Law and Order: John Snobelen: Guilty

of gun charges.

Law and Order: Snobelen arrested on gun charges was the topic of a post I made last year.

He pleaded guilty in August. He was to have been sentenced yesterday but the sentence will come in January. There hasn't been a word about it except in the Milton Canadian Champion newspaper: Former Minister pleads guilty to gun charge by Stephanie Hounsell

An agreed statement of facts read by Crown attorney Anthony MacKinnon stated police were called in early January by Snobelen's estranged wife, who reported he had an unlicensed handgun with ammunition at his Nassagaweya/Esquesing Townline farmhouse.

They found the gun in the cold air return vent in the bathroom during their search of the house the next day.

Snobelen told police that the firearm came with property included in his purchase of an Oklahoma ranch in 2001.

When he moved back to Canada in 2003, his belongings -- including the firearm -- were packed by various individuals and trucked back. He didn't discover the pistol until he unpacked and he moved it first to a nightstand drawer and then among sweaters in a closet, the statement reads, adding he intended to dispose of it but didn't.

It was Snobelen's wife who relocated the gun to the bathroom vent where it was found by police, the statement reads.

When Snobelen saw it was gone, he assumed his wife had disposed of it, MacKinnon said.

Although she said to police Snobelen told her it was loaded, Snobelen asserts she misheard him and that he told her she should assume any gun is loaded, court heard.

Snobelen's handgun is a restricted weapon according to the Canadian Firearms Centre

Last year CanadianBill asked me what I thought this meant and I replied:

... I meant to say that this may present problems for Harper.

1. He needs to win in Ontario
2. His pro-gun agenda doesn't fit very well with most Ontario voters.
3. He wants to muzzle the wingnuts in his party to appeal to Ontarians.

This Harris wingnut incident will remind voters of all the things they dislike about the neocons.

I could be wrong. Garth Turner's represents the area federally and he's no longer one of the muzzled backbenchers so maybe he'll press this one to his advantage.

Last year I speculated about who called the cops. Just as I expected it was his estranged wife. No doubt she felt threatened by the gun. He obviously went looking for it as she had correctly anticipated. I suppose we'll never know all about the domestic dispute leading up to her call. It is indisputable that she felt threatened by the gun, hid it from Snobelen, then called the cops.

Willy, daMule, and most of the usual gang have wandered over here and I suppose we could take up the whole gun issue again but I'm posting this as a follow-up to a story that might be of political interest.

In light of the XXXXXXXX stun gun controversy around here lately I'll just note that the Colt company didn't mind my using their photos, nor did they object to the use of their trademarks in the story last year.

I included the photos to make the point that this attractive gun is unlikely to have been misplaced or forgotten by Snobelen either at the time of the move, or later. Even if it was... Come on. And why wasn't he charged with gun smuggling? Maybe we should ask some of the people in jail for 10 to 12 years about that "oopsie I forgot it was in my trunk" excuse.

Then Snobelen expects us to believe that a gun he kept in his nightstand drawer goes missing and he just shrugs? How irresponsible. But he can't report it missing because he knows it is illegal. Now he's not going to be charged with the more serious crime of possessing an illegal restricted weapon?

Last year Justice Minister Vic Toews said:

Mandatory Minimum Penalties

The other Bill we introduced will toughen sentences for crimes involving firearms by enhancing the mandatory minimum penalty provisions of the Criminal Code. Under the proposed legislation, serious offences involving firearms will be subject to very tough sentences.

If an offence is gang-related, or if a restricted or prohibited firearm such as a handgun is used, the minimum penalty will be: five years on a first offence; seven years if the accused has one prior conviction for a firearm-related offence; and ten years if the accused has more than one prior conviction for firearm-related offences.

Other firearm-related offences, such as firearms trafficking and smuggling, or the new offence of robbery where a firearm is stolen, will also be subject to higher escalating minimum penalties.

Let's see, didn't Steve have something to say about gun crime, about a year ago? Oh yeah. Here it is: CTV: Harper promises tougher sentences for gun crime

... Speaking in downtown Toronto, the Conservative Leader said he would introduce a series of mandatory prison sentences -- ranging from five to 10 years -- for those convicted of major firearms offences.

Harper also said he would introduce a minimum sentence of five years for possession of a loaded restricted or prohibited weapon.

"Not only will sentences be tougher, we will make sure the criminals serve those sentences," said Harper.

We'll see. I think he gets a lighter sentence than some kid with a Jane Finch address.