Alberta Game Warden Association
12 hrs ·
On May 1, 2020, Prime Minister Trudeau and the Liberal government implemented a prohibition of over 1500 firearms through an Order in Council (OIC).
The Alberta Game Warden Association (AGWA) wishes to clearly state that they oppose the OIC Firearms Ban and believes that any such issues should be taken through the democratic processes which our officials have been elected and sworn to uphold.
The Alberta Game Warden Association consists of Fish and Wildlife officers who strive to conserve the natural resources of Alberta by ensuring compliance with resource related activities such as hunting, trapping and fishing and to provide public safety by managing dangerous wildlife. AGWA believes it is critically important to show support for their stakeholders, specifically lawful firearms owners in the hunting, trapping, sport competition/target shooting and ranching community.
The OIC Firearm Ban lacks evidence-based decision making as shown in the following paragraphs.
The OIC claimed to be banning Military Grade Assault Weapons. That fundamental premise of the OIC is flawed as Military Grade Assault Weapons refers to fully automatic firearms with high capacity magazines, both of which were already prohibited in Canada in 1977 and 1992 respectively. None of the firearms that were banned are capable of firing in fully automatic mode (one depression of the trigger allowing for continuous firing) or legally able to contain more than five rounds in the magazine.
The Federal Liberal OIC further states that none of the firearms banned are commonly used for sporting or hunting purposes. However, the restricted firearms that are now prohibited, have been used for decades for sporting and competition purposes and were licensed by the Federal government for this very purpose. The non-restricted firearms that were banned under the OIC are common hunting rifles for both predators and large game animals. This was demonstrated by the fact that an exemption was included in the OIC allowing Indigenous people to continue to hunt for subsistence purposes with these very same firearms.
In addition to banning 1,500 firearms by specific make and model, the firearm ban includes the banning of firearms with a bore of 20 mm or more. Most 10 and 12 gauge shotguns with a removable choke have a bore of 20 mm or more, and would therefore be banned under the new regulations imposed. The intent of making these firearms may not be there at this moment. However, we believe that this oversight is a key example why this issue should have gone through the Parliamentary process. Instead, the lawful outdoor community members such as upland bird hunters or waterfowler’s have become criminals for possession of certain shotguns.
Statistics Canada figures show licenced gun owners are among the least likely citizens to commit a violent crime. New public safety measures should target the people responsible for criminal activity, tighten bail release conditions and address the socio-economic environments that give rise to violent life styles. Criminals who have illegally obtained firearms will not be impacted by this confiscation regime.
The Vancouver City Police Chief, who is the head of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, was asked in 2019 whether he felt Canada needed further gun controls. He said, “Canada already has strong firearms regulations and no other law is required. The firearms laws in Canada are actually very good right now. They’re very strict.”
The Alberta Game Warden Association urges the Federal Liberal Party to repeal the OIC Firearm Ban immediately to ensure Canadian citizens can continue to use these firearms responsibly and not face criminal prosecution for possessing lawfully acquired property. Limited government resources should be focused on taking action against the root causes of violent crime, such as gang violence, firearms obtained illegally or those which are illegally smuggled into Canada.
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Topic: Federal government could act on gun control as early as Friday (Read 27884 times)