Explore The NRA Universe Of Websites

APPEARS IN News

Trudeau’s Liberals in “Humiliating Climbdown” on Bill C-21

Monday, February 13, 2023

Trudeau’s Liberals in “Humiliating Climbdown” on Bill C-21

In the face of a furious backlash against changes proposed to Bill C-21, Canadas Liberal government has dropped two expansive amendments to the bill. Gun rights groups, opposition politicians and ordinary Canadians opposed the bill because it would not only criminalize mainstream hunting and sport shooting firearms lawfully owned by millions of individuals – guns that play no role in crime – but lacks any redeeming public safety benefits.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus Liberal government introduced Bill C-21 last year to freeze the importation, sale, or transfer of handguns and help stop the growth of personally owned handguns in Canada.” In November, in a sweeping shift in scope, a Liberal Member of Parliament (MP) introduced amendments to Bill C-21 that would add 1,500 or so long guns to the list of firearms classified as prohibited” (banned) firearms.

In December, chiefs and their proxies at the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) annual winter meeting in Ottawa responded by unanimously supporting an emergency resolution against Bill C-21. The AFN represents more than 600 First Nations communities across Canada, many of which rely on subsistence hunting and trapping. We totally oppose this bill,” said one chief at the meeting.

On January 19, Liberal MP Brendan Hanley (Yukon) hosted a roundtable” meeting with concerned citizens in Whitehorse and the federal minister of public safety, Marco Mendicino, who has maintained that the government has no intention – no intention whatsoever – to go after long guns and hunting rifles.” The minister began his remarks at the meeting with the usual Liberal platitude about my respect for you, and for others, who are responsible gun owners; be you hunters, farmers, collectors, trappers, you name it… theres a stigma or stereotype that we dont value that relationship, and that is simply not true. We do.”

Unsurprisingly, the group of 15 or so trappers, hunters, sport shooters, and gun collectors invited to attend were unanimous: none of them agree with the proposed amendments.”

One gun owner told Mendicino that if you trust us, then you wouldnt be doing a handgun freeze. You wouldnt be taking away my firearms is what you wouldnt be doing. It is very simple. That illegal guy is the problem. Not the legal guy.” Another attendee, an indigenous hunter and trapper who lives in a remote area 110 miles away from the closest city, concurred. We have to have these firearms” because a conservation officer or the RCMP isnt available, and [t]aking guns out of legal gun ownershands cant be about solving gun crime.” A third, a hunter and sports shooter, added the irresponsibility” of criminals and the lack of mental health care shouldnt affect me and my childrens ability to enjoy the sport.”

Attendees also spoke about the consequences for responsible owners like them should the gun ban be enacted—the lack of compensation for firearms worth thousands of dollars, and the inability to pass guns, and the enjoyment of hunting and shooting sports, on to the younger generation. In one stroke, were destroying the ability of our young folk to get into a sport that has defined Canadian tradition.”

Bill Klassen offered some important insight based on his experiences as a former senior government official and RCMP officer. After informing Mendicino that he couldnt see how the ban was going to make Canada safer, he said, Ive obeyed the law. Ive enforced the laws as a former deputy minister at the Yukon government. And I recognize a bad law when I see it… And so Im saying that I will purposely indulge in civil disobedience. I will not surrender my Parker shotgun, my Weatherby rifle or my Ruger.”

And in case Mendicino had missed the message, the day after the meeting Yukon Premier Ranj Pillai issued a statement on Bill C-21 that echoed the issues residents raised. Many Yukoners are very concerned about the proposed amendments to Bill C-21 and the impacts they would have on law-abiding firearms owners in the territory. As a lawful gun owner, avid hunter and member of a family who has worked a trapline on the land for generations, I have a deep appreciation for the concerns.” The statement notes that Minister Mendicino has committed to engaging and making appropriate changes to Bill C-21 after hearing from Yukoners and others living in more rural and remote parts of Canada,” and the premier strongly urge[d] the federal government to listen to Yukoners and make changes to the amendments to Bill C-21.”

None of the issues raised on January 19 are new or unexpected. Canadas gun owners and gun rights groups have made identical arguments for years in response to Trudeaus misguided gun control agenda, but it seems that now, perhaps, government officials are starting to pay attention.

On February 3, Liberal MP Taleeb Noormohamed announced the government was withdrawing Amendment G-46, a 300-page document listing thousands of rifle and shotgun models to be confiscated, and Amendment G-4, classifying semiautomatic long guns designed to accept a detachable magazine holding over five rounds and using centerfire ammunition as prohibited” firearms. The rationale, he said, was that we have to get this over the finish line…in a way that also respects hunters, farmers and indigenous communities.”

The move, however, leaves Bill C-21 otherwise intact, and as professor Gary Mauser of Simon Fraser University points out, the bill still bans over a million legally-owned handguns. It also doesnt prevent the government from reintroducing similar legislation. Indeed, in remarks shortly after Trudeaus humiliating climbdown” was announced, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre warned that the withdrawal was a temporary pause” in Trudeaus gun control agenda. Trudeau desperately wanted to ban hunting rifles …He was asked specifically if that was his goal, and he said yes. It wasnt just incompetence, as we would normally expect from him, it was his own words... He would ban all civilian firearms ownership in Canada. Thats his agenda and hes made it clear.”

The Liberal walk-back of part of the bill, though, may be the latest sign that Trudeaus gun control agenda is foundering. The success of his ban of so-called assault weapons” imposed in 2020, with mandatory confiscation of the prohibited guns, is already doubtful. The original amnesty period has had to be extended, and several provinces have since signaled their unequivocal refusal to be involved in the confiscation and enforcement aspects in any way. Implementation is unlikely to be enhanced now that responsible Canadians make known their intention to follow the example of the provinces.

TRENDING NOW
Kamala for Gun Confiscation: In Her Own Words

News  

Monday, September 16, 2024

Kamala for Gun Confiscation: In Her Own Words

During the September 10 presidential debate, President Donald Trump correctly highlighted Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris’s support for gun confiscation. A visibly defensive Harris claimed, “We're not taking anybody's guns away. So stop with the ...

Kamala Harris is an Existential Threat to the Second Amendment and Supports Gun Confiscation

News  

Monday, July 29, 2024

Kamala Harris is an Existential Threat to the Second Amendment and Supports Gun Confiscation

Since President Joe Biden unceremoniously dropped out, or was forced out, of the 2024 presidential race on July 21, Vice President Kamala Harris has been effectively coronated as the Democratic presidential nominee.

Florida: Vote "YES" on Amendment 2 - Protect the Right to Fish & Hunt

Monday, October 21, 2024

Florida: Vote "YES" on Amendment 2 - Protect the Right to Fish & Hunt

The upcoming 2024 General Election puts forth a proposal to Florida voters on the ballot to amend the State Constitution to affirm and protect Floridians' Right to Fish and Hunt. Amendment 2 states:

Kamala Harris’s 2020 Running Mate Calls Trump Supporters “Garbage”

News  

Monday, November 4, 2024

Kamala Harris’s 2020 Running Mate Calls Trump Supporters “Garbage”

America hasn’t heard much from Joe Biden recently. You remember … Joe Biden?

NRA Files Official Protest to Bears Ears Shooting Closure

News  

Monday, November 4, 2024

NRA Files Official Protest to Bears Ears Shooting Closure

On Friday, NRA-ILA and other sportsmen’s groups filed a formal protest against the Biden-Harris administration’s plan to close recreational shooting access to 1.3 million acres in the Bears Ears National Monument in Utah.

Kamala Harris is an Existential Threat to the Second Amendment and Supports Gun Confiscation

News  

Monday, July 29, 2024

Kamala Harris is an Existential Threat to the Second Amendment and Supports Gun Confiscation

Since President Joe Biden unceremoniously dropped out, or was forced out, of the 2024 presidential race on July 21, Vice President Kamala Harris has been effectively coronated as the Democratic presidential nominee.

Kamala’s Big Problem: She’s Already Shown Us Who She Is

News  

Monday, October 28, 2024

Kamala’s Big Problem: She’s Already Shown Us Who She Is

At a town hall event on October 21 in Royal Oak, Michigan, Democrat presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris was asked how she would make “impactful and immediate progress around gun violence” if she was ...

The Choice is Clear: OPPOSE Kamala Harris and Her Extreme Anti-Gun Record

News  

Monday, November 4, 2024

The Choice is Clear: OPPOSE Kamala Harris and Her Extreme Anti-Gun Record

Kamala Harris has made it an easy choice for gun owners on November 5.

Kamala Harris’ Record on Gun Control and Second Amendment

News  

Thursday, October 3, 2024

Kamala Harris’ Record on Gun Control and Second Amendment

Vice President Kamala Harris has consistently campaigned for draconian gun control laws, which severely limit the rights of lawful gun owners.

NRA’s Political Victory Fund Endorses President Donald J. Trump

News  

Saturday, May 18, 2024

NRA’s Political Victory Fund Endorses President Donald J. Trump

Today, the National Rifle Association's Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) is honored to announce its full endorsement of President Donald J. Trump for re-election to a second term as President of the United States of America. ...

MORE TRENDING +
LESS TRENDING -

More Like This From Around The NRA

NRA ILA

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.