Conservative leadership candidate Jean Charest has vowed to submit Liberals ’ban on so-called“ assault ”weapons in Canada to the review of a panel of gun classification experts.
When asked in March about this ban on assault weapons, the former Quebec premier told The Canadian Press that he did not seek to change laws like thesethis none of his program.
When asked about the apparent change in position on Tuesday, his campaign team spokesman, Laurence Toth, said Mr. Charest in his original position, as his propose is an overhaul of gun regulations. , not an amendment to the law.
The Conservative Party of Canada’s position on guns was closely guarded during last year’s federal election campaign. Former leader Erin O’Toole is struggling to clarify whether she will repeal a federal ban on about 1,500 model guns called for by the Liberals. weapons of attack.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau imposed the ban in May 2020, passing regulations by ministerial order. Mr. did not hesitate then. Trudeau, during the 2021 election campaign, to recall Mr. O’Toole’s promise to lift the ban on assault weapons.
After several days of confusion, the Tory leader has finally inserted a footnote on the party platform, promising that he will uphold the ban, but he will subject the classification of these weapons to a review.
Analyze the classification
The position of Mr. Charest on this ban on assault weapons is similar to that finally adopted by Mr. O’Toole last year.
” A Charest government would enforce reasonable gun laws by leaving this divisive issue in the hands of politicians, and providing the classification of guns to a committee representing both police and experts. in the gun. “
This committee will review the 2020 Trudeau Executive Order while making decisions based solely on public safety.
Opponents of gun control and gun owners are part of the Conservative Party’s militant base, which is highly concentrated in Western Canada, so it is customary for leadership candidates to take a stand on gun ownership. guns in Canada.
But gun control has re-emerged as an issue in the current leadership career since the Liberal government introduced law in the Commons on Monday that would stop the sale, purchase and import of handguns into Canada.
Mr. said. Trudeau said he hopes the parties will work with his government – a minority – to ensure the bill is passed quickly by Parliament. Bill C-21 would allow people who duly owned and exempted to keep their gun and continue to use it.
Poilievre and Lewis
Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre, a leadership candidate who presents himself as an advocate of individual freedoms, called this Liberal bill agun classification strategy designed for Hollywood. He promises to allocate more resources to stop the smuggling of guns across the Canada-US border.
Guns should be categorized according to what they do, not what it looks like, he said in a statement. To establish the classification criteria, Mr. Poilievre also promised to meet a committee of experts, including sport shooters and Aboriginal hunters.
Candidate Leslyn Lewis, who finished third in her previous leadership career in 2020, emailed her supporters on Tuesday accusing Liberals of playing partisan politics for public safety.
Dr. Lewis failed, on behalf of Canadians who want laws that make sense and protect the people, a spokesman for his campaign team told The Canadian Press. It will overhaul all current gun laws and replace Liberal law with laws that will actually make Canadians safer.
Source: Radio-Canada
