38.175 much that they actually believe what they're doing is going to affect 00:41:38.565 --> 00:41:40.935 a positive change because clearly. 00:41:41.215 --> 00:41:45.545 Clearly the statistics and the outcome isn't showing that, but it's how to 00:41:45.545 --> 00:41:49.065 show the other person, paint them into a negative corner so that they can use 00:41:49.065 --> 00:41:52.225 that for, um, their own political means. 00:41:52.225 --> 00:41:55.995 And recently I was asked to be on a podcast called the Horrible People 00:41:56.015 --> 00:42:03.155 Podcast and, uh, uh, Jen McDonald, Nia Gadbois was the, is a host of that one. 00:42:03.155 --> 00:42:03.895 She's putting it out. 00:42:03.895 --> 00:42:05.915 And I said, I love the name. 00:42:05.915 --> 00:42:06.735 I love what you're doing. 00:42:06.735 --> 00:42:07.545 That's going to be catchy. 00:42:07.545 --> 00:42:08.755 People are going to look at that. 00:42:09.255 --> 00:42:09.475 Boop. 00:42:09.835 --> 00:42:11.125 What's, what's your goal here? 00:42:11.165 --> 00:42:15.115 And she says, well, you know, I want to show how the firearms community is shown 00:42:15.125 --> 00:42:20.495 in a negative light and how the real story behind people, we're not horrible 00:42:20.495 --> 00:42:22.345 people and we're members of the community. 00:42:22.345 --> 00:42:26.395 I said, well, that's all fantastic, but who's going to listen to this, right? 00:42:27.325 --> 00:42:32.005 And really the people who are going to listen to it is the firearms community. 00:42:32.160 --> 00:42:36.180 And it's going to be a closed echo chamber of people chanting to themselves 00:42:36.180 --> 00:42:37.920 and yeah, we're, we're really good. 00:42:38.840 --> 00:42:42.970 There needs to be a means for, uh, the firearms community to 00:42:42.970 --> 00:42:45.010 reach the broader general public. 00:42:45.590 --> 00:42:49.620 And I think what you brought up there, it was what I brought up with her. 00:42:49.620 --> 00:42:55.605 I said, well, What if you, instead of just dealing on the gun side of things, dealt 00:42:55.605 --> 00:43:00.745 with othering and how people are othered and you can have people from all different 00:43:00.845 --> 00:43:06.385 backgrounds, um, religious beliefs, ethnicities, whatever, that have been 00:43:06.425 --> 00:43:10.945 othered and look at how the media portrays them in a politically expedient way. 00:43:10.945 --> 00:43:15.648 So now you're gaining the support of other groups, you're showing the process 00:43:15.648 --> 00:43:18.209 of othering and what that looks like. 00:43:18.810 --> 00:43:25.310 I, I might be biased, but I think the power of the, um, the collective masses 00:43:25.310 --> 00:43:30.460 through the media is way more powerful and affecting positive change than any 00:43:30.460 --> 00:43:32.730 legal recourse that we possibly have. 00:43:34.340 --> 00:43:34.490 Teri Bryant: Yeah. 00:43:34.520 --> 00:43:39.530 Well, I think, I think, um, you know, that's, uh, rec, helping 00:43:39.530 --> 00:43:43.090 people, other people outside the firearms community to recognize the 00:43:43.090 --> 00:43:46.970 importance of the precedents, the negative precedents that are being 00:43:46.970 --> 00:43:48.930 set here is a very important thing. 00:43:48.950 --> 00:43:49.320 Yes. 00:43:49.320 --> 00:43:49.369 Yes. 00:43:49.370 --> 00:43:49.940 And. 00:43:50.325 --> 00:43:57.515 Um, so that's, that's why in Alberta, I think, uh, there are a lot of people 00:43:58.295 --> 00:44:03.925 who, the arguments are more receptive, more well received here in Alberta. 00:44:04.295 --> 00:44:09.900 And that's because many of the issues that are touched on are ones that are 00:44:09.960 --> 00:44:15.320 important to people, even if they are not affected directly by them themselves. 00:44:15.320 --> 00:44:18.780 So, you know, one of the things about Alberta, you know, uh, we're 00:44:18.870 --> 00:44:25.840 known for our, uh, emphasis on property rights and, you know, people 00:44:25.840 --> 00:44:27.260 might wonder, well, why is that? 00:44:27.320 --> 00:44:30.680 And if you think about it historically, it makes a great deal of sense 00:44:30.710 --> 00:44:35.200 because when Alberta was being settled, how did we make our money? 00:44:35.200 --> 00:44:40.335 Well, Agriculture, ranching, you need to have property, you've got land, 00:44:40.385 --> 00:44:45.985 you've got livestock, uh, you've got equipment, um, and you know, even if 00:44:45.985 --> 00:44:49.525 you're, uh, not ranching, but you're, you know, you're, you're, uh, seeding 00:44:49.525 --> 00:44:51.845 crops, you need, uh, lots of equipment. 00:44:52.045 --> 00:44:55.035 So that property is your livelihood. 00:44:55.965 --> 00:44:59.845 It is, there's a very direct connection between property rights. 00:45:00.135 --> 00:45:01.425 And your livelihood. 00:45:02.015 --> 00:45:07.415 And then subsequently we had the oil boom and, and, uh, you know, which has, 00:45:07.445 --> 00:45:12.275 of course, it has ups and downs over time, but in oil as well, your property 00:45:12.275 --> 00:45:17.805 rights and your, um, you know, your, uh, the royalties that come off of that 00:45:18.005 --> 00:45:19.475 has helped to support the province. 00:45:19.485 --> 00:45:24.045 So property, uh, the recognition that property is an important 00:45:24.335 --> 00:45:31.755 Important part of what enables us to be prosperous and also to live an 00:45:31.785 --> 00:45:34.175 independent, self reliant lifestyle. 00:45:34.845 --> 00:45:39.325 That awareness is much stronger here in Alberta than it is in many other places. 00:45:40.125 --> 00:45:46.050 And so, um, People may not recognize, uh, or even if they're a gun person, 00:45:46.050 --> 00:45:51.490 they might say, well, yeah, but I don't have an AR 15, uh, you know, well, yeah. 00:45:51.490 --> 00:45:55.990 But if they take that away, how long, you know, before they take the other ones away 00:45:55.990 --> 00:45:57.850 and then how long before they decide that. 00:45:58.395 --> 00:46:00.915 You know, well, do you really need to be owning land? 00:46:00.915 --> 00:46:05.105 I mean, it isn't, shouldn't that be owned by the state so they can, 00:46:05.535 --> 00:46:07.125 we can feed the masses with it? 00:46:07.145 --> 00:46:10.485 Well, see how well I, I studied in the Soviet union, so I know how well 00:46:10.485 --> 00:46:17.035 the whole collective farm thing works, you know, um, uh, so, you know, here 00:46:17.035 --> 00:46:21.655 in Alberta, people are much more receptive to these kinds of concerns. 00:46:21.915 --> 00:46:27.115 And I think in that regard, we can be a beacon for the rest of the country because 00:46:27.125 --> 00:46:31.450 we're If you look across, you know, I, I pretty much confined myself to my 00:46:31.970 --> 00:46:36.980 little bailiwick, which is the firearms issue, but across a wide range of issues. 00:46:36.980 --> 00:46:44.740 Alberta has not been afraid to challenge the, uh, the received wisdom, the, the, 00:46:44.740 --> 00:46:49.900 uh, uh, the co, the popular ideas of the day and come up with ideas that. 00:46:50.565 --> 00:46:54.715 Often end up working better and if they don't work better, then we abandon 00:46:54.715 --> 00:46:59.585 those and come up with an even better idea because we're not afraid to be 00:46:59.585 --> 00:47:06.475 different and that comes from that independent mindset that we have because 00:47:06.475 --> 00:47:11.325 we've grown up as a society of people who were farmers and ranchers and 00:47:11.335 --> 00:47:12.775 people who are living on their own. 00:47:13.240 --> 00:47:15.910 You know, you talk to some people, they live in some of the more 00:47:15.910 --> 00:47:17.360 remote parts of the province. 00:47:17.740 --> 00:47:22.710 They come to town every once in a while, otherwise, I mean, the 00:47:22.710 --> 00:47:25.020 reason they're out there is they want people to leave them alone. 00:47:25.570 --> 00:47:28.950 And you know, that, that when the federal government keeps coming in 00:47:28.950 --> 00:47:33.690 and coming up with ideas that are intruding on their ideas, they've 00:47:33.700 --> 00:47:38.870 moved somewhere where their activities don't have any impact on anybody. 00:47:39.200 --> 00:47:41.160 They, they just want to be left alone. 00:47:41.640 --> 00:47:45.310 And when the federal government won't leave people alone, but keeps badgering 00:47:45.310 --> 00:47:48.590 them and coming after them, even when they're not doing anything, that 00:47:48.590 --> 00:47:50.300 really rubs Albertans the wrong way. 00:47:52.310 --> 00:47:56.170 Travis Bader: You are a very strong person and you stand up for what you know to 00:47:56.180 --> 00:47:59.080 be true, which takes a lot of courage. 00:47:59.300 --> 00:48:07.135 And I should imagine, do you find you get much flack or heat for, Stepping up and 00:48:07.135 --> 00:48:11.505 saying, I don't agree with this policy, or I don't agree with this process. 00:48:11.905 --> 00:48:13.565 There's a better way that we can do it. 00:48:14.245 --> 00:48:20.405 Teri Bryant: Well, surprisingly little, actually, um, because, uh, so a couple 00:48:20.405 --> 00:48:25.605 of things, first of all, I mean, people might think, Oh, Terry's so courageous. 00:48:25.615 --> 00:48:26.235 She does this. 00:48:26.495 --> 00:48:27.395 I have a mandate. 00:48:27.415 --> 00:48:29.085 So it says that I'm supposed to do this. 00:48:29.175 --> 00:48:29.215 Okay. 00:48:29.855 --> 00:48:32.985 Whereas if you, if you know, if I was a federally appointed CFO, I'd get, 00:48:33.085 --> 00:48:34.485 I'd have been fired within a week. 00:48:34.785 --> 00:48:35.185 Okay. 00:48:35.545 --> 00:48:37.975 Uh, uh, foreseeing and doing the things that I do. 00:48:38.370 --> 00:48:44.880 Um, it's not just me, you know, I have a whole team here that is helping me to, uh, 00:48:45.010 --> 00:48:49.380 establish, uh, a different way of looking at the firearms issue, a different way 00:48:49.380 --> 00:48:51.010 of relating to the firearms community. 00:48:51.340 --> 00:48:55.870 I have political support, you know, all of the ministers, including our current, 00:48:55.930 --> 00:48:58.000 uh, minister of justice, Mickey Amory. 00:48:58.350 --> 00:48:59.850 They've all been very supportive. 00:49:00.060 --> 00:49:02.310 I've spoken to the premier a few times. 00:49:02.340 --> 00:49:05.370 She's a busy lady, so I don't see her on a real regular basis. 00:49:05.370 --> 00:49:05.460 Mm-Hmm. 00:49:05.820 --> 00:49:08.910 . But every interaction I've had with her, she has expressed 00:49:08.910 --> 00:49:10.620 the strongest possible support. 00:49:11.160 --> 00:49:18.200 Uh, I know many of the members of Cabinet and they, uh, also are very supportive, 00:49:18.640 --> 00:49:21.440 and so, you know, it's a little easier. 00:49:21.880 --> 00:49:23.930 To be courageous when, you know, you're not alone. 00:49:24.070 --> 00:49:24.470 Sure. 00:49:24.520 --> 00:49:24.920 Yes. 00:49:24.970 --> 00:49:31.700 So, so I don't want to overplay my, uh, you know, by a valiant role in 00:49:31.700 --> 00:49:34.380 this, in this, uh, in this whole thing. 00:49:34.700 --> 00:49:40.510 Uh, but you know, I do have, uh, a lot of people who are very supportive. 00:49:40.560 --> 00:49:45.870 And the thing is that the people who recognize me, like one of the things 00:49:45.870 --> 00:49:49.844 that's really been a big change in my life is I spent most of my life, you 00:49:54.175 --> 00:49:58.745 I didn't want to have anything to do with the media or, or anything like that. 00:49:59.345 --> 00:50:05.645 And then I got this job and, you know, a large part of it involves talking to large 00:50:05.665 --> 00:50:12.815 numbers of people at public events, being on podcasts and all kinds of other things. 00:50:12.815 --> 00:50:15.755 I'm not a very technological person, so I don't even know all the kinds 00:50:15.755 --> 00:50:20.350 of things that I'm on or what they're supposed to be called, but, um, Um, if 00:50:20.350 --> 00:50:25.640 you Google my name and chief firearms officer, you'll find lots of stuff there. 00:50:26.000 --> 00:50:33.260 And so I have people come up to me all the time and say, are you, yes, I mean, 00:50:33.310 --> 00:50:39.490 I was in, uh, Lethbridge last weekend for the, um, Fort Whoop Up rendezvous of the 00:50:39.490 --> 00:50:41.560 Alberta black powder shooting association. 00:50:41.970 --> 00:50:48.050 And um, I've crossed the parking lot to go to the restaurant to have a bite to eat. 00:50:48.270 --> 00:50:50.830 And as I'm walking in, the guy says, Are you? 00:50:51.990 --> 00:50:52.280 Yeah. 00:50:52.340 --> 00:50:52.560 Yeah. 00:50:52.560 --> 00:50:53.150 That's me. 00:50:53.190 --> 00:50:53.480 Yeah. 00:50:53.530 --> 00:50:58.260 I've been recognized on the street and, and, um, and, uh, many places. 00:50:58.610 --> 00:50:58.880 So. 00:51:00.070 --> 00:51:04.150 It's not something that I would have chosen, you know, uh, it's sort 00:51:04.150 --> 00:51:05.900 of a cost that comes with the job. 00:51:05.900 --> 00:51:11.160 I mean, some people would find it nice because it, it soothes their ego, you 00:51:11.160 --> 00:51:15.330 know, that, oh yeah, people recognize me everywhere, but it means I gotta be 00:51:15.330 --> 00:51:20.440 really good because, because, you know, I'm in the public eye all the time. 00:51:20.850 --> 00:51:27.550 And Uh, so the people who recognize me are generally people who are supportive. 00:51:28.090 --> 00:51:34.790 Um, I do get some people, even at gun shows, uh, who are, uh, less 00:51:34.790 --> 00:51:38.644 supportive of not always of me. 00:51:38.915 --> 00:51:45.005 Firearms per se, but of, um, well, why do they need that kind of firearm? 00:51:45.405 --> 00:51:48.335 And you know, why, why do people need a handgun? 00:51:48.345 --> 00:51:50.625 Why do they need a modern sporting rifle? 00:51:50.835 --> 00:51:51.935 Why do you need that? 00:51:51.965 --> 00:51:58.480 And, you know, I then work on converting them and pointing out, you know, I 00:51:58.490 --> 00:52:03.490 get at one time, uh, the lever action repeating rifle was considered a 00:52:03.940 --> 00:52:06.700 revolutionary increase in firepower. 00:52:07.040 --> 00:52:11.100 Um, and so, you know, now it's considered a, you know, a very 00:52:11.100 --> 00:52:14.800 sedate, uh, traditional kind of thing. 00:52:15.030 --> 00:52:21.200 So, uh, I, I spend time, uh, to convince people that this is. 00:52:21.965 --> 00:52:26.105 something that, you know, it's not, not so scary. 00:52:26.105 --> 00:52:30.625 And, and if you, um, if they, if we let them get away with taking these 00:52:30.625 --> 00:52:35.905 away, then the thing that you like next is going to be on the block. 00:52:36.085 --> 00:52:36.295 Yeah. 00:52:36.295 --> 00:52:45.130 So, um, I spent a fair bit of time, Uh, you know, at, at shows, because it's 00:52:45.140 --> 00:52:48.150 not that there's a large number of them, but sometimes it needs a little work, 00:52:48.550 --> 00:52:52.110 you know, um, but that's part of my job. 00:52:52.140 --> 00:52:56.640 Like, basically I view my time, I have to sleep a certain number of 00:52:56.640 --> 00:53:02.260 day, hours a day, but otherwise all my time is this job, you know, and. 00:53:02.700 --> 00:53:09.050 So if it's, if it takes 15 minutes to convert a person, then 15 minutes, 00:53:09.060 --> 00:53:12.750 it'll take if it takes half an hour, if it takes an hour, I just keep plugging 00:53:12.750 --> 00:53:18.050 away at it one by one, you know, you, you make convert people to the cause, 00:53:18.070 --> 00:53:24.890 or at least to being, uh, indifferent and another part of how I do that. 00:53:24.890 --> 00:53:28.930 I think I've shown you that I, I use a lot of my own firearms and I have a lot of. 00:53:29.330 --> 00:53:34.510 Very interesting historical pieces and I can comment on the history of them. 00:53:34.520 --> 00:53:40.790 You know, this gun was was purchased by the Kingdom of Siam to equip their 00:53:40.790 --> 00:53:50.125 officer corps and you know this kind of thing and so People then view 00:53:50.125 --> 00:53:52.535 these things as in a different way. 00:53:52.585 --> 00:53:54.705 They realize, yeah, there's a lot of history there. 00:53:54.745 --> 00:53:59.585 Or I point out, you know, this one was owned by my, my grandfather, and 00:53:59.585 --> 00:54:03.615 then my father, and then me, or my father, and my uncle, and then me. 00:54:03.615 --> 00:54:06.485 And, you know, they realize that there's family history to it. 00:54:06.495 --> 00:54:10.295 That, that many of them are historical artifacts. 00:54:10.760 --> 00:54:16.620 from history writ large, not just my family and it changes people's perspective 00:54:16.620 --> 00:54:21.440 on things and they recognize that, you know, like with the, with the modern 00:54:21.440 --> 00:54:25.490 sporting rifle that, uh, modern sporting rifles that were covered by the order in 00:54:25.490 --> 00:54:28.160 council, people don't realize how broadly. 00:54:29.105 --> 00:54:33.795 That there were many other types of things that are by no means modern sporting 00:54:33.795 --> 00:54:37.835 rifles or black rifles, whatever you want to call them that are covered by that. 00:54:38.355 --> 00:54:42.415 And that's something that the federal government has repeatedly done is say, 00:54:42.455 --> 00:54:44.575 Oh, we're banning this type of gun. 00:54:44.965 --> 00:54:49.485 Oh, we're banning, you know, Saturday night specials, and then they enact a 00:54:49.485 --> 00:54:51.415 law that actually covers a lot more. 00:54:52.225 --> 00:54:59.315 And so, um, you know, that's a, uh, there should be some kind of honesty 00:54:59.315 --> 00:55:06.865 and labeling law with respect to, with respect to laws, but you know, it's part 00:55:06.865 --> 00:55:10.329 of my job to, uh, point these things out. 00:55:10.690 --> 00:55:17.180 And, uh, you know, I, uh, when I went to Ottawa, I took pictures, they're 00:55:17.180 --> 00:55:20.380 talking about the handgun transfer freeze when they were going to entrench 00:55:20.380 --> 00:55:23.090 it in legislation through Bill C 21. 00:55:23.380 --> 00:55:28.330 I took pictures of, you know, my Peter Soli reproduction of a Harpers Ferry 00:55:28.340 --> 00:55:34.400 flintlock, uh, and I said, you know, and, and my cap and ball revolvers and, 00:55:34.400 --> 00:55:37.100 uh, uh, which are modern production. 00:55:37.430 --> 00:55:40.740 And I said, like, You realize that this handgun transfer freeze, 00:55:40.740 --> 00:55:41.770 this is what you're banning. 00:55:42.320 --> 00:55:43.990 This is pirate era technology. 00:55:44.070 --> 00:55:44.720 And what did they say? 00:55:44.950 --> 00:55:48.140 And they, they, well, a couple of them actually said, well, 00:55:48.140 --> 00:55:49.320 like, can I keep these pictures? 00:55:49.320 --> 00:55:52.640 So fortunately I had made numerous copies and I said, Oh, of course. 00:55:52.670 --> 00:55:55.310 You know, um, but the, the. 00:55:55.795 --> 00:55:57.655 The problem there is, 00:55:59.865 --> 00:56:04.245 you know, a lot of things are decided in Ottawa by politics, not by rationality. 00:56:04.735 --> 00:56:08.935 And, you know, I had people who would say, yeah, you know, you pointed 00:56:08.935 --> 00:56:12.065 out good errors, good, good, you know, serious problems with this, 00:56:12.065 --> 00:56:15.405 you've come up with good compromise solutions, nothing that I proposed. 00:56:16.480 --> 00:56:21.360 I wasn't, you know, proposing open carry or, or something like that, you know, 00:56:21.360 --> 00:56:24.510 which whether you like it or not, it's, it would be quite, you have to admit 00:56:24.520 --> 00:56:26.190 that would be a radical idea in Canada. 00:56:26.280 --> 00:56:26.620 Yeah. 00:56:26.710 --> 00:56:28.510 I wasn't proposing anything like that. 00:56:28.510 --> 00:56:33.090 I was saying, well, you know, instead of this Olympic exemption, you know, let 00:56:33.090 --> 00:56:37.130 the chief firearms officer decide which organizations can write these letters or 00:56:37.150 --> 00:56:41.070 something like little tweaks that could have made a big difference, but they 00:56:41.070 --> 00:56:42.810 weren't willing to even consider that. 00:56:43.150 --> 00:56:44.920 And that's what makes you realize. 00:56:45.360 --> 00:56:52.210 that this has anybody who, uh, observes that should understand 00:56:52.210 --> 00:56:56.570 then that it's not this, these laws are not based around public safety. 00:56:56.680 --> 00:56:56.980 Right. 00:56:57.040 --> 00:57:02.240 That might be the, it's not to say that in the whole complex of Bill C 21, there's 00:57:02.250 --> 00:57:04.120 nothing that affected public safety. 00:57:04.140 --> 00:57:04.410 Okay. 00:57:04.430 --> 00:57:10.010 But that particular thing, um, how can you argue that banning this single 00:57:10.010 --> 00:57:15.880 shot muzzle loading flintlock Is going to improve public safety that 00:57:15.890 --> 00:57:20.010 saying that that can't be transferred to anybody and it's not prohibited. 00:57:20.010 --> 00:57:23.240 It just means that you can't transfer it to anybody. 00:57:23.260 --> 00:57:26.000 I mean, I'm fond of saying the last time somebody committed 00:57:26.000 --> 00:57:27.060 a crime with one of these. 00:57:27.250 --> 00:57:30.880 It was 1820 and the guy had a patch on one eye and a parrot on his shoulder, 00:57:31.330 --> 00:57:36.070 you know, so, um, and then after doing it, he disappeared in a cloud of smoke. 00:57:36.980 --> 00:57:37.220 Travis Bader: Well. 00:57:37.380 --> 00:57:39.600 You know, well, part of me would say like, why, why would 00:57:39.600 --> 00:57:40.940 they proceed with those things? 00:57:40.950 --> 00:57:41.760 Would it be ignorance? 00:57:41.760 --> 00:57:45.350 But clearly it can't be ignorance if they're being educated otherwise. 00:57:45.480 --> 00:57:47.790 Is it, uh, is it ego? 00:57:47.790 --> 00:57:48.850 Is it arrogance? 00:57:48.860 --> 00:57:53.760 Is there a greater political, uh, motive behind 00:57:53.760 --> 00:57:54.040 Teri Bryant: it? 00:57:54.200 --> 00:57:54.510 Travis Bader: What? 00:57:54.850 --> 00:57:58.560 Teri Bryant: So I'm hopeful that when the Senate faces this kind of 00:57:58.560 --> 00:58:07.090 legislation again, um, that they will do the right thing and Uh, be willing to 00:58:07.150 --> 00:58:14.780 write some of the injustices that have been, uh, perpetrated by, uh, Bill C 00:58:14.780 --> 00:58:18.770 21 and some of the other measures that have been introduced over the years. 00:58:19.200 --> 00:58:22.200 But you know, fundamentally, I mean, there are certain things 00:58:22.200 --> 00:58:23.530 that need to be done right away. 00:58:24.010 --> 00:58:28.300 You know, dropping the order in council, uh, dealing with Bill C 00:58:28.300 --> 00:58:30.400 21 and the handgun transfer freeze. 00:58:31.140 --> 00:58:34.850 Uh, but more fundamentally, we really do need to start again. 00:58:35.210 --> 00:58:37.700 to, you know, start with a blank slate. 00:58:38.000 --> 00:58:41.210 And I'm not saying that we get rid of all the laws and then reintroduce them. 00:58:41.270 --> 00:58:46.490 I'm saying, you know, what the patchwork that we have now, where 00:58:46.490 --> 00:58:50.690 we've got Band Aid on Band Aid on Band Aid, it's incomprehensible. 00:58:51.130 --> 00:58:51.610 Okay. 00:58:51.670 --> 00:58:57.990 And, uh, so, and laws should be clear, should be simple, should 00:58:58.000 --> 00:59:01.610 be easy to administer, should be easy for people to understand. 00:59:01.930 --> 00:59:06.090 You shouldn't need to have a doctorate in law in order to figure out, and 00:59:06.150 --> 00:59:09.700 actually now the law is so convoluted that even if you get three doctors of 00:59:09.700 --> 00:59:11.490 law, you'll get four opinions on what it's 00:59:11.490 --> 00:59:11.850 Travis Bader: worth. 00:59:11.920 --> 00:59:12.370 That's right. 00:59:12.440 --> 00:59:15.290 Teri Bryant: Uh, so we really need to start again. 00:59:15.665 --> 00:59:20.835 And, uh, after the, the positive aspect, I always, I'm a, I'm 00:59:20.835 --> 00:59:22.815 a silver lining kind of gal. 00:59:23.145 --> 00:59:28.105 And so the, the positive aspect of this is we've got experience now. 00:59:28.105 --> 00:59:30.885 We know what will work, what won't work. 00:59:30.915 --> 00:59:33.635 We can also look at what other countries have done and what 00:59:33.635 --> 00:59:35.015 worked and didn't work there. 00:59:35.395 --> 00:59:39.295 And we can just keep the core elements that. 00:59:39.660 --> 00:59:45.410 Have been proven to work or where there's at least a reasonable, plausible, 00:59:45.410 --> 00:59:47.660 logical case that they should work. 00:59:47.660 --> 00:59:48.030 Sure. 00:59:48.340 --> 00:59:54.320 And, uh, and get rid of the things that are only expensive, 00:59:54.730 --> 00:59:55.638 ineffective, and expensive. 00:59:56.105 --> 00:59:59.415 And undermine confidence in the system. 00:59:59.425 --> 01:00:02.085 I mean, when we have a classification scheme, and I can show you 01:00:02.085 --> 01:00:05.375 two guns that are identical, you couldn't tell them apart. 01:00:05.935 --> 01:00:08.945 And one of them is restricted, and one of them is prohibited. 01:00:09.305 --> 01:00:12.895 Or one of them is one category, and another is another category. 01:00:13.145 --> 01:00:17.660 Then, you know, that undermines people's confidence. 01:00:17.700 --> 01:00:21.940 People, if you want, the whole idea of laws is to prevent people 01:00:21.940 --> 01:00:24.830 from doing things that they might otherwise do, that they might have 01:00:24.830 --> 01:00:28.380 liked to do, but they realized, no, oh, I'm not supposed to do that. 01:00:28.630 --> 01:00:33.500 Well, they're not likely to accept those kind of, they're less likely 01:00:33.660 --> 01:00:36.100 to accept those kind of restrictions. 01:00:36.550 --> 01:00:39.280 If those restrictions don't make any sense. 01:00:39.900 --> 01:00:40.450 Travis Bader: I agree. 01:00:40.670 --> 01:00:40.910 Yeah. 01:00:40.910 --> 01:00:46.580 I, I, I'm a firm believer that if you spend any time out in the wild, you'll 01:00:46.580 --> 01:00:51.990 realize that animals will take the least path of resistance and humans are animals. 01:00:52.480 --> 01:00:56.580 We take the least path of resistance, the path of least resistance. 01:00:57.170 --> 01:01:03.340 Uh, and if we're able to make it, uh, easy for the politicians to make 01:01:03.340 --> 01:01:06.940 a decision, if we're easy, make it easy for the lawmakers to, to move 01:01:06.960 --> 01:01:08.140 forward in a certain direction. 01:01:08.895 --> 01:01:11.355 They're way more likely to move there. 01:01:11.355 --> 01:01:15.835 And there's a couple of examples where I've, I've looked at, uh, different 01:01:15.845 --> 01:01:21.105 provinces sort of leading the way in certain areas and other provinces 01:01:21.105 --> 01:01:23.245 sort of copying their example. 01:01:23.485 --> 01:01:30.225 One of them was, uh, Nova Scotia chief firearms officer was, uh, Introducing, 01:01:30.895 --> 01:01:34.545 uh, restrictions and amendments. 01:01:34.545 --> 01:01:37.835 I'm trying to think of what the word is on, on ranges, uh, conditions. 01:01:37.835 --> 01:01:38.265 Thank you. 01:01:38.675 --> 01:01:42.605 Uh, conditions on ranges and, uh, the new Brunswick CFO did a 01:01:42.605 --> 01:01:44.125 similar thing to one of the ranges. 01:01:44.125 --> 01:01:45.585 I think that was a Springfield range. 01:01:46.065 --> 01:01:50.565 Springfield range says like, hold on, I don't get why we have these. 01:01:50.585 --> 01:01:52.095 We've operated so long. 01:01:52.095 --> 01:01:55.275 And in fact, these conditions that are being applied, they don't make sense. 01:01:55.995 --> 01:02:02.160 They took him to court and the, uh, New Brunswick CFO says, well, I'm 01:02:02.160 --> 01:02:04.810 just doing that because that's how the Nova Scotia CFO was doing it. 01:02:05.090 --> 01:02:07.560 And that's sort of that, that normative process following 01:02:07.560 --> 01:02:08.970 the path of least resistance. 01:02:08.970 --> 01:02:10.400 Well, somebody else did it like that. 01:02:10.690 --> 01:02:16.810 And the other one would be, um, in Ontario, uh, Daniel Belofsky, 01:02:16.820 --> 01:02:19.110 he's, was a Silver Corp club member. 01:02:19.735 --> 01:02:25.195 And the chief firearms officer, Chris Wyatt at the time says, no, 01:02:25.205 --> 01:02:29.235 we're not going to issue you an authorization to transport, uh, until 01:02:29.235 --> 01:02:31.005 you join a range in our province. 01:02:31.005 --> 01:02:32.985 And he's like, I've looked through the regulations, I've 01:02:32.985 --> 01:02:33.535 looked through everything. 01:02:33.535 --> 01:02:36.975 I don't see anything where you even get the authority to ask for that. 01:02:37.985 --> 01:02:45.565 Took them to court, uh, won, was appealed, lost, but the by product 01:02:45.565 --> 01:02:48.784 was that they no longer had to ask for, um, uh, an authorization. 01:02:50.065 --> 01:02:54.545 Uh, range membership or club membership in order to have your restricted 01:02:54.545 --> 01:02:58.805 firearms license renewed and issued, or your, your ATT issued, I think was 01:02:58.815 --> 01:03:00.955 more of the provincial purview there. 01:03:01.655 --> 01:03:06.525 And what I learned through that one was it was, uh, at least what was 01:03:06.525 --> 01:03:09.985 told to me that was being run as a bit of a test case to see how they could 01:03:09.985 --> 01:03:11.495 bleed it out into other provinces. 01:03:11.870 --> 01:03:13.880 So I see this normative process. 01:03:13.880 --> 01:03:21.300 I see where the negative, uh, aspects of different policy are being just, 01:03:21.330 --> 01:03:24.230 well, buddy to my left or right, and that's how they're doing it. 01:03:25.060 --> 01:03:30.240 Are you seeing that sort of process in some of the positive aspects or 01:03:30.260 --> 01:03:34.010 other provinces looking to Alberta and saying, hold on a second, 01:03:34.150 --> 01:03:35.700 Terry makes a good point over here. 01:03:35.950 --> 01:03:37.630 Maybe we should reevaluate. 01:03:38.300 --> 01:03:44.185 Teri Bryant: Well, we have seen, uh, we have seen some of that because, um, You 01:03:44.185 --> 01:03:47.485 know, for example, when they introduce the requirement that people that you, 01:03:47.545 --> 01:03:54.115 that a seller validate the non restricted, uh, that the, they validate the, uh, 01:03:54.135 --> 01:03:58.325 possession and acquisition license of a buyer who wants to acquire a non 01:03:58.325 --> 01:04:02.400 restricted firearm from them, or, or, you know, Transfer in any way, if you're 01:04:02.400 --> 01:04:05.070 giving it to somebody, you're supposed to validate that their PAL is correct. 01:04:06.110 --> 01:04:09.750 It's one of those ideas that doesn't sound all that bad in principle, 01:04:09.900 --> 01:04:14.150 but the way they did it meant that it was, uh, pretty much impossible 01:04:14.300 --> 01:04:16.190 to do it at many gun shows. 01:04:16.680 --> 01:04:22.570 And so we worked together with our federal partners in the registry to 01:04:22.610 --> 01:04:24.680 obtain these reference numbers for people. 01:04:25.060 --> 01:04:27.050 And, uh, there has been. 01:04:27.525 --> 01:04:32.275 Some element of, uh, spread of an idea like that. 01:04:32.665 --> 01:04:35.705 Uh, it's, it's not challenging anything. 01:04:35.715 --> 01:04:39.125 Like we're trying to say, like, if you want people to comply with this, 01:04:39.125 --> 01:04:45.755 let's, let's make it easy or at the very least possible for them to comply. 01:04:45.905 --> 01:04:46.165 Yeah. 01:04:46.185 --> 01:04:52.255 And you know, that's the, the whole approach that we try and take is. 01:04:52.595 --> 01:04:56.375 To, uh, facilitate people's compliance. 01:04:56.725 --> 01:04:57.175 Okay. 01:04:57.435 --> 01:04:59.895 Like we're not law enforcement, right? 01:04:59.895 --> 01:05:03.765 We're not the ones who are going to go out and say, Oh, you're not doing that. 01:05:03.765 --> 01:05:04.995 We're going to lay a charge against you. 01:05:04.995 --> 01:05:06.185 That's not our role. 01:05:06.415 --> 01:05:06.835 Okay. 01:05:07.245 --> 01:05:12.575 Our role is to administer the licensing scheme and the authorizations and so on. 01:05:13.025 --> 01:05:19.445 And to encourage compliance with that, um, and encouraging compliance might be as 01:05:19.455 --> 01:05:24.155 simple as, you know, another example from, from gun shows is people are supposed to 01:05:24.155 --> 01:05:26.025 secure their guns when they're on display. 01:05:26.515 --> 01:05:31.525 And so I don't go up and pound a table and say, Hey, that gun isn't secured. 01:05:32.085 --> 01:05:34.895 I get a supply of free locks from the federal government. 01:05:35.395 --> 01:05:38.655 They're free in a sense, a lot of people don't like the idea of 01:05:38.915 --> 01:05:43.645 anything for the government is free, but, uh, we obtain them without them 01:05:43.645 --> 01:05:47.075 charging us so we can pass them on to somebody else without charging. 01:05:47.115 --> 01:05:47.485 Right. 01:05:47.835 --> 01:05:51.555 And in that sense, at least people are getting something back for all 01:05:51.555 --> 01:05:53.245 the tax dollars they send to Ottawa. 01:05:53.655 --> 01:05:58.285 But you know, uh, instead of saying, Hey, you need to, to fix this situation. 01:05:58.525 --> 01:06:01.055 I go up to him and say, Hey, I got a bunch of trigger locks. 01:06:01.055 --> 01:06:02.705 Would you like some, you know? 01:06:04.085 --> 01:06:09.025 Uh, that gets a better reaction from people because people don't 01:06:09.025 --> 01:06:11.695 like to be told what to do. 01:06:11.725 --> 01:06:17.595 People don't like to be, to have, uh, someone suggesting 01:06:17.595 --> 01:06:19.085 that they're doing things wrong. 01:06:19.645 --> 01:06:28.355 Um, but if you can offer them something in a graceful fashion, Then that helps 01:06:28.385 --> 01:06:32.375 and, and it also encourages, you know, sometimes people come to me and they 01:06:32.375 --> 01:06:36.755 say, um, if I do this, will this comply? 01:06:36.885 --> 01:06:37.665 Is this enough? 01:06:38.295 --> 01:06:41.685 And my reaction is, well, first of all, I'm not a lawyer, so I 01:06:41.885 --> 01:06:43.535 can't give you legal advice, right? 01:06:44.105 --> 01:06:46.665 Um, I can tell you what the law says. 01:06:47.095 --> 01:06:49.245 Uh, but I'm not a lawyer. 01:06:49.335 --> 01:06:53.095 My word, just because I say it, it doesn't mean that it's the law. 01:06:53.335 --> 01:06:53.765 Okay. 01:06:54.335 --> 01:06:59.750 But, um, What I can say is, here's what the law is. 01:06:59.800 --> 01:07:02.200 It kind of looks like that would maybe meet the law. 01:07:03.505 --> 01:07:05.835 Is that all you really want to do? 01:07:06.565 --> 01:07:07.565 Travis Bader: Just bare minimum. 01:07:07.655 --> 01:07:08.085 Teri Bryant: Yeah. 01:07:08.265 --> 01:07:14.315 So, I mean, when I go out driving, my, when I do a lot of driving, okay? 01:07:14.555 --> 01:07:18.955 My goal is not simply to avoid committing vehicular homicide, okay? 01:07:20.235 --> 01:07:22.889 That might be complying with the law, okay? 01:07:23.120 --> 01:07:26.290 But I, I've set my standard a little higher than that, okay? 01:07:26.790 --> 01:07:32.140 And I don't maybe always meet it, but I want to be, you know, a safe, courteous 01:07:32.140 --> 01:07:37.400 driver and, you know, let people in and, you know, uh, this kind of thing. 01:07:37.720 --> 01:07:42.885 And so, If we want to create a positive image of ourselves as a 01:07:42.895 --> 01:07:48.685 misunderstood minority, then it helps if we go above and beyond, you know? 01:07:48.895 --> 01:07:52.465 And so does that meet legal minimum? 01:07:53.385 --> 01:07:57.400 Well, you know, I'm not a lawyer, but it, Uh, probably meets the legal 01:07:57.400 --> 01:08:03.420 minimum, but I'd suggest you do more, you know, and, uh, and so that's why, 01:08:03.430 --> 01:08:07.600 you know, when you were talking about, about getting a club membership, right, 01:08:07.600 --> 01:08:11.080 there's not, it doesn't say in the law that you have to have a club membership. 01:08:11.150 --> 01:08:11.480 That's right. 01:08:11.520 --> 01:08:11.970 Okay. 01:08:12.270 --> 01:08:15.639 What it says is that a firearms officer. 01:08:15.950 --> 01:08:22.510 Can't issue this to you without, uh, unless they are satisfied 01:08:22.660 --> 01:08:24.940 that you are acquiring it for the purpose that you state. 01:08:25.280 --> 01:08:25.600 Okay. 01:08:26.170 --> 01:08:30.710 The easiest way to satisfy people that you want a gun for a target practice 01:08:30.710 --> 01:08:34.370 is if you belong to a range where you, you would go to do target practice. 01:08:34.620 --> 01:08:35.560 It's not the only way. 01:08:35.560 --> 01:08:37.380 There are other, other possibilities. 01:08:39.040 --> 01:08:43.890 You know, I always tell people, well, no, we don't legally require that. 01:08:43.890 --> 01:08:45.670 It's not an absolute mandate. 01:08:46.030 --> 01:08:50.740 It will be the first question if we have to ask you, uh, because the way the 01:08:50.740 --> 01:08:55.500 federal government has set things up now, a lot of applications are held up for 01:08:55.600 --> 01:08:57.230 what we call confirmation of purpose. 01:08:57.250 --> 01:08:57.350 Right? 01:08:57.950 --> 01:09:02.800 So we will have to ask you that we have to ask because it says 01:09:02.830 --> 01:09:05.960 we can't do this unless we're satisfied that this is the case. 01:09:06.420 --> 01:09:06.640 Bye. 01:09:07.290 --> 01:09:13.300 Um, you know, we, we aren't, uh, requiring this, but I always tell 01:09:13.300 --> 01:09:18.370 people, I would strongly suggest that everybody belong to at least one range. 01:09:18.380 --> 01:09:19.360 I belong to three. 01:09:19.630 --> 01:09:20.110 Okay. 01:09:20.120 --> 01:09:22.850 Even though I hardly get a chance to get out and shoot now 01:09:22.850 --> 01:09:24.340 because I work every weekend. 01:09:24.700 --> 01:09:28.210 But um, the reason for that is it's very simple. 01:09:28.965 --> 01:09:34.555 Our entire infrastructure is under attack, like with the loss 01:09:34.555 --> 01:09:38.745 of handgun transfers, the number of handgun owners ratchets down. 01:09:38.995 --> 01:09:42.895 Then fewer people say, well, if I'm not shooting my handguns, uh, I don't, 01:09:42.895 --> 01:09:45.125 why do I need to belong to a range? 01:09:45.295 --> 01:09:49.005 So some ranges have suffered significant losses in membership. 01:09:49.185 --> 01:09:50.965 That's exactly what the feds want. 01:09:50.995 --> 01:09:51.365 Right. 01:09:51.515 --> 01:09:51.975 Okay. 01:09:52.420 --> 01:09:57.700 And so, uh, we need to continue to support our infrastructure. 01:09:58.200 --> 01:10:03.250 And I made this point when I was arguing against Bill C 21 and its pernicious 01:10:03.250 --> 01:10:07.270 effects on public safety, because I said, like, you know, ranges aren't 01:10:07.330 --> 01:10:10.610 only the place where firearms owners go. 01:10:11.295 --> 01:10:16.515 To shoot their guns in many places, that's where, like your, uh, armored 01:10:16.515 --> 01:10:22.225 car guards go where your police go, where, you know, people who, uh, you 01:10:22.225 --> 01:10:27.675 know, wildlife officers and so on, they need to have a place to shoot. 01:10:27.955 --> 01:10:30.845 And right now, I mean, Alberta is a very big place. 01:10:30.965 --> 01:10:32.715 You don't realize how big it is. 01:10:33.150 --> 01:10:35.100 Until you start driving around here. 01:10:35.300 --> 01:10:40.150 And even though I said, like, I've been up as far as Fort Mac, there's a whole bunch 01:10:40.150 --> 01:10:41.890 of Alberta that's further North than that. 01:10:43.050 --> 01:10:45.880 Including a couple of ranges that are in the very far North, almost 01:10:45.880 --> 01:10:47.100 to the Northwest territories. 01:10:47.590 --> 01:10:50.380 And so I'm, and I hope to get there one day. 01:10:50.380 --> 01:10:51.720 Cause I want to visit everything. 01:10:51.960 --> 01:10:53.150 I want to visit every business. 01:10:53.180 --> 01:10:54.600 I want to visit every range. 01:10:54.600 --> 01:11:00.700 I want to have, I want to be in places where everybody at least has a chance. 01:11:00.700 --> 01:11:02.870 If they want to talk to me, they can come and talk to me. 01:11:03.110 --> 01:11:03.390 Okay. 01:11:03.940 --> 01:11:11.930 Uh, but, um, you know, those, um, uh, many places, the police 01:11:11.970 --> 01:11:13.900 don't have a range locally. 01:11:13.940 --> 01:11:18.200 Like they, for their annual qualification, they may have to travel hours and 01:11:18.200 --> 01:11:20.470 hours and hours to go somewhere. 01:11:20.850 --> 01:11:22.370 So they'll use the local range. 01:11:22.860 --> 01:11:26.740 Well, if the local range has to close down because they don't have 01:11:26.740 --> 01:11:30.770 enough members, then that's going to negatively affect public safety. 01:11:30.840 --> 01:11:31.180 It will. 01:11:31.220 --> 01:11:31.380 Yes. 01:11:31.380 --> 01:11:31.934 And. 01:11:32.285 --> 01:11:35.465 Uh, because I don't know about you, but anybody that is officially 01:11:35.465 --> 01:11:37.975 carrying a gun, I want them to be as proficient as possible. 01:11:37.985 --> 01:11:38.685 Better believe it. 01:11:38.795 --> 01:11:42.765 And so, you know, we need to ensure that there are. 01:11:43.140 --> 01:11:50.200 Um, that these ranges stay open and, uh, it's a small, uh, cost, you know, I 01:11:50.200 --> 01:11:56.380 mean, uh, getting an associate membership or, uh, you know, there are many 01:11:56.380 --> 01:11:59.440 rural, there's still rural, um, ranges. 01:11:59.450 --> 01:12:02.900 Some of them where it's under a hundred dollars, you know, uh, not a lot of 01:12:02.900 --> 01:12:06.940 them now because costs go up, but, but you know, there are, uh, if we 01:12:06.940 --> 01:12:12.680 don't support those ranges, it's going to come back to haunt us because. 01:12:14.055 --> 01:12:18.705 The whole model of firearms ownership in Canada, right? 01:12:18.745 --> 01:12:22.375 Like it or not is based around sporting use. 01:12:23.125 --> 01:12:28.925 And if there's no place where people can go and use them for sport, then 01:12:28.925 --> 01:12:30.095 people would say, why do you have them? 01:12:30.225 --> 01:12:30.955 Right. 01:12:31.085 --> 01:12:32.405 And then they come for you. 01:12:32.495 --> 01:12:32.855 Right. 01:12:32.875 --> 01:12:36.525 So, you know, it's really important that we support ranges. 01:12:36.595 --> 01:12:39.825 And so I always tell people, we don't legally require it. 01:12:40.595 --> 01:12:41.615 We encourage it. 01:12:42.045 --> 01:12:43.695 And part of the reason why is. 01:12:44.705 --> 01:12:49.125 It's your way of helping to support the future of firearms ownership in Canada. 01:12:49.225 --> 01:12:49.715 That's a good point. 01:12:50.460 --> 01:12:51.200 Travis Bader: That's a good point. 01:12:51.560 --> 01:12:53.980 You brought up a couple of things here. 01:12:53.980 --> 01:12:58.360 One of them is about going above and beyond and it brings to mind, uh, 01:12:58.400 --> 01:13:02.070 one of our instructors, he uses the acronym CYA and he's like, ask the 01:13:02.070 --> 01:13:03.170 class, you know what that stands for? 01:13:03.250 --> 01:13:04.210 And I was like, oh yeah, yeah. 01:13:04.980 --> 01:13:06.830 And he says, can you articulate? 01:13:07.330 --> 01:13:07.360 Right? 01:13:07.960 --> 01:13:08.700 Oh, okay. 01:13:08.950 --> 01:13:11.280 If you're pulled over, can you articulate? 01:13:11.300 --> 01:13:15.530 If you had to stand in front of a trier of fact, can you easily articulate? 01:13:15.530 --> 01:13:18.810 And the answer is you have to do a song and dance and break 01:13:18.810 --> 01:13:20.460 out the nitty gritty fine print. 01:13:20.750 --> 01:13:24.710 Well, maybe, maybe it's going to be a lot easier if you go above and beyond. 01:13:24.720 --> 01:13:26.160 It's easy to articulate. 01:13:27.540 --> 01:13:32.610 Teri Bryant: And, and, uh, you know, it's also, people, people are sometimes 01:13:32.640 --> 01:13:41.260 critical because not everybody who's responsible for, uh, or aspects of, 01:13:41.720 --> 01:13:45.850 uh, the firearms control system, whether it's the regulatory part or 01:13:45.850 --> 01:13:49.420 the enforcement part, not everyone is an expert in all of these things. 01:13:49.560 --> 01:13:49.890 Right. 01:13:49.920 --> 01:13:50.250 Right. 01:13:50.350 --> 01:13:57.260 And, um, you know, most of us, because of our pattern of our past, our pattern 01:13:57.260 --> 01:14:03.490 of usage and our interests, we tend to know a lot about a few things and not 01:14:03.490 --> 01:14:05.160 always a whole lot about other things. 01:14:05.160 --> 01:14:05.420 Right. 01:14:05.790 --> 01:14:12.790 And, um, you know, I know more about firearms than most people do, but there 01:14:12.790 --> 01:14:17.330 are areas about firearms that I don't know anything about and, or very little. 01:14:17.490 --> 01:14:22.230 Uh, uh, and so that's one of the reasons also why I go to events so that I can 01:14:22.230 --> 01:14:26.990 learn more about it and I can see how things get done and, um, you know, see 01:14:26.990 --> 01:14:29.320 how people use things in competitions. 01:14:29.730 --> 01:14:30.369 And, um, yeah. 01:14:31.460 --> 01:14:32.580 educate myself. 01:14:32.750 --> 01:14:38.360 So, you know, education isn't a, is education is de facto, it's a process, 01:14:39.020 --> 01:14:44.800 you know, and so, uh, I'm continually learning new things all the time about, 01:14:45.180 --> 01:14:49.840 um, you know, how, you know, when I was at the black powder shooting association, 01:14:50.040 --> 01:14:54.790 how do people deal with, uh, misfires or hang fires and things like that. 01:14:54.790 --> 01:14:59.630 And, you know, Uh, in a practical sense, not, not theoretically, but 01:14:59.630 --> 01:15:03.340 seeing exactly what they do and what tools they use and so on and so forth. 01:15:03.610 --> 01:15:05.240 It helps me to understand things. 01:15:05.560 --> 01:15:06.420 When will I use that? 01:15:06.420 --> 01:15:10.140 I don't know, but it's all part of my toolkit, you know? 01:15:10.210 --> 01:15:14.390 And then, uh, you know, it's part of that, I guess that's part of the reason why you 01:15:14.390 --> 01:15:19.200 go to Canadian Tire and they, they sell you a kit that has 87 wrenches in it. 01:15:19.200 --> 01:15:23.830 And am I ever going to need a six millimeter wrench? 01:15:24.545 --> 01:15:28.275 I don't know, but I'll have one for the day when it, but I want it. 01:15:29.755 --> 01:15:32.775 Travis Bader: Um, that, that learning process, you know, there. 01:15:34.110 --> 01:15:38.060 As I've, I've been doing this since about 94, started teaching in 94, 01:15:38.070 --> 01:15:40.930 the basic firearm safety course, when they came out, I incorporated 01:15:40.940 --> 01:15:45.060 Silvercore in 03 and started the, the firearms business license. 01:15:45.060 --> 01:15:49.020 Before that I had a sole proprietorship Silvercore Gunworks, and I was doing 01:15:49.030 --> 01:15:53.170 repair and maintenance, extended work for law enforcement and armored car companies. 01:15:53.170 --> 01:15:57.115 And then every Joe blow and coming in with a, 100 gun. 01:15:57.115 --> 01:16:00.015 They bought it a gun show that they wanted to shoot like a thousand dollar gun, 01:16:00.015 --> 01:16:03.545 but they only wanted to spend 50 bucks, but, but been doing it for a little bit. 01:16:03.545 --> 01:16:08.095 And there's been a number of different interesting learning pieces, one of them. 01:16:08.555 --> 01:16:15.355 Um, so I've been asked for both Crown as well as defense side to opine on different 01:16:15.355 --> 01:16:17.265 firearms or weapons related issues. 01:16:17.285 --> 01:16:21.055 And they go through the process and qualify you as a subject matter 01:16:21.055 --> 01:16:24.805 expert for that case on that day for that one particular area. 01:16:24.805 --> 01:16:28.275 And then even if you meet that qualification, then it's how much weight's 01:16:28.275 --> 01:16:30.015 going to be ascribed to this opinion. 01:16:31.015 --> 01:16:31.455 Um. 01:16:31.990 --> 01:16:35.700 There was one that was, uh, ease of conversion. 01:16:35.830 --> 01:16:40.920 There was a firearm that was being imported and they got the AOK and the 01:16:40.920 --> 01:16:44.510 firearms program turned around and says, no, it's easy to convert full auto. 01:16:44.510 --> 01:16:47.860 And so I was asked to come in and take a look at this guy. 01:16:48.200 --> 01:16:54.260 And I looked at it and within about a minute of taking it apart and looking 01:16:54.260 --> 01:16:56.930 at how to operate it, I figured out how you can make this thing go full auto. 01:16:57.565 --> 01:17:02.045 And so my testimony was, cause you're not an expert for the person who's hiring you. 01:17:02.045 --> 01:17:05.405 You're an expert for the court to provide them with the best possible decision. 01:17:05.795 --> 01:17:10.145 My expert testimony was, it's pretty damn easy to convert, right? 01:17:10.515 --> 01:17:13.615 However, a lot of the things that are being said about where it's 01:17:13.615 --> 01:17:17.295 being made, how it's being put together, and that's completely 01:17:17.295 --> 01:17:20.475 false and here's the information that I can show it to you, right? 01:17:21.455 --> 01:17:25.135 As I testified first, I get to watch a second, the, uh, firearms 01:17:25.135 --> 01:17:26.985 program expert testify and it's. 01:17:27.495 --> 01:17:32.385 I've actually testified, um, he's been on a different side on other 01:17:32.395 --> 01:17:37.225 issues and I watch him and the only thing I could come to mind was he's 01:17:37.225 --> 01:17:39.475 lying, he's lying through his teeth. 01:17:39.485 --> 01:17:44.025 He he's can't be that ignorant to what the facts are and if he had only heard my 01:17:44.025 --> 01:17:45.685 testimony, he wouldn't have had to lie. 01:17:45.725 --> 01:17:46.045 Right. 01:17:46.640 --> 01:17:50.120 Um, and so I was getting all worked up and looking like, how can 01:17:50.120 --> 01:17:51.510 somebody go up there and do this? 01:17:51.990 --> 01:17:56.700 And at the end of the day, what I learned was that the recourse for this 01:17:56.700 --> 01:18:01.010 decision that was being made on the firearm is similar to the recourse for 01:18:01.010 --> 01:18:02.820 decisions for a lot of firearms issues. 01:18:03.210 --> 01:18:05.280 And it was, I think they called it a judicial review. 01:18:05.620 --> 01:18:11.460 And it doesn't review whether or not the end outcome, the end conclusion that the, 01:18:11.930 --> 01:18:16.390 um, in this case, the firearms program came to doesn't review whether that was 01:18:16.390 --> 01:18:18.030 the right decision or wrong decision. 01:18:18.350 --> 01:18:22.440 It reviews if they followed the proper steps to get to that decision. 01:18:22.695 --> 01:18:28.295 So that was a big, uh, learning moment for me, even if, you know, a hundred 01:18:28.295 --> 01:18:30.315 percent, you're right on one thing. 01:18:30.875 --> 01:18:33.415 And in that particular instance, I agree. 01:18:33.425 --> 01:18:34.835 It was, it was easy to convert. 01:18:34.865 --> 01:18:38.615 I mean, it met the definition, but even if. 01:18:39.765 --> 01:18:43.385 Even if, uh, you are a hundred percent right. 01:18:43.385 --> 01:18:46.495 And the opposing side comes up with something that, you know, to be a 01:18:46.495 --> 01:18:51.325 hundred percent wrong, your recourse legally on that is rather constrained. 01:18:51.555 --> 01:18:54.595 And if they can prove that they follow all the right steps to get there, that 01:18:54.595 --> 01:19:00.275 final decision stands in that that leads into a, um, a moratorium that 01:19:00.275 --> 01:19:04.535 was put on, on instructors in British Columbia, making new instructors. 01:19:05.010 --> 01:19:06.510 And I didn't think that was right. 01:19:06.590 --> 01:19:08.810 Other instructor says, Travis, what are you doing? 01:19:09.160 --> 01:19:10.380 This is a gold mine. 01:19:10.380 --> 01:19:12.620 I mean, why would you want more instructors out here? 01:19:13.010 --> 01:19:15.060 And I said, I don't look at it like that. 01:19:15.090 --> 01:19:17.540 This isn't, this isn't my main source of income. 01:19:17.540 --> 01:19:19.810 I'm more diverse in this. 01:19:19.830 --> 01:19:25.810 And I don't like the idea of limiting legal access to firearms and the 01:19:25.810 --> 01:19:27.070 safety training and all the rest. 01:19:27.080 --> 01:19:27.920 I know what I'm going to do. 01:19:28.070 --> 01:19:31.450 I'm going to hire a lawyer and I'm going to challenge this moratorium. 01:19:31.870 --> 01:19:36.010 Lawyer turns around and looks at it and says, okay, got your money here. 01:19:36.010 --> 01:19:39.460 But, um, just to let you know, I've done some research and there actually 01:19:39.500 --> 01:19:43.040 isn't a legal framework to act, compel. 01:19:43.350 --> 01:19:49.380 A firearms officer or chief firearms officer to make new instructors, uh, 01:19:49.380 --> 01:19:52.960 in the way that there would be a legal framework for other civil servants. 01:19:53.440 --> 01:19:56.060 Uh, the approach that we're taking on this one is off. 01:19:56.070 --> 01:19:58.520 We'll be lucky if they don't see costs, right? 01:19:58.860 --> 01:20:01.060 Uh, it was dropped without costs. 01:20:01.310 --> 01:20:04.909 And I was mentioning this to somebody I know who's in the media and. 01:20:05.260 --> 01:20:06.500 He's like, like, why are you pursuing it? 01:20:06.500 --> 01:20:07.920 I said, this is a public safety thing. 01:20:07.960 --> 01:20:11.590 If this is supposed to be safety training and it's supposed to help the 01:20:11.590 --> 01:20:13.760 general public, how can they limit this? 01:20:13.820 --> 01:20:15.410 He's like, I'll, I'll give him a phone call. 01:20:15.660 --> 01:20:17.520 So here's that learning process. 01:20:18.570 --> 01:20:23.770 He phoned up on the Friday, by Monday, the firearms program said, we've decided to 01:20:23.770 --> 01:20:29.720 change our approach and we're opening up the, um, uh, we're, we're, uh, stopping 01:20:29.730 --> 01:20:32.720 the moratorium on, uh, instructors. 01:20:32.730 --> 01:20:34.160 We're going to make some new instructors. 01:20:34.790 --> 01:20:41.380 So what I'm trying to get across in this sort of long winded thing here is 01:20:41.410 --> 01:20:44.870 there's a lot of people in the firearms community that might not actually 01:20:44.870 --> 01:20:49.370 realize the amount of agency that they have, if they're able to show the easy 01:20:49.370 --> 01:20:52.520 path and be vocal in a positive way. 01:20:52.915 --> 01:20:55.585 Uh, towards the issues that they're experiencing. 01:20:55.595 --> 01:20:57.625 If they say, that's it, we're going to court. 01:20:57.625 --> 01:20:59.775 I got deep pockets and we're going after this. 01:21:00.265 --> 01:21:03.885 You're, you're probably looking at a losing prospect, but if you take an 01:21:03.885 --> 01:21:08.315 approach of raising public attention towards these matters, I've found by 01:21:08.315 --> 01:21:15.285 and large, using that approach has, um, pressured a positive outcome. 01:21:16.585 --> 01:21:21.295 Teri Bryant: Well, I mean, all of these issues, I, you know, we, we need to 01:21:21.295 --> 01:21:23.495 kind of follow multi pronged strategies. 01:21:23.565 --> 01:21:23.815 Okay. 01:21:23.915 --> 01:21:27.775 And part of the thing you, you touched on when you were talking about the 01:21:27.775 --> 01:21:32.175 number of instructors and, and that sort of thing, every province deals 01:21:32.185 --> 01:21:33.825 with the whole issue of instructors. 01:21:33.895 --> 01:21:36.404 I'm the one who has to actually sign people's. 01:21:36.945 --> 01:21:41.345 Certificates saying that they're, they're do it, but we have a, a partner, uh, 01:21:41.655 --> 01:21:43.485 that does that right at the moment. 01:21:43.485 --> 01:21:46.485 They're the ones who, who, well, for quite a few years, 01:21:46.485 --> 01:21:47.705 actually, not just this moment. 01:21:47.755 --> 01:21:48.085 Yep. 01:21:48.175 --> 01:21:50.505 They're the ones who've done it for quite a long time. 01:21:50.765 --> 01:21:52.665 And we work closely with them on that. 01:21:53.105 --> 01:21:58.005 Um, and, um, Um, so other provinces do it differently. 01:21:58.005 --> 01:22:02.645 They have one of the people in the firearms office who is, uh, responsible 01:22:02.655 --> 01:22:04.995 for managing the instructors. 01:22:05.315 --> 01:22:08.385 We have a couple of our, our firearms officers who are 01:22:08.385 --> 01:22:10.345 qualified instructors here as well. 01:22:10.865 --> 01:22:14.005 Um, so, but the thing is, uh, 01:22:16.535 --> 01:22:22.405 having, you know, uh, one prong of our strategy has to 01:22:22.415 --> 01:22:23.825 be to increase our numbers. 01:22:24.530 --> 01:22:27.800 And you can't become a legal firearms owner unless you can take the course. 01:22:27.860 --> 01:22:28.200 Right. 01:22:28.270 --> 01:22:33.865 So, we've got to make sure that that course Is available to everybody. 01:22:33.955 --> 01:22:38.515 So in the province of Alberta, it has to be available to everybody from the U. 01:22:38.515 --> 01:22:38.735 S. 01:22:38.735 --> 01:22:41.055 Border to the Northwest territories from B. 01:22:41.055 --> 01:22:41.375 C. 01:22:41.375 --> 01:22:42.425 to Saskatchewan. 01:22:42.685 --> 01:22:47.015 It has to be available to you whether you're old, young. 01:22:47.340 --> 01:22:53.080 Uh, whether you, uh, are living with a disability, whether you, uh, are 01:22:53.120 --> 01:22:57.980 a newcomer or someone who's long established, whether you're, uh, 01:22:57.980 --> 01:23:03.170 indigenous, whether we want to make sure that that's available to everyone so 01:23:03.170 --> 01:23:11.350 that everyone, um, has the ability to join us in our, uh, in our struggles. 01:23:11.830 --> 01:23:18.240 And that I think is very important, uh, because a lot of people have the. 01:23:18.255 --> 01:23:24.035 Uh, have the mistaken idea that, uh, firearms owners are just a 01:23:24.035 --> 01:23:25.505 bunch of angry old white guys. 01:23:25.615 --> 01:23:26.055 Travis Bader: Sure. 01:23:26.135 --> 01:23:26.635 Teri Bryant: Okay. 01:23:26.725 --> 01:23:27.785 Travis Bader: Gouge is what I've heard. 01:23:28.355 --> 01:23:29.325 Grumpy old white dudes. 01:23:29.325 --> 01:23:35.125 Teri Bryant: So, But the thing is, uh, and you know, we may have an 01:23:35.125 --> 01:23:41.465 element of that, I can't deny in our, in our, uh, cadre, but, um, you know, 01:23:41.485 --> 01:23:45.705 many of like many of my firearms officers are firearms enthusiasts. 01:23:45.755 --> 01:23:49.295 I have a couple of the women who work here as firearms officers 01:23:49.295 --> 01:23:50.745 who are very avid hunters. 01:23:51.245 --> 01:23:55.845 And, uh, and, uh, you know, we have, when I. 01:23:55.980 --> 01:24:01.520 Uh, I have people from all different communities, from the South Asian 01:24:01.520 --> 01:24:06.110 community, Filipino community, you know, Chinese Canadians and, 01:24:06.410 --> 01:24:11.680 uh, Indigenous peoples and, uh, of all the different groups. 01:24:11.840 --> 01:24:11.950 Yeah. 01:24:12.050 --> 01:24:15.160 And, you know, it's, and young and old. 01:24:15.480 --> 01:24:19.470 Um, so at the black powder event, there was, you know, uh, a lot 01:24:19.470 --> 01:24:22.680 of people who were seventies, eighties, even one in their nineties. 01:24:23.010 --> 01:24:27.000 Um, but there were also a couple of teenagers and they're, it 01:24:27.000 --> 01:24:29.280 was very interesting because you know what the other hobby 01:24:29.280 --> 01:24:31.200 of these two teenage ladies was? 01:24:31.260 --> 01:24:31.650 What? 01:24:31.790 --> 01:24:32.600 Roller derby. 01:24:32.790 --> 01:24:33.580 Oh, I love it. 01:24:33.840 --> 01:24:34.280 I love it. 01:24:34.750 --> 01:24:35.040 Yeah. 01:24:35.380 --> 01:24:37.720 I didn't even know they still did roller derby, but they were 01:24:37.720 --> 01:24:40.600 showing me pictures of, of, of that. 01:24:40.600 --> 01:24:41.030 That could be a 01:24:41.030 --> 01:24:41.920 Travis Bader: brutal sport. 01:24:42.110 --> 01:24:42.430 Teri Bryant: Yeah. 01:24:42.460 --> 01:24:47.455 Well, um, It's, uh, but it shows the diversity and that's what we need 01:24:47.455 --> 01:24:52.375 to, uh, you know, we need people to understand and it will help us. 01:24:53.030 --> 01:24:59.310 When we go to talk to different groups, if people understand that diversity, 01:24:59.770 --> 01:25:06.070 that it isn't just a bunch of, uh, angry old white guys from rural areas 01:25:06.280 --> 01:25:10.440 that we've got young urban women, that we've got people from all different 01:25:10.770 --> 01:25:15.670 ethnic, racial, religious groups that are part of that firearms community. 01:25:16.035 --> 01:25:22.125 And, um, that opens people's minds, oh, oh, I didn't realize that you, you were 01:25:22.125 --> 01:25:26.805 just like everybody else except that you have this, uh, particular interest. 01:25:27.155 --> 01:25:32.295 And so the more we can expand our numbers and the more we can, uh, 01:25:32.305 --> 01:25:37.161 expand into groups that were not perhaps traditionally strongly inclined 01:25:37.161 --> 01:25:41.739 towards firearms ownership, the stronger our cause is going to be. 01:25:43.490 --> 01:25:46.610 Travis Bader: So I've always looked at the, uh, firearms program. 01:25:46.660 --> 01:25:51.890 You brought this up before that you guys aren't the enforcement body, the firearms 01:25:51.890 --> 01:25:56.530 program is, but they're the ones that, uh, help with the, as I've looked at 01:25:56.530 --> 01:26:00.260 them as facilitators, essentially, how do you get you from point A to point B? 01:26:00.290 --> 01:26:06.410 And for a number of years dealing with the BC CFO's office and dealing with other 01:26:06.650 --> 01:26:11.675 provinces, they've That, that really was a way it's like, Hey, I'd like to do this. 01:26:11.675 --> 01:26:13.515 And I want to open up a business that does this. 01:26:13.575 --> 01:26:14.405 How do I do that? 01:26:14.455 --> 01:26:15.455 Can you guide me through it? 01:26:16.185 --> 01:26:21.205 And, um, at some point things kind of changed and it looks like it's 01:26:21.205 --> 01:26:24.845 swinging back again, but things changed to a point where it was rather 01:26:24.845 --> 01:26:28.485 than being the facilitator, it was a person who tells you, no, right. 01:26:28.775 --> 01:26:29.785 Um, I'd like to do this. 01:26:29.785 --> 01:26:30.225 Well, you can't. 01:26:31.050 --> 01:26:34.020 Well, let, let me take a look at your business plan first 01:26:34.020 --> 01:26:35.130 and nope, doesn't meet it. 01:26:35.360 --> 01:26:36.220 Well, hold on a second. 01:26:36.490 --> 01:26:37.770 Shouldn't it be the other way around? 01:26:37.770 --> 01:26:40.250 Shouldn't you say in order to get there, your business 01:26:40.280 --> 01:26:41.680 plan has to have these steps. 01:26:41.850 --> 01:26:43.530 If you got that great, fantastic. 01:26:43.530 --> 01:26:47.930 If it doesn't, and I've, I've looked at that in like ATC issuance, I've 01:26:47.930 --> 01:26:52.520 looked at that in business, um, conditions and, and licensing. 01:26:53.210 --> 01:26:58.025 Uh, In talking with you and looking around the office and seeing where 01:26:58.025 --> 01:27:01.425 you're going here, it looks like you're taking a very grassroots 01:27:01.425 --> 01:27:08.185 approach and, uh, a facilitating approach to helping people get forward. 01:27:08.675 --> 01:27:14.325 I, I'm wondering, is that, is that the trend within the General 01:27:14.355 --> 01:27:17.895 Firearms program to turn around and say, look, how do we facilitate? 01:27:18.165 --> 01:27:21.375 'cause I was told by some past officers that on some issues. 01:27:22.160 --> 01:27:25.020 Uh, they had a mandate to deny, to do what they could. 01:27:25.070 --> 01:27:26.140 ATCs is one of them. 01:27:26.590 --> 01:27:28.980 I was told we've got a mandate to try and limit that. 01:27:28.990 --> 01:27:31.810 The other one was a business licenses in the film industry. 01:27:31.810 --> 01:27:36.030 We've got a mandate to try and crack down and not allow people to get those. 01:27:36.490 --> 01:27:39.940 Um, have you heard of those mandates? 01:27:39.960 --> 01:27:43.430 Have you seen a shift towards how do we facilitate more? 01:27:44.260 --> 01:27:48.910 Teri Bryant: Um, well, first of all, the one place that I can definitely speak 01:27:48.910 --> 01:27:53.870 to is here and, you know, our approach like with ranges, for example, what 01:27:53.870 --> 01:27:58.360 we, what we say is it was, I'm stealing a line that was come up with by, by 01:27:58.360 --> 01:28:00.110 our senior range firearms officer. 01:28:00.520 --> 01:28:03.840 Uh, and, uh, you know, you want to have a safe place to shoot. 01:28:03.840 --> 01:28:06.740 We want to give you a safe place to shoot, you know? 01:28:06.810 --> 01:28:11.490 So, and that means, you know, we have a certain amount of expertise in making 01:28:11.490 --> 01:28:16.850 sure that, you Um, certain risks that you might not have thought of are covered off. 01:28:16.920 --> 01:28:17.260 Sure. 01:28:17.300 --> 01:28:17.700 Okay. 01:28:18.110 --> 01:28:22.840 So, um, because we have the benefit, and this is part of the benefit of being 01:28:22.840 --> 01:28:26.620 part of the whole Canadian firearms program, we've got the experience 01:28:26.620 --> 01:28:29.750 of everything that's happened all across the country for decades. 01:28:29.860 --> 01:28:30.380 Okay. 01:28:30.750 --> 01:28:34.450 So, you know, we try and take that facilitative approach and it pays 01:28:34.450 --> 01:28:39.600 off, you know, um, just past weekend when I mentioned I was at this black 01:28:39.600 --> 01:28:43.825 powder rendezvous, uh, one of the, one Participants there came up to 01:28:43.855 --> 01:28:47.215 me and said, well, I want to start a gun show in such and such a place. 01:28:47.225 --> 01:28:49.365 Where do, where, uh, how do I do that? 01:28:49.795 --> 01:28:55.025 And so I said, well, here's my, uh, contact information, contact me. 01:28:55.025 --> 01:28:58.575 I'll put you an officer in touch with you, but here's a couple of key things that you 01:28:58.575 --> 01:29:04.115 want to think about, you know, security and, and, uh, different issues like that. 01:29:04.315 --> 01:29:09.030 And some practical things, you know, like, Uh, get yourself a, a roll of 01:29:09.130 --> 01:29:12.800 black plastic bags so that people aren't walking out across a parking lot with 01:29:12.800 --> 01:29:19.150 a naked gun to quote a movie, you know, Leslie Nielsen, that sort of thing. 01:29:19.150 --> 01:29:24.740 So, you know, uh, and, and so I'm hoping that he's going to follow through on 01:29:24.750 --> 01:29:30.260 that and we'll have another gun show, um, because the more places there are where 01:29:30.260 --> 01:29:35.730 people can be socialized into the law abiding, responsible firearms culture. 01:29:35.985 --> 01:29:40.635 The better off not only we will be, but the entire society will be. 01:29:41.275 --> 01:29:45.415 And so, you know, that's kind of the, the approach that we have taken. 01:29:45.885 --> 01:29:51.945 I think that in other provinces, a lot of times it depends on Every province 01:29:51.945 --> 01:29:53.945 has its own kind of unique animal. 01:29:54.455 --> 01:30:01.925 Um, there are certain efforts, um, you know, when we meet at, um, there's, 01:30:01.985 --> 01:30:05.935 there are a couple of meetings of chief firearms officers each year. 01:30:06.405 --> 01:30:12.675 Um, and they're, they often will attempt to develop a consensus around what we, how 01:30:12.675 --> 01:30:14.705 we should do with, deal with something. 01:30:14.705 --> 01:30:21.525 Um, and, uh, you know, my response to that has, has generally been that, 01:30:22.215 --> 01:30:24.245 Uh, that seems to make sense to us. 01:30:24.245 --> 01:30:28.455 We'll probably do that, but I'm not going to be, not going to bind my hands. 01:30:28.505 --> 01:30:28.895 Right. 01:30:28.925 --> 01:30:29.435 Okay? 01:30:29.755 --> 01:30:34.205 Because if there's a situation that comes up where that doesn't work, I'm 01:30:34.205 --> 01:30:39.644 not going to be bound by, uh, you know, by some group of people who, you know, 01:30:40.135 --> 01:30:45.305 Uh, sat around a table, uh, you know, at three o'clock in the afternoon, we're 01:30:45.305 --> 01:30:47.125 looking at their watches and decided no. 01:30:48.105 --> 01:30:48.375 Yeah. 01:30:48.675 --> 01:30:52.815 Uh, so, uh, I'm not suggesting there's anything wrong with that, 01:30:52.825 --> 01:30:58.265 with how that body of, of people is deliberating, but, uh, well, the 01:30:58.265 --> 01:30:59.965 Travis Bader: intentions are, are, you know, are good. 01:31:00.375 --> 01:31:00.475 I 01:31:00.815 --> 01:31:05.735 Teri Bryant: mean, uh, one of the things that really bothers me, so, you know, 01:31:05.735 --> 01:31:10.735 there's a, uh, I just went through the roof when I saw this at first. 01:31:11.195 --> 01:31:14.245 Was, um, you know, the commissioner's report on firearms. 01:31:14.245 --> 01:31:17.705 And a couple of years ago there was a line and it might still be there. 01:31:17.705 --> 01:31:18.245 I don't know. 01:31:18.245 --> 01:31:20.695 I have, I, I, I look at the tables of numbers. 01:31:20.695 --> 01:31:22.225 I guess I'm a numbers person. 01:31:22.225 --> 01:31:26.045 I don't read all the footnotes, but it said that the principles of the 01:31:26.045 --> 01:31:30.645 Canadian firearms program included public safety and standardization. 01:31:31.325 --> 01:31:33.995 And, you know, like, and there were about three or four of them, but 01:31:34.235 --> 01:31:41.000 putting standardization on a, In the same level as public safety, you know, 01:31:41.480 --> 01:31:47.750 I, I tend to look, think of it more as I would like to see more ability 01:31:48.130 --> 01:31:55.180 for, uh, the firearms officers across the country to reflect their, uh, 01:31:55.200 --> 01:31:56.950 the peculiarities of that province. 01:31:57.230 --> 01:31:57.640 Okay. 01:31:57.650 --> 01:32:00.725 Uh, and, uh, So, 01:32:03.225 --> 01:32:09.375 if that, that has another benefit to the whole country, that if we come up 01:32:09.375 --> 01:32:13.165 with a good idea here in Alberta, and we show that it works, first of all, 01:32:13.165 --> 01:32:14.855 we need to have the freedom to do that. 01:32:15.175 --> 01:32:15.605 Okay. 01:32:16.095 --> 01:32:21.950 But if we have that freedom, and we do something different, and we show that that 01:32:21.950 --> 01:32:28.105 works, then Then it's like what they call a natural laboratory, you know, we can, 01:32:28.745 --> 01:32:33.535 we can then say, Hey, I know you guys are doing it differently, but we did it this 01:32:33.535 --> 01:32:35.375 way and look at the great results we got. 01:32:35.425 --> 01:32:35.865 Right. 01:32:36.485 --> 01:32:41.685 And so, you know, uh, talking about our outreach program, uh, I did a 01:32:41.685 --> 01:32:47.275 presentation at the, uh, one of the recent, uh, chief firearms officers 01:32:47.355 --> 01:32:52.225 meetings about our outreach program, talking about the benefits that we get. 01:32:52.685 --> 01:32:57.785 from being out there and talking to people and, um, you know, 01:32:57.915 --> 01:33:00.065 others would like to do that. 01:33:00.065 --> 01:33:01.315 There's a lot of them there. 01:33:01.805 --> 01:33:04.665 In many cases, it's not, it comes down to the, you know, the hard 01:33:04.665 --> 01:33:07.875 matter of a budget, you know, like if, if you're in one of the smaller 01:33:07.875 --> 01:33:12.495 provinces that doesn't have much money and, uh, you're not viewed as a high 01:33:12.495 --> 01:33:17.650 political priority, um, They don't give you any money, and then you can't 01:33:17.930 --> 01:33:20.960 go out and be at gun shows, you know? 01:33:21.440 --> 01:33:26.370 Um, here in, here in Alberta, people have recognized that this is an area where we 01:33:26.370 --> 01:33:31.510 can take the lead in policy, that it's an important area to, um, you know, I think 01:33:31.510 --> 01:33:33.700 there's a widespread political consensus. 01:33:34.075 --> 01:33:39.455 That, uh, this is an area that is of particularly critical importance 01:33:39.485 --> 01:33:45.645 in Alberta to our, uh, our culture, our way of life, our traditions, 01:33:45.995 --> 01:33:49.135 um, and, uh, and our economy. 01:33:49.145 --> 01:33:51.765 You know, I've, I've touched on that a couple of times, but, you know, 01:33:51.765 --> 01:33:55.775 the, the economic aspect is quite important and it's not just, you The 01:33:55.775 --> 01:34:00.855 jobs of people who are working in gun shops or at a, at a commercial range 01:34:00.905 --> 01:34:07.235 or something, but you know, the health of our agricultural industry and our, 01:34:07.445 --> 01:34:12.395 you know, whether it's ranching or farming, um, you know, and, uh, forestry. 01:34:12.425 --> 01:34:18.985 And then there's the whole, you know, um, tourism and outfitting, uh, aspect of it. 01:34:19.225 --> 01:34:21.125 There's a big economic footprint. 01:34:21.425 --> 01:34:24.285 And, you know, if, if there's a, an area. 01:34:24.565 --> 01:34:30.945 Where somebody has been raising livestock for 150 years and suddenly they're 01:34:30.945 --> 01:34:34.695 no longer allowed to defend their livestock against predatory animals, 01:34:35.025 --> 01:34:37.155 and they have to abandon their farm. 01:34:37.155 --> 01:34:38.385 That's an economic loss. 01:34:38.845 --> 01:34:43.535 It's also a huge loss to the traditions of our province. 01:34:43.855 --> 01:34:47.615 Which are, you know, have their origins in those kinds of industries. 01:34:47.845 --> 01:34:53.845 It's a huge loss to that family, you know, imagine you've got a, had a family 01:34:53.845 --> 01:34:58.985 ranch that's been there for 150 years and it has to be wound up because of some 01:34:58.995 --> 01:35:03.505 misguided, uh, edict coming out of Ottawa. 01:35:03.945 --> 01:35:12.305 Um, you know, we really need to, um, to emphasize the economic impact 01:35:12.385 --> 01:35:14.255 of some of these things as well. 01:35:14.640 --> 01:35:18.540 And, uh, fortunately here in Alberta, that's recognized, you know, we have 01:35:18.540 --> 01:35:23.700 a provincial government that is very keenly attuned to, uh, the different 01:35:23.750 --> 01:35:28.970 aspects of, uh, our province, which have, I mean, increasingly we do have, 01:35:28.990 --> 01:35:32.680 you know, high tech people in this building that we're in, you know, 01:35:32.680 --> 01:35:35.605 is, uh, is high tech, uh, Uh, place. 01:35:35.605 --> 01:35:40.565 There's a lots of high tech businesses here, but, uh, Geographically, a 01:35:40.565 --> 01:35:46.385 very large part of the province is, um, reliant on Agriculture 01:35:46.395 --> 01:35:50.485 resource industries, whether it's forestry or mining or whatever. 01:35:50.905 --> 01:35:51.975 Uh, who knows? 01:35:52.015 --> 01:35:57.865 I mean, even if you I don't really know how I'm not an expert on things like solar 01:35:57.865 --> 01:36:00.035 energy, but you know, you never know. 01:36:00.035 --> 01:36:04.150 They if we Have an area where there's a big, uh, what do they call them? 01:36:04.160 --> 01:36:05.910 Solar, solar power farm. 01:36:05.920 --> 01:36:06.260 Travis Bader: Yeah. 01:36:06.350 --> 01:36:07.680 Um, the birds coming through, 01:36:07.740 --> 01:36:11.660 Teri Bryant: they may, they may have, uh, uh, the bears might 01:36:11.660 --> 01:36:13.450 like that, that area or something. 01:36:13.450 --> 01:36:15.050 And they need maintenance. 01:36:15.060 --> 01:36:16.460 So people have to be safe. 01:36:16.560 --> 01:36:16.780 Yeah. 01:36:16.950 --> 01:36:22.265 Um, so there's a, there's a, Uh, a wide range of areas where, uh, 01:36:22.785 --> 01:36:26.685 the firearms issue is of critical economic importance to Alberta. 01:36:27.095 --> 01:36:32.145 And I would, you know, I think our, um, that's recognized 01:36:32.205 --> 01:36:33.585 by the current government. 01:36:33.935 --> 01:36:40.395 Uh, I would hope that at some point it would be, you know, my, my hope 01:36:40.485 --> 01:36:44.015 is at both the provincial and federal level that eventually the firearms 01:36:44.015 --> 01:36:46.005 issue would not be a political issue. 01:36:46.335 --> 01:36:48.515 Public safety should not be a political issue. 01:36:48.585 --> 01:36:50.235 Everybody wants public safety. 01:36:50.625 --> 01:36:57.330 And if we establish a system that is based on data, on science, on 01:36:58.130 --> 01:37:05.780 mutual understanding, and developing cultures of respect, uh, from citizens 01:37:05.780 --> 01:37:10.295 between each other and between citizens and government, then Uh, 01:37:10.545 --> 01:37:12.355 this should not be a political issue. 01:37:12.925 --> 01:37:16.995 I mean, when we need changes in rule, in rules, we may need to have 01:37:16.995 --> 01:37:21.255 a vote by politicians, but there should be consensus on these things. 01:37:21.625 --> 01:37:29.335 And uh, you know, I would be, uh, if there are politicians, federal, provincial, 01:37:29.475 --> 01:37:35.615 municipal, who want to be educated, uh, on this to really understand what's 01:37:35.615 --> 01:37:38.004 going on, um, you know, political issues. 01:37:38.395 --> 01:37:39.045 I'm here. 01:37:39.475 --> 01:37:45.195 Uh, I'm, I'm willing to meet with people to people to understand. 01:37:45.495 --> 01:37:51.385 And I think part of the reason why is I'm very proud of what we're doing. 01:37:51.815 --> 01:37:54.475 I'm proud of the work of my people here. 01:37:54.855 --> 01:38:00.295 So whether it's the day to day, you know, decisions that they make on renewing or 01:38:00.295 --> 01:38:04.755 granting firearms licenses, or whether it's the outreach that my people are 01:38:04.755 --> 01:38:07.945 doing, um, I'm very proud of what they do. 01:38:08.285 --> 01:38:11.825 And I'm proud of the initiatives that we're coming up with 01:38:12.165 --> 01:38:15.135 to address, uh, issues like. 01:38:15.440 --> 01:38:21.260 Firearms, um, uh, firearms misuse in domestic violence or mental 01:38:21.270 --> 01:38:23.320 health issues or things like that. 01:38:23.750 --> 01:38:31.350 Uh, we want to face those issues head on and develop realistic, uh, workable 01:38:32.300 --> 01:38:34.780 data based solutions to those problems. 01:38:35.160 --> 01:38:40.910 And when we do that here in Alberta, then I'm going to be preaching 01:38:40.910 --> 01:38:45.340 those, uh, as we develop and get, get more and more ideas there. 01:38:45.640 --> 01:38:49.830 I'll be out preaching to have those adopted all across the country because 01:38:49.830 --> 01:38:55.399 our goal is to have public safety and a thriving firearms community. 01:38:55.860 --> 01:38:59.090 And those two are not just compatible, they're mutually 01:38:59.090 --> 01:39:00.780 complimentary and reinforcing. 01:39:01.580 --> 01:39:02.550 Travis Bader: A hundred percent. 01:39:03.690 --> 01:39:04.930 Teri Bryant: Do you want to hear some questions 01:39:04.930 --> 01:39:05.730 Travis Bader: from the public? 01:39:06.500 --> 01:39:07.730 I'm always willing to listen. 01:39:08.430 --> 01:39:09.510 Let's see what we got here. 01:39:10.520 --> 01:39:16.250 What are the trends, vibes relating to ATCs, PAL, hunting, 01:39:16.250 --> 01:39:17.640 sport shooting, industry? 01:39:17.650 --> 01:39:18.900 It's a pretty broad question. 01:39:19.240 --> 01:39:23.120 Do you see any trends, uh, emerging in the, uh, in the industry 01:39:23.120 --> 01:39:25.240 or in the firearms community? 01:39:25.730 --> 01:39:27.050 Well, I see both troubling 01:39:27.050 --> 01:39:27.180 Teri Bryant: and 01:39:27.180 --> 01:39:27.750 Travis Bader: promising 01:39:27.750 --> 01:39:28.270 Teri Bryant: trends. 01:39:28.330 --> 01:39:28.690 Travis Bader: Okay. 01:39:28.830 --> 01:39:32.825 Teri Bryant: And, uh, the troubling trend that I see is, uh, Um, you know, 01:39:32.855 --> 01:39:36.595 a lot of people, they get discouraged because right now the, there's been 01:39:36.595 --> 01:39:40.535 a number of completely unjustified attacks on the firearms community 01:39:40.625 --> 01:39:42.095 and it just wears people down. 01:39:42.545 --> 01:39:42.995 Okay. 01:39:43.385 --> 01:39:46.065 Um, and people say, Oh, should I stay in business? 01:39:46.075 --> 01:39:47.155 Should I keep my guns? 01:39:47.165 --> 01:39:48.445 Should I give up hunting? 01:39:48.785 --> 01:39:50.555 You know, different things like that. 01:39:51.025 --> 01:39:56.645 And on the other side though, I personally, I'm, you know, maybe 01:39:56.645 --> 01:40:00.655 it's cause I'm a half glass, a glass half full kind of a person. 01:40:00.885 --> 01:40:03.155 But I see tremendous opportunity because. 01:40:04.720 --> 01:40:10.630 The failure of many of these, uh, misguided proposals is becoming 01:40:10.630 --> 01:40:17.130 increasingly evident, and, uh, there's a reasonable probability That after the 01:40:17.130 --> 01:40:23.170 next election, uh, Ottawa might become more amenable to listening to reason. 01:40:23.890 --> 01:40:28.330 And, uh, so I'm actually, uh, very positive. 01:40:28.420 --> 01:40:33.010 I try to encourage people to, uh, give them hope. 01:40:33.330 --> 01:40:38.289 Uh, I try to encourage people to write out this rough patch. 01:40:38.730 --> 01:40:40.220 Because there's a better day ahead. 01:40:40.220 --> 01:40:40.589 I 01:40:40.970 --> 01:40:41.500 Travis Bader: like that. 01:40:42.420 --> 01:40:46.030 Uh, is your work different today from when you started? 01:40:46.650 --> 01:40:47.590 And if so, how? 01:40:49.160 --> 01:40:55.630 Teri Bryant: Um, well, we are kind of at an inflection point now because 01:40:55.960 --> 01:40:58.220 when we started, we were scrambling. 01:40:58.910 --> 01:40:59.330 Okay. 01:40:59.640 --> 01:41:03.460 When I took over the office, I, on September, I was only hired like a 01:41:03.460 --> 01:41:05.710 couple of weeks before the office opened. 01:41:06.190 --> 01:41:10.525 Uh, I was not, although I was I was a member of the Alberta 01:41:10.525 --> 01:41:11.735 Firearms Advisory Committee. 01:41:11.775 --> 01:41:17.100 I was part of the Uh, recommendation to, to take over the office 01:41:17.120 --> 01:41:20.620 provincially, but then I wasn't involved in the lead up to that. 01:41:20.960 --> 01:41:24.910 Uh, and so I had no idea what I was getting into. 01:41:24.910 --> 01:41:31.350 It was like, you know, diving blindfolded off a platform and not knowing whether 01:41:31.350 --> 01:41:36.800 it's 600 feet down onto solid concrete or six inches down into a nice soft 01:41:36.800 --> 01:41:38.570 mattress, what's it going to be? 01:41:38.580 --> 01:41:41.360 It's a lot closer to 600 feet down to concrete. 01:41:42.460 --> 01:41:46.320 But when we started off, you know, we were, we were scrambling. 01:41:46.350 --> 01:41:50.510 We had, uh, you know, an office that had furniture, but not much else. 01:41:50.935 --> 01:41:56.095 Uh, I had half a dozen people with me the first day and in very short order, 01:41:56.475 --> 01:42:01.385 we got ourselves up and running, figured out what needed to be done that enabled 01:42:01.385 --> 01:42:07.865 us to, uh, apply for, uh, the, the funding that we needed to take over 01:42:07.865 --> 01:42:10.275 more of the operations from Miramichi. 01:42:10.705 --> 01:42:15.075 Um, because I think things are best done close to the people, like 01:42:15.305 --> 01:42:16.785 this is an information business. 01:42:16.845 --> 01:42:18.615 All the information is here. 01:42:19.125 --> 01:42:19.315 Yes. 01:42:19.315 --> 01:42:19.654 Yes. 01:42:20.565 --> 01:42:25.655 So we are, we're now at kind of an inflection point because 01:42:25.985 --> 01:42:29.055 we're almost fully staffed. 01:42:29.785 --> 01:42:36.645 And, uh, those staff now we're in the intensive training phase so that over 01:42:36.645 --> 01:42:41.875 the next number of months, we'll be able to take over most of the work 01:42:41.875 --> 01:42:44.725 that Miramichi does for Alberta. 01:42:45.175 --> 01:42:48.045 Um, and do that here. 01:42:48.405 --> 01:42:54.765 Uh, I've always said that this made sense because I'm responsible for the 01:42:54.765 --> 01:42:58.755 administration of the Canadian firearms program in Alberta, but I didn't have 01:42:58.785 --> 01:43:03.925 control over most of it because most of it was being done in Miramichi. 01:43:04.345 --> 01:43:08.525 And I had a certain, in theory, you could say I had control of it because 01:43:08.535 --> 01:43:13.535 for the people in Miramichi, uh, who, and I, when I've met some of them, they're 01:43:13.835 --> 01:43:16.205 dedicated, great folks that work hard. 01:43:16.205 --> 01:43:16.255 But. 01:43:16.835 --> 01:43:20.455 Um, I have no idea what's going on because I would have to sign a 01:43:20.455 --> 01:43:25.545 designation order saying that, you know, Bill Smith or, uh, Jasbir Singh 01:43:25.545 --> 01:43:31.835 or whoever is, is, uh, authorized to act on behalf of, uh, Alberta. 01:43:31.865 --> 01:43:34.275 But then I had no idea of what they were doing. 01:43:34.485 --> 01:43:38.255 And so by having everything here. 01:43:38.550 --> 01:43:39.320 We will know. 01:43:39.430 --> 01:43:43.340 And then, you know, I, I meet people, as I mentioned, I meet people all the time. 01:43:43.350 --> 01:43:45.300 I'm arm's length away from them. 01:43:45.690 --> 01:43:47.280 I'm dealing directly with them. 01:43:47.360 --> 01:43:52.300 I want to be able to tell them that I will fix their problem and be able to 01:43:52.300 --> 01:43:59.140 say, okay, uh, you know, Bill or Mary or whoever fixed this person's problem 01:43:59.610 --> 01:44:03.790 and can't do that if they're 3000 miles away and I don't know what's going on. 01:44:04.190 --> 01:44:09.250 So, um, we're at that inflection point now where we've. 01:44:09.690 --> 01:44:11.060 Achieved our critical mass. 01:44:11.060 --> 01:44:13.600 There's a couple of key hires that we're still doing. 01:44:13.800 --> 01:44:18.160 We need some training, but over the next little while we will 01:44:18.390 --> 01:44:19.910 really be hitting our stride. 01:44:20.070 --> 01:44:23.540 So it's like we've been doing all the training and now we're 01:44:23.720 --> 01:44:24.850 going to be in the Olympics. 01:44:24.850 --> 01:44:29.890 The Olympics are just a couple of months away and then we'll be able to really Hit 01:44:29.890 --> 01:44:34.990 our stride and, you know, I'm, I'm proud of how we've dealt with the challenges 01:44:34.990 --> 01:44:42.760 up to now, but I'm extremely excited by how we're going to deal with the The 01:44:42.810 --> 01:44:49.820 expanded opportunities that achieving, uh, our full maturity will bring. 01:44:51.820 --> 01:44:52.480 I like that. 01:44:55.280 --> 01:44:57.400 Travis Bader: I have my own questions, but I'm going to save those for after. 01:44:57.630 --> 01:44:59.700 Uh, I'm going to go through the ones to the public here. 01:44:59.960 --> 01:45:03.990 Um, what's the latest on the handgun confiscations post bill C 21. 01:45:04.760 --> 01:45:07.860 How did the seizures actually happen after a handgun owner dies? 01:45:07.860 --> 01:45:09.190 Who gets a letter? 01:45:09.460 --> 01:45:10.830 Who goes to collect the gear? 01:45:11.120 --> 01:45:13.000 How much of a priority is this? 01:45:13.750 --> 01:45:18.110 Teri Bryant: So, um, first of all, uh, just. 01:45:18.930 --> 01:45:23.800 I'm sure many of your listeners would already know, but, um, there is no 01:45:23.830 --> 01:45:30.240 specific confiscation plan the same way that there is supposed to be one 01:45:30.240 --> 01:45:31.810 for the Order and Council firearms. 01:45:31.830 --> 01:45:32.020 Right. 01:45:32.040 --> 01:45:32.430 Okay. 01:45:32.835 --> 01:45:37.735 Um, and I say supposed to be one because I haven't seen much evidence 01:45:37.735 --> 01:45:39.485 of there being a concrete plan. 01:45:39.855 --> 01:45:46.595 Um, but anyway, um, I think that what that question is, uh, designed about is 01:45:46.595 --> 01:45:48.535 what happens to guns when somebody dies? 01:45:48.575 --> 01:45:50.535 What happens to handguns when somebody dies? 01:45:51.265 --> 01:45:59.225 So right now the formal options for someone are very limited because, uh, 01:45:59.625 --> 01:46:03.535 you could sell them to a business, but most businesses don't need more handguns. 01:46:04.035 --> 01:46:06.645 um, you could sell 'em to an exempt individual, but there's 01:46:06.645 --> 01:46:07.905 only a handful of those. 01:46:08.235 --> 01:46:08.265 Mm. 01:46:08.415 --> 01:46:13.785 Um, you could have them deactivated, but that's basically destroying their value. 01:46:13.790 --> 01:46:13.990 Mm-Hmm. 01:46:14.370 --> 01:46:18.815 . And, um, and I mean, I personally, I hate to see that. 01:46:18.845 --> 01:46:23.850 So, um, you know, I, I actually have a little sign that I put. 01:46:24.670 --> 01:46:28.190 When I do have a couple of deactivated guns in my collection, they were 01:46:28.190 --> 01:46:29.640 deactivated before I got them. 01:46:29.640 --> 01:46:31.990 I wasn't responsible for their deactivation. 01:46:32.350 --> 01:46:35.900 But my little sign says, in order to comply with Canada's barbaric 01:46:35.900 --> 01:46:40.230 laws requiring the desecration of precious historical artifacts, sadly, 01:46:40.230 --> 01:46:41.880 this firearm has been deactivated. 01:46:43.950 --> 01:46:44.690 Yes. 01:46:44.760 --> 01:46:47.220 You know, so there's that. 01:46:47.450 --> 01:46:49.530 You could just surrender them and have them destroyed. 01:46:49.530 --> 01:46:51.270 None of those are reasonable options. 01:46:51.500 --> 01:46:52.970 None of the things that, uh. 01:46:53.715 --> 01:47:00.275 Federal government says our options are really options, you know, um, but, 01:47:00.985 --> 01:47:05.595 uh, and I can't counsel people as I, since I'm not a lawyer, I can't counsel 01:47:05.595 --> 01:47:07.415 people on exactly what they should do. 01:47:07.855 --> 01:47:12.345 However, I would point out that it's our understanding. 01:47:12.720 --> 01:47:17.370 That, uh, the executor of an estate has the reasonable period of time to 01:47:17.370 --> 01:47:19.390 deal with the resolution of the estate. 01:47:20.090 --> 01:47:24.570 And a reasonable period of time is not well defined in law, 01:47:25.230 --> 01:47:27.990 but it's not weeks or days. 01:47:28.270 --> 01:47:30.610 It's probably measured in years. 01:47:30.620 --> 01:47:36.760 And I think there is a reasonably good chance that after the next election, 01:47:37.320 --> 01:47:41.590 this will become significantly less of a problem than it is now. 01:47:42.600 --> 01:47:43.060 Travis Bader: I agree. 01:47:43.570 --> 01:47:44.110 I agree. 01:47:45.595 --> 01:47:47.535 What about exporting is exporting in the car? 01:47:47.535 --> 01:47:47.895 Yes. 01:47:48.145 --> 01:47:48.525 Uh, 01:47:49.035 --> 01:47:50.435 Teri Bryant: it's, it's possible. 01:47:50.895 --> 01:47:54.835 Um, the problem is that most guns aren't worth enough, you know, 01:47:54.845 --> 01:47:58.165 like if it costs you, there are many companies that do this. 01:47:58.315 --> 01:47:58.675 Okay. 01:47:58.675 --> 01:48:02.105 And I'm not trying to undercut their business or anything, but if it costs 01:48:02.105 --> 01:48:07.490 you 300 to ship a gun out of the country and the guns worth 400, um, You 01:48:07.490 --> 01:48:09.300 know, how much of an option is that? 01:48:09.660 --> 01:48:13.870 So the federal government is fond of saying, Oh, you've got all these options. 01:48:13.870 --> 01:48:15.230 Here's like your five option. 01:48:15.630 --> 01:48:19.300 Well, that's like saying, well, you can cut off your hand or you can cut 01:48:19.300 --> 01:48:22.850 off your foot or you cut off your nose or you can cut off your ear. 01:48:23.240 --> 01:48:25.840 None of those are really options that I want to entertain. 01:48:25.850 --> 01:48:26.300 Travis Bader: Right. 01:48:26.300 --> 01:48:27.530 I agree. 01:48:27.570 --> 01:48:28.489 That's a good way to put it. 01:48:29.150 --> 01:48:32.930 Uh, what, what's the latest on the rifle and shot shotgun confiscations 01:48:32.950 --> 01:48:37.300 may 2020 OAC has a federal department of public safety been in contact? 01:48:37.830 --> 01:48:40.260 Is the plan advancing or stalled? 01:48:40.320 --> 01:48:43.900 Um, what's Alberta's position? 01:48:44.870 --> 01:48:45.130 Teri Bryant: Okay. 01:48:45.130 --> 01:48:51.000 So, uh, first of all, Alberta's position from the very outset and 01:48:51.040 --> 01:48:55.440 not just my position or not just our office's position, but our provincial 01:48:55.450 --> 01:49:00.660 government's position as, uh, as articulated by, uh, cabinet members. 01:49:00.975 --> 01:49:06.885 Has been, um, that we are absolutely opposed to this because it's a 01:49:06.885 --> 01:49:15.215 violation of people's property rights and it is a Completely useless waste 01:49:15.285 --> 01:49:17.945 of valuable taxpayer resources. 01:49:18.325 --> 01:49:18.625 Okay. 01:49:19.155 --> 01:49:22.485 Now somebody, when they watch this, they'll probably say, well, but property 01:49:22.485 --> 01:49:23.975 rights aren't protected in Canada. 01:49:23.975 --> 01:49:28.675 Well, maybe not, but, uh, they're not, they're not well protected in 01:49:28.675 --> 01:49:33.275 Canada, but, uh, some people would say, are you really violating them? 01:49:33.275 --> 01:49:37.615 But personally, I don't believe that governments give us rights. 01:49:37.945 --> 01:49:42.585 I agree to me, depending on whether you're religious or not. 01:49:43.040 --> 01:49:47.230 Your rights are either God given or innate right governments can 01:49:47.230 --> 01:49:51.810 recognize them or protect them But they don't give you rights. 01:49:52.080 --> 01:49:57.330 Okay, but that's a bit of a philosophical You know digression 01:49:57.670 --> 01:50:03.070 so we've always been very strongly opposed to this And, uh, that has 01:50:03.100 --> 01:50:05.220 played itself out in a number of ways. 01:50:05.310 --> 01:50:11.380 So, for example, uh, a previous Minister of Justice and Solicitor General, um, 01:50:11.590 --> 01:50:15.570 issued, uh, I'm not sure what they're called, protocols or something like 01:50:15.570 --> 01:50:19.800 that, indicating that no provincial resources were to be used, no provincially 01:50:19.800 --> 01:50:21.809 funded resources were to be used. 01:50:22.150 --> 01:50:23.400 And, and things like that. 01:50:23.410 --> 01:50:29.610 So that has limited the options for the implementation of this program. 01:50:29.760 --> 01:50:38.220 But it is, it is not considered legally legitimate for the province to, um, 01:50:40.430 --> 01:50:41.880 we can't obviate a law. 01:50:41.890 --> 01:50:44.280 We can't say this law is invalid here. 01:50:44.370 --> 01:50:44.850 Okay. 01:50:44.990 --> 01:50:48.960 That's, uh, but it doesn't mean we have to help. 01:50:49.490 --> 01:50:53.260 And so that's what these protocols, uh, help to do. 01:50:53.800 --> 01:50:54.470 Also. 01:50:54.470 --> 01:50:54.520 Okay. 01:50:55.905 --> 01:51:01.715 It's my responsibility as, uh, Chief Firearms Officer, and particularly under 01:51:01.715 --> 01:51:06.635 the Alberta Firearms Act, to ensure that anything that is done is done safely. 01:51:07.325 --> 01:51:12.620 And so, Uh, we have the power to regulate seizure agents. 01:51:12.800 --> 01:51:16.460 There's a fancy legal definition, but basically that would be anybody 01:51:16.460 --> 01:51:20.090 who is involved in some kind of confiscation program like this. 01:51:20.690 --> 01:51:25.780 Um, we have the power to regulate them to ensure that whatever 01:51:25.800 --> 01:51:31.260 activities they conduct are conducted in a, uh, lawful and safe manner. 01:51:31.900 --> 01:51:38.605 and, um, you know, my Sometimes my federal counterparts say, well, 01:51:38.635 --> 01:51:41.845 you know, like surely what we're going to do it in a safe way. 01:51:41.855 --> 01:51:45.535 That's, you know, why would you need to have the power to regulate that? 01:51:45.685 --> 01:51:49.505 But then they came up with the idea of collecting them in, in post offices 01:51:49.885 --> 01:51:54.425 that, that have locks that a six years, six year old could, could break through. 01:51:54.835 --> 01:51:57.915 And so, you know, it is an important thing. 01:51:58.345 --> 01:52:04.495 Um, and we can't, we can't say that, no, you can't do this. 01:52:04.495 --> 01:52:04.535 Yeah. 01:52:05.025 --> 01:52:08.795 But we can say that if you're going to do this, we're going to make sure 01:52:08.795 --> 01:52:11.205 that Albertans get treated fairly, and we're going to make sure that 01:52:11.205 --> 01:52:17.685 the way you do it doesn't, uh, expose Albertans to undue, undue risk. 01:52:18.125 --> 01:52:25.955 And fortunately, I think, uh, they have not yet figured out a way to do 01:52:25.955 --> 01:52:33.570 it that Uh, would meet even minimal public safety, uh, requirements. 01:52:33.840 --> 01:52:40.050 So the way I see things playing out, I don't have a crystal ball, um, neither 01:52:40.060 --> 01:52:45.730 the pre prime federal prime minister, nor the, any of their cabinet, uh, 01:52:45.740 --> 01:52:48.140 whisper little nothings into my ear. 01:52:48.430 --> 01:52:53.260 Um, but the way I see it playing out is that I think it's likely that there'll 01:52:53.270 --> 01:52:57.910 be, uh, By the time of the next election, they'll probably be able to do something 01:52:58.710 --> 01:53:03.630 on the collection of business inventories, because there are many businesses that 01:53:03.870 --> 01:53:09.780 have been sorely hurt by having to maintain stocks that they can't sell. 01:53:10.420 --> 01:53:12.780 You know, they're paying interest on money for years. 01:53:13.140 --> 01:53:17.544 Interest rates have been high, and so that's been a burden for them. 01:53:17.544 --> 01:53:22.763 But in, and for many businesses, not all of them, but for many businesses, 01:53:22.763 --> 01:53:24.999 it's inventory, you know, uh, but. 01:53:28.910 --> 01:53:31.310 Individuals, it's a whole different thing because we are 01:53:31.320 --> 01:53:32.970 much more attached to our stuff. 01:53:33.400 --> 01:53:36.450 The things I have are not just inventory to me. 01:53:37.030 --> 01:53:39.670 They are historical artifacts. 01:53:39.740 --> 01:53:42.510 They're, uh, treasured heirlooms. 01:53:42.980 --> 01:53:47.470 Uh, they are, uh, they have a significance that goes well 01:53:47.480 --> 01:53:49.090 beyond their monetary value. 01:53:49.700 --> 01:53:57.780 And so, um, we, uh, want to make sure that anything that the, the feds 01:53:57.810 --> 01:54:01.580 do, they do in a Uh, a safe manner. 01:54:01.580 --> 01:54:06.490 They haven't come up with a way to do that, but I think that, uh, I don't 01:54:06.510 --> 01:54:10.950 think they'll be able to make much progress by the next election on actually 01:54:10.950 --> 01:54:13.030 collecting them from individuals. 01:54:13.080 --> 01:54:13.520 I agree. 01:54:13.630 --> 01:54:20.985 Um, and I, in some respects, and here I'm going into, you know, Uh, I'm not a, I'm 01:54:20.985 --> 01:54:24.205 also, I get, give lots of, of caveats. 01:54:24.645 --> 01:54:26.755 I'm not a political analyst. 01:54:26.905 --> 01:54:27.345 Okay. 01:54:27.345 --> 01:54:31.425 I'm not, uh, uh, I don't have a doctorate in political science. 01:54:31.910 --> 01:54:37.640 Um, but I would think that it, there's a certain confluence of interest because 01:54:37.640 --> 01:54:44.170 it probably makes sense for them to not complete it by the time of the next 01:54:44.170 --> 01:54:48.610 election because it will be troublesome. 01:54:48.710 --> 01:54:58.020 It will cause friction and, uh, uh, Negative publicity, if they try to push 01:54:58.020 --> 01:55:00.230 it by the time of the next election. 01:55:00.880 --> 01:55:01.270 Travis Bader: Yeah. 01:55:02.770 --> 01:55:06.480 Here's one from a business owner and he says, one thing that would be really good 01:55:06.480 --> 01:55:12.620 as an API or API access to PALS so that we can auto verify when we ship regulated 01:55:12.650 --> 01:55:17.230 items, has there been any chat that you've heard of, of implementing sort of APIs 01:55:17.260 --> 01:55:25.130 to, um, to cross check people's licenses so that businesses can be compliant? 01:55:25.945 --> 01:55:29.435 Teri Bryant: Well, businesses have access to a system for verifying 01:55:29.435 --> 01:55:31.785 that people's PALs are valid now. 01:55:31.905 --> 01:55:32.235 I mean. 01:55:32.595 --> 01:55:33.175 But it's not a 01:55:34.215 --> 01:55:37.105 Travis Bader: application protocol interface or whatever they think. 01:55:37.115 --> 01:55:38.995 I don't understand that technology. 01:55:39.115 --> 01:55:39.735 Fair enough. 01:55:39.775 --> 01:55:43.655 It's something that'll, uh, allows the backend to talk without the, 01:55:43.685 --> 01:55:47.135 without a human having to be on the front end searching it. 01:55:47.525 --> 01:55:51.685 Teri Bryant: I have not seen anything in their plans. 01:55:52.135 --> 01:55:56.435 Um, and we do get updates on things, but they are expanding the capability. 01:55:57.055 --> 01:56:02.905 So they're expanding the capabilities of automation in the system all the time. 01:56:02.915 --> 01:56:06.205 Like you can now apply for your pal online and many other 01:56:06.205 --> 01:56:07.675 things you can apply online. 01:56:08.145 --> 01:56:15.905 Um, but on the other hand, anything that would make it possible to, to, um, 01:56:16.160 --> 01:56:18.330 Make it easier on the firearms community 01:56:21.160 --> 01:56:26.110 isn't always, I mean, some of these things, I mean, it is, it does make it 01:56:26.110 --> 01:56:28.170 easier when people can apply for PALS. 01:56:31.320 --> 01:56:34.940 The specific objective of making life easier isn't necessarily one 01:56:34.940 --> 01:56:38.910 of the top priorities, I think, in, in those, in those Effort. 01:56:38.910 --> 01:56:42.060 So the short answer is, I've given you a long answer now. 01:56:42.060 --> 01:56:45.570 I'll give you the short answer is, I don't know, , I, I don't think so. 01:56:46.020 --> 01:56:46.590 Travis Bader: Fair enough. 01:56:47.030 --> 01:56:52.310 Um, what are your thoughts on auditory health slash medical benefits of 01:56:52.310 --> 01:56:54.680 sound moderators slash suppressors? 01:56:55.220 --> 01:56:57.770 Police use them is, is what the question was. 01:56:57.770 --> 01:56:57.771 Mm-Hmm. 01:56:58.120 --> 01:56:58.390 . Teri Bryant: Mm-Hmm. 01:56:59.320 --> 01:57:04.150 , uh, well, from the very beginning I've been a, a strong believer that 01:57:04.150 --> 01:57:07.950 we need to, uh, consider legalizing. 01:57:08.505 --> 01:57:13.365 Uh, suppressors and not just for the reason that was stated, uh, if 01:57:13.365 --> 01:57:17.975 you visit any area where there's a lot of old timers, many of them, 01:57:18.245 --> 01:57:24.405 uh, started using firearms before, uh, hearing protection, a lot of 01:57:24.405 --> 01:57:26.655 them have, have, uh, hearing issues. 01:57:27.040 --> 01:57:32.560 And there are times when hearing issues are not easily dealt with by 01:57:32.990 --> 01:57:35.040 earmuffs or, or things like that. 01:57:35.390 --> 01:57:36.880 So there's, there's that issue. 01:57:37.320 --> 01:57:39.690 Uh, the hearing health is certainly an important part. 01:57:40.060 --> 01:57:45.530 But another part of this issue, I think, is preserving our ranges. 01:57:45.945 --> 01:57:51.815 Because ranges that are close to cities increasingly are under pressure because 01:57:51.945 --> 01:57:54.385 the city grows out to where the range was. 01:57:54.415 --> 01:57:56.445 It was originally in an isolated area. 01:57:56.445 --> 01:57:57.855 Nobody cared about the noise. 01:57:58.305 --> 01:58:00.245 Now there are houses that are close by. 01:58:00.755 --> 01:58:04.145 If people were using suppressors, the noise would be a much 01:58:04.565 --> 01:58:06.005 less significant issue. 01:58:06.825 --> 01:58:11.375 I think that probably we need to, Figure out what kind of a regulatory 01:58:11.385 --> 01:58:13.145 framework would be around them. 01:58:13.555 --> 01:58:20.475 Um, I, I probably wouldn't favor just removing all restrictions on them until 01:58:20.475 --> 01:58:25.665 we at least studied whether that was going to be a good thing, but definitely 01:58:25.665 --> 01:58:31.020 I think that They should play a role in firearms usage in, in the future in 01:58:31.020 --> 01:58:35.110 Canada, they do in many other countries, including countries that have even more 01:58:35.110 --> 01:58:37.130 restrictive firearms laws than we do. 01:58:37.780 --> 01:58:38.700 Travis Bader: England is one of them. 01:58:38.730 --> 01:58:39.790 I remember I was in Scotland. 01:58:39.790 --> 01:58:42.100 I was walking from Inverness to the Loch Ness. 01:58:42.120 --> 01:58:42.740 I want to check out. 01:58:43.290 --> 01:58:45.480 Go for a swim in their, their cold lake over there. 01:58:45.480 --> 01:58:49.690 And, uh, I saw this guy in his field and I was like, Hey, I recognize 01:58:49.690 --> 01:58:50.990 what he's got set up over there. 01:58:51.000 --> 01:58:53.060 It looks like a little covered shooting area. 01:58:53.060 --> 01:58:54.650 And he was shooting. 01:58:54.650 --> 01:58:56.370 I thought, Oh, I'll go chat with them. 01:58:56.370 --> 01:58:58.100 And he had a suppressor on his rifle. 01:58:58.100 --> 01:59:00.250 And so Canada, those are illegal. 01:59:00.250 --> 01:59:00.930 He's like, really? 01:59:00.990 --> 01:59:02.930 I can't shoot my rifle without it here. 01:59:02.930 --> 01:59:05.260 Cause I live in X proximity to my neighbors and the 01:59:05.260 --> 01:59:06.400 laws say I have to have it. 01:59:07.020 --> 01:59:07.580 Interesting. 01:59:08.625 --> 01:59:09.225 Um, 01:59:13.215 --> 01:59:14.185 there's, there's one. 01:59:14.185 --> 01:59:18.455 What are your thoughts on the utility of the AR 10 ESP, especially, 01:59:18.455 --> 01:59:20.365 I guess, as a SIG 308 offering. 01:59:20.880 --> 01:59:25.120 In wildlife conservation officer use, many Western Canadian provinces 01:59:25.120 --> 01:59:27.580 switched to them beginning in 2018. 01:59:28.030 --> 01:59:31.370 And I think this individual is probably looking at the, comparing 01:59:31.370 --> 01:59:36.470 and contrasting, I'm going to go out on a limb here, uh, how, um, ARs 01:59:36.500 --> 01:59:44.030 aren't, or apparently aren't suitable for, um, hunting or wildlife control. 01:59:44.340 --> 01:59:51.745 Yet the, uh, Provinces are, are using them for, for wildlife control 01:59:51.765 --> 01:59:53.065 within their government agencies. 01:59:53.325 --> 01:59:53.565 Teri Bryant: Yeah. 01:59:53.835 --> 01:59:59.175 Well, uh, so I guess the, on, on the broader point, I'm not always, uh, 01:59:59.205 --> 02:00:02.785 I'll confess that I'm not always up on exactly the latest models or whatever 02:00:02.875 --> 02:00:08.245 everything is, but on the basic point, um, you know, what really determines 02:00:08.565 --> 02:00:13.475 how suitable a firearm is for a given purpose is primarily its caliber and 02:00:13.475 --> 02:00:16.615 secondarily things like weight and length and, and that sort of thing. 02:00:16.925 --> 02:00:17.835 And so. 02:00:18.285 --> 02:00:26.105 Um, the idea that some bureaucrat in Ottawa is better able to decide what 02:00:26.295 --> 02:00:35.345 is useful or suitable for, uh, someone in the field to use, uh, I find to be 02:00:35.635 --> 02:00:37.365 a difficult proposition to support. 02:00:38.045 --> 02:00:43.395 It's, uh, the people who are in the field know what they need and, um, 02:00:43.575 --> 02:00:45.475 they should be allowed within reason. 02:00:45.905 --> 02:00:51.435 To choose the tools that are going to most appropriately help them to do the job to 02:00:51.445 --> 02:00:59.155 continue with our, with our, um, our, uh, little analogy that we were using before. 02:00:59.465 --> 02:01:03.485 You know, uh, the last thing a mechanic needs is somebody reaching over his 02:01:03.495 --> 02:01:08.385 shoulder and saying, Oh no, you, you really should be using the, the, you 02:01:08.385 --> 02:01:13.755 know, the, the, uh, uh, closed end wrench, not the open ended wrench that 02:01:13.755 --> 02:01:18.605 application, you know, uh, well, let the person who's doing the job, figure it out. 02:01:18.675 --> 02:01:19.005 Yeah. 02:01:20.085 --> 02:01:24.935 Travis Bader: Uh, here's one from a, um, a business, uh, just says clarified 02:01:24.935 --> 02:01:27.715 legal status of guns, not listed in OIC. 02:01:28.065 --> 02:01:32.845 But the FRTs changed after the fact, also guns that have no FRT, period. 02:01:33.075 --> 02:01:39.445 For example, no legal document states that ATRS modern series, Daria Mark 12, and 02:01:39.445 --> 02:01:45.165 the Maccabee defense are prohibited or a reason why, though the FRT got changed. 02:01:46.485 --> 02:01:54.185 Teri Bryant: If I could answer questions like that, so I would, I mean, part 02:01:54.185 --> 02:01:59.585 of it, the federal government has gone completely out of control on these issues. 02:01:59.940 --> 02:02:08.350 And so, you know, it's one thing to pass a regulation that says, uh, 02:02:08.360 --> 02:02:10.890 these specific things are prohibited. 02:02:11.360 --> 02:02:16.160 You can agree with it, you can disagree with it, but at least you know what 02:02:16.170 --> 02:02:18.270 they have said is okay and not okay. 02:02:18.900 --> 02:02:24.760 But the way they have been willy nilly trying to expand Uh, the list of 02:02:24.760 --> 02:02:27.860 prohibitions, I've heard, the latest number I've heard is that it's grown 02:02:27.860 --> 02:02:30.380 from the original 1, 500 to 2, 000. 02:02:30.460 --> 02:02:32.730 And it wouldn't surprise me if it's even more. 02:02:33.110 --> 02:02:35.860 Um, it's not how you should be making law. 02:02:36.490 --> 02:02:41.940 Um, and I'm not, neither a lawyer nor a judge, nor certainly not a Supreme 02:02:41.940 --> 02:02:46.160 Court justice, and it may take that to, to, to, That's a definitive 02:02:46.160 --> 02:02:49.270 answer to that question, but it's not how we should be making law. 02:02:49.520 --> 02:02:50.040 Travis Bader: Mm hmm. 02:02:50.830 --> 02:02:53.920 And we think one thing that became really clear was, uh, I think it was 02:02:53.920 --> 02:03:00.000 Murray Smith during the, um, uh, during the legal challenge that came up. 02:03:00.010 --> 02:03:03.730 I was asked to hope high on a few issues and had to sit in on the, 02:03:03.780 --> 02:03:07.520 on the court proceedings, but, uh, he repeatedly kept saying, you 02:03:07.520 --> 02:03:09.490 know, FRTs have no bearing in law. 02:03:09.520 --> 02:03:12.615 They're not, it's something that, that's Uh, the firearms program makes 02:03:12.615 --> 02:03:19.165 for a, so that they have a reference of things, but it is not designed 02:03:19.245 --> 02:03:24.805 specifically to influence law, to classify that's done by politicians. 02:03:25.385 --> 02:03:28.465 So that was something that he mentioned on a few different occasions. 02:03:28.635 --> 02:03:28.805 Yeah. 02:03:30.605 --> 02:03:31.245 Um, 02:03:34.285 --> 02:03:36.765 what are your thoughts on ATCs as well as 02:03:40.545 --> 02:03:44.785 I'm not sure quite, maybe I'll just stop it as what is your thoughts on ATCs 02:03:44.825 --> 02:03:48.355 because wilderness carry of non restricted firearms is kind of a moot point. 02:03:48.975 --> 02:03:58.585 Teri Bryant: Yeah, so, um, obviously, uh, so authorizations to carry, there's 02:03:59.225 --> 02:04:01.805 sort of three broad areas, maybe four. 02:04:01.805 --> 02:04:06.915 So, um, So there's one area is authorizations to carry for defensive 02:04:06.915 --> 02:04:11.765 life, and those are exceptionally hard to get in Canada because 02:04:11.765 --> 02:04:13.725 the legal bar is extremely high. 02:04:14.145 --> 02:04:19.405 And very soon I probably will not have any control over that at all because 02:04:19.415 --> 02:04:24.455 Bill C 21 centralizes that power with the Commissioner of Firearms. 02:04:25.235 --> 02:04:31.715 And so, uh, as far as I have seen, they haven't come out with the procedures. 02:04:32.015 --> 02:04:38.315 For that, um, but, uh, I think that was a disastrous decision because the 02:04:38.325 --> 02:04:44.615 whole point of that in the current framework is that the, uh, the need 02:04:44.675 --> 02:04:47.855 must be imminent, imminent risk to life. 02:04:48.155 --> 02:04:52.275 Well, if the risk is imminent, that's just the answer has to be 02:04:52.285 --> 02:04:58.625 imminent, not depend on going up a chain of authority, many levels high. 02:04:59.060 --> 02:05:04.080 To the Commissioner of Firearms, and I don't know the background 02:05:04.080 --> 02:05:07.350 really of the current commissioner of firearms, but one previous one of 02:05:07.350 --> 02:05:10.440 course is well known for having said she knew nothing about the law right. 02:05:10.710 --> 02:05:11.730 In this area. 02:05:11.790 --> 02:05:12.060 Right. 02:05:12.060 --> 02:05:17.210 So, uh, I, I don't see what the benefit is of introducing those 02:05:17.210 --> 02:05:23.060 many levels of additional scrutiny to a process that was already very. 02:05:24.400 --> 02:05:31.190 Um, the authorizations to carry for, um, for like, um, armored car 02:05:31.190 --> 02:05:36.490 guards and people like that, that's a relatively routine and, uh, un, 02:05:37.330 --> 02:05:40.210 uh, uncontroversial, uh, area. 02:05:41.330 --> 02:05:49.570 Although I would mention, um, when we took over the previous federal office. 02:05:49.995 --> 02:05:52.935 Had not done any of the renewals of those. 02:05:52.965 --> 02:05:56.855 So we had about, we had to immediately launch. 02:05:56.855 --> 02:05:58.895 They're all, they all come due at one time of year. 02:05:59.375 --> 02:06:03.965 And if we had not launched a crash campaign to get them done in just a 02:06:03.965 --> 02:06:07.645 matter of a couple of weeks, all the movement of cash in the province of 02:06:07.645 --> 02:06:12.115 Alberta would have ground to a halt as with likely significant negative 02:06:12.115 --> 02:06:14.925 effects on the province as a whole. 02:06:16.230 --> 02:06:19.360 You know, when we're talking about economic importance of firearms, 02:06:19.370 --> 02:06:21.700 there's a very good example. 02:06:22.760 --> 02:06:26.580 And so we prioritize that practically above almost everything else in 02:06:26.580 --> 02:06:28.460 order to not shut down the economy. 02:06:29.020 --> 02:06:33.200 Um, so, uh, then there's the trappers. 02:06:33.270 --> 02:06:36.160 That's a relatively uncontroversial thing too. 02:06:36.500 --> 02:06:39.080 Um, and the wilderness carry. 02:06:40.480 --> 02:06:42.810 is a bit, uh, broader. 02:06:43.210 --> 02:06:48.750 Uh, you know, with the trappers generally, um, that's a people sort 02:06:48.750 --> 02:06:51.750 of self identify, you know, they've taken a trapper course, they've got 02:06:51.750 --> 02:06:53.550 a trap line and so on and so forth. 02:06:53.940 --> 02:06:59.700 The one that poses some, um, more difficult challenges is the authorization 02:06:59.700 --> 02:07:06.020 to carry, um, in, uh, sort of wilderness protection against, uh, uh, wildlife. 02:07:06.530 --> 02:07:14.085 And, um, so The key thing about that is that it does have to be professional. 02:07:14.525 --> 02:07:14.895 Okay. 02:07:14.895 --> 02:07:16.335 Like it's occupational. 02:07:16.425 --> 02:07:18.005 So it might be a better term. 02:07:18.435 --> 02:07:24.305 Um, whether it should be or not, that's a question we could discuss, but there's 02:07:24.315 --> 02:07:28.490 no doubt that right now the law says, You know, if you're just out hiking in 02:07:28.490 --> 02:07:32.910 the wilderness, regardless of whether you spend 24 hours a day, seven days 02:07:32.910 --> 02:07:38.020 a week in an area full of grizzly bears and cougars and wolverines and 02:07:38.910 --> 02:07:40.750 I don't know, wolverines are nasty. 02:07:40.750 --> 02:07:41.040 I don't know. 02:07:41.040 --> 02:07:42.830 Did they ever had to actually attack people? 02:07:42.940 --> 02:07:43.790 Um, they can. 02:07:44.470 --> 02:07:44.750 Yeah. 02:07:44.810 --> 02:07:45.130 Yeah. 02:07:45.130 --> 02:07:45.499 Yeah. 02:07:45.500 --> 02:07:49.670 I'm not, I'm, I, you know, I'm, I'm not as up on my, uh, wilderness 02:07:50.060 --> 02:07:51.340 who's who, as you would be. 02:07:51.340 --> 02:07:51.720 Sure. 02:07:51.740 --> 02:07:51.990 Sure. 02:07:52.180 --> 02:07:54.160 Cause that's your, your area of expertise. 02:07:54.580 --> 02:08:01.735 But, um, you know, Uh, doesn't matter how much time you spend there, if you're 02:08:01.735 --> 02:08:04.435 not working there, it's not an option. 02:08:04.645 --> 02:08:04.835 Yeah. 02:08:04.835 --> 02:08:05.245 Okay. 02:08:05.685 --> 02:08:13.315 Um, so, uh, you know, we, we have, that there are provinces where 02:08:13.315 --> 02:08:15.495 there's virtually no need for them. 02:08:15.585 --> 02:08:18.115 You know, like if you're in Prince Edward Island, I don't think there's any 02:08:18.115 --> 02:08:19.795 grizzly bears in Prince Edward Island. 02:08:20.115 --> 02:08:22.605 I'm not sure there's anything big enough to pose a threat to 02:08:22.605 --> 02:08:24.255 people in Prince Edward Island. 02:08:24.750 --> 02:08:27.860 But there's certainly much less than there is in Alberta, at least. 02:08:28.830 --> 02:08:34.660 So, um, They may, I don't know whether they even have that category as something 02:08:34.660 --> 02:08:38.190 that they do as part of their product line at the chief firearms office there. 02:08:38.620 --> 02:08:41.190 But here it certainly is part of our product line because 02:08:41.190 --> 02:08:42.680 we've got lots of grizzly bears. 02:08:42.700 --> 02:08:43.990 We've got lots of cougars. 02:08:43.990 --> 02:08:45.510 We've got lots of wolves. 02:08:45.510 --> 02:08:53.265 We've got lots of other things that are, um, red in tooth and claw, uh, 02:08:53.265 --> 02:08:56.710 that, um, uh, pose potential risks. 02:08:57.025 --> 02:09:04.065 And, uh, so it is something that we issue on a, you know, uh, we have to follow 02:09:04.065 --> 02:09:10.865 the federal guidelines on it, but we, uh, do issue them on a fairly regular basis. 02:09:10.915 --> 02:09:17.385 And, uh, you know, one that people often don't think about, um, is, uh, 02:09:17.595 --> 02:09:22.265 if you, for example, are a rancher in an area near the Rockies and there's 02:09:22.295 --> 02:09:26.505 grizzly bears roaming around and you're out working on your fence, um. 02:09:28.080 --> 02:09:33.980 A case might be made that you need, uh, uh, to have an ATC when you're 02:09:33.980 --> 02:09:36.270 out there so that you come back. 02:09:36.300 --> 02:09:36.580 Sure. 02:09:36.590 --> 02:09:37.260 At the end of the day. 02:09:37.570 --> 02:09:37.720 Sure. 02:09:37.730 --> 02:09:38.880 Um, and. 02:09:39.360 --> 02:09:44.230 You know, we've taken a relatively flexible position on these things. 02:09:44.240 --> 02:09:49.570 It's not the wild west, not open season, just come in and say you want one. 02:09:50.000 --> 02:09:55.370 But um, if you can make a reasonable case for it, then, um, it is 02:09:55.370 --> 02:09:57.040 something that people need here. 02:09:57.040 --> 02:09:59.490 There's a legitimate need for that here in Alberta. 02:09:59.590 --> 02:09:59.830 Travis Bader: Yeah. 02:10:00.030 --> 02:10:03.440 There's a checklist you guys have to go through that all fire and 02:10:03.440 --> 02:10:04.910 officers has have to go through. 02:10:05.320 --> 02:10:07.700 Teri Bryant: But what I would like to emphasize though, is that people 02:10:07.700 --> 02:10:09.590 should be thinking of that as. 02:10:10.550 --> 02:10:18.260 A last resort, you know, that, uh, number one should be, uh, being bear aware and, 02:10:18.460 --> 02:10:24.050 uh, you know, making sure that you are, uh, not exposing yourself to undue risk. 02:10:24.450 --> 02:10:24.940 Okay. 02:10:25.370 --> 02:10:32.040 Uh, and, um, everyone that I have spoken to who actually works with bears, 02:10:32.080 --> 02:10:36.970 like bear specialists, people whose whole job is bears say bear spray is 02:10:36.980 --> 02:10:38.730 generally going to be more effective. 02:10:39.320 --> 02:10:44.130 Because it's not as close a requirement for accuracy, but 02:10:44.310 --> 02:10:50.040 as a backup, um, a firearm could be a useful thing in some cases. 02:10:50.450 --> 02:10:56.760 Uh, I would like to see people have a high degree of proficiency if they're 02:10:56.810 --> 02:11:01.760 in those, uh, if they're going to be using a firearm for a purpose like that. 02:11:02.240 --> 02:11:03.750 Um, but. 02:11:04.500 --> 02:11:06.900 No, like I said, it's a legitimate thing. 02:11:06.920 --> 02:11:09.030 It's legally allowed and we do it. 02:11:09.480 --> 02:11:13.820 Travis Bader: I remember years ago, there's a, a gun store in, in Surrey 02:11:13.850 --> 02:11:18.150 and the police kept coming by that store because there's gangsters that 02:11:18.150 --> 02:11:21.710 are coming in and kept warning them, I mean, Hey, these guys are violent, 02:11:21.710 --> 02:11:24.850 there's going to be some problems and they're like, Well, maybe we should be 02:11:24.970 --> 02:11:26.640 seeing if we should get an ATC here. 02:11:26.640 --> 02:11:30.730 I mean, there's another store in BC where they were robbed and they, 02:11:31.110 --> 02:11:32.260 I think it was a husband and wife. 02:11:32.260 --> 02:11:35.050 They both got executed in there and they used that as an 02:11:35.050 --> 02:11:37.210 example and, and a few others. 02:11:37.290 --> 02:11:43.850 And the, they applied for ATCs for protection of their life based on what 02:11:43.850 --> 02:11:46.240 was going around and the information they were getting from police. 02:11:46.760 --> 02:11:49.170 Um, and, Provided them training. 02:11:49.170 --> 02:11:50.470 They're highly proficient. 02:11:50.480 --> 02:11:57.080 They met all of the protocol up into the point where the fire program 02:11:57.080 --> 02:12:00.440 says, look, you've met everything that we're looking for, for the issuance. 02:12:01.240 --> 02:12:05.800 We just need a letter from the chief of police in Surrey here saying that. 02:12:06.285 --> 02:12:08.495 Um, their protection is not adequate. 02:12:10.195 --> 02:12:11.785 They said, it can't come from a police officer. 02:12:11.795 --> 02:12:12.975 It's gotta be the chief of police. 02:12:12.975 --> 02:12:15.105 And they got to say that protection is not adequate for you. 02:12:15.105 --> 02:12:16.535 And, and then we'll issue it to you. 02:12:16.535 --> 02:12:18.445 Of course, there's no chief of police is going to turn around and 02:12:18.475 --> 02:12:22.155 say that the protection that they have to offer is not adequate and 02:12:22.155 --> 02:12:24.155 that's where it was finally stymied. 02:12:24.585 --> 02:12:28.035 Um, have you heard of incidences where people actually are 02:12:28.035 --> 02:12:32.045 successful in obtaining a ATC? 02:12:32.315 --> 02:12:33.855 Like I've, I've heard hearsay. 02:12:34.215 --> 02:12:36.905 I've, I've heard people tell me wink, wink, nudge, nudge. 02:12:37.700 --> 02:12:39.170 Teri Bryant: Well, for defensive life, you mean? 02:12:39.210 --> 02:12:39.860 Travis Bader: For defensive life. 02:12:39.890 --> 02:12:45.190 Teri Bryant: Well, defensive life is such a rare category that I can't, for security 02:12:45.190 --> 02:12:49.470 reasons, I can't tell you exactly what we've done, but like in all of Canada, 02:12:49.730 --> 02:12:51.250 you're talking about a handful of people. 02:12:51.330 --> 02:12:51.690 Travis Bader: Right. 02:12:51.780 --> 02:12:52.210 Okay. 02:12:52.370 --> 02:12:55.960 Teri Bryant: And so it's not something that comes up, I can't say in 50 02:12:55.960 --> 02:12:59.320 percent of cases when you're talking about a handful of the country, 02:12:59.670 --> 02:13:03.760 you know, so, um, but in any case, as I've indicated, it, it's kind 02:13:03.760 --> 02:13:06.070 of a moot question for us because. 02:13:06.590 --> 02:13:10.820 At any day, I'm expecting to have that power completely removed from me. 02:13:11.510 --> 02:13:15.370 Um, and then it will be the commissioner of firearms. 02:13:15.790 --> 02:13:21.870 And I suspect that whatever decision I would have made, the commissioner 02:13:21.870 --> 02:13:26.150 of firearms might be even, might be considerably more reticent to 02:13:26.210 --> 02:13:28.870 issue, uh, than I would have been. 02:13:29.380 --> 02:13:35.120 Um, and you know, I understand the, the You know, like when I grew up, some of the 02:13:35.120 --> 02:13:41.930 places we lived, it was quite a distance to a phone, let alone to a police station. 02:13:43.060 --> 02:13:48.330 So I understand people have a variety of, of security needs and you know, 02:13:48.360 --> 02:13:51.240 perhaps that would be something that a future government will revisit. 02:13:51.240 --> 02:13:55.900 But certainly this one's not prone to reconsideration of such things. 02:13:56.830 --> 02:13:58.900 Travis Bader: Is there anything that we haven't talked about 02:13:58.970 --> 02:14:00.190 that we should be talking about? 02:14:02.515 --> 02:14:07.895 Teri Bryant: Uh, well, we've covered quite a lot of ground here today, uh, 02:14:07.945 --> 02:14:16.295 Travis, but, um, I guess, you know, you know, if I were closing things out, I 02:14:16.305 --> 02:14:26.325 always just want to, uh, give people some reassurance that, uh, Uh, we might be 02:14:26.495 --> 02:14:31.255 in somewhat dark times in the firearms community at the moment, given the 02:14:31.255 --> 02:14:36.625 unfounded attacks that have been made on our community and many of the ill advised 02:14:36.665 --> 02:14:38.795 measures that we've been subjected to. 02:14:39.385 --> 02:14:42.955 But the firearms community is not without friends. 02:14:43.545 --> 02:14:45.745 We do have friends in Ottawa. 02:14:46.385 --> 02:14:48.275 We have friends. 02:14:48.455 --> 02:14:53.705 Our provincial government is a very strong supporter of law abiding firearms owners. 02:14:54.205 --> 02:14:55.895 I am working. 02:14:56.245 --> 02:15:03.095 Every single day of all of my energy, uh, to try and make sure that the 02:15:03.095 --> 02:15:05.685 firearms community has a bright future. 02:15:06.145 --> 02:15:13.405 And as long as we are able to have a system where firearms ownership 02:15:13.475 --> 02:15:19.075 is, uh, regulated in a fashion to ensure that it's consistent with 02:15:19.075 --> 02:15:26.175 public safety, then, uh, I think that we will in the end be successful. 02:15:26.685 --> 02:15:32.125 In convincing enough people in Ottawa to make the rules that we need and that 02:15:32.125 --> 02:15:37.785 we here in the province of Alberta will be leading the way in showing the rest 02:15:37.785 --> 02:15:43.025 of the country, how those laws can then be interpreted in a fashion that is 02:15:43.465 --> 02:15:48.245 helpful to the firearms community and entirely consistent with public safety. 02:15:48.745 --> 02:15:53.395 And, uh, then basically spreading the gospel across the country 02:15:53.845 --> 02:15:56.275 as, uh, Alberta leads the way. 02:15:56.750 --> 02:16:01.460 In this area, as in so many other aspects of government policy. 02:16:02.110 --> 02:16:04.050 Travis Bader: Terry, it was an absolute pleasure having 02:16:04.050 --> 02:16:05.609 you on the Silvercore podcast. 02:16:05.610 --> 02:16:06.420 Thank you very much. 02:16:06.810 --> 02:16:07.880 Teri Bryant: Thank you very much, Travis. 02:16:07.880 --> 02:16:08.960 I very much enjoyed. 02:16:09.390 --> 02:16:13.000 Uh, being here with you and sharing some of the exciting things that we're 02:16:13.000 --> 02:16:16.680 doing here and Keep the faith folks. 02:16:17.300 --> 02:16:18.630 We'll get through this period 02:16:18.630 --> 02:16:30.994 You