Firearms advocate's role in talks blasted

Gun-control advocates and opposition parties want to know why the Harper government has consistently included a prominent firearms advocate in Canadian delegations at international arms-control talks in recent years.

They believe Canadian Shooting Sports Association (CSSA) president Steve Torino's presence alongside Canadian diplomats is tied to what they say are Canadian efforts to weaken a new Arms Trade Treaty being negotiated at the United Nations.

Torino, whose organization represents 15,000 gun owners across the country, also co-chaired a government-appointed advisory panel that recommended making it easier to obtain and own handguns and assault rifles in Canada - a recommendation Prime Minister Stephen Harper publicly rejected.

The gun-control advocates, who favour a tougher international arms treaty, can attend arms-trade talks as observers, and usually do alongside many other firearms advocacy organizations.

But unlike Torino, they have not been included in any official delegation since 2009.

"When Canada goes to the negotiating table, it's doing it exclusively from the perspective of Canadian firearms owners," said Kenneth Epps of arms-control group Project Ploughshares.

Epps believes that is why Canadian diplomats have been instructed by the Harper government to "play a low-key, minimal role" at arms treaty talks, as revealed in documents obtained by Postmedia News.

This included proposing sporting and hunting weapons be excluded from the arms treaty in 2011.

Rick Roth, spokesperson for Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird, would only say that the delegation's makeup rests with the minister, and that Torino is there to "advise the Government of Canada on any potential implications of an Arms Trade Treaty for Canadian firearms owners."

CSSA spokesman Tony Bernardo said Torino, whose expenses are covered by taxpayers when he serves as a member of Canada's delegation, participates as an "accredited expert," and that he does not represent the firearms association or Canadian gun lobby.

"He's a firearms dealer," Bernardo said. "He's not representing CSSA. Not even close.

"When he was on the delegation in the past, his job was to be a reference to the Canadian government on the legitimate trade of firearms."

NDP foreign affairs critic Paul Dewar accused the Harper government Friday of letting the gun lobby dictate Canada's position at global arms negotiations.

"It is a funny way of actually supporting the negotiations when first the Conservatives instruct our diplomats to drag their feet on the treaty, then they appoint Steve Torino to be the only civil society representative on Canada's delegation," he said in the House of Commons.

"This is the same person who recommended removing restrictions on hand guns and assault rifles in Canada."

Diplomats from around the world will gather in New York from March 18-28 in an effort to finalize the Arms Trade Treaty, which would establish common international standards for the import, export and transfer of conventional arms, and likely establish a reporting framework as well.

While Canada will send a delegation, the government would not say Friday whether Torino would be a member.

Original Article
Source: vancouversun.com
Author:  Lee Berthiaume