Date of publication: 16 Apr 2022 • 16 hours ago • 4 minutes reading • 24 Comments Canada bans possession of certain assault weapons, including the AR-15. Alberta’s chief fire officer disputes the policy. Photo by UltraONEs / Getty Images / iStockphoto
Content of the article
Alberta’s chief gun officer wrote a letter to the federal government calling for the lifting of the “military-type” gun ban and the extension of an amnesty program that allows owners to keep such weapons.
Advertising 2
This ad has not been uploaded yet, but your article continues below.
Content of the article
Teri Jane Bryant wrote the letter to Federal Secretary of Public Safety Marco Mendicino earlier this week, saying no evidence had been provided to justify ordering a ban on nearly 1,500 firearms in Canada. “As Alberta’s Chief Firearms Officer, I am firmly committed to making data-driven decisions that focus on public safety. “It is worrying that no evidence has been provided to justify the arbitrary selection of firearms on the list,” Bryant wrote. “Banning certain types of firearms is an approach that has proven ineffective in improving public safety.” The government of Prime Minister Justin Trinto has announced that it will introduce the ban in 2020, saying that this will allow municipalities to ban 1,500 types of firearms. The government later adjusted to focus on working with the provinces on the issue. The ban was not passed by Parliament before last year’s election, but the Liberals have promised to make similar promises.
Advertising 3
This ad has not been uploaded yet, but your article continues below.
Content of the article
The Alberta government has repeatedly stated its opposition to the ban. Bryant said the federal government should focus on other measures to ensure the safety of Canadians, such as diligently prosecuting criminals and those who supply them with firearms. “It is these swindlers who are driving both agricultural crime and alarming violence in our big cities. “When properly administered, the Canadian Firearms Program already ensures careful control of law-abiding firearms owners, regardless of the type of firearms they wish to acquire,” Bryant wrote. Bryant called on the federal government to extend the amnesty period, which is currently scheduled to expire in 2023, allowing licensed owners to keep their weapons before a mandatory repurchase program can be implemented.
Advertising 4
This ad has not been uploaded yet, but your article continues below.
Content of the article
Mendicino said the call for the lifting of the national ban on AR-15 and other similar rifles is wrong and dangerous. He said they had been involved in some of the worst mass shootings in the country and were serving no purpose other than killing people. “We will move forward with the introduction of safer gun policies, including a mandatory repurchase program that will remove firearms from our communities,” Mendicino said. “While Jason Kenney wants to make the AR-15 legal again, we want to make sure every Alberto and every Canadian can feel safe in their community.” Calgary is currently experiencing an increase in gun violence, with six of the city’s 10 homicides in 2022 being caused by gunfire. Calgary police say the total number of shootings in the city is above average, with only 10 in March.
Advertising 5
This ad has not been uploaded yet, but your article continues below.
Content of the article
Statistics from the Statistics Canada show that the number of people killed in Canada is increasing every year between 2018 and 2020, reaching 277 out of 251. Shots remain the number one cause of homicide in Canada. Doug King, a law professor at Mount Royal University, said the gun ban was unlikely to affect those growing numbers, as most offenses are committed by illegal gun owners holding firearms that have been smuggled across the border. “The government’s ban on certain firearms, and now more offensive firearms, is unlikely to have a real direct impact on community safety and crime rates, violent crime rates and things like that,” King said. “I think the biggest question is, has the federal government provided any justification for why some (weapons) were on the list and why others were not? What were the criteria? “
Advertising 6
This ad has not been uploaded yet, but your article continues below.
Content of the article
Speaking on these issues, he tends to agree with the sentiment in Bryant’s letter. However, he said there was evidence of a culture we’re usually opposed to by the Alberta government when it comes to dealing with the federal government, which seems to be about politics and not public safety. King noted that Alberta could also take steps to protect residents from armed violence, such as raising more funds for police to detect illegal firearms. “It would be great if we could just take a break and think about what Alberta can do and what municipalities can do,” King said. On the federal side of the issue, he said he would urge the Liberals to better fund enforcement at land and port borders to curb more smuggled firearms in the country, noting that such activity often stems from organized crime.
Advertising 7
This ad has not been uploaded yet, but your article continues below.
Content of the article
Mendicino said his government is investing more money in border services and the RCMP while working closely with US law enforcement to stop the flow of illegal firearms into the country. Alberta Justice Minister Tyler Sandro announced earlier this week that he would accept the recommendations of a report by the Alberta Fire Advisory Committee on “further protecting the rights of lawful gun owners.” “Our government continues to assert its provincial jurisdiction and to ensure that the rights of law-abiding gun owners are protected. “We thank the Alberta Firearms Advisory Committee for the commitment of the Alberta people to their effective guidance, as we authorize our Firearms Bureau to support responsible firearms owners,” Shandro said in a statement. These recommendations include training on firearms issues and stronger support for changes based on elements of the firearms law. [email protected]
Share this article on your social network
Advertising 1
This ad has not been uploaded yet, but your article continues below.
Sign up to receive daily headlines from the Calgary Herald, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. By clicking the subscribe button you agree to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300
Thank you for your registration!
A welcome email is on its way. If you do not see it, check the junk folder. The next issue of Calgary Herald Headline News will be in your inbox soon. We encountered a problem with your registration. PLEASE try again
Comments
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but political forum for discussion and encourages all readers to share their views on our articles. Comments may take up to an hour to monitor before appearing on the site. We ask that you retain your comments regarding and with respect. We’ve activated email notifications — you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, an update on a comment thread that follows, or if a user follows the comments. See the Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to customize your email settings.
