Travis Bader
About me
I founded Silvercore as a sole proprietorship in 2000 and incorporated in 2003. I personally taught the Canadian Firearms Safety Course from 1994 onward, and today Silvercore is the largest private firearms training company in Canada. We have grown our instructor cadre to teach across our full range of programs. My work has shifted to running the business, training and certifying the instructors who teach for us, expert witness work in firearms-related matters, and hosting the Silvercore Podcast.
What I do
I'm the founder and Managing Director of Silvercore Outdoors. Silvercore runs the Canadian Firearms Safety Course (CFSC), the Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course (CRFSC), and CORE hunter education, taught by our instructor cadre. We hold the sole provider contract for BC Online Hunter Education. We also build custom firearms and use-of-force training programs for government agencies and private corporations, and we run the Silvercore Club, an RCMP-approved ATT club with members across Canada and internationally.
I host the Silvercore Podcast and have built and consulted on podcast programs for government, municipal, corporate, and private clients.
Outside Silvercore, I provide expert opinion for Canadian law firms on firearms-related matters, and have been qualified as an expert witness at the Federal Court of Canada and the Provincial Court of British Columbia.
Certifications and credentials
RCMP Canadian Firearms Program
- Master Instructor, qualified to train and certify instructors for the CFSC and CRFSC
- Instructor, CFSC and CRFSC
Hunter education
- Conservation and Outdoor Recreation Education (CORE) Instructor and Examiner, British Columbia's official hunter education program
- CORE Hunter Education Facilitator, qualified to train instructors and certify examiners
Use of force
- Federal Use of Force Instructor, Canadian Firearms Centre
- Provincial Use of Force Instructor, Justice Institute of British Columbia
Range and rifle
- Certified Range Officer, accredited by the Department of National Defence, Vancouver Police Department, and Province of British Columbia
- Department of National Defence Rifle Instructor
Armourer
- Factory-trained armourer for Glock, Remington, Smith and Wesson, Beretta
Provincial and municipal
- Certified Firearms Instructor, Province of British Columbia
- Certified Firearms Instructor, Vancouver Police Department
Professional memberships
- International Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors Association
Civic appointments
- Hunting Regulation Advisory Committee, City of Delta, member since 2017. Appointed committee providing advice to Delta Council on hunting regulation.
Other
- The Reid Institute of Interviewing and Interrogation, Basic and Advanced certifications
Expert witness work
I provide expert opinion to Canadian law firms on firearms-related matters. Firms I've worked with include Matthew Nathanson Law, Donaldson-Jette, Donaldson Law, Ganapathi Law Group, Roothman and Company, Fulton and Company LLP, Bouchelev Law, JSS Barristers, Fulton Law Co., and the Trial Lawyers Advocacy Group.
Qualified as an expert witness:
- Parker v. Canada (Attorney General), 2023 FC 1419, Federal Court of Canada. Testified under oath in the consolidated proceeding involving six judicial review applications challenging the May 2020 Order in Council that prohibited approximately 1,500 firearm models. Consolidated file numbers: T-569-20 (Parker), T-577-20 (CCFR), T-581-20 (Hipwell), T-677-20 (Doherty), T-735-20 (Generoux), T-905-20 (Eichenberg).
- R. v. Tereshchak, Provincial Court of British Columbia (2011). Testified on the classification of a Norinco Type 97A rifle.
Expert reports provided:
- R. v. Wong, Supreme Court of British Columbia (2009)
- R. v. Blair, Supreme Court of British Columbia (2011)
- Darren Fisk v. Tintina Gun Range, Yukon Supreme Court (2019)
- R. v. Zhao, Supreme Court of British Columbia (2019)
- Daniel McLean v. Alex McLean, Supreme Court of British Columbia (2020)
Selected contracts and program work, past and present
- Sole provider contract for BC Online CORE Hunter Education
- Created the BC Parks firearms instructor and student program
- Firearms repair and maintenance for armoured car companies across British Columbia and Canada
- Firearms advisor and maintenance contractor for the Vancouver Police Museum
- Firearms repair and maintenance for police departments across British Columbia
- Firearms training for Department of Fisheries and Oceans non-government staff across Canada
- Provincial range user and annual qualification course for Garda World
- Firearms instruction for Federal Corrections Canada
- Lead Instructor for the Security Programs Division, Justice Institute of British Columbia
- RCMP Auxiliary firearms familiarization instructor
- Transit Police (GVTAPS) firearms familiarization instructor
- Department of National Defence Cadet Instructor Cadre firearms instructor
- Range design and approval consultant for The Range Langley
- 2020 Vancouver Police TTC Use of Force Experts Clinic
- Podcast development and consulting for government, municipal, corporate, and private clients
Other work
From 2005 to 2022 I owned Firearms Canada Media Corporation Inc., the company behind firearmscanada.com, a Canadian firearms resource and discussion forum that ran for 17 years.
Outside of Silvercore, I spend time in the back country and with my wife and kids. Knife making is a hobby that fits between the two.
Philosophy
It’s our philosophy that training should be conducted in a honest, measurable, adaptable, and non-intimidating fashion. Guided by the experience of our instructor cadre and office staff, all our courses and services are designed to help you meet your personal or organizational goals while upholding strict quality and performance standards.
Vision
Our vision is to make it easier for people to deepen their connection with the natural world. We are able to do this through our courses, the Silvercore Club, the Silvercore Podcast and associations with leading businesses, organizations, groups and individuals around the world.
About the Silvercore Club
The Silvercore Club, was established in 2007 and has members spanning all across the world.
Silvercore Club
The goal of the Silvercore Club is to allow legal transfer of restricted firearms by the Chief Firearms Office/RCMP for its members without the higher cost and longer waiting time often associated with becoming a member of an actual commercial gun range. Other benefits associated with a Silvercore Club membership include regular discounts with select industry related vendors and $5 Million CAD North America wide liability insurance for hunting and firearms related activities. Our gun club is accepted in all provinces and territories across Canada and is therefore truly “Canada’s Gun Club” ©.
Attend a Course
View all CoursesFirearms safety is serious, but learning doesn’t need to be done in an intimidating environment. Let Silvercore show you how learning how to safely control and use a firearm can be enjoyable.
Chironomid Fishing with Brian Chan (Online)
Renowned biologist and angler Brian Chan teaches how to catch more fish by using chironomids. This class is ideal for anglers of all experience levels.
CORE Hunter Education Course (Online)
Designed by experienced CORE instructors, this online course covers the theoretical portion of the B.C. CORE hunter education program.