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Saskatchewan MLAs Pass Unanimous Motion Asking Feds to Hand Over Gun Policy

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TheGunBlog.ca — Saskatchewan unanimously passed a motion this week calling on the Canadian government to hand over gun policy to the province, as it works to protect firearm users from federal Liberal Party attacks and further dismantle the national anti-gun regime.

Unanimous Support

All 40 Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) in Regina who were present on April 25 voted in favour of the private member’s motion by MLA Fred Bradshaw.

Text of Bradshaw Motion

Source: Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly – Debates and Proceedings

“That this Assembly calls upon the Government of Canada to devolve all the relevant parts of the Firearms Act to the province of Saskatchewan in order to allow it to administer and regulate legal firearms possession.”

—Private Member’s Motion By Saskatchewan MLA Fred Bradshaw, Passed on 25 April 2024

Why It Matters

  • The national anti-gun regime designed by the Liberals is unraveling as provinces, police and the public work to subvert the Liberal attacks against government-licensed firearm users.
  • Saskatchewan and Alberta are leading provincial opposition to the expanding Liberal crackdowns on honest citizens across Canada.
  • Since Bradshaw proposed his motion last year, the Liberals and their allies in parliament passed Bill C-21 as their newest law to criminalize lawful firearm users and confiscate our gear.

Premier Scott Moe: Protecting Gun Rights

“Our government remains committed to protecting the rights of law-abiding firearms owners and will continue to stand up against Bill C-21 while supporting initiatives aimed at the illegal use of firearms in our province,” Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said on his personal account on the X platform.

Context

  • The legislature has 61 MLAs.
  • MLAs for the governing Saskatchewan Party, the opposition New Democratic Party, and an independent all supported Bradshaw’s motion.
  • Saskatchewan and Alberta have passed laws to block the Liberals’ May 2020 order to criminalize the owners of many popular rifles and shotguns and confiscate their gear.
  • Saskatchewan also backed Alberta in its 2000 case at the Supreme Court of Canada against the Liberal Firearms Act.
  • Federally, the Conservative Party is the only party in the House of Commons working to defend firearm users.

Bradshaw Statement

“Our government will not allow the federal Liberal government to trample on the rights of law-abiding firearms owners,” Bradshaw said in a statement from the Saskatchewan Party Caucus. “I am proud to be part of a government that will stand up for these rights and protect the rights of Saskatchewan’s many legal firearms owners.”

Saskatchewan Party Caucus Statement

Source: Saskatchewan Party Caucus

Saskatchewan Government Passes Motion to Protect Firearms Owners’ Rights

25 April 2024

Today, a Private Member’s Motion by Carrot River Valley MLA Fred Bradshaw calling on the Government of Canada to devolve all parts of The Firearms Act to the province of Saskatchewan in order to allow it to administer and regulate legal firearms possession was passed in the Saskatchewan Legislature.

The motion was introduced in response to the federal Liberal government’s Bill C-21, which criminalizes tens of thousands of Saskatchewan residents while accomplishing nothing to enhance public safety. The federal government decided through this bill that legally owned and used handguns could no longer be imported, purchased, or transferred, and effectively reduced the value of these firearms to nothing. This is despite the fact that most handgun crime is committed using illegally trafficked and acquired handguns.

“Our government will not allow the federal Liberal government to trample on the rights of law-abiding firearms owners,” said Bradshaw. “I am proud to be part of a government that will stand up for these rights and protect the rights of Saskatchewan’s many legal firearms owners.”

Last year, the Government of Saskatchewan passed The Saskatchewan Firearms Act to establish licensing requirements for seizure agents involved in firearms expropriation, require and oversee fair compensation for any firearms being seized, and require forensic and ballistic testing of seized firearms.

The Government of Saskatchewan will not stand idly by as the federal government brands thousands of law-abiding citizens as criminals. While the Government of Saskatchewan does not support Bill C-21 and its unjust punishment of law-abiding citizens, we fully support initiatives aimed at reducing the criminal and illegal use of firearms, preventing gang violence, and stopping the smuggling and sale of illegal firearms.

“Many rural residents across the province depend on firearms to protect their livestock and to hunt,” said Ray Orb, Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities President. “Responsible firearm owners who practice gun safety and abide by the licensing requirements legislated by the Government of Saskatchewan should not be criminalized.”

With the passing of this motion, the Government of Saskatchewan continues to stand up for the rights of Saskatchewan’s law-abiding firearms owners.

Related

Correction: Corrects year of Saskatchewan Party Caucus statement.