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OUR VIEW: City of Surrey misfires big time with BC Rod and Gun Show gaffe

Memo to Surrey Mayor Linda Hepner, who suddenly takes umbrage with the event's name: people are not stupid.
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The City of Surrey should focus on hunting down gangsters, not hunters and fishermen.

Council has denied a permit to the second annual BC Rod and Gun Show scheduled for April 15 to 17 at the Cloverdale Fairgrounds. Last year’s show drew 8,500 people, without incident. And why would there be?

It’s an event for outdoors-minded men and women who enjoy camping, hunting and dipping a line.

It’s not a black market through which gangsters can enhance their armoury.

According to Mayor Linda Hepner, the city is concerned about the sale of handguns and ammo at the show and that the RCMP hasn’t vetted a security plan. The show is more than a month away. How long does it take Canada’s largest RCMP detachment to review a security plan, anyway?

If Hannibal managed to march his army across the Alps in 16 days, for goodness sakes, surely the RCMP can tackle this small task in less time.

Why should this year be different?

Hepner, for her part, is suddenly taking umbrage with the name Rod and Gun show. Why not call it a sportsman or outdoor show, she asks.

Memo to politicians: people are not stupid.

Furthermore, for the city to now take issue with an event it permitted to take place last year, with no troubling consequences, reveals it to either be incompetent for not addressing the issue in 2015, or heavy handed for obstructing it now.

The Now