I can only imagine the political pressure this woman is under

A Canadian school board trustee must have know that there would be controversy with her making positive statements about guns. While she made no comments regarding guns in school, of course much of the discussion has focused on children related issues. The initial discussions in places such as the Global and Mail were somewhat balanced: "Right now in Canada, you can't own a handgun for the sole issue of self-defence. You can have it for target shooting and for collection. I don't think it's appropriate to say we shouldn't even discuss protection issues and safety issues." But rather than opening up a debate on the issue of guns, it now appears that the discussion has turned into one bashing this woman. Possibly one of the reasons for the attacks is that she represents a big threat to the gun control advocates in Canada. Here you have an extremely liberal woman recognizing the importance of self-defense.

This is from the CBC:

School trustee's gun advocacy draws fire
Last Updated: Tuesday, December 19, 2006 | 3:16 PM PT
CBC News
A Vancouver school trustee is taking heat for speaking out in favour of a gun group's campaign for the right to carry concealed weapons in Canada.

Sharon Gregson, a longtime NDP activist, was recently featured on the cover of the National Firearms Association Journal, holding a large handgun.

Gregson has just been granted a permit to carry a concealed handgun in the U.S. and has written to Prime Minister Stephen Harper asking why she can't have the same right in Canada.

"I don't think we should be embarrassed or ashamed of the fact that we're legal gun owners who enjoy a sport and want to talk about protection issues particularly if they apply to women."

Wendy Cukier, the president of the Coalition for Gun Control, said she was appalled by Gregson's decision to become the firearms association's cover girl. . . .

Here is a very misleading editorial from the Vancouver Sun:

Until this week, Sharon Gregson was known as a Vancouver school trustee, a passionate New Democrat and an advocate for publicly funded daycare.

All of that changed when she appeared on the cover of the Canadian Firearms Journal, a publication of the National Firearms Association, with a .45-calibre Colt pistol in one hand.

Gregson notes that she's been involved with recreational shooting for several years and has competed in the International Practical Shooting Confederation. But her cover girl turn took many people by surprise and a few by shock. Some of Gregson's fellow trustees worried that the picture might convey the message that carrying a weapon is a good way to protect yourself, which is the last thing they want to promote given concerns about violence in schools. . . .