Banning guns ‘will not stop criminal acts,’ says Sask. government

OTTAWA — The Liberal government has outlawed another 179 firearm varieties, adding to the list of prohibited guns it considers too dangerous for use by hunters or sport shooters.

The government says all current and future variants of the newly listed firearms are prohibited, whether or not they are named in regulations.

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Saskatchewan Corrections, Policing, and Public Safety Minister Tim McLeod said in a news release on Friday that banning firearms will not help address crime.

“Further expansion of the firearms ban will not reduce criminal activity and will only increase the budget for a federal buyback program that has already cost taxpayers $75 million,” McLeod said.

“Continuing to target lawful firearms owners will not stop criminal acts involving firearms. Rather, we need to focus on addressing gang activity, the illegal use of firearms, and the smuggling of firearms into Canada.”

Saskatchewan Firearms Office (SFO) Commissioner Robert Freberg said in the release the province is taking steps to reduce those crime rates in a way that doesn’t affect legal gun owners.

“The SFO, through our Saskatchewan Ballistics Lab and firearms safety education programs, are supporting law enforcement and promoting responsible firearms ownership to minimize their illegal or unauthorized use,” he said.

“This announcement will only criminalize more lawful firearms owners, impact the heritage of responsible firearms ownership, and create more financial concerns for businesses and individuals already absorbing losses for firearms they cannot sell or use as a result of these ongoing, arbitrary bans.

“These funds would be better spent supporting initiatives that encourage safe firearms use and target illegal activities involving firearms and smuggling across Canada.”

The SFO is responsible for promoting the safe use and storage of firearms, ensuring proper licensing of all firearms owners, and addressing firearms-related crime.

The SFO is also responsible for licensing federal seizure agents who will be tasked with collecting and transporting firearms, ammunition, and accessories seized by the federal government through their proposed buyback program.

To date, no one from the federal government has applied to be a seizure agent in Saskatchewan.

Since May 2020, the federal government has outlawed approximately 2,500 types of guns it calls assault-style firearms.

It says a federal buyback program will provide current owners fair compensation for their outlawed firearms.

The program is already available to businesses and the government plans to expand it to individual owners this spring.

The government also announced a review of firearms classification that will look at modernizing the legal framework for prohibited guns to close gaps in the law.

— with files from Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press

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