This can't be good

An actual headline:

"Border Guards Flunking Shooting Lessons"

It appears that the Canadian government has succeeded so well in disarming their population that three weeks of training isn't enough time to familiarize and train the border guards that wanted to be armed, a not unreasonable request on their part. (Prior to their agitating for the ability to carry guns on the job, all border guards in Canada were unarmed. Why? I guess the Canadian government didn't want to insult the smugglers and illegal entrants with poor hospitality.) A significant percentage of the guards are unfamiliar enough with their firearms to need multiple tries to pass their shooting qualification. According to the article, 1 in 5 are failing the test on their first go-round, and are having to obtain extra training in order to hopefully pass on their second (and final) attempt.

Attempting to explain this embarrassing result away, Marie-Claire Coupal, who is something called the fourth national vice president of the Customs and Excise Union (how many vice presidents do they need?) proceeded to embarrass the guards even more:

"'Most of the failures were in the 25-metre shooting qualification requirement - a long distance that doesn't reflect normal border conditions', she said... 'That's where we're losing most of our people. It's physically demanding on them.'" (emphasis mine)

Measure it yourself. 80 feet is not too far to expect reasonable accuracy from a law enforcement professional, especially now that they are going to be "assuming more law-enforcement responsibilities. They'll be able to arrest and detain drunk drivers and people named in warrants until police arrive." What is a "normal border condition", anyway? Shouldn't the guards be as prepared as possible for any situation, not just those occurring within arm's reach?

"As well, some officers needed fitness training so their arms remained steady during the shortened shooting training which caused fatigue."

The guards thank you for your help, Ms. Coupal. You can sit down now, you've done plenty.

"In addition, other measures, such as not conducting the shooting range test on the same day as the written exam, have been implemented."

The guards really wish for you to quit now, Ms. Coupal.

I suppose the guards' arms hurt too much after all of that writing to give a proper accounting of themselves on the range.

These ladies don't seem to have fatigue problems:


This is the Les Baer Custom Pistol Team. They currently hold the .45 caliber Team National Record. They don't look particularly muscular to me, yet they seem to hold up just fine during practice. Maybe Canada can recruit them to help toughen up their guards.

(Pictures from lesbaerteam.com)