OTTAWA – As they eat breakfast in an Ottawa hotel on the drizzly morning of Sept. 22, Robert Paddon and Chris Dodd discuss their plans.
The two men traveled from British Columbia to flood federal politicians with 29,000 postcards gathered from Canadians, 17,000 of them in Quebec.
Paddon and Dodd are part of a rally on Parliament Hill that has attracted opponents of federal gun registration, Bill C-68. Both are well-versed in gun registration laws. Paddon, from Vancouver, manages the Hunter Safety Program for the B.C. Wildlife Federation, and is president of the Historical Arms Collectors Society in the province.
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Dodd, of Chilliwack, is chair of the Firearms Committee for the B.C. Wildlife Federation.
The legislation is “useless, obtuse and unconstitutional and will now drive a further wedge between police and the common people,” Dodd said.
What will a rally accomplish? “More awareness. My concern is without this … the federal government will continue its blind pursuit of the abolition of firearms.”
Paddon said the rally will keep pressure on the Liberal government to reopen legislation as it realizes “these damn gun guys will not go away.”
Both men said gun registration will not reduce crime. “Who’s going to comply? The honest farmer. Who’s not going to comply? The criminal,” said Dodd.
At 9 a.m., he gathers his banner and Paddon gets his speech notes. A steady rain falls on their taxi on the way to Parliament Hill. One worries the rain will discourage crowds. The other shrugs it off. Hundreds of chartered buses are on their way.
Half an hour later, a handful of organizers gather in a small tent, armed with cell phones.
“How have the RCMP been?” Paddon asks.
“Wonderful,” a woman replies. There’s a sense of relief.
Only later will a security team be pointed out atop buildings around the Hill, and announcements made that buses were stopped and searched “for bombs.”
At noon, chants of “fed up! fed up!” echo along Wellington Street. Waves of colorful signs stream toward the Parliament buildings, brandished by rows of marchers.
The speeches begin. Politicians, Olympic athletes and gun organization leaders line up at the podium. More than 20 speakers shout, denounce, explain and promise, and are cheered.
Dodd mingles with the crowd. At 2 p.m. Paddon delivers the postcards as the crowd roars. He urges them to learn the law and refrain from registering their guns. “What will kill this bill is the cost,” he said.
His speech over, Paddon relaxes. “I’m really happy with the crowds,” he said. While the speakers announce attendance of 30,000, police estimate 10,000.
It doesn’t matter. “We’re not going away,” Paddon vows.
