'Groundswell of opposition': Firearms bill backtrack applauded by critics in Alberta, Ottawa
Alberta's justice minister is celebrating Friday's scrapped amendments to the federal firearms legislation, but Tyler Shandro believes more work needs to be done on Bill C-21.
The federal Liberal party withdrew a controversial amendment this week that introduced a new definition of an assault-style weapon.
That definition was drastically expanded to include semi-automatic rifles and shotguns with a capacity of more than five cartridges.
Shandro believes it would target the wrong people.
"It is becoming increasingly clear that further action will need to be taken to respond to the federal government’s hostility towards hunters, farmers, sport shooters and Indigenous Peoples," he said in a statement Friday.
The province is set to intervene in six ongoing lawsuits launched against the legislation.
They'll be heard in April.
"Minister of Public Safety Marco Mendicino released a statement on Twitter that made it clear the federal government’s decision to withdraw the amendments was merely a pause in their campaign," Shandro's statement said.
"Law-abiding firearms owners know that this is thinly worded code signalling Minister Mendicino’s intent to continue to pursue avenues to ban widely owned shotguns and rifles."
The Liberals say the bill will be amended once again after more consultation.
WIDESPREAD OPPOSITION
Bill C-21 was introduced last May.
It was originally an effort to enact a handgun sales ban and crack down on firearm smuggling.
But along the way, critics say its expanded scope has lessened the impact and instead targeted law-abiding Canadians.
The amendment with the new definition of an assault-style weapon was added to the bill at committee at the end of November, after the committee had finished debating the bill and hearing from witnesses.
NDP MP Alistair MacGregor said the amendment "derailed" all other progress on C-21.
"I've never seen such a groundswell of opposition come really from everywhere all at once," he said.
The recent amendments would have banned the weapons under the Criminal Code, which would have made the potential law more difficult for future governments to reverse.
"It is not our intention to impact those that are hunting and using firearms for hunting," government house leader Mark Holland said Friday.
"We acknowledge and regret that the consultations we undertook were not sufficient."
TARGETED
One Calgary business says the amendments still hurt its bottom line, despite not being passed.
"I would venture to guess 50 to 70 per cent of our inventory would have been prohibited," Shooting Edge general manager Steven Arena told CTV News.
"Every day, you do hear from customers who say, 'I would buy that if I wasn't afraid it would become prohibited.'
"Nobody has $3,000 to just waste on something that will make them a criminal in two months."
Arena called Friday's backtrack a small victory, but he still believes C-21 should be completely scrapped.
"The bill focuses strictly on legal gun ownership, and it will have zero impact on the safety of your community," he said.
"It won't make any difference, I guarantee it."
With files from the Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.