Positive Airsoft Publicity

[Arnisador]

Originally Posted by Goldman

This is somewhat offtopic, but I can't for my life remember. Did we ever get a reply to the options paper we submitted to the CFC?

I'd have to go digging in the thread to confirm, but from what I remember, it was taken under advisement and there were small wording changes that reflected some of the content we submitted. Changes were somewhat positive, but small...nothing significant. If anything, it seemed to indicate that they at least took time to read the options paper.

I havn't seen KD around in a long while though, and he's the one who had his ear to the ground with some of the bureaucratic types.

[Black_Orchid]

Talraga, do you honestly wonder why we're "paranoid"? The issue isn't about showing the world how safe and responsible we are, most people don't care. All they see is that we're using 1:1 scale 'replica' guns. Are you not aware of the people out there who just dont see or care that we're playing a game? Like Lisa said, there's no good publicity. Why? Because even if the media does good coverage on our sport, there are all those people out there who will STILL see airsoft as a bad evil thing that is destroying the morale of good children.

I understand your suggestion to train noobs, but bringing the media in is never a wise idea in the long run simply because of those people who refuse to see airsoft for what it is. All it takes is one group of people to ruin things for the majority. I'd rather be "paranoid" then have the sport I love so much shut down. and yes that is a very real possibility.

[gunnerr]

Also having registration is really useless - since most of the stores are online - just get your older brother - so if you 16 and your bro is 18 most people wont even notice a difference anway - to buy a card for you.

Ok What I mean by this is....

It's not really going to make a difference as to weather or not you have to get a license or a special card to get an airsoft gun.

Kids are still going to tell their parents "Mommy i need a card to buy this bb gun"

Mommy gets them a card and now the kid has a card to use wenever he wants - and even though the card says 40 year old woman - no one will know because most stores are online

I wasn't trying to promote kiddies purchasing airsoft - sorry if i confused you

[swatt13]

talraga dont take this the wrong way, nobody is ragging on you personally, its just these kinda ideas may be in the best intrest of the sport superficially, the fact is your still fucking with a good thing. if its not broke dont fix it. we have a good thing, nobody wants to risk changing it for the risk of making it worse. sure wed love to see our sport socially accepted and popular, but realistically, it is impossible to accomplish in the light we wish to see it in.
it all seems like a good idea in theory, but improbable in practicallity. your not the only person on crazy pills with these kinda ideas and your sure as hell not going to be the last rest assured your time will come very shortly where youll be on the other side of the fence arguing this point along side us, this point of view we have isnt something you can teach, it comes with time and experience, it wont take long for you to see things our way... if you already havent.

[Greenwolf]

Trust me I take none of this personally... I just like throwing our crazy Ideas to get people thinking

I agree we have a good thing here and if everyone is opposed to change who am I to say that it's wrong? I just wanted to see if I could get an inteligent debate going among the Airsoft comunity to assess the pros and cons of an Idea like this.

[Kedirkin]

Originally Posted by Arnisador

I'd have to go digging in the thread to confirm, but from what I remember, it was taken under advisement and there were small wording changes that reflected some of the content we submitted. Changes were somewhat positive, but small...nothing significant. If anything, it seemed to indicate that they at least took time to read the options paper.

I havn't seen KD around in a long while though, and he's the one who had his ear to the ground with some of the bureaucratic types.

I read perhaps, at best and no more than a few times a week, less than 1 per cent of the threads on this board now.

It's amusing to me that I just happened onto the thread where I was mentioned. Really, it’s purely by chance.

Anyway, yes, we received a response, three in fact. I have the original signed copies from the (now former) Commissioner in my files somewhere, as well as the others.

I also spoke at length about airsoft with a few people in the federal government a few times back when that initiative was still on, at least one at the senior level.

Arnisador is correct that, for the most part, it was taken under advisement at the time, largely because of the political climate that existed then, i.e. the larger policy framework of the former federal government. We were also alerted to a number of other factors in play, all of them beyond our immediate control.

However, I see the options paper as having resulted in a number of positive developments:

1) Our interactions with the federal government created an awareness at the staff level around airsoft where there was, quite clearly, none before -- at least not with the individuals I spoke with. The documentation of that awareness provides at least some measure of a knowledge base for future policy documents to work from.

For ourselves, we were also able to learn about a number of things that are not really discussed on ASC. All of that was helpful in framing things for our discussions and products.

2) It made those of us actively involved in the file aware that staff within the federal government were actively reading Airsoft Canada, which is why a number of discussions around positioning were taken offline.

3) We were alerted to a number of what I will refer to as parallel initiatives, which we were able to provide feedback and input into. I feel this is one of the most positive benefits of the options paper.

4) I believe that by providing our context and input, a measurable degree of goodwill was established with staff within the federal government who were, at the time, actively looking at the issue.

5) It provided, in at least some form, a formal written submission to the federal government where none had previously existed; I believe this provided, at least to some, a benchmark to consider actions (or lack thereof) around airsoft as a sport in Canada.

For all the time and effort that went into it, and despite the problems that were encountered (most details around both remain largely unknown to most of ASC), overall, I am still somewhat pleased to have participated in that effort.

In retrospect, I would have approached the product a bit differently and characterized things in a different context, but, for the resources that were available, it was an acceptable product given the considerations in play, timing constraints and operating environment that we were forced to work with.

KD