Canadian Airgun Forum



COMMENTARY
 
Blacklock's Reporter Story December 2023
Vote Defers More Gun Regs


Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc yesterday deferred more gun regulations until after the next election. LeBlanc earlier postponed a federal buyback of prohibited firearms he said would criminalize his rural New Brunswick constituents.


LeBlanc’s department in a legal notice deferred enforcement of Firearms Marking Regulations until December 1, 2025. The regulations first drafted in 2004 were to take effect this month.


“The proposed deferral of two years is based in part on industry recommendation and the department’s assessment regarding time required to engage on the requirements and for industry to prepare,” the department wrote in a Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement.


“A deferral of the coming-into-force date by two years benefits industry by providing additional time to engage on the requirements as well as to prepare business processes, manage existing supply and ensure regulatory compliance,” said Analysis.


The regulations would require that all firearms manufactured and sold in Canada carry standard serial numbers. Factories have traditionally stamped their own firearms with unique identification marks incompatible with others.


“Currently there is no legislative or regulatory requirement to mark firearms in Canada although most manufacturers imprint a serial number and other information identifying the make, model, manufacturer and country of manufacture as a common business practice,” said Analysis. “The marking of firearms is a critical element in the process of tracing crime guns and combating illicit activity including the trafficking of firearms.”


Minister LeBlanc earlier deferred a $756 million mandatory buyback of “assault-style” firearms blacklisted by cabinet. An amnesty for owners was to have expired October 30. LeBlanc extended the amnesty to October 30, 2025 after the next general election. “We specifically extended the gun amnesty so as not to criminalize people,” LeBlanc told the Senate national security committee October 23.


“We have been explicit and careful to ensure that these measures do not target those people and in fact allow them to practice their sport and other recreational activities that hunters in my community of rural New Brunswick participate in,” said LeBlanc.


“Every time governments or Parliament legislate in this area there is a very quick reaction from hunting groups and sports shooters, many of whom are in my constituency in rural New Brunswick,” said LeBlanc. “People I know go hunting,” he added.


The Minister insisted cabinet would not abandon the buyback program that has cost $8.9 million on consultants’ contracts to date. “It’s a commitment we made during the last election and we fully intend to set up such a program,” said LeBlanc. “I don’t want to get ahead of myself.”



By Staff

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Best Wishes
Daryl