TheGunBlog.ca — Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe rejected the new gun bans being considered by the Canadian government, joining the premier of Ontario, police leaders and individual gun owners across the country in opposing the measures.
Members of parliament from the ruling Liberal Party themselves are divided on federal firearm policy aimed at millions of licensed hunters and sport shooters.
“We do not endorse the banning of firearms here in the province,” Moe told reporters Sept. 12 after meeting in Saskatoon with Canada’s prime minister, the Saskatoon StarPhoenix reported today.
Growing Opposition
An Alberta teenager initiated the second-most-popular e-petition in the history of the House of Commons to stop Bill C-71, a proposed federal law that includes seizing more guns from licensed owners after they die.
Read: Dear Prime Minister: No Gun Ban
In August, Ontario Premier Doug Ford became the first political leader to publicly refuse new prohibitions aimed at individuals and families who enjoy sport shooting.
“I wouldn’t support a ban on handguns,” Ford told reporters in Toronto on Aug. 9. “There’s a lot of legal, responsible handgun owners. … We have to refocus all our resources going after the bad guys, not the good guys, but the bad guys.”
More Canadian Than Hockey
Ontario has the most gun owners of any province. Saskatchewan has the highest rate of firearm ownership as a percentage of the population.
More than 2 million men and women have a firearm licence, exceeding the number who play hockey. Millions of unlicensed family and friends of all ages also practice hunting and target sports, pouring billions of dollars into the economy each year. Hunting permits are different than firearm-ownership permits.
“On National Hunting, Trapping and Fishing Heritage Day we recognize this proud part of our shared Canadian heritage,” Andrew Scheer, the leader of the federal opposition Conservative Party, said Sept. 15 on Twitter. “Conservatives will always stand up for this community and we support law-abiding firearms owners.”
https://twitter.com/AndrewScheer/status/1041019944849342464
Liberals Are Split
Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau didn’t recognize Sept. 15 as National Hunting, Trapping and Fishing Heritage Day on his personal or governmental Twitter accounts or website. He did tweet about a cultural festival in Toronto.
News reports this week said the federal government’s firearm policy is dividing Liberal members of parliament. They met in Saskatoon to prepare for next week’s start of the fall session of the House of Commons.
Bans for Votes
The Liberals would win votes and strengthen their control of parliament by inventing new restrictions for firearm users, a top public-relations firm said in March. A poll last month showed a majority of respondents support eliminating handgun ownership.
The day after the poll ended, Trudeau indicated he’s considering a “full ban” on handguns and “assault weapons,” which could include the widely held SKS rifle developed for the Soviet military. All firearms already are banned for anyone without a licence.
Career Ender
The prime minister’s announcement came as Lynda Kiejko, Allan Harding, Kimberly Britton and Elizabeth Gustafson of Team Canada’s pistol section (air and .22LR) headed to South Korea for a world shooting championship. They’re seeking to qualify for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
Bans would terminate their athletic careers. They would force businesses to close, put thousands of people out of work and wipe out billions of dollars in family assets as guns and gear became worthless.
https://twitter.com/TeamCanada/status/1037456807910928384
Toronto City Council voted in July to ask the federal government to end the civilian ownership of pistols, revolvers and all semi-automatic rifles and shotguns across Canada. Montreal and Quebec City have followed.
Cops Say ‘No’
“I’m not sure if a complete ban is the answer, or tweaking the legislation to ensure more accountability,” Royal Canadian Mounted Police Commissioner Brenda Lucki told CBC radio in an interview a month ago when asked about an “absolute ban” on handguns. “It’s difficult for me to say, honestly.”
Read: Three Top Cops Don’t Support Banning Guns From Lawful Owners
“I agree,” Chris Lewis, the retired commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police, responded on Twitter. “It would be unmanageable and unfair to the majority of handgun owners who obey the law and always use their guns safely. Let’s effectively deal with the criminals that do NOT obey the current criminal law.”
Adam Palmer, the chief of the Vancouver police and the president of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, told CTV News a month ago that taking guns away from authorized individuals doesn’t stop criminals.
Save Our Sport, Save Our Heritage
- Contact your federal MP (Click the link, enter your postal code). You can bcc [email protected] so we can keep count.
- Keep it short, professional and positive. 2-3 sentences or paragraphs is fine.
- Speak from the heart:
- Why shooting/hunting matter to you, how it has enriched your life, how you would be affected by bans (e.g. relationships, skills, health, learning, medals, food, heritage, family, investment, livelihood, …)
- Ask your gun club or gun store to host a range day or town hall with your MP.
- Support TheGunBlog.ca so we can keep supporting you.
Moe Says ‘No’
“A gun ban is not the solution,” Mike McCormack, the president of the Toronto police labour union, tweeted in August.
The Saskatoon StarPhoenix said Moe was asked if he thought banning pistols and revolvers would help reduce Saskatchewan’s crime rate, one of the highest in Canada. The paper said the premier replied with a simple, “No.”