Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights

Who We Are

Rod Giltaca

CEO and Executive Director
Rod Giltaca is a highly experienced Canadian entrepreneur. His background includes over a decade of international business development in the manufacturing and software industries. Rod has registered intellectual property, founded venture-financed startup’s and engaged directly in business with some of the world largest corporations and government bodies such as Ford Motor Company, AT&T, Johnson Controls International, the United States Navy, Air Force and Marine corps.

Mr. Giltaca owns and operates one of Canada’s most recognizable training businesses Civil Advantage Firearms Training Ltd. In addition, Rod is an instructor in good standing with the RCMP Canadian Firearms Program.

Rod produces and hosts the largest (all Canadian) firearms related YouTube Channel, the “Civil Advantage Channel”. He is also the official spokesperson of the Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights.

rod.giltaca@firearmrights.ca

Tracey Wilson

Vice President of Public Relations
Tracey has been on the CCFR team since its inception and was one of the original incorporating directors. As a founding member of the team her role and skills have seen her grow into a powerful, public facing advocate. Tracey is the Vice President of Public Relations for the CCFR, Canada’s only in-house registered gun lobbyist and an avid hunter and sport shooter. Her political influence coupled with her tenacious spirit makes this lady an asset to the team.

Tracey always puts the best interests of the organization and its members first and has a special rapport with the membership and supporters of the CCFR. She brings with her great experience in the inner workings of Not for Profit and governance in Canada. She had an article published in a women’s hunting magazine, detailing her experiences in the mountains hunting with her teen daughter.

As a passionate advocate for women and youth in our sport, she embraces the new shooter and encourages education and awareness. Tracey completed her IPSC Canada Black Badge training and recently attended the CAPS threat-management, Use of Force firearms training. Tracey looks forward to the continued momentum and incredible growth we have seen since our early days.

tracey.wilson@firearmrights.ca

Scott Carpenter

President & Director for British Columbia

Tyler Lawrason

Director, Alberta
I was born and raised in Alberta, and have been a passionate hunter, firearms collector and enthusiast my entire life. I’ve dabbled in a little bit of everything over the years, from handgun silhouette (IHMSA) to long range to hunting and competing with muzzleloaders and BPCR’s.

I have been a proud CCFR member for over five years, and have had the distinct honour of serving as a Field Officer and an Officer of the organization for most of that time in the capacity of VP of Government Relations.

As our organization grows and becomes more influential, I feel it is critical to have our members’ interests represented on the Board of Directors enthusiastically, professionally and with the diversity of experience necessary to ensure that we continue to serve and advocate for law abiding gun owners as effectively as possible.

I have fifteen years of experience in governance and public sector management, in addition to a number of years as a business owner. I believe my skillset has a useful place at the Director’s table, and I feel that my experience and education can provide valuable input on advocacy, governance and financial management that will help continue to guide and evolve the CCFR in a positive direction, while building upon the outstanding work that’s been done to date.

I’ve found my experiences with the CCFR over the years to be extremely rewarding, and have been incredibly proud of how our approach has gained such a significant amount of traction in that time. It has been a distinct honour to be exposed to such a diverse group of people with different interests and common goals, and I’m excited to be a part of our present and future progress.

tyler.lawrason@firearmrights.ca

Scott Bell

Director, British Columbia
Scott Bell grew up on a hobby farm in a family where he had little to no exposure to any shooting sports. A youthful interest in ‘the cowboy way’ and a Wild West type lifestyle drew Scott to seek out like minded peers and the opportunity to live the dream on the farm. Because of associations with kids from families who were more outdoorsy, at around 10 years old, Scott got an early exposure to firearms, and has enthusiastically spent the last 37 years hunting and fishing all over British Columbia, and being active in many different disciplines of target shooting. Firearm safety and responsible ownership was engrained in him from day one. Scott has always had a passion for the country lifestyle, outdoors, archery, prospecting, and wilderness survival. He was born and raised on Southern Vancouver Island, where with his small family, he still calls home.

To pay the bills, Scott transitioned right out of high school and started his working career in construction, but has also attended the University of Victoria taking Computer Studies and Information Technologies academics. For the last 18 years however, Scott has worked for the Canadian Coast Guard as a Rescue Specialist on board the different Coast Guard ships and vessels servicing Canada’s typically inhospitable West Coast.

Even before the CCFR, Scott openly preached about the need for firearms owners to get involved with organizations actively supporting our hobbies and lifestyles. Scott joined the CCFR in November 2015 and began spreading the word on his own for the need of a responsible and accountable firearms advocacy group, before becoming an active Field Officer. Since then, he has taken on the role of Regional Field Officer Coordinator for Vancouver Island, and can be found promoting the Organization at every opportunity. Scott is extremely enthusiastic about the multitude of new projects coming down the way in the near future with the CCFR, and hopes to be an active participant in the delivery and execution of them.

scott.bell@firearmrights.ca

Mark Michie

Director, Manitoba
Firearms have always held an important and growing part in my life. As a youth, many hours were spent on squirrel and gopher control. In university, my first handgun was purchased to pass the evenings and Saturdays away from home. My first of many deer was taken in my early twenties, and now the next generation comes along for the hunt. Seven of my eight children have taken deer here on the farm and 2020 was the first hunting season for number eight!

Training horses for a living, it was only natural that I give Cowboy Mounted Shooting a try, and have thoroughly enjoyed that when I can find the time to get to a competition.

In recent years I went through the process of getting a range approved here at home to help pass on the love of firearms to the next generation and the surrounding community.

In 2017 I became a CCFR Field Officer in Manitoba and have really enjoyed promoting the CCFR and our message to the public. Along the way I have become more politically active, getting involved in my local MP's Electoral District Association as well as repeatedly writing, calling and presenting to various politicians to let them know where I stand on firearm related issues.

I look forward to doing more to mobilize Manitoba firearm owners in the fight for the freedoms that we have been blessed with here in Canada. I'm proud to be involved in the CCFR - the best advocates for firearm owners Canada has ever had.

mark.michie@firearmrights.ca

Ken Allen

Director, New Brunswick
Ken lives in Holmesville, New Brunswick, a very rural setting nestled in amongst potato farms married with 3 daughters. He comes from a long line of hunters and fishermen and has enjoyed these activities with his father and brothers from the time he was a small child. Ken's brother introduced him to skeet shooting when he was 14. He enjoyed it so much that he went on to participate competitively for some time.

Ken's firearms acitivities were put on hold when he entered university and later found a career in IT, specifically in application and database development. It was in 2005 when he rekindled his passion for shooting, hunting and reloading. IPSC became a love for him as it was always pushed him to “do better”, learn, and challenge himself.

Ken has been involved with the CCFR since its inception as one of the very first members. He went on to become a field officer spreading the good word and traveling to other clubs, working at gun shows, and delivering pamphlets and cards to stores. Over the years, Ken has always been supportive of the CCFR and its direction, and the way it operates and spreads its message. Ken currently serves as a CCFR director for New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland/Labrador.

ken.allen@firearmrights.ca

Randy MacDonald

Director, Nova Scotia
Randy grew up in a small town in Cape Breton, and started hunting when he was around 12 years old. He moved to Halifax when he was 19 but never owned a firearm until he was in his 30s.

He joined The CCFR in February 2017 and immediately started volunteering as a Field Officer.

Since joining, he has gone to gun shows and outdoor sports shows representing the CCFR in a kind and professional manner. He often takes new shooters to the range and enjoys introducing people to the hobby.

Randy has just recently started a new career and as such has stepped into a new stage of his life. He is excited to be the Director for Nova Scotia and is looking forward to what the future has in store.

randy.macdonald@firearmrights.ca

Kelly Kincaid

Director, Ontario
I have been a member and a Field Officer since the CCFR’s inception. I have held many positions within the organization: Field Officer, Regional Field Officer Coordinator, Provincial Coordinator, and I am currently serving as the VP of Special Events. I have helped grow the Field Officer Program in Ontario, volunteering at shows, Ladies Days, and other Events across the Province. I am a part of the Calendar Project and various other Committees within the Organization.

Since COVID-19 has severely impacted my role, it’s important to adapt and overcome. I am an IPSC shooter and Match Director for my club, a Mapleseed Instructor in Training, Hunter, and an overall lover of guns!

kelly.kincaid@firearmrights.ca

Kelly Wheaton

Director, Ontario
Working in Public Safety, I recognized that there was a knowledge gap that led to a general misunderstanding of firearm licencing and preventing gun violence within our communities. I agreed with the CCFR mandate that education and a new method of advocacy were needed because the previous efforts were not working.

I became actively involved in firearms advocacy by joining the CCFR when the organization first began to operate and soon became a Field Officer, Regional Field Officer Coordinator and then VP of Women's Programs. I helped grow the women's division by developing and implementing sponsorship of ladies range days across the country. In addition, I am the project lead for the CCFR Gunnie Girl Calendar and, along with the other women's committee members, have seen it become a tremendous success.

I have seen the CCFR grow and become Canada's leading firearms advocacy group. I am proud of the work and accomplishments made thus far by the hardest working team in firearm rights. My goal as Director is to support and implement measures that will foster growth, uplift the organization and support our members.

Additionally, I am a CCFR RSO course instructor, a hunter, an IPSC competitor, an avid skeet enthusiast, rifle marksman and club level ATT instructor. I am also a founding Director and Senior Instructor for Project Mapleseed, a civilian marksmanship clinic here in Canada. I can be heard educating and informing listeners on Slam Fire Radio, and the SHE SHOOTS podcast with the CUSF women's committee.

kelly.wheaton@firearmrights.ca

Sandro Abballe

Director, Quebec
Sandro has volunteered with the CCFR as a Field Officer, since August 2016, and during that time he has dedicated much of his time and energy to working with like-minded people in the Field Officer program to protect and enhance the rights and freedoms of Canadian gun owners. He has grown immensely in his knowledge and understanding of not just firearms advocacy and education, but also the sociopolitical environment surrounding the community. He is genuinely passionate about the cause and has made it his goal to help propagate this passion throughout the country, to the point that shooting sports are as commonplace and normal as soccer and hockey.

In his professional career, he is a certified Fire and Egress Door Assembly Inspector as well an Architectural Hardware Consultant. He also has experience working in non-profit organizations and their often-complicated decision making processes, being the Director of the Canadian Eastern Region for the Door and Hardware Institute Canada. As a conservative-leaning individual on many issues, Sandro’s Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Political Science has given him a valuable and unique understanding of, and perspective on, the social and political issues surrounding gun ownership in Canada. He takes a strong sense of pride in the way his education and upbringing has taught him to evaluate every situation and issue he is facing, weighing the various pros and cons of each, and form a rational opinion based on evidence and sound thinking.

sandro.abballe@firearmrights.ca

Michel Perez

Director, Quebec

Matthew Shirley

Director, Saskatchewan
As a volunteer with the CCFR first as a Field Officer in 2019 and then as a Regional Field Officer Coordinator for the province of Saskatchewan in early 2020, I have had the pleasure of working alongside and getting to meet some extraordinary people. I have also been a Director with the Regina Fish and Game League since 2018 and am quite active with the range.

As Saskatchewan Director for the CCFR I will be able to bring a voice to this province that has been absent the last few years. I hope to be able to work closely with clubs across the province to introduce new shooters to our community, help host women's shooting days, as well as Project Mapleseed events. I hope to help dissolve the stigma that firearms are scary and need to be removed from society. Correcting the media bias and state of perpetual fear that most citizens are stuck in is a major goal of mine. We can only do this by getting people out to see that firearms are not the problem in our communities, but that so much of the issues are actually gangs and social situations which have little to no help in the form of government funded programs.

matthew.shirley@firearmrights.ca

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