On March 7, the Liberal government announced the prohibition of an additional 179 firearm models, adding to an already extensive list of banned guns in Canada. The government claims these firearms are too dangerous for use, even by licensed hunters and sport shooters.
Wes Winkle, President of the Canadian Sporting Arms and Ammunition Association (CSAAA), has responded, calling the move “virtue signalling at its best.” According to Winkle, many of the newly banned firearms are collectible models, some nearly a century old, that have no connection to crime or public safety risks. “This is not a public safety initiative; this is a last-ditch effort to gain votes in urban centers by preying on misinformation,” he stated.
The announcement comes despite the fact that firearms banned in 2020 remain uncollected, locked in safes by legal owners, with no functional system in place to process the government’s firearm buyback program. Winkle criticized the feasibility of the initiative, noting that Canada’s police vaults are not designed for such a large-scale confiscation effort. “There is no way to collect and destroy these firearms across such a vast and rural country. The entire plan has been unworkable from the start.”
Additionally, CSAAA questioned the government’s repeated use of the term “assault-style firearms,” arguing that it is misleading. “They can’t call them ‘assault weapons’ because they aren’t. They use ‘assault-style’ to create fear. These firearms are used by licensed hunters and sport shooters and are functionally identical to many firearms that remain legal. The bans are based on appearance, not function.”
Despite the government’s framing of the ban as a public safety measure, Wes Winkel highlighted that there has been no urgency in implementing it, reinforcing the notion that the move is political rather than practical. “If this were truly a public safety crisis, they would have acted immediately instead of dragging this out for years. Instead, they continue to bypass Parliament and democratic processes to push an agenda.”
Looking ahead, it is suggested that a change in government could lead to an amnesty extension, allowing banned firearms to remain in the possession of legal owners until policy can be changed. However, if the current government remains in power, he warned of the continued collapse of Canada’s firearms industry.
With Canada already having some of the most stringent firearm regulations, it’s emphasized that enforcement, not additional bans, is the key to reducing crime. “Legal gun owners undergo extensive training, background checks, and daily monitoring by law enforcement. Criminals do not. The problem isn’t legal gun owners, it’s illegal firearms smuggled in or manufactured unlawfully. Our resources should be directed at real crime prevention.”
The debate over firearms in Canada remains highly contentious, with significant industry and community backlash against the government’s approach. As the situation develops, the CSAAA and other advocates will continue to challenge these measures and push for policies based on evidence rather than political optics.
