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EDITORIAL: Liberal gun control measures off target

In this file photo taken on Aug. 10, 2022, York Regional Police show off guns and drugs seized during Project Monarch, which was a joint police operation that targeted an alleged cross-border gun and drug smuggling ring.
In this file photo taken on Aug. 10, 2022, York Regional Police show off guns and drugs seized during Project Monarch, which was a joint police operation that targeted an alleged cross-border gun and drug smuggling ring. Photo by Jack Boland /Postmedia Network

Why is a Trudeau government bill that started out with the intention of freezing legal handgun sales in Canada now being expanded to ban many rifles and shotguns used by law-abiding farmers and hunters?

Once again, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Liberals are focusing on the wrong target.

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That should be the sale of illegal handguns smuggled into Canada from the United States; guns that end up in the hands of criminal gangs in our largest cities and account for 85% of all handguns used for criminal purposes.

The Trudeau government says it’s earmarked more than $300 million to combat gun smuggling and improve gun tracing, in addition to increasing the maximum penalty for smuggling and trafficking in guns to 14 years from 10.

But, to suggest criminals undeterred by a maximum 10-year sentence for smuggling guns will be deterred by a 14-year maximum sentence is absurd.

  1. Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price poses with a hunting rifle in an image posted to Instagram on Dec. 3, 2022.

    LILLEY: Carey Price may have made an unexpected save on Trudeau gun grab

  2. Toronto cops seized 62 guns during an eight-month probe. There were no hunting rifles in the mix. TORONTO POLICE SERVICE

    HUNTER: Toronto's top cop begs for tougher bail after massive gun bust

Meanwhile, this government is eliminating mandatory minimum sentences on a wide range of gun crimes including: Using a firearm or imitation firearm in the commission of an offence; knowingly possessing an unauthorized firearm; possession of a prohibited or restricted firearm with ammunition; possession of a weapon obtained by commission of an offence; discharging a firearm with intent; discharging a firearm — recklessness; robbery with a firearm; and extortion with a firearm.

The latest controversy about the Trudeau government’s intent to ban many models of rifles and shotguns used by hunters and farmers comes as the result of a last-minute add-on to the part of their gun-control legislation the Liberals say will ban 1,500 assault-style firearms.

The Liberals know this won’t be effective in reducing gun crime.

As noted in a 2018 discussion paper by Public Safety Canada on the issue of gun control:

“The vast majority of owners of handguns and of other firearms in Canada lawfully abide by requirements, and most gun crimes are not committed with legally-owned firearms … Any ban of handguns or assault weapons would primarily affect legal firearms owners …”

When will the Trudeau government stop pretending the serious issue of gun violence can be addressed by focusing on legal gun owners instead of criminals who use illegal guns?