2009

⇐ 2008 2010 ⇒ January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December | More | Pictures

Det. Randy Kuntz of the Edmonton Police Service began poling police members from across Canada in as to their stance on the gun registry.

A freedom of information request by the Canadian Association for Self Defence showed that, while Canadian law does permit for a citizen to obtain a permit to carry for protection of one's own life, in Ontario (population 12.9 million), only 13 such permits had been issued. On paper, you're allowed to defend yourself; in practice, it's one in a million. Meanwhile, 23-year old Canadian Nicole Franks captured the WFDA's World Women's Fast Draw Champion title for the tenth year in a row. That's right, do the math.

Following the Heller Decision of the US Supreme Court, homicides in the District of Columbia dropped by 23%, much to the dismay of gun grabbers who had promised blood in the streets. On the other hand, the city of the city of London, England enjoyed their gun control and saw a 20% increase in gun crimes and a 20% increase in rapes

MAIG Mayor Sheila Dixon was indicted on twelve criminal counts, comprising four counts of perjury, two counts of misconduct, three counts of theft, and three counts of fraudulent misappropriations. The felony theft charges stem partly from incidents in 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007 in which she misappropriated gift cards intended for the poor and used them for personal purchases. Gotta love gun-grabber morality...

The Olin Corporation, owners of the Winchester name, closed their factory in New Haven amidst much protest, finally ending all Winchester ties with the city.

The FN P90 is now in use with over 200 law enforcement agencies in the United States, including the Secret Service and Federal Protective Service.

INTERPOL signed an agreement agreement with Forensic Technology, wherein the latter will install and maintain an IBIS correlation server at INTERPOL headquarters in Lyon, France.

January

• MAIG Mayor Bill White's administration gets embarrassed by an ongoing scandal involving guns stolen from the Houston Police Department's evidence room when the Houston Chronicle reported: "For months, maybe years, people with criminal backgrounds had access to secure areas of the police station, including a property room from which 30 guns disappeared within six months, according to internal police documents. The documents, obtained by the Houston Chronicle, indicated that lax security created an environment ripe for theft. No one has been charged in the gun thefts, although police suspected telephone repairmen who admitted stealing other items, and a temporary employee who had access to the property room while awaiting trial on aggravated robbery charges."
• January 3 — the Assault Weapons Ban 2008 bill dies when the US Congress ended the 110th Session.
• January 20 — US President Obama takes office, triggering the biggest civilian mass-buy of guns and ammo in the history of he United States (or any other country, for that matter).

February

• February 25 — newly sworn-in Attorney General, Eric Holder, repeated the Obama Administration's desire to reinstate the Federal Assault Weapons Ban.

March

• March 19 — In response to efforts by the Brady Campaign, a federal judge ordered a temporary injunction blocking the implementation of the rule allowing concealed carry permit holders to carry firearms concealed within National Park Service lands within states where their permits are valid, based upon alleged "environmental concerns."

April

• April 7 — CACP Deputy Director General Steven Chabot breaks the camel's back with a press release that could have been written by Wendy Cukier. Some Canadian gun clubs respond with the Civilian Range Project.
• April 16 — Obama flipped and said will not push for the reinstatement of the Assault Weapons Ban in the United States even though he still believes that it "made sense." American gun owners are not impressed and keep buying up every gun and round of ammo they can lay their hands on.

May

• Amnesty for the Canadian long gun registry is extended until May 2010.
• May 20 — The injunction blocking the implementation of concealed carry within National Park Service lands was overturned by the passing of an amendment to (of all things) the Credit CARD Act of 2009, added by Senator Tom Coburn (R, OK) over the wailing protests of the Brady Campaign.
• May 26 &mdash The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals hears oral arguments in the case of McDonald v. Chicago.

June

• June 15 — In a meeting of the subcommittee on private members business, Canadian Opposition MPs try to scupper Bill C-391, out of sight of the public, and get caught.
• June 28 — The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals issued its opinion that the trial court's decision that the Chicago and Oak Park gun regulations pass constitutional muster. SCOTUS would later disagree.

July

• July 20 — in the wake of DC v. Heller, the Washington Post reports that homicide rates were down by 17 percent in the first half of 2009. Curiously enough, the article fastidiously avoids any mention of the Heller decision.
• Gun control fail: figures compiled from reports released by the European Commission and United Nations showed Britain the most violent country in Europe, with a violent crime rate of 2,034 per 100,000 residents. The same studies showed the US as having a violence rate of 466 — less than a quarter of the British rate — and Canada with a rate of 935.
• The Thune Amendment was narrowly defeated by fillibuster in the US Senate.
• US Special Forces Groups procured Military Enhancement Kits to provide a standardized shotgun configuration based on the Mossberg 500. The kits included a collapsible stock, "shotgun retention system", 1913 receiver rail, forend rail system and breaching barrels.

August

• August 17 — First publishing of Terence Gillespie's 76 Reasons to Have a Gun.

September

• Canadian firearm owners whose names appear in the Canadian gun registry (which had suffered no less than 310 "breeches of security" up until that time) began getting calls from Canadian polling firm EKOS Research Associates, asking a number of leading and dubious questions regarding the owners in question and their living circumstances. A brief investigation by the CSSA quickly revealed that not only was the confidential contact information of registered gun owners supplied to the private firm, but also that such was done without the knowledge of the current Canadian government. A government investigation was launched to determine the extent of the breech of privacy and whether any Canadian laws, such as the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, had been broken (which would lead to criminal prosecutions).
• September 2 — MAIG Mayor Eddie Perez is arrested and charged with first-degree larceny by extortion, in addition to the legal troubles he already had.
• September 8 — MAIG Mayor Sheila Dixon's trial is postponed to November 9, 2009.
• September 8 — MAIG Mayor Eddie Perez is arraigned on felony charges of bribery, fabricating evidence, and conspiracy to fabricate evidence. His September 2 arrest on charges of first-degree larceny by extortion was not dealt with at this appearance.
• September 30 — SCOTUS grants the Second Amendment Foundation's petition for certiorari in the case of McDonald v. Chicago

October

• October 19 — House Bill No. 6776 was introduced to the 14th Congress in the Philippines.

November

• November 9 — MAIG mayor Sheila Dixon is tried for three counts of felony theft, three counts of misdemeanor embezzlement/misappropriation, and a single count of misconduct of office. After being found guilty on December 1, Dixon was at risk of being removed from office and being stripped of her city retirement pension valued at over $80,000 per year for life. Boo hoo. Dixon still faced perjury charges, with a trial planned for 2010.
• November 10 — Mikhail Kalashnikov (on his 90th birthday) is named a "Hero of the Russian Federation" and presented with a medal by President Dmitry Medvedev who lauded him for creating "the brand every Russian is proud of."

December

• December 1 — MAIG mayor Sheila Dixon is found guilty on three counts of felony theft, three counts of misdemeanor embezzlement/misappropriation, and a single count of misconduct of office. Dixon still faced perjury charges, with a trial planned for 2010.
• December 4 — 56-year-old Cushing, Okla., resident Donna Jackson shoots an intruder who had smashed his way into her home while she was alone. Her half-hour call to 911 would garner national attention.
• December 16 — Canada's Globe and Mail newspaper behaves very strangely when it publishes "The world’s quickest female fast draw," an online video that oddly fails to cast gun owners in a negative light.

The year in pictures

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  July 1: M320 practice at Fort Bragg, N.C.

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  November 11: A young Corporal of the Royal Canadian Army Cadets participates in the Remembrance Day ceremonies in Chatham, Ontario, Canada.

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  Canadian Nicole Franks is the World women’s all-around top gun champion.