25 avril 2023 | Local, Autre défense
Giant ammunition dump to be built on farm originally expropriated for JTF2
The installation could have as many as 26 buildings, but the scope of the project is still being worked out by National Defence.
9 avril 2020 | Local, Terrestre, Sécurité
Why Canadians and Americans are buying guns during the coronavirus pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a surge in gun sales. Estimates based on background checks show that an estimated 2.6 million guns were sold in the United States in March. That is an 85 per cent increase over the same period last year.
While there are no official numbers, gun stores in Canada have also reported increased sales. This has spurred some news media to draw comparisons between the two nations' gun-sales spikes, potentially stoking the fears of the Canadian public.
This angst has been echoed by gun control groups in Canada that have expressed concerns regarding the impact of “increased access to guns” on public health.
But few have noted the three key differences between the American and Canadian COVID-19 gun-sales spike.
No. 1: Why are they buying?
Canadians and Americans buy guns for different reasons. Over the past few decades, the United States has witnessed a transformation in its civilian gun culture. While in the past, gun ownership was mainly related to hunting and sports shooting, changes in laws and gun advertising have led to a rise in gun ownership for self-defence.
In the 1970s, only 20 per cent of gun owners indicated self-defence as their primary reason for gun ownership. In the 1990s, following the explosion of laws that allowed Americans to carry guns outside the home, 46 per cent listed self-protection.
More recent studies have shown that 76 per cent of gun owners now report protection as their primary motivation for gun ownership.
The surge in first-time buyers suggests that many Americans buying guns during the pandemic are doing so due to concerns about self-defence, given fears of looting, violence and the government's capacity to deal with the crisis.
With the absence of a gun-carry movement in Canada, this same shift has not taken place. The conditions under which guns can be used for self-defence in Canada are narrow, and the government stringently regulates not only firearms ownership, but the discourse surrounding guns.
Self-defence is not a legal reason to acquire a firearm in Canada, and cannot be listed as a reason for firearms ownership on a Possession and Acquisition License (PAL) application.
Though no research exists at this time, owners of gun stores who were interviewed by the media noted that Canadians are likely panic-buying due to a fear of shortages rather than a fear of violence, since the Canadian supply chain is heavily dependent on the United States.
That means gun owners who might have waited to buy firearms and ammunition for target shooting over the summer or hunting this fall are buying them now.
No. 2: How are they buying them?
Another key difference between the bump in sales in Canada versus the U.S. is the requirements to purchase guns and ammunition. South of the border, most firearms legislation is made at the state level, with big differences in gun laws across the country.
In many states, the only requirement to purchase a firearm from a licensed dealer is a federal background check, though states like California and Massachusetts have much stricter laws.
In Canada, the bump in sales is limited to those who have already passed through the RCMP's extensive licensing regime. This process often takes up to six months and includes a weekend-long course, passing a written and practical test and reference checks. Canadian gun owners are subject to continuous automatic background checks as long as they hold the licence.
So if somebody is legally purchasing a gun in Canada, it means the RCMP could find “no reasons why, in the interest of public safety, they should not possess a firearm.”
No. 3: Who is buying what?
Many of the people buying guns in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic reported that it was their first time purchasing a gun. Furthermore, the majority of guns sold during the current boom have been handguns rather than long guns.
Though it's a bit early to speculate, this could very well lead to even less support for gun control in the U.S., given that gun owners are unsurprisingly the least likely group to support gun control.
In Canada, on the other hand, it is likely that only a small minority of gun purchases during the Canadian spike were first-time buyers given the time frame required to acquire a firearm licence in Canada.
Statistics on the breakdown of handguns versus long gun purchases during the Canadian pandemic spike don't exist, but we can guess that most of the new guns purchased in Canada were long guns being used for hunting or sports shooting.
That's because gun owners wishing to own handguns must have a special Restricted Possession and Acquisition License (RPAL) and maintain a membership at a shooting club, which can cost hundreds of dollars per year and limits handgun ownership to serious target shooters.
Of Canada's 2.2 million licensed gun owners, only about a quarter have licences that allow them to purchase handguns.
And so it's clear there are major differences between the gun purchase spikes in Canada and the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic. This will hopefully set anxious Canadian minds at ease and let everyone get back to focusing on more pressing problems.
Sur le même sujet
-
-
24 janvier 2019 | Local, Naval
Government will review towing vessel contract after procurement process questioned by trade tribunal
DAVID PUGLIESE, OTTAWA CITIZEN The federal government will review a contract awarded last year for emergency towing vessels after the Canadian International Trade Tribunal raised questions about its procurement process. In early January, the Canadian International Trade Tribunal recommended the government review the key performance requirements used in the procurement of two emergency towing vessels for the west coast from an Irving firm. Heiltsuk Horizon, a partnership of majority partner Heiltsuk Nation of Bella Bella, British Columbia and Horizon Maritime Services Limited, a Canadian marine services company, complained to the CITT last August that the winning supplier did not meet important safety requirements of the tender process. “We're confident with the new, state of the art vessels we've submitted, and we want to ensure the right emergency response vessels are in place to protect the vital coastal economies and fragile ecosystems of British Columbia's coast,” Chief Councillor Marilyn Slett of the Heiltsuk Nation said Thursday about the decision to review the contract. At the time, the CITT recommended Public Services and Procurement Canada re-evaluate some of its mandatory requirements and that no further expenditure under the contact be undertaken. However, the tribunal also recommended that the contract remain with the winning bidder, Atlantic Services Limited/Atlantic Towing, until the evaluation can be completed. In August, the federal government announced the firm had been awarded a three-year contract worth $67 million for the lease of two emergency offshore towing vessels that would operate in the waters off the coast of British Columbia. The vessels were to be capable of towing large commercial ships in distress, such as tankers and container ships, before they get too close to shore, according to the federal government. As part of the contract, the firm, which is an Irving company, would also provide training in offshore emergency towing to Canadian Coast Guard personnel and partners, including Indigenous communities, involved in marine safety. But Heiltsuk Horizon challenged that award, pointing out that the contract was awarded without the required proof the vessels met the mandated towing power. The firm noted that the procurement process was flawed. In a letter to Heiltsuk Horizon, the CITT recommended Public Services and Procurement Canada reevaluate the “bollard pull” (towing power) of the vessels in all bids received. The CITT also awarded Heiltsuk Horizon costs incurred in submitting the complaint. Mary Keith, vice president of communications for Irving, issued a statement at the time from Atlantic Towing, pointing out that the tribunal did not declare the firm's bid non-compliant. “This is good news and reaffirms the integrity of the rigorous and transparent award process by PWGSC that also involved a third party fairness monitor,” the statement added. “The Tribunal has requested verification of one item and we are confident in our full compliance. The Bollard Pull on our vessels are verified and certified by one of the world's leading marine certification companies.” https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/government-will-review-towing-vessel-contract-after-procurement-process-question
-
16 janvier 2019 | Local, Aérospatial, Naval
Updates on defence and aerospace industry contracts
DAVID PUGLIESE, OTTAWA CITIZEN Here are some updates on defence and aerospace industry contracts and appointments, outlined in the latest issue of Esprit de Corpsmagazine: Textron's TRU Simulation and Training has developed the world's first full flight simulator for the CL-415 water bomber. The CL-415 is a mainstay of a number of international fleets of aerial fire-fighting units, with some of aircraft being operated by various air forces, such as those in Greece and Spain. TRU has delivered the first system to Ansett Aviation. The CL-415 was built by Canadair/Bombardier but Viking Air has acquired the rights to aircraft. TRU believes the simulator will significantly increase safety of CL-415 operations as the previous lack of a full-flight simulator for the plane meant that pilot training had to take place in the cockpit. That, in turn, has resulted in fatalities. Fifty per cent of all CL-415 crashes have taken place during training. The simulator will replicate the CL-415 on the water and in flight. The system also simulates different types of forest fires and environmental conditions that can be created by such blazes. Pratt & Whitney Canada announced recently that it started delivering PW127G engines to Airbus Defence and Space in support of Canada's Fixed-Wing Search and Rescue Aircraft Replacement Project. The engines will be installed on specially configured Airbus C295 aircraft, which will be designated the CC-295 in Canada. The Department of National Defence is scheduled to receive the first of 16 CC-295 aircraft by the end of 2019. Canada has a search area of 18 million square kilometers, making search and rescue operations challenging. With low fuel burn during cruise, the PW127G engine will provide the CC-295 aircraft with exceptional range and endurance for time-critical missions, Pratt and Whitney points out. Pratt & Whitney Canada has delivered more than 400 PW127G engines to Airbus Defence and Space for numerous C295 customers and variants. The PW100 engine family powers several aircraft families around the world, performing a variety of missions in diverse climates and flying conditions. L3 MAS has announced that it has been awarded two contracts to provide in-service support services for international F/A-18 fleet operators. RUAG Aviation recently awarded L3 MAS a contract for the provision of preventive modifications for high-priority structural locations on the inner wings of the Swiss Air Force F/A-18 aircraft fleet. These modifications are part of the Structural Refurbishment Program, as part of the strategy to ensure their F/A-18 fleet safely reaches its planned life objective. L3 MAS was also selected by Mississippi-based Vertex Aerospace LLC to perform depot-level modifications and repairs on three NASA F/A-18 aircraft based out of the Armstrong Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base in California. L3 MAS will conduct all on- aircraft work at its Mirabel facility. Seaspan Shipyards has awarded BluMetric Environmental Inc. of Ottawa a contract valued at more than $4.16 million for work on the Royal Canadian Navy's new Joint Support Ships. BluMetric represents one of more than 60 Ontario suppliers that Seaspan is working with to meet its commitments under the National Shipbuilding Strategy, the company noted. BluMetric is providing Shipboard Reverse Osmosis Desalination (SROD) Water Purification Systems for the new supply ships. BluMetric's SROD water purification systems are designed to bring cutting edge desalination technologies to naval vessels, resulting in significant fleet energy savings while almost doubling output, Seaspan pointed out. In addition to being selected to provide new SROD units, BluMetric will also provide harbour acceptance trials and sea acceptance trials. As a result of its work under the shipbuilding strategy, Seaspan has developed nearly $650 million in committed contracts with approximately 520 Canadian companies. In the meantime, Seaspan Corporation also announced that Torsten Holst Pedersen and H. Theodore (“Ted”) Chang have been appointed to its executive team. Pedersen will be joining as Executive Vice-President, Ship Management and Chang will be joining as General Counsel. https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/updates-on-defence-and-aerospace-industry-contracts