Toronto Health Board Urges Canada-Wide Gun Bans From PAL Holders

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TheGunBlog.ca — Toronto City Council’s Board of Health wants hundreds of thousands of hunters, farmers and sport shooters across Canada in jail unless we surrender our guns.

What Happened

  • The Board of Health today held a 3.5-hour meeting. It was livestreamed on YouTube.
  • The councillors on the board supported the massive national gun bans sought by Eileen de Villa, the city Medical Officer of Health who oversees Canada’s largest local public-health agency.
  • De Villa recommended urging the federal government to criminalize the private ownership and sale of handguns and many semi-automatic rifles and shotguns throughout the country.

Why It Matters

  • It’s concerning when public officials propose eliminating people’s freedoms, culture, and property.
  • Besides the injustice, the proposal would wipe out billions of dollars in personal assets and family wealth.
  • Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has promised the biggest instant firearm confiscations against safe and responsible gun users in the country’s history.
  • Everyone is banned already from buying, selling, or having any gun without a federal firearm Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL) authorized by the RCMP.
  • Many of Canada’s 2.2 million federally licensed gun users feel increasingly frustrated with the harassment.

‘Prohibit the Availability, Sale, Possession and Use’

  • The Board of Health adopted de Villa’s proposals, with amendments.
  • Amended text of what was Point 6: “The Board of Health recommends that: 1. City Council urge the federal government to: a. prohibit the availability, sale, possession, and use of handguns, assault rifles, semi-automatic military assault weapons, and parts that are used to build firearms in Canada; …”
  • Point 5 called to ban the sale in Toronto of “handgun ammunition,” although it’s unclear what that is or how prohibition would be enforced.

What’s Next

  • City Council will consider the Board of Health proposals on Nov. 26, according to the Tracking Status. It adopted a similar motion, Item EX6.7, in June.

https://twitter.com/TheGunBlog/status/1194314482115399681

More Context

Two dozen guest speakers addressed the health board for 4 minutes each. It was fantastic to see several show up and stand up for the shooting community and firearm industry.

Councillor Mike Layton seemed aggressive with them and interrupted them repeatedly as they answered his questions.

  • Watch
    • Alison de Groot (Canadian Sporting Arms and Ammunition Association) at 51 min 40 sec.
      • Accompanied by Dickson Ly (North Sylva Co.) and Brian Carrusca (Al Flaherty’s Outdoor Store)
    • Greg Mosdossy (Doctors for Firearm Safety and Responsibility) at 1h 10 min.
    • Charles Zach (National Firearms Association) at 1h 22 min.
  • Compare
    • Wendy Cukier (Coalition for Gun Control) at 1h 32 min.
    • Najma Ahmed (Doctors for Protection From Guns) at 1h 42 min.

Community activists including a former gang leader and a gunshot-wound victim shared their experiences.

  • They asked for better social policies for youth and young adults in poor neighbourhoods with high crime.
  • None of them asked for new prohibitions against PAL holders.

Trudeau Confiscations

  • Trudeau and his Liberal Party may present more of his confiscation plans in the so-called throne speech on Dec. 5.

De Villa: Junkies Good, Hunters Bad

  • De Villa’s hostility to hunters, farmers, ranchers, sport shooters, gun collectors and the firearm industry contrasts with her views on drug dealers and users.
  • Toronto’s top medical officer recommended decriminalizing all drugs for personal use last year, saying the “criminalization approach” … “is not working.”
  • De Villa earned more than $300,000 in 2018, making her one of the highest paid public officials in Ontario.

https://twitter.com/TheGunBlog/status/1193226649929748480

Related

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Correction Nov. 26 at 15:35 Toronto time: Corrects amended text of motion under heading ‘Prohibit the Availability, Sale, Possession and Use.’