Define Firearm?

[eastcoast_gsx]

http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_21497.aspx

The bill, entitled the "Unlawful Firearms in Vehicles Act," would give police the authority to immediately suspend a person's driver's licence and impound their vehicle if there's reason to believe a firearm is somewhere inside.

I assume illegal firearm?

This should be interesting to say the least.

[Avi Singh]

I was under the impression that if an officer suspected there was an illegal firearm inside a vehicle they could search the vehicle for it anyway... and if it's found they could haul you away. On the surface it appears as if there are already laws that could be used for this type of situation.

[kellen]

Wow, this is more ****ing ********. ****.

[Snobike Mike]

Perfect,

Now all a copper needs to say is that they "thought" and you're impounded. if they don't find anything I guess it's oops!

I guess we're in a police state now, since they can do whatever and there is no recourse for the joe public.

[eastcoast_gsx]

I was under the impression that if an officer suspected there was an illegal firearm inside a vehicle they could search the vehicle for it anyway... and if it's found they could haul you away. On the surface it appears as if there are already laws that could be used for this type of situation.

Yeah... but they never have enough

[Rob MacLennan]

That'll show those gun-wielding, drug selling, gang member thugs! SEE! You can't drive or hurt anyone, anymore because we took your driver's license!! You don't want to mess with the Minister of Transport. That Jimmy is one tough mother. He mess yo stuff up!

[zeekat]

The list of actions that will cause you to lose your driver's licence:

50+ over
Wheelies
Having a beer in a canoe
Dropping out of school before 18
Having a gun in your car (or maybe just on you or unregistered in your house while we're at it)
And .....

I think we should submit more crazy-*** ideas to the government in the interest of public safety for what else we can suspend someone's driver licence.

Bill 203 has spawned its first son.

[roadtoruin]

I would assume it is just illegal firearms but this is just bad reporting:

"The bill, entitled the "Unlawful Firearms in Vehicles Act," would give police the authority to immediately suspend a person's driver's licence and impound their vehicle if there's reason to believe a firearm is somewhere inside."

You're allowed to travel with a firearm so long as its locked and unloaded or in the case of a handgun locked/unloaded and with a piece of paper authorizing you to transport. City News is a joke. So is Miller's proposition to ban handguns - yea so only criminals can have them.

[AdRath]

The thing I don't like about this other than the obvious 'doubling up on laws' is that the way its worded so police can suspend your liscense and take your car if they 'think' their is a firearm. Why not search the car and either find one or don't THEN act based on evidence. Its like they are re-wording all laws to exclude the need for evidence before an action is taken.

[djltoronto]

So how does this work..
I'm driving along in my grocery getter of a car, and I get pulled over cause some criminal somewhere drivers a similar make/model of car...
Cop suspects there is a gun hidden in my car!

Does the car get searched on the spot? Do they impound it first, and search later?

When do I get my car back? when nothing is found? Who pays for towing+storage? Will my car + license be gone for a month?
Do I go to jail on a "hunch"?

While they tow the car to the impound, what happens to me? Do they let me (the suspected criminal) go free? Or jail me up on a "thought".

unregistered guns are bad, M'kay.... but I can't see this working!





For a first offence the driver's licence would be suspended for one year, for a second the toll would be five years and a third incident would result in a lifetime without a licence. Moreover, a $10,000 fine or imprisonment for up to six months could be heaped on top of the suspension.

[Kaneda]

Toronto is a joke I am glad im leaving soon!

[bear22099]

http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_21497.aspx



I assume illegal firearm?

This should be interesting to say the least.

Do you really think "unlawful" and "illegal" are used differently? Years ago I was told illegal was just a sick bird, the correct term is unlawful.

[Rob MacLennan]

What I'd like to know, is how do they have a suspicion? Are we hiring psychics for police forces these days? Do Baggy Pants and the Nitwits automatically qualify for seizure?

If they have a good-faith belief that there's an illegal firearm in a vehicle, by either seeing it or seeing it in close proximity to the vehicle, then they can get someone for a hell of a lot more than their vehicle.

[zeekat]

Before someone says we're making a big thing of this too early, just remember Bill 203 started out as something less than what it is now. Considering the media hype over gun-ban (sound familiar) and if this bill starts to gain traction with the Government, we could have a law where you end up losing your driver's licence, fined $10,000, have your car impounded while on your way up to Huntsville to go shoot some deer for meat with an unregistered hunting rifle in the trunk.

[AdRath]

What I'd like to know, is how do they have a suspicion? Are we hiring psychics for police forces these days? Do Baggy Pants and the Nitwits automatically qualify for seizure?

If they have a good-faith belief that there's an illegal firearm in a vehicle, by either seeing it or seeing it in close proximity to the vehicle, then they can get someone for a hell of a lot more than their vehicle.

exactly. I don't like it when laws are passed that lead to more questions than answers. If the idea was getting people with guns it seems like a slap on the wrist or lesser than the charges they could law. To me this reeks of having no evidence but giving the power to act anyway which is wrong no matter how you phrase it.

[Snobike Mike]

Before someone says we're making a big thing of this too early, just remember Bill 203 started out as something less than what it is now. Considering the media hype over gun-ban (sound familiar) and if this bill starts to gain traction with the Government, we could have a law where you end up losing your driver's licence, fined $10,000, have your car impounded while on your way up to Huntsville to go shoot some deer for meat with an unregistered hunting rifle in the trunk.

You shouldn't have an unregistered gun.

I agree with the slippery slope on how 203 became so much more.

The bigger issue is that you could be impounded if there is "reason to believe...." . thus it's not that you had a gun, just suspicion and you're toast.

[zeekat]

You shouldn't have an unregistered gun.

I think that there has been an amnesty in place for not registering long-guns while the Conservatives work to kill the gun registry for long-guns.

[eastcoast_gsx]

Do you really think "unlawful" and "illegal" are used differently? Years ago I was told illegal was just a sick bird, the correct term is unlawful.

I mean the fact that they say "firearm in vehicle"....

introduce a private member's bill targeting firearms in vehicles on Wednesday.

reason to believe a firearm is somewhere inside.

[Rob MacLennan]

I think that there has been an amnesty in place for not registering long-guns while the Conservatives work to kill the gun registry for long-guns.

And I had to go through some serious hoops years back in order to obtain a restricted weapon permit, which included fingerprinting and a security check through RCMP. In other words, there already WAS a restricted weapon registry.

[eastcoast_gsx]

What I'd like to know, is how do they have a suspicion? Are we hiring psychics for police forces these days? Do Baggy Pants and the Nitwits automatically qualify for seizure?

The attitude test will play some role no doubt...

To be honest, I would have assumed that we already have things to deal with car loads of bad guys and illegal guns....

All these ****ing games with politicians and laws... send in the boys to stand watch on the corners of the bad areas... this is what will make a difference.