The shooter had a Nexus card, which means he needed clearance from both border patrols. Both CBSA and US border patrol are reviewing their guidelines, and CBSA is definitely way more strict now, but do you really expect them to search EVERY car, its unrealistic. It takes two to tango in this situation. Dealing with American guns is costing the Canadian taxpayer some serious $$$ now. It's becoming a a major issue, and the USA and Maine can ignore it until it affects them, or be proactive.

While the guy stole guns from his "friend", he was also gifted some by his "Friend" in Houlton, and got the others at a gun show in Houlton. Technically giving or selling a gun to a non-resident is a federal crime, punishable by up to 10 years in prison. But since Maine doesn't require any back ground check for buyers at gun shows or private sales, this went well below the radar. Essentially in Maine if the person "looks and talks" like an American are you really going to ask them for proof of citizenship? The shooter knew this, and was able to determine where to get guns and where to steal them and buy them with little suspicion. Also leaving guns improperly stored and easily accessible can be a crime in Maine, which apparently was the case when the shooter stole the guns. No charges have been laid on anyone.

Never said it was Maine's fault, and I blame the shooter. But when your neighbor has easily accessible guns for any nut-job to get their hands on, there is point when they stop being a good neighbor and start being an accessory. I don't think we have reached that point with Maine, but the State's silence currently speaks volumes.

ya, sadly true. What is a historical event in Canada, is just Tuesday in the USA. It doesn't have to be Maine police, it could Maine Politicians at least trying to help. I guess if one of the victims happened to be a Mainer (American citizen), what would the state of Maine do? Would they just sit back and let the feds take the helm, or would they be speaking out on behalf of the victim, raising funds, debating laws, pushing the feds for more enforcement and laws? However none of this is happening because the guns came from Maine, but not the victims. There is a certain amount of international relations here, especially since Maine is heavily reliant on Canadian trade and travel.

ya it might hoping against hope. Ain't going to help cross border tourism, there are already calls to boycott. How successful something like that would be, is anyone's guess. People in Nova Scotia are genuinely angry.

Point missed. It's about knowing and taking action for the FUTURE, again, any law/changes the state wishes to pursue, say for example having more than a wink and a handshake to transfer firearms, the state would very much be involved in that along with the feds as they would be breaking state and federal law in that scenario. With this particular mass shooter, if he had to provide some sort of ID or background check to get a gun from a private individual or gun show, he would have shown up on the State's radar to purse and pass on to the Feds. That didn't and could not have happened.

I don't think you would be so flippant, if this foreign national was a terrorist and decided to take out his rage on unsuspecting Mainers. You better believe the State of Maine would get involved then at every opportunity, they wouldn't be passing the buck to the feds, they would want to know what went wrong, and how it can be prevented in the future, and how they can work with the feds to create solutions. Yet since it happened to Canadians and Canadian law enforcement, Maine doesn't even want to talk about it? Very short sighted, and dangerous, next time it could Mainers that are killed. Not the time to rest on your laurels.

"Why would they have to?" : Because it would be in the state best interest to know when firearms' are being moved across their border, the results in the death of Canadians or Americans. Apathy is not preferable.

"How do you know they aren't? What leads you to believe that they aren't?" : That 's the issue I have there is nothing being reported. I was quite clear in my original comment. It's radio silence. If the feds came out and said they are actively investigating, with updates, and agendas, then there would be less issue. Since they are not relating any press releases on the worst mass shooting in Canadian history, my assumption is they are currently doing nothing. would love to be proven wrong on this.

Why is it important to me? " Seriously?! 20+ people are dead, including a colleague's wife. It would be nice if the State of Maine, at least pretended to care.

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Actually laws may have been broken at the federal level, as outlined in the original article. It is against the law to provide firearms' to a non-resident or foreign national in the USA. This has a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison. This is why the federal authorities in Canada are not happy with the investigation performed by the feds in the USA. As outlined in the article.

As I mentioned in my previous comment US States can very much pass laws regulating firearms, especially with regard to the transfer of firearms' between two private parties (which Maine is the outliers and have nothing on the books), this is why you would have a commission or committee.

I think that was my main issue, are they working with the feds? there is no news on this, no reports, no info form Maine authorities. It's radio silence.

States can have laws on the transfer of firearms, most states do above and beyond federal law. Maine, of course, has nothing on the books when it comes to the transfer of firearm's between private parties. But there is no debate on this in Augusta, not even a second look. This would be the purpose of a commission or committee, to see if having some sort of state laws on the books would be possible or worth doing.

Neither does Nova Scotia in Canada, but they still work with the feds, and create committees and commissions to address it on the provincial level. The province also is debating and discussing how local laws and systems can change to prevent this from occurring again. This is certainly in the realm of possibility for Maine.

Nova Scotia authorities don't either, but the provincial government and authorities have been heavily involved to discern the events, and what can be improved to prevent this from occurring again in the future (hosting commissions etc). There seems to be no interest by the State of Maine to do something similar in this regard. Seems like they would want to since this is hurting relations with Maine and it's provincial neighbors. Head on over to the Nova Scotia reddit, it's pure hatred towards the state by many, and it appears to be growing unfortunately which each passing month. :-(

FBI held evidence for the RCMP, they did no investigate further than that. ATF spoke to the guy in Houlton, investigation did not go further than that. Nothing is currently occurring.

"A senior RCMP officer, Supt. Darren Campbell, told the commission he was dissatisfied with the force's (ATF, FBI) investigation of Wortman's firearms.
"In terms of those that assisted him, I would say for me, personally, I'm not satisfied that we've been able to conclude what I believe the expectations of survivors and victim families would expect and personally, me as a police officer and investigator, what I would wish to accomplish, in terms of the provision of firearms. That is the outstanding element for me," Campbell said."

Still blows my mind that tipped workers in the USA can get below the minimum wage.

odd that they called New Brunswick "Nova Scotia" in this map if it is from 1795. New Brunswick split from Nova Scotia in 1784, due to the mass amount of refugees from the American revolution coming across the border.

Wait, conversion therapy is not illegal in the USA?

Can someone explain to me how insider trading is legal or tolerated if you are member of congress, but outside of DC we send Martha Stewart to prison?