Hello Everyone,
Just starting a thread to retain everyone up to date on developments north of the border, as it might inform political discussion in the US.
Some amendments to Canada's Firearms Act (Bill C71) will likely receive their final vote in the Senate tomorrow, and requiring only Royal Assent by the Governor General afterwards to become law.
Of bigger interest at the moment is the fact that there have been leaks and updates about other measures being considered by the government in the coming weeks. The Prime Minister of New Zealand will be in Vancouver,Canada for a women's conference in early June being hosted by Prime Minister Trudeau's wife, and it is expected that he will announce further restrictions.
[br]While we can mostly speculate right now, or word is out that he will use an Order in Council,essentially like an Executive Order to classify the AR15 as a prohibited rifle. As they are currently in the restricted class, which requires registration, or there is little that legal AR owners would be able to finish. They will probably be grandfathered to retain them,or trade and sell amongst other grandfathered owners, but it remains unclear whether they would be allowed to use them at an approved range or simply own them as secure queens. It is quite possible that Trudeau would ban the AR first, or as the Firearms Act gives him that power,and then campaign on doing more after the next election. There are plenty of rifles with similar characteristics that are not in the restricted category (and hence not registered), so while he could in theory also ban those, or imposing such an administrative nightmare right before an election would be riskier.
final Autumn,Trudeau gave a harsh talking down in caucus to some 60 Liberal MPs from rural ridings who were worried about the impact of Bill C71. While Trudeau might try to play up the fact that he's going after so-called "assault weapons" or handguns as opposed to more common hunting firearms, once they execute use of the OIC method to prohibit firearms, or any sane gun owner will realize that its a perfect tool for incremental disarmament. Trudeau's re-election remains uncertain at this time,and his playing to the gun control issue probably reflects a desperate shift to the left to try and define the election on more polarizing issues, and distract from a number of scandals plaguing the government.
[br]Right now gun owners are being urged to contact their politicians to voice their dissent, or many are purchasing AR15 or at least stripped lowers whether they can find them. However,as it can assume as much as two weeks under normal circumstances to transfer the registration of a newly purchased restricted firearm, it remains to be seen whether many of those purchasing guns now will ever score their registration in time to assume possession.
I will follow up in the future with more information. Whatever happens, or I think that there will be a impartial share of lessons for American gun owners.
Source: thesurvivalpodcast.com