As Canadian I totally disagree with the thrust of your argument. The only way a population can be completely free is to have the ability to stand up for itself, against either its own government, or against an invading force. Canada's gun control laws are a huge waste of time and money. There are millions of unregistered guns in Canada and it will stay that way for all time.

As for your argument that allowing people access to weapons is "pouring gas on a smouldering cigarette", what about Switzerland where every military reserve member, which happens to be just about every able bodied male in the country, has a government issue assault weapon in his home?

We don't see the Swiss engaged in violent gun battles in the streets. In fact, the Swiss homicide rate in 2000 was 0.96 per 100,000 while Canada's was 1.76 and England which has very strict gun control laws was 1.61. The control of guns does not control gun crime.

I had better stop here or I am going to start ranting more than I already have. Let's just leave it at this: the urban, Eastern Canadian desire to control guns is an attempt to force urban, Eastern values on all Canadians, including those of us in the West. And that, my fine fellow Canadian, is something we will never accept.