Feds are watering down promise to fully scrutinize firearms before sale, gun control group says
Gun control advocates are criticizing the Liberal government for allegedly weakening a promise to ensure proper scrutiny of firearms before they are sold in Canada. The government recently released proposed regulations aimed at ensuring that all gun makes and models for sale in Canada are registered with the federal firearms registrar.
Currently, there is no requirement for businesses that import or manufacture firearms to share technical specifications with authorities, leading to the possibility of guns entering the market without thorough assessment. The proposed regulations would mandate businesses to provide specific data to the registrar before importing or manufacturing a batch of firearms. This information would include details such as make, model, shot capacity, gauge or calibre, barrel length, stock type, and whether the firearm can accept a detachable magazine.
Businesses would be required to provide this information upon request and maintain records demonstrating that they have provided the necessary details to the registrar, who is supported by the RCMP’s firearms program. However, businesses would not have to wait for a response from the registrar, ensuring no disruption to their supply chains or operations.
PolySeSouvient, a prominent advocate for stricter gun laws, has called for federal authorities to not only collect data from businesses but also conduct a technical assessment of firearms before they are introduced to the Canadian market. The group argues that this approach is crucial to prevent restricted or prohibited firearms from being incorrectly classified as non-restricted guns suitable for hunting. They cite a 2023 incident where the RCMP had to instruct owners to surrender fully automatic military surplus firearms after hundreds were misidentified and allowed into Canada for commercial sale.
Despite the government’s claim that the proposed regulations would “partially address” these concerns, they do not include a requirement for physical inspection of all firearms before entry into the Canadian market. The public has until February 11 to provide feedback on the proposed regulations.
PolySeSouvient expressed disappointment in the government’s approach, stating that the new regulations would only ensure that the RCMP has technical information on hand without verifying or certifying the correct classification of non-restricted models before they are sold. The group argues that without this verification process, misclassifications may persist, requiring the RCMP to rectify the errors after the fact.
Former public safety minister Dominic LeBlanc had previously promised regulatory changes that would mandate mandatory physical inspections of all new firearm models by the RCMP before they enter the Canadian market. However, with David McGuinty now overseeing the public safety portfolio and Rachel Bendayan as the associate public safety minister, the proposed regulations have fallen short of the initial commitment.
Gun control advocates continue to push for stricter measures to ensure that firearms are properly scrutinized and classified before being sold in Canada, emphasizing the importance of preventing misclassifications and ensuring public safety.
