Activists wanting to ban a range of assault weapons in Canada are telling federal lawmakers that government regulations banning these weapons are being avoided by Canadian manufacturers.
In a letter sent this week, the PolySeSouvient group urged MPs to support changing the definition of a prohibited firearm in the Criminal Code to include all current and future firearms belonging to the category.
The Liberal government banned approximately 1,500 models and variants of firearms, including the AR-15 and Ruger Mini-14, by executive order in May 2020 on the grounds that they had no place to hunt or sportive shoot. A planned buy-back program would require owners to sell these guns to the government or provide them unavailable at federal cost.
A clear definition
PolySeSouvient said that without a clear definition of assault weapons in the Criminal Code, Canada would face the proliferation of tens of thousands of such weapons.
The group included students and graduates of Polytechnique Montreal, where a gunman killed 14 women in December 1989.
The letter was signed by group spokeswoman Nathalie Provost, who was injured in the murder, Suzanne Laplante-Edward, whose daughter Anne-Marie was killed, as well as Heidi Rathjen, a school graduate and coordinator of PolySeSouvient .
The group said earlier this year, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) had issued an unlimited classification to the Lockhart Tactical Raven 9, a semi-automatic rifle made in Canada. Other recently introduced semi-automatic weapons not affected by the ban include the Sterling Arms R18 Mk.2, Crusader 9 and RS-Q2 Osprey.
As non-restricted firearms, they are also not registered outside of Quebec and are subject to less stringent storage requirements, PolySeSouvient said.
PolySeSouvient wonders if the fact that the newly introduced models are not present in large numbers, even initially, explains why they are allowed.
Ang RCMP has no immediate comment as to why the guns reported in the letter are not subject to a federal ban.
Liberals have floated that the idea of legislation would create an evolving framework for the classification of firearms to ensure that federal intentions regarding prohibited firearms are met.
Unfortunately, we have not yet heard of a similar proposal being considered by the current government.indicates the letter PolySeSouvient.
” We therefore call on MPs to support amending the definition of “prohibited firearm” in the Criminal Code to include all current and future assault weapons. “
Public Security Minister Marco Mendicino said in March that he would soon introduce the law very proactive on guns after an earlier effort, known as Bill C-21, expired when the general election was called last summer.
A bill is expected this spring, although some key elements are not yet finalized.
Asked about the apparent avoidance of banning assault weapons, Minister Mendicino said on Thursday that consultations were underway.
In terms of how we can further tighten restrictions on firearms as lethal as the AR-15, we continue to engage with communities, we continue to engage with various partners in this space.
In addition to mandating the repurchase of prohibited firearms, the Liberals pledged to curb large-capacity gun magazines, new efforts to curb gun smuggling, and support for any province or territory that wants to be banned. the guns.
Source: Radio-Canada
