By Guest Columnist Tony Bernardo
Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government continued its all-out assault against federally-licensed, RCMP-vetted firearms owners this year, but every move Trudeau’s government made this year was built upon the rotten foundation of their May 1, 2020 Order in Council Gun Ban.
Trudeau continued to lower sentences for a host of crimes, including gun smuggling and other offences where illegal firearms are used.
Last December 15, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino defended lowering sentences for crimes committed with guns, and re-offered the Liberal Party’s disingenuous and timeless platitude to law-abiding firearm owners.
“I want to assure hunters, farmers and target shooters that nothing we are doing is intended to diminish your lawful recreational activities,” Mendicino claimed.
Banning the sale of handguns doesn’t affect target shooters, according to Marco Mendicino.
Banning semi-automatic shotguns doesn’t stop anyone from competing in Trap and Skeet either, Marco Mendicino claims.
Mendicino is right. A semi-auto shotgun is not required for these sports – if you never want to compete beyond the confines of your local gun club. They are essential for international competition.
Marco Mendicino claims neither he nor the Liberal government will harass hunters, yet every move they’ve made against rifles – including their so-called “assault-style weapons” ban of May 1, 2020 and their last-minute amendment to Bill C-21 – does exactly that.
With that brief introduction, here are the lowlights (and some notable highlights) of the past year, with a brief visit to the foundation that sets the stage for this year’s events.
May 1, 2020 Public Safety Minister Bill Blair announces an Order in Council ban of more than 1,500 makes and models of rifles and shotguns, including such dangerous relics as Vancouver’s famous 9’clock Gun, an old cannon that fires every night at exactly 9 pm on Vancouver’s Coal Harbour.
July 28, 2020 Robert Freberg appointed chief firearms officer of Saskatchewan
January 15, 2021 Dennis R. Young, one of Canada’s foremost firearms research authorities passes away.
April 30, 2021 Investigative Reporter Christina Howorun releases mini-documentary on her research into the source of illegal guns for Toronto’s criminal underworld, much to the dismay of the Liberal government.
August 26, 2021 Dr. Terri-Jane Bryant appointed chief firearms officer of Alberta
March 16, 2022 Liberal Government defers confiscation deadline for all firearms banned under the May 1, 2020 Order in Council because they have no plan for confiscating these firearms, let alone paying compensation for them.
April 13, 2022 Saskatchewan establishes its provincial Firearms Advisory Committee which will be a cornerstone of its upcoming provincial firearms act.
April 30, 2022 CPC leadership candidate and frontrunner Pierre Poilievre is the keynote speaker for CSSA’s annual “Stick To Your Guns” Dinner.
May 30, 2022 Trudeau government bans sales of handguns by licensed firearm dealers to licensed firearm owners, claiming this will miraculously stop smuggled guns from being used by drug dealers and gang members.
Sept 26, 2022 Alberta Justice Minister Tyler Shandro informs RCMP and his federal counterpart that “Alberta’s government will not help the federal government confiscate about 30,000 legally acquired firearms from Albertans.”
Sept 27, 2022 Saskatchewan Minister of Public Safety Christine Tell informs RCMP “the Government of Saskatchewan does not support and will not authorize the use of provincially funded resources for any process that is connected to the federal governments proposed ‘buy back’ of these firearms.” [PDF]
Oct 21, 2022 Trudeau government halts the legal sale of handguns in Canada effective immediately. [Gun smuggling will not be affected by this or any other Trudeau government initiative because the government is focused entirely on restrictions against licensed firearm owners, not criminals using illegal guns.]
Nov 15, 2022 York Regional Police deliver news to Board: “One hundred percent of the handguns traced were smuggled into Canada illegally from the United States.”
Nov 21, 2022 Canadian Shooting Sports Association Launches Multi-Pronged Lawsuit Against Trudeau Government over Handgun Freeze. [Press Release] [Lawsuit Overview] [PDF of Filed Lawsuit] [Support CSSA’s Lawsuit against the federal government] [TheGunBlog.ca Interview with Tony Bernardo]
Nov 22, 2022 Trudeau Liberal government introduces amendment to Bill C-21 to ban all semi-automatic rifles and shotguns in Canada – and a bunch of single-shot hunting rifles and shotguns too.
Dec 2, 2022 Saskatchewan government introduces the Saskatchewan Firearms Act which defends licensed firearm owners by creating the framework to license firearm seizure agents, define how seizure agents must conduct seizures, and much more. [SK Govt Press Release]
Dec 15, 2022 Alberta legislature passes the Alberta Sovereignty within a United Canada Act.
Epilogue
Don’t be lulled into a false sense of security because the news is not all bad.
Our federal government is intent on destroying so many aspects of Canada’s responsible firearms community and our longstanding culture of safety.
But, firearms owners associations and provincial governments fought back against the Liberal’s onslaught against honest Canadians.
Yes, we are fighting back. That’s a good thing.
But we face an opponent — Justin Trudeau and his Liberal government — that is committed to our complete and total destruction. This opponent is supported and aided by the NDP and its leader, Jagmeet Singh, who seems content to complain about Trudeau’s actions with one hand while raising the other to vote alongside our home-grown Canadian tyrant.
This hypocrisy is well-noted across Canada’s political landscape and will, one may dream, cause both the NDP and the Liberals to lose the next federal election.
Until then, we are grateful to Premiers Scott Moe and Danielle Smith and their respective provincial governments for leading the defense of our Charter of Rights and Freedoms, rights that are trampled at will by the son of the man who drafted them.
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Sources:
Merry Christmas or Another Lump of Liberal Coal?