Ottawa/Victoria (with files from MSN/CPAC/Global/CP) – It was part of a package of new gun control measures promised by the federal Liberals in the 2019 election campaign.
In February 2021, Prime Minister Trudeau outlines what this would look like.
The new Government Firearms bill would include:
– increase penalties for smuggling & trafficking
– enhance police & border officials’ powers to keep illegal guns out
– create new offences for altering magazines
– government to move forward with buy-back program in coming months
The Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights responded: Reasonable Canadians should ask themselves if they think that anything in this bill will stop the shootings in downtown Toronto or Vancouver or the violence or property crime we see in rural communities.
In our opinion, this bill is simply electioneering. The real problem is that licensed gun owners are the fodder used to mobilize the liberal party’s base. Under the Liberal party of Justin Trudeau and Bill Blair, public safety has become a purely political issue. They rarely miss an opportunity to divide Canadians along cultural, political or ideological lines.
The red flag provisions in this bill can potentially be problematic. Red flag laws have existed in Canada since the 90s. Now, in this new bill, anyone at all can petition a judge to issue a firearm prohibition order without the gun owner having any say in the matter or even tell their side of the story. These prohibition orders include searches with and without a warrant. This change affects 2.2 million licensed gun owners in Canada.
The bill creates a new offense of altering a cartridge magazine. The law that makes possession of an over capacity magazine still exists. Apparently, it is now doubly illegal to have an over capacity magazine. It’s unclear how this is going to stop the shootings in downtown Vancouver or Toronto, suicide by firearm, or domestic violence.
Any provision that combats the illegal use or trafficking of firearms is welcome but in the case of increased trafficking penalties, the real problem is that the courts aren’t addressing the already stiff penalties. This provision will likely yield no additional public safety benefit.
The Liberals are creating a criminal offense of not complying with a municipal bylaw. The idea that farm-related violence will decrease because sport shooters cannot store their firearms at home is absurd and an attempt by municipal leaders to escape accountability for their failure on stopping violence in their jurisdictions. The most egregious part is that they are punishing specifically the people that are not involved in that violence.
Chilliwack-Hope MP Mark Strahl :
“It is disappointing that during a pandemic, Justin Trudeau is focused on his own re-election and advancing the Liberals’ ideological agenda instead of helping Canadians get vaccines.”
“Just recently, the Liberals voted against and defeated Bill C-238, a Conservative bill that would have imposed tougher sentences for criminals smuggling or who are found in possession of illegal firearms. The Trudeau Liberals’ decision to vote against this bill shows they are not serious about stopping dangerous criminals from getting their hands on illegal guns.”
“The reality is, the vast majority of gun crimes are committed with illegally obtained firearms. Taking firearms away from law-abiding citizens does nothing to stop dangerous criminals and gangs who obtain their guns illegally.”
“Instead of targeting law-abiding Canadians and firearm retailers, the government should be investing in police anti-gang and gun units and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to provide law enforcement with the resources they need to stop illegal smuggling operations and get dangerous criminals and gangs off the streets.”
“Conservatives are committed to ensuring that Canadians are safe and secure in their homes and in their communities. We strongly believe that those who pose a risk to themselves or others should not be in possession of firearms. This provision already exists under Section 5 of the Firearms Act. We will continue to defend the rights of law-abiding gun owners and advocate for tougher measures against violent criminals.”
“We are calling on the Trudeau Liberals to ensure that Canada’s firearms legislation is based on evidence, not on ideology, and respects the rights of Canadians.”
The Provincial statement:
Police in British Columbia will have one more tool to help suppress organized crime and gun violence, thanks to a newly opened provincial forensic firearms lab.
“This lab is another step in our government’s effort to address gang activity and gun violence in communities across B.C.,” said Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General. “It will help police build intelligence on illegal firearms, including those used in gang-related shootings, and aid in prosecutions, so that dangerous criminals can be put behind bars and are no longer putting British Columbians at risk.”
The BC Provincial Forensic Firearms Laboratory (PFFL) will be a centralized firearms intelligence hub, helping increase police capacity to analyze illegal firearms that wereused for criminal activity and seized by police.
“People in Surrey and communities across the province are tired and frustrated by the recent spike in brazen acts of violence, and they want to know what more can be done,” said Jinny Sims, MLA for Surrey-Panorama. “Our government is committed to providing the necessary resources to continue targeting violent criminals and build safer communities.”
Funded at $1.2 million through the federal Guns and Gangs Violence Action Fund and established under the Organized Crime Agency of BC (OCABC), the lab is a key component of the provincial Gang Suppression Action Plan, which targets multi-sector law enforcement, government and community support and disruption of organized crime and associated violence.
