Aboriginal people aiming for safe use of firearms

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The first Canadian Firearms Safety Course for instructors was delivered to Aboriginal people in December.

In total, 28 people from Aboriginal communities throughout the province were successful in completing the course. All of the candidates passed the training, included among them were four women. The new Aboriginal Firearms Safety Instructors are now ready to deliver firearms safety training throughout the province.

Annette Maurice, who has been a Native courtworker for the last 19 years in Prince George, was one of the recent graduates.

Maurice told Raven's Eye the training was very challenging.

"When I walked into the room that first day, I was absolutely petrified," she said. "I looked around and I saw the competence in the room - all male - I thought, 'Oh Annette, what are you doing here.' I just took my hand to the plow and I succeeded."

Maurice grew up in northern Saskatchewan where she was around rifles much of the time.

"I am an elder person and the environment that I grew up in was firearms. I know people who have had bad experiences with firearms, so it was another big hurdle and a big challenge to take a firearm in my hand and demonstrate safety procedures, but I overcame that," she said.

The Native Courtworkers Association of BC has a one-year agreement with the Ministry of the Attorney General to help educate Aboriginal peoples about the Firearms Act and the Aboriginal adaptations. Under the agreement, the Native Courtworkers Association will assist Aboriginal applicants in working through the new federal firearms legislation. They are in a position to put on workshops and educate Aboriginal communities about the new legislation.

"I am in a position to educate the people on the one hand about the legislation concerning firearms and on the other hand, offer a service in firearms safety. This double-shot is going to be a blast and I feel so good," said Maurice.

Marshall Lowen, a member of the Vancouver Metis Association and a master firearms instructor, was involved in developing the course for Aboriginal people.

"This is the first course that has been directed specifically at Aboriginal people and I think it's been a really good success," Lowen said. "The most interesting thing from my approach when we were trying to organize this was to be official."

Marshall said that they were not going to lower the standards because if they did, there would be a backlash because of it.

"All the instructors, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal, are all on the same level with the same qualifications," he added.

Lowen also spoke of the importance of Aboriginal women in the course.

"I think it's also important that with each class we have women who have come in. Traditionally, I think in the Aboriginal community, sometimes a lot of the women suffer from a low self-esteem. Firearms, of course, are male dominated. What happens is they've come with sometimes fear and what they've done is recognized the fear and have conquered it. Now they are in there on an equal level and I think this is great. I think it's a great day for the Aboriginal people," he said.

Lowen emphasized the importance of the training is safety.

"It is very important as Aboriginals that we eliminate the large numbers of suicide and deaths and the large numbers of accidents that are attributed to owning firearms. Anything we do that even saves one life, it multiplies because it not only saves that life but it saves all the heartaches, all the problems that would have otherwise arisen out of a tragedy," Lowen said. "Firearms law is a very controversial subject and we've discussed this but this isn't the arena for that. What we are here to do is save lives."

Chief Lou Paul of the Upper Nicola Band near Merritt further emphasized safety.

"I will see how well I can implement this training into my community. I will see if the people move towards it, whether they accept it or reject it. That is entirely up to the people and how they look at it. I don't think he firearms course is there to debate the logistics of it. It is there to teach safety," he said.

The Firearms Act and regulations came into force in December 1998. However, some sections of the act and licensing regulations have been specifically adapted for Aboriginal people.

Everyone who possesses firearms must have a firearms license. The Aboriginal Peoples of Canada Adaptations allow for flexibility in the application of the Firearms Act and licensing regulations to Aboriginal firearms users. For further information concerning the Firearms Act or to find the Aboriginal Canadian Firearms Safety Course Instructor near your community, please call the Firearms Centre at 1-800-731-4000.