Subject:  National Champion is a “Criminal” - another Canadian disgrace
   Date: Mon, 18 Jun 2001 11:45:24 -0400
   From:  CILA / ICAL National Office <[email protected]>
     To: (Recipient list suppressed)
 

CILA / ICAL
Defending Canada's Heritage
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  - June 18, 2001

National Champion is a “Criminal” - another Canadian disgrace

John Rochon, a medal winning national champion in several of Canada’s Olympic shooting sports, is now a criminal.

Rochon’s Firearms License expired on June 12, despite the  world class athlete’s application for renewal being submitted on January 3rd, leaving the Olympian unable to train or even possess the firearms he has used so often to
bring glory to Canada.

“According to the laws of Canada I am now a criminal” said Rochon, adding, “I am in illegal possession of firearms and am subject to arrest and jail”.

Rochon applied over five months ahead of time for a simple renewal but the Canadian Firearms Centre has been unable to process the renewal application in that time, despite repeated inquiries by Rochon regarding the status of his
application.  “I was promised responses but no one ever got back to me.  They just gave me the typical government run around”, he said.

According to Canadian law, Rochon must be “in possession” of a current firearms license to possess the guns he currently owns.  As well, with the expiration of his Firearms License, his Authorization to Transport Restricted Firearms
automatically expires, creating another renewal process through Ontario’s Chief Firearms Office, a process which can take weeks or even months.

Rochon is presently in training for the Championship of the Commonwealth in August and the Championship of the Americas in September.

“I’ve busted my gut for the recognition of Canada and now I’m caught in this stupid law.  Maybe I should be competing for the United States,” said Rochon. “It’s bad enough that I have to fund the majority of my training and expenses
out of my own pocket and even worse that Bill C-68 has virtually destroyed a time honoured sport, but now I’m a felon”.

John Rochon has been a National Champion and member of the Olympic Shooting Team since 1985 and has held a National Title continuously since 1986.  He is truly a multi disciplinary competitor winning Gold, Silver and Bronze
medals in three Pan-Am Games and three Commonwealth Games.

At the Commonwealth Games in Malaysia, Rochon took four medals, making him Canada’s highest male Medal Winner.

Rochon is currently awaiting arrest at his home in Elliot Lake, Ontario and may be contacted at:

(705) 848-2761

For more information contact CILA at (905) 571-2150

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