The federal government has expanded its ban firearms Thursday, adding 324 makes and models of firearms to the list of banned weapons, and lawful gun owners in Alberta feel unnecessarily targeted.
The move follows the May 2020 ban on 1,500 brands and models of firearms, including the AR-15 and Ruger Mini-14. This number rose to more than 2,000 in November this year as new variants were identified.
The federal government says it is working with provinces, territories and police on a plan to buy back prohibited weapons from individual owners. It has already run a pilot project on collecting banned firearms from businesses.
Justin Thomson of Lethbridge was one of three Canadians handpicked to compete in the World Pistol Caliber Carbine (PCC) competition in the Czech Republic next spring, but with the new ban in effect he can no longer training and no longer knows if he will be able to compete.
“We work hard, we are passionate, and now everything has been taken away from us,” Thomson said.
The federal government says the new ban is part of its commitment to fighting gun crime and keeping communities safe, but competitive shooters say it neglects action shooting and targets lawful gun owners. fire.
The Canadian Gun Rights Coalition said the announcement was typical of the Liberal party’s divide-and-conquer policy.
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“They know they are out of time and that Canadians are out of money. »
Alberta Justice Minister Mickey Amery said the provincial government strongly opposes “the arbitrary reclassification of firearms and the federal government’s unnecessary, ineffective and repeatedly delayed program to confiscate these firearms.” firearms.”
The newly banned firearms share the same technical characteristics as those banned in May 2020. This means that they can no longer be legally used or sold in Canada and can only be transferred or transported in limited circumstances.
Officials made clear that additional makes and models could be added to the list of banned firearms, saying a panel of experts would provide advice on weapons still on the market.
For example, the SKS rifle, which has been used in shootings, remains legal.
Federal Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc said a decision on the firearm, used by many Indigenous people for hunting, would be made by February, ahead of the next phase of the buyback program.
“We want to think about it over the next few weeks.”
Late last year, Parliament passed a bill that tightens restrictions on handguns, increases penalties for gun trafficking and aims to combat homemade ghost guns.
The government says it is working to fully implement the bill, with the remaining provisions expected to come into force early in the new year.
The legislation included a ban on assault-style firearms that fall under a new technical definition. However, the definition did not apply to models already on the market at the time the bill was passed.
The government says it intends to table regulatory changes in Parliament on December 13, delivering on its commitments to ensure all makes and models of firearms are accounted for before they enter the Canadian market.
Watch the video in the player at the top of this story to learn more.
— With files from Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press
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