I, for one, can't imagine why the "I wan't to carry my glock when I go grocery shopping" crowd isn't all over this. Once you start normalising the side arms and people see them all over and start seeing that WW3 doesn't happen in the hospital lobby, you'd think that people would start figuring that they are not tools of evil and that they are just tools.
This is like when you see the road hunter vs bow vs water vs field hunters arguments. It only serves to keep us fighting each other and not working towards more hunting freedoms and rights.
Wake up and smell the division!!!
ALL of these arguments were used against the border officers getting armed. Now that there are thousands of armed officers, there hasn't been a rise in complaints over all those "power tripping" officers. What HAS actually happened is in over 150 incidents officers were able to pull their firearms as a tactical consideration when threatened with the possibility of death or grievous harm, and were able to use their training and diffuse those situations without firing a shot. These are incidents were, most likely, there was no chance to have police called before hand, as normally the border guards are told to not enter high risk situations. They are only to respond properly to day to day instances. Much like responding to a weirdo and his dog complaint. Or pulling someone over for speeding.
http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/08/19/border/
I would say that this are some exemplary results and if the Alberta Government tests and trains their Peace Officers to the same, or similar, standards, the Officers and the rest of Alberta, will benefit.
Signed, and a call into the Sol Gen as well.