TheGunBlog.ca — A re-elected Liberal Party government will offer Canadian farmers, hunters and sport shooters $1,000 on average for each of the 250,000 rifles it will order them to surrender, iPolitics reported yesterday, citing the party.
The low-ball offer means people who submit will lose most of the value of their firearms, and all of their investment in gear that becomes worthless without the guns.
Participation may be low, as with past measures. The penalty could be jail.
‘Out of Their Minds’
“If anyone thinks I’m giving up some of my rifles that cost $5000 for a $1000 they are out of their minds,” Derrick Snowdy said on Twitter in reply to TheGunBlog.ca.
https://twitter.com/jdsnowdy/status/1180328151257407489
The Liberal campaign pitch includes spending $250 million in taxpayer money in 2020-2021 under the heading “Tackling gun crime,” and $50 million in each of the next three years.
It doesn’t say if the funds are to pay federally licensed firearm owners for the expropriations.
‘Very Best Estimate’
“The $250 million is our very best estimate,” Carlene Variyan, a spokesperson for the Ottawa-based Liberals, was quoted as telling iPolitics yesterday. “We will be doing the buy-back at a fair market value.”
The Liberal re-election platform sets out an estimated $250 million they would begin spending next year to buy back thousands of “military grade” semi-automatic rifles as part of a plan to tackle firearms in Canada, the party has confirmed #cdnpoli #elxn43 https://t.co/TpLGIQudQw
— iPolitics (@iPoliticsCA) October 3, 2019
Hundreds of thousands of individuals and families are concerned by a scandal-plagued political leader preparing the biggest incarcerations, expulsions or confiscations in Canadian history.
Leave, Surrender, or Jail
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, also the Liberal leader, said Sept. 20 he would give rifle owners two years to comply with his confiscation orders if he wins the Oct. 21 election.
Existing law could send them to prison unless they leave the country with their firearms or surrender them to police by the deadline.
They would need special export authorizations, which may not be granted.
Trudeau Promises Mass Gun Bans, Confiscations in Election 2019
Different Numbers
CBC News reported Sept. 20 the Liberals estimated the cost of the program at $400 million to $600 million, citing Bill Blair, the Liberal minister for confiscation.
It wasn’t clear how much is to buy guns, and how much is needed for other expenses, such as destroying them and paying police and court staff to manage the measures against hunters, ranchers and other honest firearm users.
The confiscation payouts in case of a Trudeau victory will begin next year, iPolitics reported. Projections by 338Canada.com suggest he’s leading.
https://twitter.com/TheGunBlog/status/1179027388908343298
More Canadian Than Hockey
Hunting and sport shooting are part of Canadian culture and heritage.
About 2.2 million men and women have a firearm licence, more than play golf or hockey. Millions more family and friends of all ages also hunt and shoot safely and responsibly.
“My freedom is worth more than $1,000,” tweeted Roy Dyment.
https://twitter.com/DymentRoy/status/1180318309868331010
Criminalize and Confiscate
In addition to targeting the owners of mainly “Non-restricted” rifles, the Liberals promised to help local governments criminalize licensed handgun owners.
The Conservative Party opposes their plans.
No Specifics
The Liberals haven’t given details on the models they want to seize and destroy, other than naming the AR-15 target rifle and using the made-up term of “military-style assault rifles.”
Trudeau suggested he may ban the CZ 858 and Ruger Mini-14.
It’s rare to find an AR-15 for less than $1,000, and some models cost more than $3,000. The Mini-14 Ranch Rifle is listed at $1,305 at Wolverine Supplies in Manitoba.