[Skeletor]

Originally Posted by Cameron SS

I could care less who has the last word, and it seems to be common practice that the mod who locks the thread gets the last word anyways, so I have no expectation that it wouldn't be the case here.

I'd ask you to forgive me for being a pedant, but since you are being an unapologetic pedant here, I won't. It's couldn't care less; could care less means that you do care, at least a little.

I think this conversation has run its course. Everyone has stated their opinion, no one seems particularly willing to change their mind, and there doesn't seem to be anyone providing any new information. Several others have already suggested as much, I was just finally agreeing with them.

If the conversation has run its course and you no longer wish to continue it, why are you still replying? Your actions belie your words.

Also, the airsoft community has not been nearly as unanimous in their response as you suggest.

True, there are a few dissenters here or there. However, the people most would consider pillars of the community (aka the people who know the most about the sport and its legal issues) are unanimously against you.

I also never said sucks for you or anything of the sort. Its also a bit of a stretch to read that I am new to the forum, and at the time, not owning any airsoft guns, and yet somehow have zero experience.

This is nothing of a stretch. New user. Doesn't even own the product in question. You are green, a newbie, inexperienced. Your knowledge of airsoft is second hand, which you readily admitted when you stated that you own no guns, but have a few friends who do.

Moreover, you may not have stated specifically that it sucks for us, but that is definitely the subtext of many of your posts, which is another example of your pedantic arguments.

Here is an example:

Many things that have real uses are regulated under law, up to and including being restricted or prohibited all together. Many things and sports that were at one point in time considered legitimate, and sometimes still are considered legitimate, are regulated. Airsoft is now one of those things. Unfortunately, it is now regulated by the most oppressive and onerous section of Canadian law, being the Criminal Code.

If that doesn't say "sucks to be you" then I guess I'd better return my BA in English to WLU and get rid of my word processor since I'm clearly too stupid to understand subtext and therefore can't be a reader or writer.

There is also another post where you specifically welcome airsoft to the "Big Boy" world of firearms law. Also a "sucks to be you" moment, as well as incredibly patronizing and condescending.

I fully admit that I could be wrong. I hope I am, but hope is not a reasonable course of action. Asides from the lack of enforcement that you correctly point out, no one has convincingly articulated a legal basis for WHY I am wrong.

Who said anything about hope? If this is such a landmark case as you suggest it is, why aren't any of the authorities responding to it with a call to action? Oh wait, the people who are at least in part responsible for it have responded and said that this ruling changes nothing. If only because it would be, as the good Sgt. replied, a nightmare to enforce.

You are making a mountain out a molehill.

Several times now people have indicated that the law remains unchanged since 2012, yet no one has even been able to substantiate what DID change in 2012.

This I unfortunately cannot reply to with any sort of authority. Deductive reasoning would show that the user who goes by "The Saint" on here used his Master's thesis to convince the RCMP and the CBSA to change the way they viewed airsoft guns. That's about as much as I can infer.

As for the lack of enforcement, there are lots of possible reasons for why no one has enforced anything yet, that have nothing to do with having a different understanding of the law. Perhaps they are merely waiting for their own internal legal departments to conduct their own review before deciding how to act. Its been three weeks since the appeal process concluded with the SCC ruling, meaning the law set down in 2013 will not change until the issue comes before another court, on a different set of facts, and is modified or overturned. In some cases it has taken the RCMP years to decide how to enforce a particular issue that comes to their attention.

Also, all of the agencies you have listed have finite resources for enforcement, and often set priorities based on what they think is most important, and may feel as though they have bigger fish to fry than airsoft owners. If you want an example, look at the rampant speeding on our highways.

It's not being enforced because it is unenforceable. The legal authorities who would be responsible for its enforcement have said as much. Could this change? Possibly. But until they do somehow manage to wrangle up the resources to enforce it, any of the repercussions of this latest ruling which you have perceived are moot. The final arbiters of a law are its enforcers. If they do not choose to enforce it, the law may as well not exist.

Even IF I am right, I hope they never apply the law in the way that I have interpreted, and wish no ill will to the airsoft community, of which I am now a member.

I certainly didn't expect to be welcomed with open arms while being a new member expressing controversial opinions. Most of the 'reactions' are also pretty consistent with what I've seen on other forums, and the internets generally.

The only thing I really expected was that there would be a number of people who could quote some actual law to support their views, instead of conjecture, unreliable sources and faulty logic, and asides from a very few notable exceptions, I've been disappointed.

Drake is really the only one who I've seen that has provided any consistent legal basis for his views, and we've found more than a few points of agreement on certain matters.

Notably, that the retailers will likely be the first victims of any shot across the bow. Until then, we will just have to wait and see.

Yes, we will have to wait and see.

People have reasoned with you, and the more unreasonable you became, the more unreasonable and hostile we have become in response.

Your reasoning has not been perfect. Three years of (what? undergrad?) level law education does not a lawyer make.

To not look like a total asshole here, I will say that I hope you do find a place in our community. If the time ever does come that airsoft lands within the crosshairs of the government, I hope you'll argue as long and loudly for its continued legality there as you've argued for its illegality here.

It's a fun hobby. Even more fun with friends, provided you don't manage to alienate them all.