Senator Dean ‘Unimpressed’ If You Worry About Being Disarmed

07 February 2019

4 min read

TheGunBlog.ca — Canadian Senator Tony Dean said today on Twitter he’s “unimpressed” by recreational shooters who worry about being disarmed as he promotes Bill C-71 as a law to take away their guns.

Update Feb. 8: The comment drew the most replies of any tweet by Dean, after TheGunBlog.ca shared his post on Twitter (@TheGunBlog) and published this article. He responded on Feb. 8 with a new tweet.

Bill C-71 aims to prohibit and eventually confiscate rifles from as many as 15,000 plinkers, competitors, hunters, farmers and collectors. It will make it harder to buy and own firearms, will require special police permission to get handguns and AR-15 rifles fixed, and will create ways to easily prohibit any gun.

Dean was one of the first to speak in favour of the bill after the Senate began its review on Sept. 25, less than a month after the government said it’s exploring a “full ban” of more than a million guns owned by recreational shooters.

Senator Tony Dean

Senator Tony Dean. Source: Senate.

‘Unimpressed’

“As firearms regulation Bill #C71 heads to a Senate Committee I’m unimpressed by the factions of the ‘recreational’ firearms community who worry about being ‘disarmed’ and those who advocate for more access to handguns in the interests of public safety,” Dean said today on Twitter.

Read: A Canadian Approach to Public Safety (Humour)

Firearm licensing and ownership have risen to records because of Dean and other police-approved shooters, one of the safest and most lawful demographics in Canada. Many recreational shooters have better firearm training than some of the almost 100,000 police and others who carry loaded guns every day for personal and public protection.

‘Radical Faction,’ ‘Privilege’

“A radical faction of Canada’s firearms community would like to pretend there is a constitutional right to ‘bear arms’ in Canada,” Dean tweeted about an hour after his previous comment. “In fact this is a privilege extended by regulation.”

Read: Gun Owners and the Charter of Rights After 35 Years: Some Links

 

More Canadian Than Hockey

Hunting is at the core of Canadian heritage, and target shooting is one of the country’s safest and most popular sports. More men and women have a gun licence than play golf, hockey, football, or who ski. All firearms are banned under threat of prison unless you have a permit authorized by the federal police.

Update Feb. 8: Response by Gun Owners and Gun Grabbers

  • Dean had 121 replies to his initial tweet as of Feb. 8, a record high since his account was created in May 2013, including while he was the senate sponsor of the government’s high-profile cannabis bill last year. The responses were mainly critical. Many of his Twitter posts get zero replies.
  • PolySeSouvient, which promotes the confiscation of guns from recreational and competitive shooters, retweeted Dean on the morning of Feb. 8. David Miller, who forced target ranges to close when he was mayor of Toronto, also reposted. Blake Brown, a prohibitionist professor, shared Dean’s comment on rights. Retweets often signal agreement, but not always. TheGunBlog.ca also occasionally retweets, “likes” or replies to Dean.
  • Several concerned gun owners e-mailed elected and unelected politicians and bcc’d [email protected].

 

Update Feb. 8: Dean Responds

  • “Yes, Canadian gun owners are law abiding citizens, including me,” Dean said on Twitter at 9:59 a.m. in Ottawa on Feb. 8. “I’m comfortable with some parts of firearms regulation Bill #C71 and concerned about others. I look forward to Senate debates. And I will continue to share my point of view.”

Last Week: Dean Vs. Plett

‘Gutting’ Bill C-71

Last week Dean challenged Senator Don Plett on Twitter after Plett told the Hill Times newspaper he and his colleagues in the opposition Conservative Party will “do everything short of gutting” Bill C-71. Plett last month revived the Twitter keyword #KillBillC71.

Dean, who was appointed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of the Liberal Party in November 2016, is with a pro-Trudeau faction known as “Independent Senators Group.”

Dean: “I’m disappointed to see reports of a Canadian Senator advocating for ‘gutting’ firearms safety bill C-71. This is why we need a more independent and less partisan Senate of Canada.”

Plett: “I’m disappointed that some Senators believe their view is the only legitimate one and want to convert the Senate into a giant rubber stamp for the Trudeau Liberals.”

“How about explaining to us how C-71 is supposed to improve public safety?” Twitter user DB1 replied to Dean. “Start by providing statistics and empirical peer-reviewed research on the subject. You go first. I’ll wait.”

Dean: “How about we all wait to hear evidence at the Senate committee before jumping the gun.”

Plett: “Oh. So @TonyDean_TO hasn’t looked at the evidence. That explains a lot. I recommend starting here.”

Dean (replying to another person on Twitter): “Senator Don Plett is reported in today’s Hill Times as stating that ‘We will be coming forward with a number of amendments that will do everything short of gutting this bill completely, because we cannot accept any of this,’ he said.”

Senator Don Plett

Senator Don Plett. Source: Senate.ca

‘Terrible’ Legislation

Plett: “Bad bills need amendments. Really bad bills need lots of amendments. Bill C-71 is a terrible piece of legislation that masquerades as a response to public safety concerns while doing absolutely nothing to deliver.”

Update Feb. 8: Two Older Tweets by Dean

View all of Dean’s tweets mentioning guns here.

04 Aug. 2018: “Given the Cdn gun lobby’s admiration for the NRA it’s no surprise that some acknowledge they are talking about a ‘right to self protection.’ At least they are being honest.”

09 Oct. 2018: “Debate is under way on Bill C-71 proposing amendments to Canada’s gun regulations. I’m unconvinced by angry letters calling this an attack on law abiding gun owners but a letter today advocating for ‘concealed carry’ of handgun permits is the most worrisome”

 

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