Canadian Liberals Celebrate New Gun Laws

By Ready to Fire News Last updated Jun 5, 2019

The mainstream media has been igniting a battle that is being felt throughout the world, not just in the most liberal corners of the US.

While you hear a lot about the various states throughout the US that are struggling against the recent restrictive gun laws, Canada’s conservatives are now reeling from a swath of new gun laws that seriously undermine an individual’s ability to keep and bear arms across our northern borders. The rules are being billed as “common sense” by liberal lawmakers, and conservatives are concerned that their rights are slowly trickling away.

Key provisions of the newly-proposed gun laws are being pitched as a way to limit gun smuggling and violence, but they are truly nuisance laws that are bothersome to retailers and gun buyers alike. Extensive waiting periods, invasive background checks and expanded record-keeping on behalf of the retailers are still awaiting final approval before they become law, but they’re expected to be confirmed soon.

As evidenced in America, it’s unlikely that these gun reforms will have an appreciable difference in the actual rates of gun violence, or just make it more frustrating for law-abiding gun owners and retailers.

While many of these gun laws were being pitched to lawmakers as a way to reduce gun smuggling from the US to Canada. However, lawmakers are finding that the guns that are used in crimes are more likely to be purchased illegally from within the country as opposed to being smuggled from the US.

Unfortunately, gun owners in Canada have been tempted by the high dollars that are available for illegal weapons. What is challenging is that Canadian gun retailers are getting their licenses purely for the purpose of re-selling weapons in a way that’s outside the law.

One of the key changes that was made was the authorization to transport (ATT) rules. This new legislation is the first time that gun rights have been reduced in the past 23 years following a long run of positive gun support in Canada.

The Canadian National Police require that individuals request and receive an Authorization to Transport guns before they are able to move them throughout the country. This must be requested from the Chief Firearms Officer of the Province. Non-restricted firearms are not limited in this way, but other weapons such as semi-automatic guns and shotguns with a barrel that has been shortened are impacted.

While Americans are protected by the Second Amendment of the Constitution, Canadians have no such promise. There are no guarantees that Canadians will be able to retain their rights to purchase guns or to carry them. Canadians must trust that the government will help maintain their rights surrounding guns.

~ Ready to Fire News