New firearm legislation to be introduced this fall
Posted Jul 27, 2014 05:52:23 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Harper Government will introduce legislation this fall that will ease restrictions on transporting firearms, while also merging the possession and acquisition licences.
In addition, under the proposed Common Sense Firearms Licensing Act, gun owners who allow their firearms permit to lapse will be given a grace period to renew them. (In the current law, an expired gun license is subject to a five year prison term).
The proposal will also make firearms safety courses mandatory for first-time gun owners.
The changes were announced this week by Federal Public Safety Minister, Steven Blaney, while on a shooting range in Northern Ontario.
Ceo of the Canadian Firearms Institute, Jim Newman, says the old act lacks common sense, because gun owners must obtain two separate licence’s to own a gun and that’s inconvenient and often long process of renewal.
Newman, also mentioned that new gun laws will make the process easier for firearm owners, who he says can be trusted with guns, but that the laws will also strengthen prohibitions of those convicted of domestic violence.
“Fire arms owners are trustworthy individuals, they’ve been vetted by the RCMP, so they have far more security level than the average Canadian. And, statistics prove over and over again that crimes aren’t committed with legally owned fire arms.”
