Date: Fri, 31 Dec 2004 01:38:24 -0600 (CST)
From: Murray Grismer <griz375h@sasktel.net>
Subject: Dale Blue

To All;

It was with great sadness that I learned of the death of our great friend
and comrade at arms Dale Blue, President of Responsible Firearms Owners of
Alberta.

To those of you who may never have had the opportunity and privilege of
meeting Dale; I can say without equivocation that he was a man of honour and
integrity. A man for whom his word was his bond. Dales calm demeanour and
strong, persistent will, earned him not only the respect of his allies in
the fight to protect the rights of all firearms owners across Canada, but
also of his adversaries .

Dale was a man with whom you could disagree on a subject or position and yet
at the end of the day he held no ill will or malice. For Dale would continue
in his persistent way to attempt to stimulate your further thought on his
position, thereby slowly, carefully, almost surgically attempting to cut
away the bonds of your resistance to the adoption of his position.

Having been with Dale at several meetings with Ottawa's bureaucratic I had
the opportunity to watch this gentle giant at work. Dale never wavered form
his position that the licensing and registration system of C-68 was wrong;
not just Western Canada, but it was wrong for all of Canada.

Dale never forgot where he came from, he was an Albertan to the core. As the
President of the RFOA he was a strong aggressive advocate for his
membership, and like many of involved in this fight to protect the heritage
of firearm use and ownership, I believe he did so to the detriment of his
own personal health and welfare.

I will miss Dale's towering stature, blue eyes, broad smile, firm hand shake
and energetic laugh. His council and friendship will leave a gap not only in
my life but in the lives of all who knew him. The Recreational Firearms
Community across Canada has strong advocate and ally.

The challenge now for the RFOA and all who remain in the Recreational
Firearms Community across Canada, is to pick up the fight where Dale left
off; for he did not drop the torch of battle, but rather it was wrestled
from his hands by the grim reaper.

On behalf of the Recreational Firearms Community of Saskatchewan I wish to
extend our deepest sympathies to not only the family and friends of Dale
Blue; but also to the RFOA.

Murray Grismer