The Handgun Freeze
The Federal Government has tabled a bill that would put a “freeze” on the transfer, import or sale of legal handguns by individuals and the Chief Firearms Offices of each Province. Essentially leaving current owners as the last legal handgun owners, crippling the shooting sports and a fair number of small businesses.
End of shooting sports in Canada?
The ultimate outcome of a “freeze” is the death of most competition shooting. Handgun sports like IPSC, IDPA, Cowboy Action, and many other styles will die. Only Olympic level athletes (and armed security) have an exception made for them to import, export, or purchase handgun. But how does one becomes an Olympian without practicing is a great question… Even better: how does any of this reduce crime caused by smuggled illegal firearms?
What are the Major Changes?
Domestic Violence - A new provision is added which makes certain individuals ineligible to acquire a Firearms License (PAL) or have it revoked. Anyone with a restraining order against them, or a domestic violence charge will become ineligible to own or acquire firearms in general.
Magazine Sizes – Another provision tabled seeks to limit all magazine sizes (to 5 rounds) regardless of the calibre, action type, or any other measure. The magazines must be permanently altered so they can never hold more than the legal limit. This would impact a lot of people, hunters and target shooters alike. Anyone with a .22 calibre, lever, or pump and even some bolt actions could see their firearms become prohibited due to the proposed changed.
Red/Yellow Flags - “New” measures to remove firearms from situations of potential violence and misuse, mimic the already existing power that law enforcement has to remove firearms but added the ability to limit third parties from providing firearms to these flagged individuals.
“Replica” Firearms - This provision seeks to ban the import, export, and sale of all unregulated airguns that look like firearms. This specifically targets any airgun that looks like a modern firearm.
Municipalities able to ban handguns - This provision aims to let municipalities decide if they’d like to ban handguns locally. Some Provincial Governments are already blocking this move by telling municipalities they can’t.
Actually combatting gun crime - The bill does aim at deterring the actual cause of gun crime: smuggling and trafficking. It increases penalties for trafficking firearms to 14 years and require anyone bringing ammunition across the border to have a valid PAL.
The Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) has also been given more latitude in cracking down on activity at the border and transferring authority over from the Immigration ministry, giving CBSA more power and autonomy with little to no oversight.
Much more is covered in the Bill. Read the full text being tabled here: https://www.parl.ca/LegisInfo/en/bill/44-1/c-21
