Monkeyboy13
08-04-2005, 09:22 PM
This was brought to my attention by a friend of a student of mine. The actual first sight I had of it was on www.mixedmartialartsexpo.com as this was the link he pointed me to.
It sounds like the canadian government is trying to turn into Chairman Mao, and stop the contact end of the martial arts....
What do you think?
This is not a “sky is falling” message, however this is potentially an issue that could affect many martial artists and therefore important. It has come to our attention that when Parliament reconvenes on September 26, 2005, the Federal Government under the direction of MP Dr. Irwin Colter, Minister of Justice and Attorney General, will table revisions to Section 83 of the Criminal Code. Section 83 is currently a vague piece of legislation written in 1932 designed to keep prize fighting out of Canada.
Initially you might not that think that this affects you. However, this legislation has the potential to have a negative effect on martial arts school owner-operators, practicing martial artists, or parents or supporters of a martial artist, not covered in the revisions and here’s why.
In Layman’s Terms:
• Section 83 of the Criminal Code of Canada appears by virtue of the definition of “prize fight” to deem all martial arts and all martial arts competitions and contests to be “prize fights” and therefore illegal in Canada – i.e. tournaments and even sparring within a club could by definition be considered illegal.
• Owner-operators, students and spectators of these martial art contest, amateur or otherwise, are in effect engaging in illegal “prize fight” activities.
• For some reason, boxing is exempt. On the positive side, this demonstrates that exemptions are indeed possible.
• Currently, Section 83 actually reads as follows:
[Engaging in prize fight]
83. (1) Every one who
(a) engages as a principal in a prize fight,
(b) (b) advises, encourages or promotes a prize fight, or
(c) (c) is present at a prize fight as an aid, second, surgeon, umpire, backer or reporter, is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction.
[Definition of "prize fight" ]
(2) In this section, "prize fight" means an encounter or fight with fists or hands between two persons who have met for that purpose by previous arrangement made by or for them, but a boxing contest between amateur sportsmen, where the contestants wear boxing gloves of not less than one hundred and forty grams each in mass, or any boxing contest held with the permission or under the authority of an athletic board or commission or similar body established by or under the authority of the legislature of a province for the control of sport within the province, shall be deemed not to be a prize fight.
Current Activities Underway:
• Mr. Steve Pritchard, Sport Services Manager of the Alberta Government confirmed that the Federal Government is rewriting Section 83 to state that all martial arts are illegal. The Alberta government made a proposal for changes to Section 83 but Mr. Pritchard was not able to offer more information.
• Mr. Brian Ozorio of the Ministry of Tourism and Recreation of the Ontario Provincial Government confirmed to CAKMA that he forwarded recommendations to the Honourable Irwin Cotler that exemptions be increased to include karate, judo, kickboxing and muay thai when redrafting Section 83 in August 2005.
• Calgary MP Lee Richardson will present a Petition from the CALGARY AMATEUR KICKBOXING & MUAY THAI ASSOCIATION (CAKMTA) on September 27, 2005 at the House of Commons.
• CAKMTA will continue to circulate their Muay Thai and Kickboxing Petition but they also encourage all clubs, competitors, coaches, promoters, etc. to pass a similar petition along to any and all clubs and gyms as this legislation will affect all martial arts in Canada.
• The initial Petition from CAKMTA addressed Kickboxing and Muay Thai only, as they did not feel it was appropriate for them to speak for all other martial art disciplines. With CAKMTA’s awareness, I have modified their Petition so that it now includes all martial arts. Alternatively you could create one for your discipline only.
• A copy of the revised Petition (covering all martial arts) is available as a download from the HOME page of www.MixedMartialArtsExpo.com.
Moving Forward:
We have no idea how the legislation will be rewritten but we must act immediately to ensure that the voice of the martial arts community across Canada is heard BEFORE Section 83 is rewritten inappropriately, for once passed by Parliament it will be almost impossible to change.
Some key points worth considering - there are others:
1. Do you know what the proposed recommendations are, or how you as a business-owner or martial artist might be affected?
2. Do you know of anyone in the martial arts field that has been consulted on these proposed changes that have been put forward? [if so please let me know. Thanks]
3. If the legislation is rewritten to exempt additional combative sports from being considered "illegal prize fighting” (beyond the current boxing), will your style be included in this exemption?
4. If your style is lucky enough to be added to a proposed exemption list, which “martial art association” will be the governing body responsible for monitoring and/or sanctioning your competitions?
5. If your style is not included...what will you do then?
If you are in ANY WAY involved in, or in support of, martial arts in Canada, it is extremely important that you take the following action now :
• Download a copy of the petition from www.MixedMartialArtsExpo.com. Make and distribute as many copies as you need.
• Assertively pursue the acquisition of as many signatures as possible – martial art students, family, friends, neighbours, co-workers. Give them additional blank copies to distribute as well.
• Mail as many completed petition forms as possible to your Federal MP before August 15th, 2005.
• Note these Petition Rules:
˙ The petition must contain a minimum of 25 valid signatures, each with the address of the petitioner.
˙ Each petitioner must sign (not print) his or her own name directly on the petition and must not sign for anyone else.
˙ The petitioner's address must be written directly on the petition and not pasted or reproduced.
˙ The petitioner may give his or her full home address or simply the city and province.
˙ Aliens not resident in Canada cannot petition the House of Commons of Canada. You can use this link to locate your MP: http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/people/house/PostalCode.asp?lang=E&source=sm
Lastly, please take a moment now to forward this e-mail to EVERYONE you know who supports martial arts.
Peace, Monkey
It sounds like the canadian government is trying to turn into Chairman Mao, and stop the contact end of the martial arts....
What do you think?
This is not a “sky is falling” message, however this is potentially an issue that could affect many martial artists and therefore important. It has come to our attention that when Parliament reconvenes on September 26, 2005, the Federal Government under the direction of MP Dr. Irwin Colter, Minister of Justice and Attorney General, will table revisions to Section 83 of the Criminal Code. Section 83 is currently a vague piece of legislation written in 1932 designed to keep prize fighting out of Canada.
Initially you might not that think that this affects you. However, this legislation has the potential to have a negative effect on martial arts school owner-operators, practicing martial artists, or parents or supporters of a martial artist, not covered in the revisions and here’s why.
In Layman’s Terms:
• Section 83 of the Criminal Code of Canada appears by virtue of the definition of “prize fight” to deem all martial arts and all martial arts competitions and contests to be “prize fights” and therefore illegal in Canada – i.e. tournaments and even sparring within a club could by definition be considered illegal.
• Owner-operators, students and spectators of these martial art contest, amateur or otherwise, are in effect engaging in illegal “prize fight” activities.
• For some reason, boxing is exempt. On the positive side, this demonstrates that exemptions are indeed possible.
• Currently, Section 83 actually reads as follows:
[Engaging in prize fight]
83. (1) Every one who
(a) engages as a principal in a prize fight,
(b) (b) advises, encourages or promotes a prize fight, or
(c) (c) is present at a prize fight as an aid, second, surgeon, umpire, backer or reporter, is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction.
[Definition of "prize fight" ]
(2) In this section, "prize fight" means an encounter or fight with fists or hands between two persons who have met for that purpose by previous arrangement made by or for them, but a boxing contest between amateur sportsmen, where the contestants wear boxing gloves of not less than one hundred and forty grams each in mass, or any boxing contest held with the permission or under the authority of an athletic board or commission or similar body established by or under the authority of the legislature of a province for the control of sport within the province, shall be deemed not to be a prize fight.
Current Activities Underway:
• Mr. Steve Pritchard, Sport Services Manager of the Alberta Government confirmed that the Federal Government is rewriting Section 83 to state that all martial arts are illegal. The Alberta government made a proposal for changes to Section 83 but Mr. Pritchard was not able to offer more information.
• Mr. Brian Ozorio of the Ministry of Tourism and Recreation of the Ontario Provincial Government confirmed to CAKMA that he forwarded recommendations to the Honourable Irwin Cotler that exemptions be increased to include karate, judo, kickboxing and muay thai when redrafting Section 83 in August 2005.
• Calgary MP Lee Richardson will present a Petition from the CALGARY AMATEUR KICKBOXING & MUAY THAI ASSOCIATION (CAKMTA) on September 27, 2005 at the House of Commons.
• CAKMTA will continue to circulate their Muay Thai and Kickboxing Petition but they also encourage all clubs, competitors, coaches, promoters, etc. to pass a similar petition along to any and all clubs and gyms as this legislation will affect all martial arts in Canada.
• The initial Petition from CAKMTA addressed Kickboxing and Muay Thai only, as they did not feel it was appropriate for them to speak for all other martial art disciplines. With CAKMTA’s awareness, I have modified their Petition so that it now includes all martial arts. Alternatively you could create one for your discipline only.
• A copy of the revised Petition (covering all martial arts) is available as a download from the HOME page of www.MixedMartialArtsExpo.com.
Moving Forward:
We have no idea how the legislation will be rewritten but we must act immediately to ensure that the voice of the martial arts community across Canada is heard BEFORE Section 83 is rewritten inappropriately, for once passed by Parliament it will be almost impossible to change.
Some key points worth considering - there are others:
1. Do you know what the proposed recommendations are, or how you as a business-owner or martial artist might be affected?
2. Do you know of anyone in the martial arts field that has been consulted on these proposed changes that have been put forward? [if so please let me know. Thanks]
3. If the legislation is rewritten to exempt additional combative sports from being considered "illegal prize fighting” (beyond the current boxing), will your style be included in this exemption?
4. If your style is lucky enough to be added to a proposed exemption list, which “martial art association” will be the governing body responsible for monitoring and/or sanctioning your competitions?
5. If your style is not included...what will you do then?
If you are in ANY WAY involved in, or in support of, martial arts in Canada, it is extremely important that you take the following action now :
• Download a copy of the petition from www.MixedMartialArtsExpo.com. Make and distribute as many copies as you need.
• Assertively pursue the acquisition of as many signatures as possible – martial art students, family, friends, neighbours, co-workers. Give them additional blank copies to distribute as well.
• Mail as many completed petition forms as possible to your Federal MP before August 15th, 2005.
• Note these Petition Rules:
˙ The petition must contain a minimum of 25 valid signatures, each with the address of the petitioner.
˙ Each petitioner must sign (not print) his or her own name directly on the petition and must not sign for anyone else.
˙ The petitioner's address must be written directly on the petition and not pasted or reproduced.
˙ The petitioner may give his or her full home address or simply the city and province.
˙ Aliens not resident in Canada cannot petition the House of Commons of Canada. You can use this link to locate your MP: http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/people/house/PostalCode.asp?lang=E&source=sm
Lastly, please take a moment now to forward this e-mail to EVERYONE you know who supports martial arts.
Peace, Monkey