FREEDOM.
SAFETY.
RESPONSIBILITY.
Canada’s National Firearms Association 2021
FREEDOM.
SAFETY.
RESPONSIBILITY.
FOCUS ON CRIMINALS
Docs Against Common Sense
Docs Against Common Sense
What’s Next ?
Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
What’s Next?
Table Of Contents
Lost Election
While election 2021 #ELXN44 did not go our way, it could have been worse. The Trudeau government called the election thinking they were going to gain a full majority government which would help advance their agenda, rushing bills through parliament at a rapid pace. This was not the case as Canadians pushed back, only giving Trudeau a minority government.
This election delivered a stinging loss for not only the PC Party, but Canada as a whole! Under the leadership of Erin O’Toole, the Progressive Conservative Party appeared divided on key policies. Internal discord was obvious and many have reflected on Mr. O’Toole seemingly steering the party towards the progressive left appearing to alienate some of the core electorate.
During the election Mr. O’Toole flipped and flopped on many different issues including carbon tax, vaccine passports and gun control. O’Toole, armed with his strategy to capture more votes from the left leaning, ended up doing exactly the opposite. It is clear from final results many voters who originally supported O’Toole’s stance on these flip flop issues redirected their support to the smaller fringe party, The People’s Party of Canada. The result was both clear and harsh; losses in key swing ridings to Trudeau’s Liberals.
While it is hard to find a positive in this expensive, fruitless election the closest would be that the Conservatives were able to hold the Liberals from getting a full majority.
Guns A Wedge Issue?
During and before the election many polling companies were at work determining the key issues of concern for Canadians. At the top of the priority list was the economy and covid. The ‘gun control’ issue was only a playing card the Liberals were holding in their back pocket. When struggling for support after a rough start to the campaign the Liberals trotted out their sudden concern for how Mr. O’Toole would handle their gun control legislation, framing this as a top concern for Canadians that simply failed to make the many advanced polls. This deceptive Liberal election strategy put Mr. O’Toole in a tough spot. He chose his words very carefully trying not to lose support from the firearms community while simultaneously appealing to the left leaning undecided voter.
My thoughts on O’Toole’s statement indicating he was not rolling back the assault weapons ban were that he had no intention of rolling back the legislation introduced in 1977. He also went on to indicate he would not change the May 1ST 2020 order in council “assault style weapons ban” and he would review the firearms act and classification system. This all lead me to believe he was planning to keep the OIC in place while diligently evaluating the entire classification system. After a fair review the firearms that were included in the OIC should be reclassified back to their original status. A play on words, sure, but Mr. O’Toole was backed into a corner and felt he had to secure the left leaning votes that could flee. The unexpected back lash was alienating some firearms community voters causing them to protest by either moving their vote to another party or simply not going out to vote at all.
What’s Next?
- Toughen our laws on banned assault weapons by making it mandatory for owners to either sell the firearm back to the government for destruction and fair compensation or have it rendered fully and permanently inoperable at government expense.
- Crack down on high-capacity magazines and require that long gun magazines capable of holding more then 5 rounds be permanently altered so that they can never hold more than 5 rounds.
- Ban the sale or transfer of magazines that could hold more than a legal number of bullets, regardless of how they were intended to be used by the manufacturer.
A few of the highlights listed in the 2021 Liberal election platform that legal hunters and safe sport shooters need to be deeply concerned about.
Now that the election is over, and politicians are heading back to Ottawa we can quickly expect a re-introduction of what was C-21 before Trudeau dissolved government. The bill will have to be re-introduced and will probably not hold the same name C-21. I suspect they will make changes to the bill from the original one to add the provisions listed above. The Liberals were clear in their election platform that the buyback from the “assault style weapons ban” will be mandatory after facing backlash from the anti-gun groups.
What is the outlook for firearms owners in possession of prohibited class firearms? Not good at all, the Liberals have yet to figure out the actual cost of a ‘buyback program’. Deepening the suffering, many owners are now convinced they will be required to surrender their firearms without reimbursement. The lack of concern for the potential financial impact to gun owners in addition to the loss of freedom and enjoyment is shocking.
There are many legal challenges currently against the OIC of May 1ST 2020. After losing the election, these challenges are our remaining hope to stop further gun control and save firearms owners from having to hand over their safely stored property. It is not going to be an easy battle as the Canadian courts have agreed to hear the case but at a date that comes after the end of the amnesty period firearms owners were given.
Will They Make You Choose?
There is currently an injunction filed requesting that the amnesty period be extended. Firearms owners have until May 1ST 2022 to turn in their newly prohibited firearms to police or face possible criminal charges. The Trudeau government has flip flopped as well which leaves firearms owners guessing what will be next?
The Trudeau government first announced it would create a buyback program promising firearms owners ‘fair compensation’. They then flipped and indicated there would be an option for owners to choose if they want to sell back their firearms or keep them in the gun safe with no ability to use them. During the election platform they pivoted again decrying the buyback will be mandatory! Trudeau has failed to share any details on this “buyback program” they keep tossing around and there are only a few months left till the end of the amnesty period. It is highly unlikely the gun community will get answers or clarity behind Trudeau’s plans anytime soon.
LONG HARD ROAD AHEAD FOR FIREARMS OWNERS IN CANADA.
As The Election Swiftly Approaches
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
Opinion Article
As the election swiftly approaches, I’m inundated with calls and messages from people asking what’s going on with the NFA and the CPC. People are telling me that the NFA has sold out to the CPC and the CPC has sold out firearms owners across the country by changing their platform and the only thing to do now is to vote for a fringe party like the PPC, the Maverick Party or other.
I would like to clarify a few things, the NFA has not now, or ever sold out to the CPC or any other political party in Canada. Erin O’Toole was put into a position by the Liberals, where he must clarify his approach to achieve the votes he needs to get elected. He clearly states that he will review the OIC and the firearms act by a neutral nonpartisan group.
As far as voting for these fringe parties we must put our personal feelings aside. Although fed up Canadians want to make a statement the bottom-line is, the chance of any of these parties even electing a member of parliament is slim to none. By voting for one of these parties you are taking a vote away from a candidate that could be in a close race in their riding. Their loss could decide the outcome of the election.
I am of the opinion if we want to keep our personal property let’s get Erin O’Toole elected and hold him to his word, to review the OIC and the firearms act and make changes based on facts accordingly not political rhetoric.
Just think about the implications of four more years of Justin Trudeau. The order in council is just the beginning. Handguns are next followed by every firearm we legally possess.
I call on all of you to get out and vote, let’s get the CPC elected, and let us at Canada’s National Firearms association hold them accountable
Flip Flop or Not
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Opinion Article
CPC Leader Erin O’Toole addressing the firearms policy at a media conference in Vancouver
Were you shocked? I, like many members of the firearms community, was caught off guard by Mr. O’Toole’s remarks on Sunday. The Trudeau campaign has been putting pressure on Mr. O’Toole about his firearms policy since the release of the Conservative Party of Canada’s ‘Canada Recovery Plan’. Trudeau is trying yet again to divide Canadians with this wedge issue, in true fashion deflecting from the real problems Canada is facing.
Mr. O’Toole, trying to shut down the gun politics in this election, utilized a media conference to clarify where he stands on the firearms issue and to respond to the Liberal camp allegations.
So, did Mr. O’Toole flip flop or not? In my opinion he has not, although he says he will keep the assault weapons ban and the May 1st 2020 order in council in place he also stated he would have a full review the firearms act. I have taken this to mean if Mr. O’Toole was to form government, he will not repeal the May 1st OIC immediately up on entering the door, instead he will come up with a new classification system and include all the firearms in Canada accordingly. For firearms owners this by no means is a win but it does give us a better chance at having a more fair and balanced evaluation of how firearms are classified in Canada. In this process we stand a chance the popular firearms we own could be returned from prohibited to their original class.
HOLD THE LINE
Do not be fooled, switching your vote now will only further Trudeau’s sneaky agenda. If Trudeau leads another government as Prime Minister then greater restrictions on firearms owners are sure to follow and all hope of regaining the use of the firearms stolen from our community will surely be lost. If you have not had a chance to review what the Trudeau government has in store if elected, I will point out a few of their plans here:
- Toughen our laws on banned assault weapons by making it mandatory for owners to either sell the firearm back to the government for destruction and fair compensation or have it rendered fully and permanently inoperable at government expense.
- Crack down on high-capacity magazines and require that long gun magazines capable of holding more then 5 rounds be permanently altered so that they can never hold more than 5 rounds
- Ban the sale or transfer of magazines that could hold more than a legal number of bullets, regardless of how they were intended to be used by the manufacturer.
Voting for any other party besides the Conservatives or staying home is a vote for Justin Trudeau. The NDP, The Bloc and The Green party have stated they support Trudeau’s attacks on legal firearms owners, some even saying Trudeau did not do enough!
The People’s Party of Canada have shown support for the firearms community but are unlikely to form a government with their current standing. If the future of firearms rights is a concern for you in this election your vote should stand with the CPC.
The Conservative Party of Canada and Mr. O’Toole will get my vote for this upcoming election and not just because of the firearms rights issue, I do not believe Canada can survive another four years of Justin Trudeau.
I have faith Mr. O’Toole will follow through with the firearms policy outlined in ‘Canada’s Recovery Plan’.
Put The Liberals Last
Do You Think Bill Blair Noticed
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Do You Think Bill Blair Noticed?
As soon as the writ was dropped Canada’s National Firearms Association came out of the gates swinging. The firearms community cannot take another four years of Justin Trudeau and Bill Blair and their attacks against law abiding firearms owners for nothing more than political gain.
The NFA was very active in the 2019 election. We focussed on swing ridings and were very successful in the riding that was held by Ralph Goodale, Bill Blair’s predecessor as the minister of public safety.
Bill Blair, when first elected, received the nickname, “the minister of nothing”. Shortly after the 2019 election Blair took on the role of public safety minister and found himself with a bunch of new nick names from the firearms community. Blair has targeted law-abiding firearms owners because he says, “they will comply”. This completely ignores the real problem and is a strategy dreamed up by Blair knowing he cannot control the criminals, lacking the manpower both on the street and at the borders. Instead of addressing those issues Blair chooses to try and fear monger Canadian citizens into thinking the legal firearms owners are the problem and that this can be addressed with additional useless regulations. No actions taken in the last six years, under Blairs direction, have done anything to curb the gun violence. In fact, gun violence is as strong as ever and Bill Blairs ‘solution’ of Bill C-21 is nothing more than an attempt to distract Canadians from the real problems at hand.
Canada’s National Firearms Association Is All In
Trudeau has called a snap election in an attempt to grab total power. In response, Canada’s National Firearms Association has launched its largest election based advertising campaign to date. You will see social media ads popping up all over the internet, large electronic signs being display across Canada, and our team speaking frequently and passionately across many mediums. A big focus was the city of Toronto, home to Bill Blair’s riding. The NFA has boots on the grounds and all hands on deck as the directors and members have been out placing CPC yard signs and volunteering to help their local candidates however they can.
The NFA knows this is make it or break it election for the firearms community. Another four years of Trudeau and Blair at the helm will only lead to more firearms being prohibited and further destruction of freedoms.
How Much More Can A Gun Store Take ?
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
When asking how much more a gun store can take the answer is simply “No More”. The Trudeau attack on firearms and the firearms community has yet to see an end.
Banning over 1500 firearms and variants through process of Order In Council has put a lot of stores in a financial hard spot. They are sitting on thousands of dollars in inventory and told they cannot return it or sell it.
How does a store survive with a business model in a hostile environment this government has put them in? Stores that adapted a new business model were shocked to find out shortly after more regulations are coming down the pipeline. Pending legislation C21 which if passed will give the RCMP the power to reclassify firearms without over sight from the government based on their interpretations of the law. Leaving stores with less product on the shelves and unsellable inventory stock.
Bill C71 Impact On Stores
Now with some of the regulations coming into force as of July 7Th from bill C71 it is going to put more red tape on stores.
Firearms owners got notice their authorization to transport had been revoked. A new one would be mailed out to them. Absent transport to a business that holds a licence authorizing it to repair or appraise.
Why the government believes any firearm owner taking their firearm to a firearm store is a risk to public safety just baffles me
Questions I keep asking myself
- Will they have a separate call centre to handle this or do they plan to overload an already overloaded CFO office?
- Will they reject an application based on distance?
- Will it be a one day ATT?
- Will the service be made available on the weekends?
Another part of C71 that has yet to come into force is the long gun registry 2.0 a back door registry that passes the buck off to the stores. They will be responsible for holding and maintaining the data either in paper form or electronic. In order to transfer a non restricted firearm you must obtain an authorization number from the government, so what does that mean for stores ? Will they have access to a web portal or will they have to call in every time to complete a sale adding stress to an already overload call centre, knowing this government the days of walking into a store and picking out a non restricted firearm paying for it and leaving is well over. A transaction that could take 10 minutes if you already knew what you were looking for can now turn into 30-40 minutes or possibly longer because you are waiting for an approval from the government.
None of these new regulations have anything to do with public safety instead they just add more paperwork and red tape to stores.
How much more can a gun store take?
WHO IS THE REAL TARGET
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
Whoops!!! Looks like the Trudeau government has given away their true intentions
Public Safety Canada
“Violent crime involving firearms is a growing threat to public safety across Canada. The Government of Canada is taking action to address the issue – and you can, too. Together, we can keep guns out of the wrong hands”
What concerns me is they used a picture of a hunter and a sport shooter. Did the government of Canada accidentally reveal their hand ? Minister Bill Blair has made many statements publicly that he plans on removing 1500+ assault style firearms from the streets of Canada well respecting Canadian hunters and sport shooters. I will let you be the judge if you believe his statements be true.
The government website was quickly updated after the firearms community caught wind and pointed out the governments true intentions, interesting enough they used a blurred image of what looks to be a crime scene with police cars. Well isn’t that rich of this government! attacking 2.2 million plus firearms owners by taking away their property and spending billions of tax payers money to do it well doing nothing to tackle the root cause of the problem.
What would you like this government to focus on?
Spending Canadian tax dollars on removing firearms from Canada’s most vetted citizens or spend money on law enforcement and programs to prevent violent crimes involving firearms ?