The Liberal government’s compensated confiscation campaign aimed at removing the vast majority of semi-automatic firearms from the hands of legal gun owners has officially begun, with a pilot program in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia launching on Wednesday.
The “buyback” effort is aimed at taking thousands of models of semi-automatic firearms away from their once-lawful owners, who risk criminal charges if they’re caught in possession of their firearms once the government’s amnesty period has expired.
Mark Voutier, a gun owner in Cape Breton, said he’s not happy with the idea, but he will take the federal government’s buyback offer and turn in his banned assault-style rifle.
However, he also said the program is not going to have any effect on gun crime and the government is wrong to call it voluntary.
“It’s not voluntary,” Voutier said last week. “It’s turn it in now for this offer or else.”
Voutier legally bought a .22-calibre semi-automatic rifle that holds a magazine with 21 bullets and is now on the federal government’s list of prohibited firearms.
He said after the program ends and there are no more buybacks, police will know who still has banned guns, so he may as well comply now and get something for it.
Besides, he said, anyone found with a banned firearm can lose the gun without compensation and lose their licence and ability to own a gun.
When Liberal Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree announced the pilot program in Ottawa last month, he claimed the compensated confiscation effort is “voluntary,” adding that “no one is having their weapon confiscated.”
Obeying the law is a choice, I suppose, so in that respect the the turn-in is “voluntary.” But as Voutier pointed out, failure to “volunteer” to give up your guns can lead to the seizure of the firearm, and the loss of the “privilege” of being able to own guns in the future, in addition to potential criminal charges.
Five years ago the Liberal government prohibited 2,500 “assault-style” firearms, though they’re repeatedly extended the amnesty period as they’ve struggled to get their confiscation efforts off the ground. Anandasangaree, meanwhile, has gotten into some hot water on both sides of the aisle for comments to a gun owner that were caught on tape, with the public safety minister saying the gun owner shouldn’t be concerned about being arrested if he doesn’t turn in his gun beceause he doesn’t think “municipal police services have the resources to do this.”
According to the Liberal government, there are about 200 banned firearms in the areas of Nova Scotia where the compensated confiscation efforts are being launched, and one official expressed confidence that “the 200 will be collected through the pilot,” but if not, “then we will have to discuss with the people who were contacted to understand better what is their intention to comply with the law before the end of the amnesty order.”
A protest outside of a local police station was scheduled to take place today, with organizers telling the CBC they’re hoping “let the police and government know they want changes to the ban and buyback program.”
“I don’t think that you can just call something assault style, convince the public that it’s scary and then not expect any pushback,” said Anna Manley, one of the rally organizers. “There are [.22-calibre guns] on that list. That is a small entry-level rifle. It is absolutely ridiculous that they’re calling that assault style.”
“Assault-style” is a meaningless term. It’s ridiculous that any firearm is described that way, but it certainly doesn’t surprise me that the Liberal government is using as broad a definition as possible. And though a handful of semi-automatic long guns remain legal to purchase and possess (Voutier says he’ll use his compensated confiscation funds to purchase one), I have no doubt that they’ll soon be the target of the Liberal’s next gun ban.
American gun control activists would love to see a Canadian-style gun confiscation program like this here at home, I don’t think we’re in any danger of that happening with the current administration, but we need to be on guard against any effort that puts us even a step closer to what’s happening to gun owners in our northern neighbor.
Editor’s Note: The Schumer Shutdown is here. Rather than put the American people first, Chuck Schumer and the radical Democrats forced a government shutdown for healthcare for illegals. They own this.
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