OToole promises to repeal Liberal firearms changes while keeping ban on assault weapons

Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole unveiled his crime strategy today â€" a plan that calls for tougher criminal sanctions on gun-toting gang members in order to curb a troubling spike in urban violence.

But he also doubled down on a promise he made last night in the first French-language leaders' debate, when he vowed that a government led by him would "maintain the ban on assault weapons." The Liberal government implemented a ban on "assault-style" weapons last year.

"We will maintain the ban on assault weapons and we will develop a transparent process when it comes to training and licensing for guns, because we need to target street guns and smuggling. We've seen an increase in violent crimes because of that," O'Toole told reporters at a campaign stop in Montreal.

O'Toole's commitment to maintain the ban on "assault weapons" refers to a 1977 legislative change that classified fully automatic weapons as "prohibited" firearms â€" but he would still do away with the Liberal prohibition on "assault-style" firearms like the AR-15 and the Ruger Mini-14 rifle, among other models blacklisted last year.

"We're going to go after the real risk here â€" criminal gangs and the illegal smuggling of firearms, something that's gotten worse under Mr. Trudeau. I will focus resources on what keeps communities safe and stop this process of dividing Canadians," O'Toole said.

During its last six years in government, the Liberal Party has shifted from a past strategy of policing long guns to banning "assault-style" weapons. A May 2020 cabinet order reclassified more than 100,000 firearms as "prohibited," forcing owners to give them up or face criminal sanctions.

The Conservative platform says a government led by O'Toole would "start by repealing C-71" and "the May 2020 Order in Council" and would conduct "a review of the Firearms Act with participation by law enforcement, firearms owners, manufacturers and members of the public."

That May 2020 order is the "assault-style" firearms ban that outlawed some 1,500 makes and models of what the government describes as "military-grade weapons."

Bill C-71 was a Liberal bill that overhauled the background check system, imposed new record-keeping requirements for retailers and placed further restrictions on transporting firearms.

"Our focus will be on keeping firearms out of the hands of criminals. This contrasts with the Liberals, who have refused to take action against gangs while harassing hunters and sport shooters," the Conservative platform reads.

"Canada's Conservatives will improve the regulation of legal firearms to ensure that it is evidence-based and focuses on protecting public safety."

Conservative opposition to the Liberal weapons ban has solidified support among firearms rights activists who claim these measures are nothing more than a symbolic sop for gun control advocates that will penalize lawful gun owners.

"As a CAF veteran, Erin O'Toole knows that no military in the world would send their troops into combat with a semi-auto, 5-round plinker, which is what Trudeau banned," said Tracey Wilson, a spokesperson for the Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights.

"Actual military assault rifles have been banned since 1977 and O'Toole has no intention of overturning that. The May 1 order in council is NOT an 'assault weapon' ban. Trudeau misled Canadians with scary terminology and O'Toole capitalized on that. Words matter, especially in elections."

Citing some recent homicides at his announcement today, O'Toole said that "senseless violence" has become "too commonplace in a country as free and safe as ours."

O'Toole said Trudeau has the wrong prescription for gun-related crime and accused the Liberal leader of targeting "farmers, hunters and law-abiding firearms owners" through regulatory changes rather than gang members with handguns.

O'Toole said a government led by him would amend the Criminal Code to make it easier for police and prosecutors to "go after gang networks and prevent the import of illegal guns." He is proposing a mandatory minimum sentence of two years for the unauthorized possession of a firearm if the person was subject to a prohibition order or was previously convicted of a firearms-related offence.

Like past Conservative leaders, O'Toole is also promising to boost resources for the Canadian Border Services Agency and the RCMP so they can "work closely with American authorities to target smuggling operations before illegal guns reach the border." He also said he wants to establish a "gang exit strategy," to give young gang recruits "a way out and a chance at a fresh start."

Share this post