I know everyone has been just thrilled with all the post Olympic political action lately. It’s nearly as exciting as the record Winter Olympic frenzy. The Federal speech from the throne, a Federal budget and let’s not forget Ontario’s speech from the throne a few days ago. It has many armchair athletes turning to armchair politicians.

The latest heart stopping event. A press conference that Mayor Miller called yesterday. So press and citizens were all in a frenzy when Mayor Miller was about to announce “something”. The “let down”, it seems for most, is that the estimated surplus Toronto expected to post for 2009 was actually $100 million more than forecast. People are mad?! Really? During a recession, difficult (often questionable) service fees and labour unrest the city managed to post a bigger than expected surplus. Oh. Get this, they are willing charge (gouge) less for property taxes based on these surplus funds. How is this a bad thing? Oh, and Miller asked Ontario to keep its promise to fund the TTC. This is hardly something to really complain about.

Hey political cheerleaders out there. Miller’s reign has not been perfect but it is hardly as horrible as people cry about. Sorry to the whiners but you can’t exactly cry about getting this present. We are lucky to get it. Judging from the stink the Parliamentary Budget Officer is making about the Federal Government’s structural deficits and unsustainable budget we will have enough to cry about in a few years (months if another election is called). I hope the hot air spewing about is preparation for voters getting out of their armchairs and out to the ballot boxes. If not you can always sit back down and watch the opening of the Paralympics tomorrow.

Good thing that Canadian Sport Shooting Association decided to withdraw their invitation to their Annual General Meeting And Dinner this April. I mean a gun special interest group that is inviting an Conservative MP could look a bit strange.

MP Garry Breitkreuz was invited to attend since he is, “a voice of reason in the House of Commons regarding firearms legislation”, according to Tony Bernardo, Executive Director of the Canadian Institute for Legislative Action had head of the CSSA. MP Breitkreuz’s private members bill and efforts to abolish the “long” gun registry strike a chord for the CSSA faithful.

The Canadian Sport Shooting Association (CSSA) Annual General Meeting and Dinner is to be held at the Best Western Toronto Airport West, 5825 Dixie Road, Mississauga April 18th. The most contentious issue is not the all you can eat buffet dinner of roast beef, chicken and salmon. Nor is it that Conservative MP Garry Breitkreuz was invited only to have this offer rescinded. The negative media attention thus far is granted as the CSSA appears to be insensitive to the community.

While there are aproximately 2 million law abiding gun owners in Canada that doesn’t provide any excuse to wave a gun in Toronto’s face. The CSSA will be auctioning off a handgun at their AGM. Not just any gun, a Berreta Px4 Storm. This gun is just like the ones used by Canadian Border officials and law enforcement. The CSSA describes the gun as follows:

“the PX4 “Canadian Edition.” This is a very special “Limited Edition” of the
PX4 Storm and only 500 units were made, specifically for Canadian shooters.
Featuring a factory Beretta 106mm barrel and a 10 round magazine, this
previously “prohibited” pistol qualifies for “restricted” status”

Berreta handguns have been only available in Canada legally since 2005. There were little more than a handful of registered up until the Dawson College shooting. After this shooting registration of Berreta’s almost tripled. Were these buyers all criminals? Not necessarily but perhaps the “hype” was due to the fear that these guns could soon become more difficult to obtain or become banned.

The outrage expressed by the mayor’s office, citizens, families and victims of gun violence is warranted. The reality is that 30-40% of legal guns are getting into the hands criminals. The gun registry is not contributing to criminal activity nor can it be our only measure to reduce gun violence. Yes, it is true that the gun registry has cost over $2 billion dollars but this is largely due to some 2 million Canadian gun owners and gun manufacturers/lobbyists crying over registering their legal weapons. The Conservative government has had some talk of making restricted weapons harder to obtain but not too loudly. Their “tough on crime” stance is softer than they would care to admit.

The majority of people in Toronto back Mayor Miller’s push to make semi-automatic weapons illegal. If you are a good law abiding citizen, civic duty and respect to the community in which you live is not burden, it is a priviledge.

Great news! A viable plan to extend Toronto’s subway lines has been approved. The TTC plan is to extend the North into York Region (six new stations in all) and was approved by Mayor David Miller and his executive committee yesterday.

The Globe and Mail had some interesting coverage. Glad to hear that Mayor Miller will allow the TTC to do it’s job and not have some private construction firm oversee such a valuable public infrastructure project. The 2,900 additional parking spaces (Finch West Station, Steeles West Station and Highway 407 Station) are wise additions that are sure to make this an efficient commuter corridor. I’m sure that the project will take years to complete and hopefully it won’t come at the cost of upgrading/fine tuning the existing system. Wouldn’t it be nice if the Feds, Ontario and the city play nice and get this done. One can dream… hope is alive.