The RCMP finally managed to spit out the truth and, in doing so, confirmed the CSSA’s assessment of their recent letter to gun owners.
“[T]he letter is not a Firearm Registration Certificate Revocation Notice.”i
The CSSA saidii the recent RCMP letter is not a Firearm Registration Certificate Revocation Letter. Our assessment was confirmed by the legal opinion of Toronto Lawyer Arkadi Bouchelev.iii
“To put it simply, if the Registrar wants to revoke your registration certificate, he must give the holder of the certificate notice, in proper form, including a reproduction of the sections of the Firearms Act that explain how to appeal the decision. The Revocation letters clearly do not follow this required format.”
The RCMP issued their clarification late on Friday afternoon of a long weekend, when all embarrassing government news is released.
The RCMP, with the full blessing of Public Safety Minister Bill Blair, are using sleazy and deceitful tactics to deny firearm owners their rightful day in court.
That our national police force, under the guidance and direction of the Minister of Public Safety, choose to play spin games while utterly ignoring the very real problem of smuggled guns and drug and gang-related violence confirms, yet again, what we’ve said all along.
This has absolutely nothing to do with public safety and everything to do with confiscating legally-owned firearms.
So, Canadian gun owners, don’t be surprised when they come for your 12-gauge shotguns or bolt-action rifles.
Despite the RCMP’s web page and Minister Bill Blair’s Twitter post, neither of which have the force of law, SOR/2020-96 does not exempt shotguns or hunting rifles from the 20mm bore diameter or the 10,000 joules of energy restrictions.
Their underhanded tactics notwithstanding, the CSSA thanks the RCMP for confirming two truths we already knew.
- The letter is not a Firearm Registration Certificate Revocation Notice.
- You can’t trust the RCMP brass or Bill Blair as far as you can spit a rat.
The full RCMP web page announcement is below:
As a result of the May 1, 2020 Order in Council (OIC) amending the Regulations Prescribing Certain Firearms and other Weapons, Components, and Parts of Weapons, Accessories, Cartridge Magazines, Ammunition and Projectiles as Prohibited or Restricted (“Regulation”) under the Criminal Code, a letter was recently sent out to individuals/businesses to inform them that their previously registered restricted firearms are now prohibited and their registration certificates became nullified.
This nullification is the result of the legislative change to the Criminal Code Regulations and not the result of any decision by the Registrar to revoke the registration certificates under the Firearms Act.
Accordingly, the letter is not a Firearm Registration Certificate Revocation Notice.
Sources:
i https://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/firearms/need-know-the-government-canadas-new-prohibition-certain-firearms-and-devices
ii https://cssa-cila.org/the-rcmps-not-a-registration-certificate-revocation-letter/ Arkadi Bouchelev
iii https://cssa-cila.org/bill-blair-so-is-it-a-revocation-letter-yes-or-no-2/
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