OSHAWA, ON – Crime Reduction Minister Bill Blair’s long-awaited engagement report – Reducing Violent Crime: A Dialogue on Handguns and Assault-Style Firearms – has been released and the outcome of that discourse is somewhat encouraging for Canada’s two-million-plus lawful firearm owners who feared a possible gun ban.
“Those 134,917 participants in the government’s online questionnaire overwhelmingly believe that a ban on handguns and so-called “assault-style” firearms targets the wrong people. Law-abiding firearm owners are not the problem, violent criminals possessing illicit guns are,” said Tony Bernardo, Executive Director of the Canadian Shooting Sports Association. “Our organization is not surprised by this conclusion and we said as much during the Minister’s in-person roundtable held in Toronto last fall.”
CSSA representatives attended the Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal consultations.
At that roundtable, the CSSA also noted that there is no statistical evidence that the banning of civilian firearms would have an impact on the criminal misuse of guns. The only data that was available came from the Toronto Police Service, and it showed that politicians had been grossly misrepresenting the proportion of firearms that originated from our community.
“We agree that a multi-faceted approach (such as more community-based programs, enhanced law enforcement and border services, and harsher punishments and penalties for gun-related crime) is key if we are to reduce the illicit use of firearms. Imposing a gun ban ‘in isolation’ as the Minister noted, is useless,” said Mr. Bernardo.
“Our organization would welcome the opportunity to confer with Ministers Goodale and Blair and the Firearms Advisory Committee to help develop some real solutions to these serious firearm issues,” said Mr. Bernardo. The CSSA was a long-standing member of the federal government’s Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee, the purpose of which, among other things, is to provide the Public Safety Minister with advice on matters relating to Canada’s firearms policies, laws and regulations.
The Engagement Report will now be used to assist the federal government in developing any future changes it may wish to apply to firearm laws… “while not impeding the lawful use of firearms by Canadians,” as stated in the report.
“While it appears there will be no gun ban in our immediate future, the CSSA will continue its efforts to ensure the government of Canada understands and respects our Canadian firearm traditions and the rights of responsible Canadians to have lawful access to their firearms.
CLICK HERE for full report.
CSSA Commentary re NO GUN BAN – YET. April 24, 2019.
After Crime Reduction Minister Bill Blair released his long-awaited engagement report, we told you a national gun ban was off the table “for now.”
Many questioned what “for now” meant, so we thought we’d make it a little clearer.
We meant – barring an unforeseen shooting before Parliament rises in June – our guns are safe until after Election 2019.
What “for now” means after Election 2019 depends on who sits in the Prime Minister’s office once all the votes are counted.
Minister Blair’s report gave us a temporary reprieve, not a victory. Yes, his report says 81% of Canadians oppose banning handguns, but this report is utterly meaningless if the Liberal Party wins another mandate.
Minister Blair reported on the opinions of Canadians. The opinions of Canadians are as irrelevant as the safety records of millions of gun owners when they conflict with the ideology of the Liberal Party. As they have shown many times when it comes to guns, the Liberals don’t care about democracy.
Should they be re-elected, a national ban on handguns and semi-automatic rifles will be introduced faster than you can say Election Night Victory.
Let’s call a spade a spade. There is only one political party that can lead us out of this unprecedented media assault. Anything short of a Conservative majority government in Election 2019 and the Liberals will take your lawfully acquired, owned and used firearms. (Please don’t extol the virtues of the Bernier Party to us. We are aware of Mr. Bernier’s self-decreed policies, but we also know politics. A vote for Bernier is a vote for the Liberals. Vote smart please.)
Thankfully, that gun-smelter isn’t in view yet.
The good news is we can still stop it, but only if we act quickly.
Now is the time to educate your fellow gun owners.
Now is the time to educate members of your family and your community.
Now is the time to educate our fellow citizens so, come Election Day, we vote for a government that’s not out to destroy our culture of safety, our heritage and our peaceful way of life.
If gun owners across Canada don’t get fired up and vote (and vote to save their firearms) those gun-smelters will surely be fired up on October 22, 2019.