Big gun grab by Canadian cops still a burning issue

Cops everywhere just hate guns in the hands of anyone but themselves  -- but this is sinking into police state behavior

Mathieson has helped ignite a debate over what's become one of the hottest issues - gun rights and the seizure of firearms by the RCMP from evacuated homes in High River during Alberta's floods last June.

"It's the biggest thing in High River," she said in a recent interview, noting that, while she doesn't own a gun, her door was broken down by police searching the town.

"For people here it's still real. People say, 'Oh come on ... get over it and move on.' But I go to doors and people still have the police tape on their doors, their doors aren't repaired and they haven't been reimbursed yet. It's a daily thing still here."

The RCMP took the weapons and stored them as officers searched homes in the town's flood zone to look for stranded people, pets and anything that might pose a threat to safety.

The move was criticized by the Prime Minister's Office and in July the head of the RCMP asked the Public Complaints Commission to look into the matter, saying he and a lot of Canadians had questions about the force's actions. A report is expected soon.

That hasn't stopped the issue from burning bright in the leadup to the Conservatives picking their candidate.

"That resonates from south of Okotoks all the way down. People care about property rights and from my perspective we need to come out with the truth - whatever the truth is," said candidate Phil Rowland, a 52-year-old rancher who has been involved in a number of agriculture organizations, including the Western Stock Growers Association.

"My parents live in High River. It's a major issue for my dad and my mom. It's a major issue for all of their neighbours. I've talked to every one of them. None of them think that they know the truth yet. They need the truth to move on mentally."

Barlow said he is content to wait for the independent report from the RCMP and, if it is warranted, he could support an inquiry.

"It's been eight months. The justice minister and Prime Minister Harper have had every opportunity to call for an inquiry if they want one - and they haven't done that."

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An assistant to the unidentified provincial cabinet minister asks then Assistant Commissioner Marianne Ryan (since promoted to commander of all Mounties in Alberta), "What legal authority do the police rely upon to forcibly enter private property in the flood stricken area? This was in relation to High River and breaking into homes to look for casualties. The Minister was aware that firearms that have not been properly stored were seized during these searches and also anticipates that some residents will ask this question later."

Ryan's responds, "We are operating under Common Law authority to preserve human life. We are checking residences to make sure there are no shut-ins, people with special needs, the elderly who may been overcome by gas, etc. We use as little force as necessary to gain entry and once the residences are checked, we secure them again when we leave. With respect to the seizure of unsecured firearms, that would be under the `plain view' doctrine."

Ryan may well have believed these were honest answers when she gave them, but residents' testimony received since shows that, in fact, Mounties in High River were going well beyond searching for survivors or gassed seniors. And they were hardly using "as little force as necessary."

Doors that were unlocked were kicked in. Doors of homes untouched by floodwaters were smashed down, too. Homes that fleeing residents had marked as empty of people were broken into, as were the homes of residents who had registered with emergency officials or relief agencies to assure them their homes were vacant. Survivors could not have been the target. Even unlocked doors were kicked to the floor so Mounties could gain entry. And scores of residents have claimed their doors were still off the hinges when they returned to their homes one, two or more weeks later. The doors were far from re-secured, as Ryan claimed.

As to Ryan's contention that the Common Law gave her officers power to "hard enter" homes, there's no such power for such widespread destruction. Let's hope the CPC gets to the bottom of this mess.

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