The RCMP entrapped tens of thousands of licensed gun owners when they reclassified 354 formerly Non-Restricted and Restricted firearms as Prohibited after May 6, 2020, without notifying anyone.[i]
There is no requirement in law for the RCMP to notify gun owners of classification changes even though they put firearm owners in legal jeopardy – a problem we’ve long fought to change.
Seemingly, the RCMP’s reclassifications were performed under the guidance of Public Safety Minister Bill Blair and with the blessing of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
The result of the RCMP’s bureaucratic malfeasance is thousands of licensed firearm owners now illegally possess Prohibited weapons in contravention of Section 91(2) of the Criminal Code[ii].
Unauthorized possession of prohibited weapon or restricted weapon
91(2) … every person commits an offence who possesses a prohibited weapon…without being the holder of a licence under which the person may possess it.
Back on May 1st, 2020, the federal Liberal government of Justin Trudeau, operating under the guidance of Public Safety Minister Bill Blair and the RCMP, reclassified over 1,500 makes and models of firearms as “Prohibited.”
This massive gun ban included firearms that were Non-Restricted and Restricted on April 30th, 2020, and an amnesty was introduced to protect those owners from prosecution for possession under Section 91(2) of the Criminal Code.
Then on May 6th, 2020, the RCMP, presumably under the direction of Public Safety Minister Bill Blair, began reclassifying hundreds of Non-Restricted and Restricted firearms as Prohibited that were not on the May 1st list.
Owners of these arbitrarily reclassified Prohibited firearms are NOT protected by the May 1st amnesty order.
The government makes this clear in the text of SOR/2020-96. [iii]
The Order Declaring an Amnesty Period (2020) (the Amnesty Order) accompanies the Regulations to protect individuals, who were in lawful possession of one or more of the newly prohibited firearms or prohibited devices on the day the Regulations came into force, from criminal liability for unlawful possession for the purpose of allowing individuals to come into compliance with the law.
The amnesty order (SOR/2020-97[iv]) only protects owners of firearms specifically listed in the gun ban by Order in Council.
Words have meaning – “specific” means”clearly defined or identified” – something the RCMP’s made-up “variant” is not. In fact, the recently released RCMP definition of what a “variant” is so vague and non-specific that it is laughable.
In other words, if your newly-prohibited firearm is not specifically listed in the OiC, you do not have the protection of the amnesty and you could be criminally charged for the mere possession of your own property.
Thousands of gun owners are now the mercy of the RCMP, Public Safety Bill Blair and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
What could possibly go wrong?
History of Deception
First, Justin Trudeau and Bill Blair reclassify over 1,500 makes and models of firearms as Prohibited and destroy the value of millions of dollars of legally-owned property to advance their political agenda.
Then the RCMP reclassified 354 firearms (and counting) as Prohibited, knowing full well that the thousands of licensed firearm owners who possess these firearms have no legal protection from criminal charges.
This is how the RCMP, Bill Blair and Justin Trudeau keep Canadians safe? By sacrificing those who obey all laws and follow every regulation to the letter?
Are the owners of these newly prohibited (and non-amnestied) firearms going to face criminal charges if they try to turn the firearms in to the authorities?
This once again illustrates the total lack of respect for licensed RCMP-vetted firearm owners displayed since Bill Blair and Justin Trudeau took office.
This can’t possibly end well for our community.
Sources:
[i] Data courtesy of Armalytics.ca
[ii] https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/c-46/page-22.html
[iii] http://canadagazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2020/2020-05-01-x3/html/sor-dors96-eng.html
[iv] http://canadagazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2020/2020-05-01-x3/html/sor-dors97-eng.html
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