Trudeau Announces Ban on Assault-Style rifles

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced a ban on 1500 models and variants of assault-style firearms.  The ban was a promise made by the federal Liberals during the 2019 election campaign. The announcement was made May 1, 2020

“Assault-style firearms are designed for military use have no place in Canada,” Trudeau said.  There’s going to be a two-year transition period until April 30, 2022 to protect owners of prohibited firearms from liability while they comply.  Exceptions to the new rule are: Indigenous people exercising treaty rights, and those who provide for their family as hunters/ trappers.

“Today’s  initiative is the first step in a broader firearms strategy that will address illegal activities, violence, and self-harm,” Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said.  The government is planning to work with opposition parties to pass legislation.  The changes were passed as “orders-in-council,” and did not require parliamentary approval.

Scheer Attacks Trudeau for Ban’s Timing

Conservative Party Leader Andrew Scheer went after Trudeau for not waiting until after the COVID-19 pandemic.  “Justin Trudeau is using the current pandemic and the immediate emotion of the horrific attack in Nova Scotia to push the Liberals’ ideological agenda and make major firearms policy changes,” he said in a statement.  Trudeau, and his ministers repeatedly referenced the mass shooting in Nova Scotia that took the lives of 22 people